New Zealand Settler Ships - England 1872

• Departed: Gravesend
• Date: 8 December 1871
• Arrived: Wellington
• Date: 9 March 1872

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Ships Report

The following is the report of the ship England, from London, with a general cargo, and 30 families of Scandinavian passengers, numbering 30 adults, and 34 children, 6 single men, Scandinavians; 4 do [?] British; 8 single women, Scandinavians; 9 do [?], British; also two cabin passengers, Mr Badland and Mr McGrath, besides the captain's family. She left Gravesend on the 8th December [1871]; had contrary winds in the Channel, and took her departure from the Lizard on the 15th; had contrary winds from thence to Madeira, which island was passed on 26th; from thence had fair trades, and crossed the Equator in 27 degrees 30'W, on the 7th January; passed the meridian of the Cape of Good Hope on the 5th February; had steady winds from thence, passed south of Kergue'ans Land, and passed the longitude of Cape Leweu on 23rd February; passed Vandieman's Land on the 28th, and arrived off the entrance of Cook's Straits on Monday last, since which time she has been detained by light airs and calms, thus making the passage from Lizard to Cook's Straits in 80 days, and completing the voyage from Gravesend to this port in 90 days.

We regret to learn there has been a very sever outbreak of measles, commencing among the children of the Scandinavians, and also sever diarrahoea, in consequence of which there has been 16 deaths during the voyage - viz. 3 adults and 2 children of measles, and 11 children from diarrahoea. The disease has now subsided, there being only one recent case of a child born on board.

The England left this port on the 4th July last year; after leaving she encountered a fearful succession of S.E. gales, especially one on the 10th of that month, which swept our coast, in which she lost bulwarks, spars, and received other damage, in consequence of which she had to be thoroughly overhauled and re-coppered in London; she had also several new spars and a quantity of new rigging. She is now in first rate condition, and ready for immediate employment as soon as her cargo is discharged. She made the voyage from this port round the world; including seven weeks detention in London, in eight months and five days.

The captain, seeing that so much sickness had prevailed, would not take the risk of bringing the vessel into harbour, and on his own responsibility ordered the pilot to anchor her at Some's Island till the authorities here decided what steps to take to prevent the spread of a most malignant for of disease.

The England is consigned to Messers. W. & G. Turnbull & Co.

Source: Evening Post, 9 March 1872, Page 2

Passenger List

Cabin

* Surname,Firstname,Age

• Magrath, Mr J.A.U., - (also spelled McGrath elsewhere in the report)
• Badland, Mr James, -
• Leigh, Dr J.T., -

Scandinavian Emigrants (Married)

Note that the newspaper article with the passenger list appears to spell the name "Hans" as "Hems" or "Homs" throughout. I have used "Hans" here in preference only in those cases where I know it to be correct (the Jens P. Petersen family).

* Surname,Firstname,Age

• Wellington, John, 21
• Wellington, Emmeline, 20
• Amunsden, Ole, 28
• Amunsden, B.O., 29, and three children
• Gummerius, Christensen, 35
• Gummerius, K.O., 35, and one child 11 years
• Ericksen, Christopher, 28,
• Ericksen, B.M.O., 28, and infant
• Nielsen, Niels, 37
• Nielsen, B.H., 42
• Nielsen, H., 7
• Nielsen, Carl, 3
• Jasperson, Johommes, 45
• Jasperson, Anne, 37
• Bosen, Ole, 34
• Bosen, Anne, 44
• Bosen, Berthe, 11
• Bosen, P.[?], 10
• Bosen, Ole, 2
• Larsen, Koms, 32
• Larsen, Karn H., 31
• Larsen, Elizabeth, 8
• Larsen, Launtz, 5
• Larsen, Homs, 4
• Larsen, Carl, 1
• Mais, Petersen C., 29
• Mais, Louise S., 37
• Mais, Mathias, 7
• Mais, Homs, 5
• Larsen, Peter, 32
• Larsen, Margaretta. 25
• Larsen, Lars P., 5
• Larsen, C. Juliens, 3
• Larsen, Homs, 1
• Nielsen, Peter, 44
• Nielsen, Anne, 39
• Nielsen, Niels, 6
• Nielsen, Cathe, 4
• Nielsen, Christiom, 1
• Larsen, N.P., 42
• Larsen, Kara M., 30
• Larsen, Karne, 10
• Larsen, Niels, 7
• Larsen, Marie, 2
• Petersen, Jens P., 41
• Petersen, Anne M., 43
• Petersen, Hans C., 11
• Petersen, Karen, 10 (spelled "Karn" in the passenger list)
• Petersen, Ole Johan, 6
• Petersen, Anne, 3
• Petersen, Nicoline, 1 (spelled "Bohn" in the passenger list. This is possibly an Anglaisation of "Barn" - Danish for baby)
• Halberg, Magnus, 43
• Halberg, Marie L., 36
• Halberg, Caroline, 16
• Halberg, Lars, 10
• Halberg, Cathe, 9
• Halberg, Anne Marie, 7
• Halberg, H Cathe, 4
• Halberg, Oluf, 1
• Olesen, Ole, 27
• Olesen, R. Nilso, 29
• Olesen, Ole, 1
• Larsen, Rasmus, 43
• Larsen, Marie, 41

Scandinavian Emigrants (Single)

* Surname,Firstname,Age

• Lee, Ellen, 31
• Lee, Henrietta, 10
• Lee, Hugh, 6
• Leist, Maria, 26
• Nilsdatter, Julie, 21
• Olsdatter, Anne M, 31
• Olsdatter, Jemette, 28
• Vorgensens, Jens, 27
• Neilsen, J.A., 24
• Neilsen, D.L., 20
• Andersen, Neils, 24
• Nissin, Antonitte, 23
• Guldlire, Marie, 22
• Love, Jemet, 29
• Love, Hugh, 9
• Hall, Mrs, -
• Hall, Mary, -
• Hilton, George, -
• Bergesdatter, Mia, -
• Larsen, T., -

Scots Emigrants (Married)

* Surname,Firstname,Age

• MacDonald, George, 26
• MacDonald, Jessie, 26
• MacDonald, John, 1
• Burness, James., 33
• Burness, Jane, 30
• Burness, Jane A., 7
• Burness, James, 5
• Burness, Alex, 4
• Burness, George, 1

Scots Emigrants (Single)

* Surname,Firstname,Age

• MacAuley, John, 19
• Burns, Margaret, 21
• Allison, Isabella, 21
• Douglas, Elisa, -
• Douglas, Ralph, -
• Carstou, Elizabeth, -

Further Sources

England's arrival with disease on board created significant angst in Wellington. The official reaction and investigation was widely reported in newspapers throughout the colony. This lead to the establishment of Somes Island as a quarantine station.

• Rosy description of the Scandanavians on board England and their potential as settlers
• Initial report of "England's" arrival in Wellington and the outbreak on board - setup of quarantine station on Somes Island, and arrest of ship's doctor
• Armed Constabulary used to prevent communication from ship to shore
• Fears of smallpox, ship's doctor's reputation questioned, implications for the wider colony around quarantine
• Harbour master, Mayor, and doctor visit "England" at a respectful distance. Tentage and building materials for Somes Island
• Criticism of Government inaction after an earlier ship brought disease to New Zealand
• Ship's doctor arrested. Details of facilities to be built on Somes Island
• Discussion on conditions on ship during the voyage
• Plans for Somes Island quarantine methods
• Open letter from Ship's doctor to local newspaper defending himself
• Testimonials from passenger's on the ship's captain's good conduct
• Ladies of Wellington collecting and donating clothing for England's passengers
• Further letter of defence from ship's doctor
• Ship's doctor still trying to defend himself
• facilities completed, infected passengers landed
• Information on the passengers' trip across the North Sea