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Regina
The Regina, 676 tons, under command of Captain Thornton, sailed from London on 2nd September and arrived at Lyttelton on 4th December 1859 with 283 passengers.
MARRIED COUPLES
Adams William Y 4 Booth Thomas Y 3 Smith Brookbanks William Y Blacksmith Brown William Y Sawyer Buggaln Herman Y 1 Callaghan William Y Mariner Cole John Y 4 Gardener Cooper John Y 1 Carpenter Cooper Thomas Y 2 Bricklayer Cowan Hugh Y 3 Labourer Crimp Henry Y Labourer Delton Isaac Y 6 Labourer Dorman Dederick Y 2 Labourer Edward James Y Farm labourer Foster Philip Y 5 Mariner Gapes James Y 4 Carman Hall John y Carpenter Hollingworth George Y Saddler Hullen Henry Y 4 Labourer Hutchinson Richard Y 3 Carpenter Kennel William Y 1 Gardener King Thomas Y 5 Joiner Klaus William Y Labourer Lamind Charles Y Gardener Macnamara Michael Y 1 Labourer Martin Nicholas Y Carpenter McLachlan Donald Y 1 Labourer McMillan John Y Labourer Merson Thomas Y 1 Machanic Martin Nicholas Y Carpenter Norris Edward Y 2 Mariner Pearce Percival Y 2 Clerk Prudhoe William Y 2 Mason Robson Henry Y Sawyer Severn Joseph Y Labourer Snoswell James H. Y 4 Mariner Snoswell Thomas Y Mariner Stewart David Y Farm labourer Stilwell John Y 5 Labourer Suddens Thomas Y 2 Joiner Summis George Y 2 Carpenter Wade Joseph Y 3 Groom Walker W. Y 3 Labourer Walker William Y 1 Shepherd Watson John Y Cabinet maker Webb Samuel Y 7 Shoemaker Wells George Y 2 Carpenter White Charles Y 4 Mariner Winterbourne John Y 4 Ivory turnerSINGLE MEN
Archer John Shopman Baskfill William Bricklayer Ball John Labourer Booth John Smith Brown Albert E. Bricklayer Brown John Domestic Servant Buggaln John Labourer Cooper Richard Labourer Cooper Thomas Labourer Cox John M. Bricklayer Crimp John Labourer Crimp William Labourer Crollan James Labourer Crysell William Gapes James Garcis Frederick Bricklayer Harrison William Bricklayer Hossack Simon Labourer Hutchinson Thomas Carpenter Johnson James Ploughman Keevey William Groom Lukey Francis Bricklayer McLeod Alexander Ploughman McLeod Donald Ploughman McMillan Ewen Labourer McRae Murdock Shepherd Mitchell John Labourer Morgan Edward Bricklayer Murphey William Labourer Norrie George Labourer Norrie James Labourer Norrie William Labourer Ogier William Builder Pearson Thomas Labourer Ridley Thomas Labourer Rostrick Joseph Joiner Rostrick Robinson 1 Joiner Rostrick William Joiner Sandle Henry Gardener Sharp J. Bricklayer Sharp W. Bricklayer Smith David Shepherd Theaker Thomas Labourer Thompkins Mark Tailor Truttles Thomas Carpenter Webb John Bricklayer Webb William Shoemaker Whitehead George Engraver Wilkins Edward W. Labourer Wilson James Gardener Wise Edward LabourerSINGLE WOMEN
Batt Sarah 2 Belgrave Maria 2 Domestic Servant Bird Isabella Governess Campbell Mary Ann Cooper Margaret Cooper Sarah Ann Creed Phoebe 1 Domestic Servant Gapes Charlotte Gapes Hannah Gapes Jane Guilford Elizabeth Domestic Servant King Mary Martin Lydia McMillan Hughina McMillan Margaret McMillan Mary Medhurst Esther Murphey Mary Rostrick Mary Smith Ann Domestic Servant Smythe Sarah 1 Governess Smythe Sarah E. Stilwell Ellen Domestic Servant Stone Susan Tayler Sarah Tayler Sarah jun. Thomkins Frances Urry Sarah Domestic Servant Webb Elizabeth Webb Louisa Webb Mary Ann Wells Elizabeth Westwood Elizabeth Governess Whitehead Rachel DressmakerY = spouse
# = number of children
"The Lyttelton Times"
Wednesday, December 7, 1859
Our old friend the Regina, captain H.B. Thornton, returned to this port on Sunday morning, after an eight months absence, going home with a full cargo of wool in 86 days, and returning with a full complement of immigrants and cargo in 93 days, from port to port or 84 days from land to land. She left Gravesend on the 2nd September, and therefore on her arrival gave us a fortnight's later news than we had previously received; but the regular mail coming in on Monday superseded her intelligence. The Regina had a fair and favourable passage throughout; fell in with an iceberg a little eastward of the Cape; ran down her longitude in 48º and 49º and on the 17th November, in 97º E. spoke the Burmah, which sailed four days before her. The Burmah had carried away her foreyard. The Regina made the Snares on the 2nd inst. and lost no time coming up the coast. She carried 290 passengers, whom she has brought out in capital health and spirits; and the ship herself is a model of cleanliness. All the passengers were landed Monday.
Local Intelligence
We are sorry to record that one of the passengers by the Regina, a Mrs. KING the mother of five children, in crossing the Bridle Path yesterday little after noon, was attacked by apoplexy doubt induced by the extraordinary heat. She was conveyed to the cottage at the foot of the hill where every attention was shown her, but without avail, and she died between six and seven o'clock, without recovering from the coma into which she had sunk.
Foster: Philip Javis Foster and wife Sarah came out with their five children. He was a boatman from Deal and a preacher. They had a total of ten children and lived in a sod house Arthur St., Timaru.
Hullen: Herich Hullen came from London with his wife and four children including two sons, Johann age 9 and John aged 6. They settled in the Waitohi District, South Canterbury in 1867.
Suddens: Thomas Mcdonald SUDDENS married Jane Martha WOODLAND about 1855 supposedly in Sunderland, Durham, England. They had two children in England and possibly three more there who did not survive. Thomas, Jane and their children Jane and Robert came to Lyttelton, New Zealand in 1859 on the Regina.
Mark Riddle Thompkins and Frances Jackson Thompkins
Mark Riddle Thompkins and Frances Jackson Thompkins, brother and sister, decided to emigrate to New Zealand, probably encouraged by their brother Thomas Bowhill Thompkins who was already living in Christchurch, New Zealand, and financially doing very well for himself. [Thomas had arrived in Canterbury in 1855, have not being able to find the ship they came to NZ on.] Their father had died when they were very young, three other brothers had emigrated to the United States of America and Canada, their mother had recently died, and Mark and Frances, at the ages of 24 and 19 respectively, were the only family members living in Berwick Upon Tweed, Northumberland, England, where they had grown up with their family. Brother Thomas financially assisted with their passage money to New Zealand on the Regina, arriving at Lyttelton on 4 December 1859.
Mark Riddle Thompkins was described as a tailor at that time, but he went on to become the proprietor and licensee of the Royal Hotel at Woodend, approximately 20 miles north of Christchurch, Canterbury, in 1869, and remained there until his death in 1895 at the age of 59. He married Elizabeth Pidgeon at Woodend and they had five children, two of whom died during infancy. Mark had his share of misfortunes in his new country; he was adjudged bankrupt in 1868, his hotel at Woodend was totally destroyed by fire in 1875, and his wife died in 1882, leaving him with three young children to rear. But he appears to have overcome his life's tragedies and made the most of his life in New Zealand. Mark is buried at the St Barnabas Churchyard at Woodend, together with his wife and two of his children.
Frances Jackson Thompkins married Sergeant of Police Thomas O'Grady from Ireland in 1863, and because of Thomas's career in the New Zealand Police Force, the family moved around the Canterbury area - Heathcote Valley, Rangiora, Leithfield, Lyttelton - and were stationed at Napier, Thames, Greymouth, finally settling at Oamaru, North Otago. Frances and Thomas had nine children. Frances died in 1918 and is buried at the Oamaru Cemetery with her husband. Information courtesy of Carole Cowan. Posted 5 March 2005
Walker: William Walker was born in Cheshire 1834 and emigrated with his wife Sarah. They settled at Lower Waitohi, South Canterbury. Ref: Moonshine Country by Gordon Ogilvie.
Voyage Account Letter
In January 2002 there was an original letter written by a passenger on the "Regina" heading for Lyttelton offered for sale on Ebay by an elderly lady in Florida. She had obtained in from an estate sale in South America. It never received any bids so never sold. Christine wrote "I was disappointed that my letter did not sell. So I just put it back in the desk to lie there another 15 years. I don't feel like fooling with it any more. I went to all that trouble to research it in vain, however, I did enjoy learning what I did. I am a lover of learning as I have been since a child. The writer of the original letter was a married man because he speaks of his dear wife. There appears to be a signature. There were xxx’s and “see” at the end of some pages."
Christine Crossgrove
100 73rd. Ave. N.
St. Petersburg, FL 33702-5969
Mcrossgrove@aol.com"The letter that I have for auction is dated Oct. 5, 1859. Also the words “Ship Regina” in the right hand corner. There are 8 pages in delicate condition although the letter can be handled carefully. All the pages are intact with breaks along fold lines. The ink is brown and the lettering is in a style popular in the era. For instance, the s look like an f which makes it hard for me to read along with not that sharp eyesight. These are the excerpts:
My dear old Friend: With the chance of being able to send a letter from the line, I will be …but whether or not it will save me time on my arrival you must excuse it if…..appear unconnected and I want to say as much as possible and at the same time make the most of my paper. I will not say here how much I have thought about you since we parted on Aug.3. I went on board at noon the next day. The government inspector arrived soon after, I went ashore for an hour in evening but was glad to get on board. We set sail September 1 and reached Deal in the afternoon where the Pilot left us. We anchored for the night and set sail the following morning wind against us….when we reached D….. One vessel ran into another not far from us but soon righted and Captain ordered the boats to be lowered but fortunately they were not required. … at 8.30 ..storm..
2 days calm we are now in the Tropics. It certainly is very hot I am sure I have felt it as much in London.. I now have the berth to myself…..threw buckets of water over each other. Great deal of sickness. By Plymouth Pilot boat to my dear wife….Mother from Hackney Road ..little boy. .two year old adopted by Merson.. 3 first class passengers. I like one of them.. Gooden (?)…when we get to the Cape, which we hope to do in another 5 or 6 weeks the voyage will not then be….. Christchurch will be a….
place……little boy.. Oct. 3rd, Nov 20th she…2 days before she died….covered with a flag and slide off a plank into the sea….felt sorry for her husband.
Introduce me to Rossiters. Disappointed in Lyttelton."
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