Carnatic

advertisement



Email
Home page

Carnatic

The Carnatic, a fine clipper ship of 871 tons, built at Sunderland by Pile in 1867, and chartered by N.Z. Shipping Co., was never fortunate enough to make any sensational passages outwards, but on one occasion, when in command of Captain Moon, she ran home in 69 1/2 days, from Port Chalmers
This was in 1874, on her return voyage from the Dominion
Her outward passage on this occasion, under Captain Moon, was made in 84 days from Plymouth to Port Chalmers
She sailed with 250 passengers on December 8, 1873, crossing the Equator on January 8, and sighted the Snares on February 25, 1874, 81 days out. The following year the Carnatic brought another batch of immigrants to Picton and Wellington
She sailed from Plymouth on September 28, 1874 and after landing passengers and some cargo at Picton arrived at Wellington on January 16, 1875.
On the third and last voyage (see below) of the Carnatic the ship was dispatched from Gravesend on September 24, 1875, under Captain Chapman, and after a tedious passage of 119 days the vessel arrived at Auckland on January 21, 1876
In those days very little cargo was offering in the Dominion, and the Carnatic remained at anchor in the harbour for six months, when she sailed for London with a general cargo.
On her return to London the Carnatic made a voyage to San Francisco, and had a narrow escape of being totally wrecked before reaching her destination.

In the early fifties another ship bearing the same name made two voyages to the colony.
She was a vessel of 632 tons, commanded by Captain Smart on her first visit.
She arrived at Dunedin on December 10, 1853; and after discharging part cargo proceeded to Lyttleton, arriving there on December 29. The passage, land to land, was made in 99 days to Dunedin.
Two years later, in 1855, the ship under Captain Smith, arrived in Auckland on December 27, making the passage in 111 days from the Downs

Taken from 'White Wings: fifty years of sail in the New Zealand trade, 1850 to 1900' By Henry Brett (Auckland, Brett Printing Co, 1924) Vol I, pg 276

1st voyage of the Carnatic to New Zealand
8 December 1873: Left England for New Zealand
28 February 1874: Arrived at Port Chalmers, Dunedin, New Zealand in 84 days
3 May 1874: Left Port Chalmers, Dunedin, New Zealand for London, England
11 July 1874: Arrived in England from Port Chalmers, Dunedin, New Zealand in 69 1/2 days

2nd NZ Voyage
15 August 1874: Sailed from Shetland Islands
29 September 1874: Left England for New Zealand
10 January 1875: Arrived at Picton, New Zealand
16 January 1875: Arrived at Wellington, New Zealand from Picton
24 April 1875: Left Wellington for London, England

3rd NZ Voyage
24 September 1875: Left London, England for New Zealand
21 January 1876: Arrived at Auckland, New Zealand in 119 days
1 August 1876: Finally left Auckland, New Zealand for London, England after 6 months at anchor
4 November 1876: Arrived London, England

4th NZ Voyage
20 December 1876: Left England for Lyttelton, New Zealand
14 April 1877: Arrived at Lyttelton, New Zealand
22 May 1877: Arrived at Wellington from Lyttleton
14 June 1877: Left Wellington, New Zealand for London, England
18 October 1877: Arrived at London, England

5th NZ Voyage
5 November 1877: Left England for New Zealand
1 February 1878: Arrived at Lyttelton, New Zealand
26 February 1878: Left Lyttelton for Wellington
28 February 1878: Arrived in Wellington from Lyttelton
19 May 1878: Left Wellington for England
27 August 1878: Arrived London, England from Wellington, New Zealand

Note: So although "White Wings" stated that this ship only made 3 voyages the above information shows at least 5 definate voyages

The Carnatic Voyage my ancestors arrived on

Left England 29 September 1874
Arrived Picton, New Zealand 10 January 1875

Passengers
Cabin Passengers
Doctor Akerst
Mrs Akerst
Child Akerst
Captain Ruck - Schoolmaster on board
Doctor Smith - Surgeon on board

Families and Children
Charles Avis - 36 Blacksmith from Kent
Ann Avis - 30
John Barnes - 21 Carpenter from Kent
Kate G Barnes
Samuel Bassett - 27 Farm Labourer from Sussex
Harriet Bassett - 25
Rose Bassett - 4
Kate Bassett - 2
George Boyce - 21 Farm Labourer from Ayr
Ellen Boyce - 21
Henry Boyce - 3
George J Bristowe - 53 Wheelwright from Middlesex
Emma Bristowe - 40
George J Bristowe - 10
Emma Bristowe - 8
William Brooks - 21 General Labourer from Kent
Harriett Brooks - 20
George Chandler - 29 Gardener from Bedfordshire
Lydia Chandler - 29
Willie Chandler - 7
Alice Chandler - 5
Samuel George - 2
Edith - 4 months
Samuel Chandler - 28 Labourer from Kent
Mary A Chandler - 29
Caroline J Chandler - 2
William Clout - 23 Labourer from Kent
Mary E Clout - 20
Edwin W Clout - 1 (died on board)
William Cornish - 28 Labourer from Kent
Louise Cornish - 27
Walter Crook - 23 Gardener from Gloster
Mary Ann Crook - 22
George Crook - 26 Farm Labourer from Gloster
Emma Crook - 22
Thomas Deverson - 23 Labourer from Kent
Mary Deverson - 20
James B Dick - 39 Engineer from Lanark
Margaret D Dick - 36
William Dick - 10
Kate Dick - 7
Jane Dick - 5
Ann Dick - 2
George Dick - 3 months
Robert Flint - 23 Mechanic from Lanark
Agnes C Flint
William Fryer - 49 Gardener from Kent
Harriett Fryer - 48

A full passenger list is recorded in the book "Plum Duff and Cake" which is the Journal of James Nichols from 1874-1875 aboard the Carnatic
Most libraries have a copy of this book.

The original lists are stored in the National Archives in Wellington

A Blenheim newspaper wrote the following report:
The arrival of the good ship Carnatic, 871 tons, in the waters of Queen Charlotte Sound with 197 passengers on Sunday last is an event which we may justly consider, at this early period of the year, as marking the commencement of a new era in the history of Marlborough. We believe there has only been one other ship direct from England to Picton since the formation of the settlement, the Carnatic being the first with immigrants. The nationality of the passengers, their trades and occupations have already been given to our readers. In addition to those intended for this province were 100 immigrants who came out under the auspices of the Colonist Aid Corporation, and bound for a special settlement in the Province of Wellington. Information of their arrival was telegraphed to their agent at Manawatu, and the coasting steamer of that name was despatched for them, and arrived in Picton yesterday to convey them to their future, and we trust, prosperous home

The Carnatic left London on September 29th and beat about the Channel until the Line on November 8th and passed the Cape on December 4th, made Cape Farewell on January 8th, cast anchor off Jacksons Head on same day, and arrived at Mabel Island, Picton Harbour on the 10th

As soon as possible after her arrival the Immigration Commissioners, Messrs Goulter, Dalton & Tripe, went on board and found the ship clean and in excellent order. Enquiries were made among all classes of the passengers, and no complaints of any kind were made, on the contrary they all expressed themselves perfectly satisfied with the treatment they had received. They were all in good health with only two exceptions, one of which was a recent accouchment and the other a person who had for some years being subject to hysteria. There had been very little sickness of any kind during the voyage, only two deaths had occurred, both infants, and two births, which had brought up the number to its original standard

The depot at Picton was filled by those persons who wished either to remain in Picton or to proceed to Havelock, and the remainder have been brought on to the Barracks at this town.

As a proof of the estimation in which Captain E.M. Moon was held by them we may state that he was loudly cheered by the immigrants as in company with Mr Goulter he passed them on the Picton road. Several persons at Tua Marina turned out to welcome the new arrivals and presented them with fruit and milk, an act of graceful welcome which does credit to our suburban friends, and whihc we trust will be an augury of future union and good feeling between out old and new "chums". Upon making enquiry at the Depot this afternoon we learned that 98 adults and 43 children had been received there of whom all the servant girls had been engaged except two, and those would probably find employment before the day is out. Five married couples have found engagements, besides three of the single men, two being carpenters, the other a blacksmith

The Marlborough Press - Wednesday 13 January 1875
ARRIVAL OF THE CARNATIC
On Sunday last the ship Carnatic, 871 tons register, Capt. E.M. Moon commander, arrived in Picton Harbor, bringing 297 passengers, equal to 246 adults. We are indebted to the courtesy of Capt. Moon for the following account of the passage:-
The ship left London on the 28th September and was beating about the Channel until the 4th October; on the 9th was off the Start, and on the 13th was off the Wolf Rock. Crossed the line on the 8th November, and was off the Cape on the 4th December. Made Cape Farewell on the 8th January, and anchored off Jackson's Head same day with a stiff N.W. gale blowing; arrived in Picton on the 10th. The vessels spoken during the voyage were - the Rakia, on the 10th of October; the Scimitar, on the 11th, both off Lands End; and the British Ambassador, bound to Melbourne, on the 13th December. There were two deaths on the passage, both infants, who died from infantile diseases. The names of the children who died were Eliza Bull, aged 13 months, and E.W. Clout, aged 17 months. One birth took place on the 5th Jan., and the child was christened Agnes Carnatic Keen

When the vessel arrived in harbor, a large number of persons went out to visit her, and it was found that she had arrived free from disease and in a remarkably clean condition. On Monday the work of disembarkation began, and the passengers, as they were landed, were drafted off to Blenheim, except such of them as chose to remain in Picton, or who were to be transferred to another port. Seventeen families were selected by the Colonists'Aid Society, and the destination of these is the Manchester Block in the Wellington Province. Two nominated immigrants were on board, both single men, one being for Canterbury and the other for Wellington. The passengers speak highly of the treatment they received on board, and have nothing but good to say of the Captain, the ship's officers, and Dr Smith, who was surgeon-superintendent in charge. The immigrants appear to be a respectable body, and of a class to make good colonists. They are well spoken of by those who had them in charge during the voyage, and the esteem is mutual. The account of the passage cannot be more pithily summed up than it was by one of the sailors who said that "the voyage had been a particularly fine one- two deaths, one birth, and no rows"

The male immigrants comprise 64 laborers, 3 gardeners, 3 miners, 1 ploughman, 1 butcher, 1 groom, 14 carpenters, 2 wheelwrights, 3 blacksmiths, 1 blacksmith's laborer, 1 engineer, 2 fitters, 3 brickmakers, 1 stone-cutter, 1 stonemason, 3 bootmakers, 1 boot rivetter, 1 mechanic, 1 painter, 1 plate-layter, 1 railway porter and 1 tailor. Amongst the female immigrants there are 24 general servants, 1 cook, 1 dairymaid, 1 housemaid and 1 nurse. The places from which our new settlers were selected were - England, 225; Scotland, 36; Ireland, 24;, Channel Islands, 6; and Switzerland, 5. There are 57 families, containing in all 200 souls; 58 single men and 39 single women. They are apparently well satisfied with their prospects, several of them having been engaged before landing, and numerous enquiries were made by persons in want of assistance such as the immigrants could afford. There is every probability that the great bulk of the passengers to remain in the Province will speedily find employment. The charge so frequenetly applied to the Agent-General; of sending unsuitable immigrants cannot be sustained in this instance, and if as much discretion has been shown in selecting immigrants for other ports, colonists can have no cause to complain about the quality of those sent to reside amongst them.



Website design by
Lesley Lomas
Manawatu
New Zealand



advertisement