Ben Venue
Ship: 1000 tons
Captain: McGowan
Surgeon Superintendent:
Sailed London March 6th 1880 - arrived Wellington June 8th 1880
The Ben Venue, a handsome iron
full-rigged ship of 1000 tons, was one of the fastest sailers afloat in the seventies. She
made only four complete voyages to New Zealand and on her fifth visit she was totally
wrecked at Timaru. The Ben Venue was owned by Watson Brothers, of Greenock, and built by
Barclay Curle in 1865. She belonged to the large fleet of "Bens," and had been
principally employed in the Melbourne trade. The ship had a narrow escape of coming to
grief in 1880 [this voyage]. Captain Wilson, who has been master of the Northern Steamship
Company's Waiotahi at Auckland for the past twenty years, sailed under Captain McGowan,
and relates an incident which occurred when the Ben Venue was bound for Wellington. He
states: "We had bad weather from the start, but nothing eventful happened until
passing the Cape, when we encountered gale after gale. Early in June we overran our
distance when approaching New Zealand. One night, at about 12 o'clock, with a heavy
westerly gale blowing, we discovered ourselves under the lee of the Snares. All hands were
called, and Captain McGowan decided to wear ship, and when we got round we found the
Snares on our lee bow. We lost our mainsail, mizzen lower topsail and main lower
topgallant sail, and were running under fore, main and mizzen topsails.The decks were
awash, with the seas breaking over us; and it was doubtful if we could clear the island.
The steering gear was smashed when wearing the ship. Captain McGowan stood on the poop
quite calmly, lit his clay pipe, and sang out, 'If she touches, boys, every man for
himself.' The ship by a miracle got clear, and we eventually reached Wellington on June
8th."
White Wings - Sir Henry Brett
Name | Age | Occupation | Comments | |
Saloon Passengers | ||||
Atkinson | C F | 17 | Gentleman | |
Bradbury | I C | 26 | Gentleman | |
Campbell | AL | 26 | Gentleman | |
Mrs | 21 | |||
D N | Infant | |||
Renson | George | 30 | Gentleman | |
Roberts | Alexander | 19 | Gentleman | |
Second Cabin Passengers | ||||
Bristow | Mr | 44 | Grocer | |
MrsA | 35 | |||
Drew | Elizabeth | 32 | Cook | |
Franklin | Martin | 27 | Gentleman | |
Sharp | C J | 29 | Gentleman | |
Annie | 28 | |||
Eva | 3 | |||
Steerage Passengers | ||||
Foster | F F | 25 | Engineer | |
Hills | Frederick | 25 | Gentlemen (Clark) | |
Innings | Frederick | 25 | Engineer | |
Moore | Charles | 27 | Railway Fireman | |
Nicholas | George | 33 | Labourer | |
Jane | 37 | |||
Jane | 9 | |||
Nicholas | Mary | 36 | Spinster | Sister to George Nicholas |
Reed | N R | 21 | Clerk | |
Ross | Alexander | 29 | Shepherd | |
Shrimpton | I | 18 | Hotel Servant | |
Smith | Henry | 29 | Farmer | |
Edward | 9 | } | Children of Henry Smith | |
Margaret | 11 | } | ||
Tilly | H L | 44 | Gentleman (Photographer) | |
Mrs | 40 | |||
Henry | 17 | |||
Marian | 15 | |||
Arthur | 10 | |||
Wood | Sarah | 23 | Lady | |
Copyright Denise & Peter 2001
Reference:
Archives New Zealand IM5/4/34 page 469
The Evening Post June 10th 1880