BARQUE WESTMINSTER
1842
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The Ship:
The Barque was the most commonly used ship during the 1800's. It weighed about 500 tons, this was measured by the amount of water it displaced, and it usually had three mast's. A Barque was not built to carry many passengers, but was converted to allow this to happen. The reasoning for the use of the Barque was it carried a small crew, unlike a fully rigged ship. It could also be used as a whaling ship during a lull in cargo transportation from the Colonies and England.The ship was fitted with a "Poop Deck" which housed full fare paying passengers and crew. Subsidised and Assisted passengers were housed in the area under the main deck which had been fitted out with a quarter deck. This would have normally been the cargo hold.

The Voyage:
The Westminster sailed from Plymouth England 11am 4th December 1842
For the sailing ships the long sea route utilised the north easterly wind in the Alantic until the ships were near the Canary Isles off the coast of North West Africa, then they continued to sail south west towards Brazil until past the equator. Once the 'Roaring Forties' were reached it was a hopeful passage skirting south of Africa, passing Tasmania and arrived Auckland New Zealand 31st March 1843.

When the passengers boarded the Westminster for voyage to New Zealand,which in those days was the longest emigration route in the world.Taking 3 to 4 months depending on conditions and covering 12,000 miles [20,000km]. Most had no idea what they were letting themself in for. The vast majority had probably not seen a vessel of this size let alone undertaken a voyage on one.
Full of hope for a better life in a new land, the spartan and wretched conditions trials and hardships they suffered must have been hard to bare at times. Many probably wondered if they had made the right discision to leave their friends, family and homelands behind.
Conditions & life aboard Ship:

James Carlton Hill, his 2nd wife Emma Maria [Mary ] Filgate,  and children travelled to New Zealand aboard the Barque Westminster. Which sailed from Plymouth England on 4 December 1842. This was the first planned emigrant ship to leave England for New Zealand.
James his wife and the five youngest children were given a single embarkation number 1333.
Albert William Hill
Emma Hill
Ernest Roden Hill
Frederick Eldon Winchelsea Hill
Robert Sandys Hill
Sarah Margaret Hill age 14 had number 1334
Carlton Hollis James Hill was 18 and was given number 1335
Mary Hill age 17 had number 1336.

Also on the Westminster was William & Sarah Rose  also originally from Ireland. Their daughter Maria later married Jame's son Ernest Roden Hill.

In total the Westminster had 79 Families  Two young children, one of whom had a 'scrofulous disease' and James's young son Albert William Hill died on the voyage and an adult who was 'organically diseased' also died at sea. However there were 7 births, including two sets of twins. The ships Doctor had quite a job getting his Salary for the voyage from the commissioners, as they could not agree that more emigrants had landed than boarded, especially as some died on route.

James and his family were acommodated in Steerage which was essentially converted cargo space, to be reconverted back to take wool on the return journey. The steerage passengers were therefore accomadated below deck, in cramped conditions. The space allocated to each person or family had to accommodated not only the people but everything they needed with them for the whole voyage.Their were separate quarters for families, single men and single women. Privacy between families quarters would be a canvas curtain. Fresh air was ducted in from above or by way of a small porthole's, which in rough weather allowed in sea water as well as air.
Most passengers managed to maintain a reasonable degree of hygiene by washing with salt water and a sponge during the voyage. Soap, even on shore was a luxury, on a ship it was virtually unheard of with any piece readily avaliable being eaten by the vast number of rats that infested most ships.Toilet facilities were minimal.
The washing of clothes was carried out once or twice a week using sea water.

Food and water for the passengers was the responsibility of the shipping company. The "Shipping Act" of 1840 made shipping companies supply food on the following basis:
Children between 7 & 15 years were to receive half the ration of an adult.
Children younger than 7 years wereto receive a third.
An Adult ration was as follows

Daily
1 loaf of bread per day
3 quarts of water per day

Weekly
1 pound of preserved meat
1 pound of preserved pork
1 pound of salt beef
Half pound pickled fish
3 pounds flour
Half pint of preserved cabbage or vinigar
2-3 pints of pease [Dried lintels ect]
7 ounces of sugar
1 ounce of tea
1 & half ounces of coffee
A little mustard
1 pint of oatmeal
6 ounces of suet

These food items were often substituted for other products. Fresh water was of a premium and had to last for an unknown period of time. Due to the weather the ship may be blown off course or there may be a lull in the wind. So rain water was collected. After 1 to 2 weeks at sea the fresh water began to taste bad and smell rancid. So vinigar was added to the water to improve the taste and mask the smell.
Food was cooked in a common galley with a fire place entirely enclosed in brick to reduce the risk of fire. Some passengers would assisted the ships cook in the preparation of the food.


A Surgeon Superintendant [usually a qualified doctor] was appointed to attend the emigrants and other passengers on the voyage. While the Captain was responsible for his ship and crew, the surgeon was responsible for the conduct, morals , behaviour, nutrion and health of the passengers. To aid him the surgeon would appoint a matron to govern the single women and two or three constables to keep order, distribute food and other supplies and to ensure all aboard were equally provided for.

Married men would take turns at keeping watch in their part of the ship during the night. Two men would be put in each watch. 8pm til midnight, Midnight til 4am and 4am til 7am. Duties would include assisting any person taken ill, see that hatchways and deck ventilators are kept open or as directed by the Captain and report what ever may be nessesary.

General Ships Rules:
As the ships were made of timber there were strict rules to be obyed for fear the ship may catch alight

~ No smoking between decks ~ sometimes tabacco was confiscated and not returned until the end of the voyage.
~ No alcohol or gunpowder to be taken aboard by the passengers.
~ Church Service was held every sunday at 10am with all to attend.
~ All passengers except those prevented by illness determined by the ships surgeon shall rise no later than 7am. At which time fires will be lit.
~ Breakfast from 8-9am  - Dinner 1pm -  Supper 6pm.
~ When passengers are dressed their beds shall be rolled up.
~ The decks including under the bottoms of bunks are to be swept before breakfast.
~ All fires will be extinguished by 7pm and all passengers in their quarters or bunks by 10pm.
~ Three safety lamps will be lit at dusk, and kept burning until 10pm after which two may be turned out. The other is to be kept burning at the main hatchway all night.
~ No naked lights shall be allowed at any time.
~ Beds shall be aired on deck at least twice a week.
~ Coppers and cooking utensils must be cleaned daily.

Rigging:
Barque, sheathed in felt and copper in 1841
Tonnage:
513 tons using old measurements
611 tons using new measurements
Construction:
1837 in Sunderland England ~
Repairs to damages carried out in 1841
Owned By: D. Dunbar
Port of Registry: London England
Port of Survey: London England
Captain: Forbes Michie
Surgeon Superintendant: C. William Gordon.
Maritime Graphics By Leaves of Time
Boarders & Buttons By Shaznki