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"Pladda" 1861

Otago Witness – Saturday September 14, 1861 page 5 

Reference online: Papers Past Images online. NZ National Library.

Arrivals September 7 1861. Pladda, 982 tons, Dunlop, from Glasgow. 

Arrival of the "Pladda"
This fine vessel, which has made very good passage from the "bonnie banks o' Clyde," to this port. arrived here on Sunday, the 8th inst., and was towed up to Port Chalmers by the "Prince Albert." The "Pladda" has brought from the home country an addition to our population of 369 immigrants, who appear to be on the whole a clean and healthy class of people, and have arrived in good time to obtain situations, or, if they prefer it, to try their luck at our newly-discovered gold fields, but we learn that many have considered it more advisable, in meantime, to engage themselves to farm service, or take employment in town, until they see how matters are likely to go. ...
    The "Pladda" left the tail of the bank on the 1st June, and had favourable winds and weather until she reached the latitude of Madeira. Was becalmed for a short time at the Line, after which a breeze spring up, which enabled her to proceed on her voyage. Several vessels were spoken at sea - one homeward bound, by which letters were sent out. The Pladda arrived here on the 7th inst., having accomplished the passage here on the 7th inst., having accomplished the passage from land to land in 98 days. The weather during the voyage was on the whole very fine, and the passengers all agreeable. Upwards of 10 was collected from passengers on board, on behalf of an infant whose mother died. A bazaar for the benefit of the Seaman's Society, was held, which was well attended.
    On the arrival of the "Pladda," the following address signed by nearly 150 passengers, was presented to Captain Dunlop - a circumstance highly gratifying, as showing by their testimony how much his kindness and attention has been appreciated....

The following is a list of the passenger by the above vessel: 
Intermediate -paying passengers
Steerage - paying passengers
The rest are assisted emigrants.
( ) appears in the  (Otago Witness, 10 August 1861, Page 4) list but not on the arrival list.
8 pt font debtors

Aiken		David (Thomas Aitken paid £15 passage money to the Provincial Government of Otago)
Aikenhead	George wife and family of 5 
Allan		John
Allan		Robert
Robert 		Allan
Anderson 	Catherine
Andrew		Matthew wife and 2 children
Arthur		John wife and 3 children
Bain		Peter
Bain 		Alex.
(Barron		Alexander)
Barron		Isabella
Bathgate	Alexander and family (7)
Beattie	(?Battie)	John wife and family (7)
Bell		James
Biggar		Christina
Briss		Alexander
Brodie		Robert
Brown		Janet, Alex., James, George, William, Andrew and Mary
Brown		Thomas and wife
Bruce 		Janet
Calder		James
Calderwood	F. (T.)
Cameron		Archibald (Ewen Cameron paid £14 passage money to the Provincial Government of Otago)
Campbell 	Archibald 
Campbell	William
Carmichael 	James
Christie	John wife and 6 children
Clarkson	William and wife
Clunie		David
Cummingham	Hugh wife and 2 children (W. Parke paid £46 passage money to the Provincial Government of Otago)
Davidson	A.
Dempster	David
Dougald		Robert
Drummond	Elizabeth
Drummond	Helen
Dryburgh	Isabella
Drysdale 	Robert and wife
Dunder		Helen and son
Dunlop 		Mrs
Eadie 		William wife and child (?James)
Eadie		John and Elizabeth
Elliot		John
{Esson		Miss)
Ferguson	Ann
Ferguson	Janet
Ferguson	James
Fleming		David and wife, Ann - Intermediate - paying their own passages
Fletcher	John, wife and family (7)
Forbes		Alexander
Forrester	George and wife (Thomas Forrester's parents)
Forrester	Thomas, wife (nee Elizabeth Megget) and infant
Frame		Elizabeth
Fraser		Alex.
Fulton 		John wife and 3 children
Gibb		Henry
Gibb		Walter
Gibson		Peter wife and son
Girdwood	Thomas
Girvan		Arch.
Gordon		James
Grant 		Donald and wife Helen
Grant		James
Gray		John wife and family (9)
Gray		William
Greig 		John, sen., wife and family of 4 (John Junr.)
Greig		Thomas jun., wife and daughter
Grieve		John
Grieve		Thomas
(Haig)		Robert
Hall		Thomas wife and 4 children
Halley		Mrs William and son
Hamilton	Alex.
Hamilton	John
Hardie		John
Hare 		Robert
Hastie		James
Hedderwick	Henry and wife
Henderson 	Christina
Hume		Robert
Hunter	 	Archibald
Hunter		Mrs Mary and 2 children
Innes		John
Irving (Irvine) Richard wife and family 3
Johnston	James
Johnston	Joseph (?Johnstone)
Johnston	Thomas (?Johnstone)
Kay		John
Kennedy		David
Kerr		Thomas
King		Jane
Laing		James
Lander (?Lauder) Mrs R. (Margaret) and son
Luttrell 	William
McAllan		William
McBeth (?McBeath)	Barbara
McCallum	John
McDonald 	Thomas
(McDonald	Ronald)
McKay		Gilbert
McKechnie	John
McKenzie	Peter and family of 2
McLaren		Robert
McLean		Archibald
McLean		Charles wife and 4 children
McLeod 		John and Sarah
McPhee		Dugald and wife
McPherson	Alice
Macfie		D. and wife
Miller		Matthew wife and family of 8
(Martin)		Duncan
Martin		James
Megget		Jane, Catherine, Alex, and William
Michie (?Mitchie)	William wife and 2 children
Mason		John
Mason		Robert
Meggett		Mrs C.
Mitchell	Robert
Moore		William
Murray		John
Mutter		Thomas
(Nelson)	Alexander - Steerage - paying their own passages
Nelson		Robert
Paterson	Robert and wife
Patrick		James
Pollock		Robert wife and 4 children
Potter 		Alexander wife and 4 children
Pryde		Robert
Purves		John wife and child
Rankin		William
Rayner		John wife and two children
Reckie		John A. wife and child
Reid		David and wife
Reid		Mary
Rennie		John
Rennie		Sarah
Riddle 		Elizabeth and Margaret
Rontoul		David
Roberts		George W. wife and family of 3
Robertson	Matthew
Robertson	Thomas (wife and child)
Rodley		Thomas wife and son
Ross		James H.
Russell		David
Russell		Peter
Samson		Thomas
Scott		David wife and 4 sons
Scott		William and wife
Seaton		Thomas
Seed		William
Simpson		Ann
Skelton		Robert and Charles
Sloan		James
Smeall		William
Smith		Alex.
Smith		James and son
Smith		Robert
Smith		William and wife and 5 children
Stevenson	Charles
Stewart 	James
Stewart		John
Stirling	Charles
Strauchan 	Hunter and 2 sons
Telfer		Colin
Templeton	Robert, wife and 2 children
Thom 		William wife and 2 children
Tod		William
Turner 		Isabella
Veitch 		George
Wardlaw		Alex.
Walker 		Peter wife and 3 children
Watson		John and wife
Watson 		Peter
Watt		John
Weir 		Mrs Barbara
White		William
Whiteford	John
Whyte		John
Wilson		John wife and 2 children
Yorston		John  

Births
July 20, Mrs Rodley of a son
July 20, Mrs Smith of a daughter
August 10, Mrs Rayner of a daughter.

Deaths -
June     22, James Cunningham, infant, of acute bronchitis
August 24, Mrs Smith, aged 27, of pentonitis. [sic]

A passenger by the "Pladda" has requested us to give insertion of the following verses:-

September 14 1861 page 5
Lines in the late Fire in the Pladda. by G.F.
Anticipation, or the Sailor's Dream. by G.F.
Address to New Zealand by G.F. passenger by the "Pladda."

Lines on the late Fire in the Pladda.

The night was fair, on went the dance,
And all was mirth and fun;
When, lo! a piercing cry was heard-
The ship's on fire! - run! run!!
As when a flock of birds that's scared,
On pinions light uprise,
So sprang each seaman to his post, 
Now hard each seaman piles.
The work is short, Heaven aids the spell;
The lames are quenched, and all again is well
Now turn we to the crowd that line the deck,
Who 'scaped burning, drowning, death, or wreck;
Curious the while the lines to trace
of sad despair on every face;
of passions wild, still unsubdued,
Of momentary fears of ill and good;
The list the stifled sob and moan,
And mark the penitential groan,
The children's wail, the father's sigh,
The loving mother's heartfelt cry -
In youth our nearest, dearest tie;
The trem'lous tones of each sunk voice,
Anon the half suppressed noise,
And ever changing fears and joys,
That reigned throughout the terrors
Of that short-lived scene.

G.F.

From a sketch in the Otago  Settlers' Museum.
Also see Otago Witness, 10 August 1861, Page 4 - passenger list.

Otago Witness, 21 March 1906, Page 30 Oamaru, March 13.
Old residents of this district will regret to hear of the death of Mr Peter Russell, of Otepopo, an old and respected farmer in this district. Mr Russell was born in Bathgate, Scotland, 87 years ago. and landed in Port Chalmers by the Pladda in 1861, settling a few years later at Otepopo, where he served on various local bodies. His farming was attended with considerable success. He leaves a widow, having married in 1884.

Otago Witness, 30 December 1897, Page 38
An Old Subscriber — The ship Pladda arrived on Sunday, September 8, 1861. Eighteen of the crew deserted the following night, but only three escaped. She sailed again on October 21.

Otago Witness, 14 September 1861, Page 5
Gold Export. — The "Omeo' which left for Melbourne on Wednesday last, took 6900 ounces.
Gold still continues to arrive by private hands. One of the Banks, we understand, purchased from various parties 2000 ounces, which had not come in by the Escort. Two men came into town during the week bringing 40 lbs. weight each. The Escort left town for the Diggings on Thursday morning.

Desertion of Crews. — The crew of the "Pladda" made a most determined effort to escape from the ship on Monday night. Eighteen of the crew had been apparently watching an opportunity, and upon the officer of the watch turning his back, made for one of the boats. The first officer, who was on the poop, fired a pistol to arouse he captain and assistance. The men, alarmed, cut the tackle of the boat, but in doing let the stern down before the boat was free at the bow, when he capsized, and the whole of the men were precipitated into the water. Fifteen ere rescued and taken on board ; three were, however, missing, but whether they were drowned or not cannot be ascertained. That some one or all escaped is assumed from the boat of a vessel lying astern of the "Pladda" having been cut adrift and left on the beach. The whole of the men taken have been convicted of desertion, and sentenced to, six weeks' imprisonment. The most serious complaints have been made of the desertion of crews from 'their ships. We are informed that the "Arabia" and the "Ocean Chief" are both lying at the lower port deserted, the crews having got off. In one case we are informed, they constructed a raft, on which they managed to reach the shore.

Otago Witness, 13 June 1906, Page 65
An old identity in the person of Mrs William Blaikie passed away at Waiwera on May 28, at the age of 73 years. Mrs Blaikie, who was a native of Roxburghshire (New Castleton) with her husband came to New Zealand by the first voyage of the ship Pladda in 1860. Almost immediately after landing (says the Clutha Leader) Mr and Mrs Blaikie took up their residence at Te Houka and they subsequently resided in the Warepa and Waiwera districts respectively. Mrs Blaikie leaves her husband, four sons, and three daughters to mourn their loss.

Otago Witness, 7 March 1906, Page 32
Our Oamaru correspondent wires: — Old residents of North Otago and all interested in draught horseflesh will hear with regret of the death of Mr Thomas Hall, of Papakaio, which took place in Oamaru on Sunday morning. Deceased had been ailing for some time, and came to town a fortnight ago, where he has been suffering from an affection of the heart till his death took place as stated. Mr Hall was born in Roxburgh, Scotland, in 1849, and came with his parents to Port Chalmers in the Pladda in 1861. In 1873 he commenced cropping on the Maerewhenua Station, and later went into partnership with his brother Alexandra, with whom he farmed near Georgetown for 23 years, when the partnership was dissolved, and he took up land near Maheno on the Island Block, though his home remained at Papakaia. A keen judge of draught stock, Mr Hall was associated with his brother and Mr W. Gardiner in the ownership of such famous stallions as Cedric the Saxon, Record Reign, Agitator (imported), and Sandy Erskine (imported). For some years he represented the Awamoko Riding on the Waitaki County Council. He leaves a wife, three sons, and two daughters to mourn their loss.
 

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