My ancesator John Peach arrived on the ship Joseph Somes, and I wanted to research the type of person has a ship named after them
As an example of the man, 'In 1839, the New Zealand Company purchased Matiu (island) from local Maori, along with the first acres in Wellington'
Somes Island, Wellington Harbour.
In honour of Joseph Somes Deputy-Govenor of the New Zealand Company by the crew of the Tory, who gave the name, were probably thinking at as much of the great ship building firm which Joseph Somes had founded, as the man himself. The New Zealand Company had brought the Troy from Somes in 1838.
On her final voyage, the Joseph Somes left London for Melbourne on 15 December 1856 with 23 passengers. On 25 February 1857, at the island of Tristan da Cunha the captain and some of the crew went ashore for water and additional supplies. As they were returning the ship caught fire and with part of her cargo consisting of 252 barrels of gunpowder she threatened to blow up. The crew and passengers jettisoned the dangerous cargo, but as the fire gained control all left hurriedly in the boats. After an uncomfortable night at sea they gained the shore where the islanders cared for them until the Nimroud from London called on the 6 March and took all fifty-two aboard. A further passage of fourteen days saw them landed at the Cape of Good Hope; then some continued on to Adelaide on the ship Cheapside.The legendary Flying Dutchman, condemned to roam the oceans impelling all who saw her, was linked with this loss. When landed at Cape Town some passengers and crew claimed the ghostly ship with its evil captain sailed right under the Joseph Somes bow shortly before the ship was destroyed by fire.
Joseph's wife, Maria, also had a ship named after her and established respected charitable foundations after her husbands death. The ship Maria Somes delivered many convicts to Australia.
From the Mauricien, 22 April 1846.
Dreadful Gale Encountered by the Maria Somes
The distressing events that attended the accidents the Maria Somes, transport encountered in the hurricane of the end of March, and the unfortunate loss of the lives, of several individuals on board, have led us to make more than an usual inquiry of what took place; and we have been obligingly furnished with authentic notes, which enable us to give the following details. The above vessel left Ceylon on 12th March, with 318 men of the 90th Regiment on board. On the 24th March, there were indications of bad weather ; on the 25th it blew a strong gale with heavy squalls, rain, and lightning; on the 26th the weather became worse, the squalls were terrific, the ship laboured very much, and was hove to under a close-reefed mizen topsail and mizen trysail. At the latter part of this day, the gale increased to a perfect hurricane, attended with rain and lightning to the eastward, the sails were split and replaced by a tarpaulin in the mizen rigging, and the pumps were kept constantly going.* On the 27th, the weather assumed a more favourable appearance, although violent, but the barometer remained at 28.50
On the 28th, the gale increased, and the vessel was hove to with her head to the S.S.W., wind at W., veering to the N. ; everything was made as secure as possible. At three in the afternoon the vessel was thrown on her beam ends by a terrific gale, a tremendous sea driving over her ; the squall over, she afterwards righted, and rode the gale remarkably well, but it recommenced with redoubled fury ; the two foremast futtock shrouds of the main topmast rigging gave way in the heavy roll, and the sea struck the ship, when the main topmast went about five feet above the cap, dragging over with it the fore and mizen topmasts and gib-boom close off at the caps, with the topsail yards ; shortly afterwards the main top capsized; an endeavour was made to clear the wreck, but it was found impossible to clear that of the main topmast, owing to the chain topsail tie and sheets being fast about the main top. Lieutenant Boys, the ship's agent, was struck down in the attempt, and was much hurt, the carpenter tried to cut the chain, but owing to the violent rolling of the vessel could not succeed, and it was useless to try to go aloft. The wreck was torn away by the violence of the weather during the night. The following morning (29th) it blew a dreadful hurricane, the hatches were obliged to be battened down fore and aft.
The pumps were sounded but without effect At 9 a.m. the larboard quarter gallery and the after dead lights were washed away ; these openings were secured with mattresses, hammocks, and battens. The pumps were sounded and there was five feet of water in the hold. The ship was pumped as well as the weather would permit, but the men were often driven from the pumps. At 2 o'clock in the morning of the 29th, the hurricane still continued to rage with dreadful fury. The wind changed from N.W. to N. and back to W. During this time the troops being in the hold, were suffocating for want of air and water, and it became necessary to open the after hatch which was watched by a party of men to keep the tarpaulin over it. About daylight the agent's gig was blown up into the mizen rigging, and eventually blown away from the quarter, with spars, oars, &c. The decks were swept by a tremendous sea, carrying away binnacles, hen coops. ladders, provisions. casks, &c. The larboard quarter boat was driven to pieces by the wind and sea. The heels of the fore and main topmasts having worked out of the fids, were blown overboard to leeward, the mizen topmast during a weather roll fell through the poop deck into the cuddy and was secured on deck.
No provisions or water could be procured during the whole of this time, and the reports from the lower decks were dreadful, as some of those who were there were dying from suffocation At three in the afternoon, the starboard quarter gallery and part of the agent's cabin was washed away, the sea making a clean breach through the cuddy, where the whole of the passengers, ladies, &c., were assembled, expecting every moment to be their last. At 4 o'clock the fore-top capsized, and the fore-yard having been carried away, the lift braces and yard with lashings to the mast tore up part of the forecastle deck and rails before it could be secured by the Captain and the few hands who could work, part of them being paralized by fear.
The lee bulwarks and guns were washed overboard. During the night the hurricane moderated. and two hammocks and a tarpaulin were spread in the mizen rigging to keep the vessel to the wind. It was now found that she had sprung a leak, and that there was five feet of water in the hold ; the pumps were kept constantly going, and the troops exerted themselves in the most praiseworthy manner, although frequently washed away from them, and faint from hunger. The main mast and rigging straining the ship so much it was decided to cut it away, it was accordingly done without any injury.
The hatches were at length opened ; thirteen individuals were found suffocated, one sergeant, six men. one woman, and five children. Many of the soldiers were now allowed to come on deck, but without any shelter, as the cuddy was filled with passengers who were in a deplorable state of exhaustion. The vessel not answering the helm, the rudder was examined, and the head was found to be wrung off ; the captain, carpenter, and four men, used all their efforts to repair it, and only partly succeeded At one o'clock next day the weather was still very violent, with a heavy rolling sea, and the pumps were kept constantly at work. The long boat being full of water broke adrift, taking with her the spars, lashed to the ring bolts, tearing one of them out from the deck. Every effort was made by Mr. Skey, second mate, in the absence of the captain and first mate, who were both disabled, to secure the boat and spars, and four soldiers had their legs and thighs broken in the attempt. The next day (the 31st) the spars were secured, but both boats were shattered to pieces. In endeavouring to clean the deck of the lumber, &c., the captain and a man (Peter Preston) were swept under it, and when removed from that perilous situation, the former was found to be much bruised, and the latter had his leg broken just above the instep. Several severe accidents happened during the day among the troops. The barometer had risen from 28.20, its lowest during the bad weather, to 29.30, and the gale gradually subsided. The vessel. however, still continued to make from 12 to 14 inches per hour. The rudder had been washed away. Port Louis being the nearest port, it was decided to steer for it. It was judged to be about 1250 miles distant W. by S. By the observations made on board the 31st the latitude was 17° 5' S., and longitude, 7° 07' E. From this date the Maria Somes continued her course for this port and anchored here on the 18th instant.
From records of the Anglican history in New Zealand.
When the bishop landed in New Zealand, he found a school of about 40 boys, taught by two masters (with the help of two part-time assistants), and housed in what was really the parsonage-house of the one church of Christ-church.
First came the question of the site. The central square of the city enclosed a block of land which had been intended for the Cathedral and the University. But its area was insufficient for the requirements even of a good school, and the block was a serious hindrance to the traffic of the town. A bargain, highly advantageous to both parties, was therefore struck between the ecclesiastical and the civic authorities. The former gave up half of their land, and obtained in exchange a splendid site of ten acres on the west side of the city, besides a money compensation of £1,200. The latter obtained a convenient roadway through the midst of the square, an open space in the very centre of the city, and a site for the future Godley statue.
Next came the question of buildings. Bishop Harper had collected nearly £200 in England before he set sail, and other friends in the old country had sent substantial help. But a larger amount was the product of one of those small efforts which sometimes bring about surprisingly welcome results. Before the sailing of the first four ships, Mr. Jackson, the bishop-designate, had conceived the happy idea of making application on behalf of his proposed college to the widow of Mr. Joseph Somes, a former ship-owner and director of the New Zealand Company. The lady readily agreed to lay out £150 in the purchase of 50 acres of land in the new settlement for the founding of a scholarship. A ballot was to determine the order in which the land sections were to be selected; and when this ballot came to be taken, the name of Mrs. Somes was the first to be drawn. The land was chosen in Lyttelton immediately on the arrival of the colonists; and so rapidly did its value increase, that by 1857 it was yielding every year a sum equal to the original purchase money. It now yields considerably more, and many have been the boys and youth who have had occasion to bless Maria Somes for the scholarships which have paid their school or college fees. For the first few years, however, the income was not available, and in 1857 there were accrued arrears of rent which amounted to £1,000, and formed an important addition to the building fund.
It appears that Jodeph and Maria Somes had a significant role to play in the birth of white settlement in New Zealand.
Joseph Somes
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