The Cardigan Castle

The Cardigan Castle, a full rigged ship of some 1200 tons left London, Gravesend on Saturday, September 30th 1876 on it's journey to Lyttelton, New Zealand. Although it had been ready to leave the day before, it had not sailed owing to the sailor's superstition against commencing a journey on a Friday. On board were 320 passengers including Philip and Charlotte Bint and their family.

The passengers departed the Blackwall Depot and were taken down the Thames by the steam tug "Royal Victor" to board the Cardigan Castle. The ship was divided into quarters for single women, married couples and single men.

The ship was towed to the Straits of Dover to commence its voyage. Heading south down the English Channel towards Start Point, the Cardigan Castle started to roll in stormy seas. She reached and departed Start Point on October 2nd sailing south into the Bay of Biscay. The heavy seas spawned by gale force winds and lasting until the 12th of October continued, causing all of the passengers to be laid low with dreadful seasickness. This, apparently, was bad enough to cause many of the passengers to wish they had remained at home.

On reaching the vicinity of Cape Finisterre on the North West coast of Spain, the seas abated and the ship came to a standstill during the night. With the rising sun it was noticed that there were six other ships in view. One of these, the Burmah of Dundee bound for Brazil, was close enough to signal. The evening was fine and a fair wind sprang up which carried the Cardigan Castle out of the Bay of Biscay and into the Atlantic Ocean.

On October 17th the ship passed a long way to the eastward of the Meridian of Madeira which would have brought them closer to the African Coast than they should have been. On the following day and on this heading they passed close enough to the Island of Las Palmas (part of the Canaries Group) to see the town and hillsides of Santa Cruz through a telescope. The peak of the Island of Tenerife, one of the largest in the group, was also seen some 100 miles distant. It was getting hot as the Cardigan Castle sailed into the tropics and closer to the Equator.

As the Cardigan Castle sailed south the temperature continued to rise making it unpleasant for those used to a cooler English climate. On October 27th they reached the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of present day Mauritania, having endured several days of being almost becalmed. Indeed, on October 22nd the Captain reportedly told passengers that "we shall not get to New Zealand for twelve months at this rate."

In the early morning of November 10th 1876, Cardigan Castle crossed the Equator hailing another ship which was following her "... the Captain has sent up two rockets out of bravado, daring her to catch us." From the Equator she commenced the long southward leg of the voyage to Gough Island experiencing a mixture of fine and rough weather on the way. Gough Island, reached on November 25th 1876 was where Cardigan Castle would turn and start "sailing her eastings down". The island was just visible in the distance "as there was a haze on it". The passengers hoped, from here, to be in Lyttelton inside a month.

Suddenly the temperature had become extremely cold and while sailing across the southern ocean, the passengers spent much of their time in their quarters, ice making the decks unsafe. On the night of November 30th, Cardigan Castle passed the Cape of Good Hope. Again it was so cold that the immigrants were forced to be "walking about every moment to keep ourselves warm." Two days later a "large whale" and a ship (the Lalla Rooke, 71 days out of from Liverpool bound for Fiji) were sighted.

The night of December 7th and the following day saw Cardigan Castle in the centre of a severe cyclone at latitude 44.31 south X 45.35 east. During the storm she lost the lower main sail and mizzen top sail while waves washed continually down the hatches and into the cabins. Passengers scurried around with mops and buckets to keep the worst of the water at bay. Cardigan Castle was forced to reduce sail and to travel under topsails only. Later in the day the storm abated and the next 10 days saw calm but cold and damp sailing.

By Christmas Day 1876, the Cardigan Castle was off Tasmania and making good speed towards Lyttelton. December 31st 1876, a fine day with fair wind, saw her off Stewarts Island and well on the way to her final destination. For the first few days of 1877, Cardigan Castle was becalmed. So near yet so far from her destination, the Cardigan Castle moved in and out of sight of the Otago Coast and favourable winds. By early afternoon on January 4th Cardigan Castle was approaching Lyttelton and having "turned" was expecting to dock within 12 hours.

Fate, however, cast another stone at Cardigan Castle and her passengers in the form of disease on board. She sailed into Lyttelton Harbour flying the "Yellow Flag" and was directed to anchor alongside the quarantine station at Ripa Island. The Commissioners boarded Cardigan Castle at 10.00 am on January 6th 1877. It seemed generally anticipated by the passengers that they would be cleared and be allowed to go ashore but unfortunately they ordered into quarantine. Single males were put ashore at Quail Island and married couples and single women at Ripa Island.

Quarantine restrictions were taken very seriously. Were anyone to go to the island or the ship without permission, they would be detained there and fined £200. The ship was fumigated and all of the passengers belongings were turned out and spread on the grass or hug on lines to be well aired. Anything that was not aired was to be burned. Even mail written on the islands was not delivered to the mainland before it had been fumigated.

It would be three long months before the last of the Cardigan Castle passengers were permitted to leave the island for their new homes.

I was interested to find three families from my local Forest of Dean area on the passenger list.

Stone mason William Kear who was born at Blakeney in 1838 married Esau Lewis's daughter Jane Lewis in 1859. After living at Pillowell and Whitecroft they migrated to New Zealand with their four children, Oliver 17, Fanny 15, Mary 11, and Sarah 8.

Another mason, Isaac Cox, born English Bicknor in 1841 and married to Coleford girl Mary Jenkins at Cinderford in 1866, lived and worked at Yorkley Wood. They had three children with them on the voyage, Charles 7, William 5, and Lucy 2. Their time at sea became a nightmare when Isaac tragically lost both his wife Mary and son William to sickness.

Farmer's son Edwin Marshall (1838) from Littledean was also aboard with his wife Priscilla Ryder and two daughters Annie 11 and Flora 6. Priscilla was from Westbury and they were married there in 1861.

Yesterday morning Mr March went off in the steam launch, and received the following statement from Dr Welsh, in reference to the health of the immigrants: Hugh McCann, suffering from enteric fever, was improving; Eliza Webster, a child that had been suffering from tonsilites, but whose throat was now well, was reported as being in a very low state from pneumonia. [Her illness commenced with diphtheria]; Annie Bennett, suffering from low fever, was improving in health. All the others were doing well. One death, that of Ernest Gartery, and one birth of a female child, have occurred since the ship's arrival, and in the latter case both mother and child are doing well.

The Star Monday 8th January 1877
It is conjectured that Cornelius Harrigan, aged 30, a native of the County Cork, must have fallen overboard, as it was some sixteen or seventeen hours from the time he was last seen up to the time he was missed.

The Star Tuesday 9 January 1877 pg 2
Quarantine Station
The health of the immigrants ex Cardigan Castle is much the same as yesterday. The two stations were visited by Dr Donald and Mr March in the afternoon. There were four births during the passage out. Dr Walsh requests us to state that his Christian name is Inman, not Jeremiah, as reported.

The Star Thursday January 11 1877
Yesterday morning the flag at the Quarantine Station, Ripa Island, was hoisted, denoting that a death had taken place. Dr Donald and Mr March visited the stations in the morning, and the report shows that one of the single girls named Eliza Webster, aged 19 years, had succumbed to pneumonia and low fever. Her illness commenced with diphtheria. She had been very low, and never rallied after Tuesday morning. Hugh McCann, suffering from enteric fever, was reported as being then still very low, while Ann Bennett, a patient under treatment of low fever, was improving slowly. The general conduct of the immigrants was reported as being very quiet and orderly.

The Star Tuesday January 16 1877
Lyttelton
Before W. Donald Esq., R.M.
Desertion - Robert Dann, a seaman, on board the ship Cardigan Castle was charge by Captain Davies with this offence. The Bench sentenced accused to 14 days' imprisonment with hard labour.

The Star Wednesday 17 January 1877
Quarantine Station, Ripa Island
The man Hugh McCann, who has been suffering from fever, was decidedly recovering yesterday. Another of the immigrants however showed signs of fever, which will of course be the means of detaining the rest in quarantine. The single men were released from Quall Island yesterday, and forwarded on to Addington.

The Star Tuesday January 23 1877 pg 2
Desertion - Edward Pittard was charged with having deserted from the ship Cardigan Castle.

The Star Wednesday 24 January 1877
Immigrants Ex Cardigan Castle
These immigrants were released from quarantine yesterday afternoon, and brought over by the p.s. Titan. They all look remarkably well, and appear to be thoroughly respectable and useful lot of people, they were forwarded through to the Barracks, Addington, by the 6 p.m. train. There are now only four patients left on the island - Ann Bennett, Hugh McCann, Fitzgibbons and Guy - who are getting on nicely, and will be released in the course of a few days.

The Star Monday 29 January 1877
About another two days' work will see the Cardigan Castle clear of her inward cargo, the chief of that now on board being larger railway packages.

Interview with William Warman Emigrant passenger by the ship Cardigan Castle to Lyttelton in 1873. The following are the responses of William Warman who travelled to Canterbury with his wife and four children (one of whom travelled in the Single Women's section
Questions	William's Responses
What is your name and condition - (ie married or single)?	William Warman - plasterer - married - 3 children
Where do you come from?	Brighton
What first induced you to think of New Zealand for emigration? If advertisements state in what paper? If local Agent state name and address if possible?	Work was very bad and I had a family of young children and very poor wages. I heard from people in New Zealand that wages were very good there and work plentiful.
When you made up your mind what steps did you take?	I applied to Mr Gardiner, local Agent at Brighton. He answered my questions and wrote to Agent General for me.
Did you pay your own passage to the port of departure?	I paid £1 and gave a promissory note for £2.10.0 advanced to me.
Had you any communication in London with the Agent General or his office?	I wrote to the Agent General direct about my fare to Plymouth. All other matters were carried on through Mr Gardiner.
Were you detained at the port waiting for the ship and did you receive maintenance money and how much?	Detained nearly a week at Plymouth
Have you any remarks to make with regards to the promotion of emigration at home?	Let emigrants write home describing the Country truthfully and also a description of their treatment on board ship and after arrival in New Zealand. Let these letters be published in English papers and also circulate Colonial papers, giving accounts of arrival of emigrant ships, engagement of immigrants etc. I find the description of the Country given by Mr Gardiner to be very truthful.
Interview with John Mintrom Emigrant passenger by the ship Cardigan Castle to Lyttelton in 1873 The following are the responses of John Mintrom who travelled to Canterbury with his wife and nine children (two of whom were in single accommodation).
Questions	John's Responses
What is your name and condition - (ie married or single)?	John Mintrom - Brickmaker - married - 9 children.
Where do you come from?	Jersey Channel Islands
What first induced you to think of New Zealand for emigration. If advertisements state in what paper. If local Agent state name and address if possible.	I saw a New Zealand paper with account of wages etc there and the demand for my trade.
When you made up your mind what steps did you take?	I applied to Dr Garrick, local Agent at St Hilliers, Jersey. He has lived for several years in New Zealand and gave me every information about the Colony and the steps necessary to take to obtain a passage.
Did you pay your own passage to the port of departure?	I paid my way.
Had you any communication in London with the Agent General or his office?	No
Were you detained at the port waiting for the ship and did you receive maintenance money and how much?	There is no difficulty in the way of any Jersey people obtaining passages if they are willing to come. Dr Garrick makes everything easy. The dread of the voyage stops a great many from coming. I shall write describing our treatment on the voyage. It was much better than I expected.
Have you any remarks to make with regards to the promotion of emigration at home?	There is no difficulty in the way of any people obtaining passages if they are willing to come. Dr Garrick makes everything easy. The dread of the voyage stops a great many from coming. I shall write describing our treatment on the voyage. It was much better than I expected.