TORY (60c) On April 5 1839, the TORY was selected by the New Zealand Company to carry the advance party of men who were organising the settlement of the country.
She was a three masted square rigged Barque with a Duke of Wellington figurehead. There were 35 passengers on that first voyage to New Zealand and the passenger list included Edward Jerningham Wakefield and Charles Heaphy, who both played an important role in establishing the early settlements.
The voyage from England took 96 days and the ship arrived in Queen Charlotte Sound on 17 Sept 1839, entering Port Nicholson (Wellington Harbour) three days later.
Her visits to the country were short-lived, for just two years later on 23 January 1841 the TORY was wrecked in the Palawan Passage.
Details: Built 1894 by Federick Preston, Suffolk for Joseph Soames. 382tn. Length 111'3" pp. Beam 27'7". Draught 15'5". 8 guns
Log Book April 1990
New Zealand SG1543
Tory
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aukepalmhof
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Re: Tory
She was built as a wooden three masted barque by Frederick Preston of South Town, Suffolk for Joseph Somes.
Launched under the name TORY.
Tonnage 381 84/94 tons burden, dim. 111.4 x 27.7x 15.5 ft (draught).
Two decks which were 6.3ft apart.
Standing bowsprit, and carried a figurehead of the Duke of Wellington.
Square sterned with a sham quarter galleries.
Armament 8 guns, and small arms.
07 May 1834 registered.
Of her early voyaging not much is know, though she seems to have made a trip to the Cape in 1838.
When the New Zealand Company was founded, it was necessary to send men to buy land in New Zealand, and on 05 April 1839 the company chartered the TORY.
She came under the command of Capt. Lieutenant Robson and under his command fitted out for an expedition to New Zealand, but before sailing he resigned the last week of April. Edward M. Chaffers took over command on 4 May. Sailed from Gravesend on 05 May 1839, filled with ample stores and provisions and goods for barter with the Maoris she sailed via Portsmouth, where she left on 12 May.
Did have on board 35 settlers, which were headed by Colonel William Wakefield.
She was a fast sailer and sometimes made 11 knots, 26 days after leaving Plymouth she crossed the equator. After six weeks they were off Rio de Janeiro and when on the longitude of the Cape of Good Hope, Capt Chaffers set course that took him well to the south of the fortieth parallel.
In this longitude she struck some bad weather but after a passage of 96 days she dropped anchor on 17 August in Ship’s Cove, New Zealand. Her fastest day run was 234 miles.
It was not a suitable place for a settlement so on 31 May she heaved in anchor and sailed through what is now know as Tory Channel and visiting the whaling station at Te Awaiti and port Underwood.
She sailed from this place on 20 September with on board the whaler Dicky Barret who acted as pilot for Port Nicholson. The TORY entered Port Nicholson by what is now called Chaffer Passage and she dropped anchor that day on the northern end of Somes Island.
After inspecting the countryside and bargaining with the Maoris over land sale and price on 30 September the transaction was formalized.
After a large feast Wakefield formally announced the taking of possession of the harbor and district on behalf of the New Zealand Company.
Then the TORY sailed for some months around New Zealand for company business. When entering Kaipara Harbour she struck a sandbank, and got holed, repair was undertaken by the crew. Capt Chaffers became harbour Master at Port Nicholson and on 19 April 1840 the TORY sailed under the command of her first officer Richard Dowry (other source gives Lowry) from there for Sydney.
Repaired and refitted there for a sum of £3.515 8s 6d, but failing to load a cargo she sailed for Surabaya, Dutch East Indies. Again she could not get a cargo and went to Singapore where she loaded for Macao.
Dowry died at Singapore, and command was taken over by his brother Nicholas who was before mate on board. This was not to Soames’s liking and when he got the news he took immediate steps to remove him.
But it was to late, the TORY was already wrecked in the Palawan Passage on 23 January 1841.
The New Zealand Company received a sum of £9.220 9s 5d from the insurance.
Sources: White Wings by Henry Brett. Notes I took in the library at Hamilton.
Launched under the name TORY.
Tonnage 381 84/94 tons burden, dim. 111.4 x 27.7x 15.5 ft (draught).
Two decks which were 6.3ft apart.
Standing bowsprit, and carried a figurehead of the Duke of Wellington.
Square sterned with a sham quarter galleries.
Armament 8 guns, and small arms.
07 May 1834 registered.
Of her early voyaging not much is know, though she seems to have made a trip to the Cape in 1838.
When the New Zealand Company was founded, it was necessary to send men to buy land in New Zealand, and on 05 April 1839 the company chartered the TORY.
She came under the command of Capt. Lieutenant Robson and under his command fitted out for an expedition to New Zealand, but before sailing he resigned the last week of April. Edward M. Chaffers took over command on 4 May. Sailed from Gravesend on 05 May 1839, filled with ample stores and provisions and goods for barter with the Maoris she sailed via Portsmouth, where she left on 12 May.
Did have on board 35 settlers, which were headed by Colonel William Wakefield.
She was a fast sailer and sometimes made 11 knots, 26 days after leaving Plymouth she crossed the equator. After six weeks they were off Rio de Janeiro and when on the longitude of the Cape of Good Hope, Capt Chaffers set course that took him well to the south of the fortieth parallel.
In this longitude she struck some bad weather but after a passage of 96 days she dropped anchor on 17 August in Ship’s Cove, New Zealand. Her fastest day run was 234 miles.
It was not a suitable place for a settlement so on 31 May she heaved in anchor and sailed through what is now know as Tory Channel and visiting the whaling station at Te Awaiti and port Underwood.
She sailed from this place on 20 September with on board the whaler Dicky Barret who acted as pilot for Port Nicholson. The TORY entered Port Nicholson by what is now called Chaffer Passage and she dropped anchor that day on the northern end of Somes Island.
After inspecting the countryside and bargaining with the Maoris over land sale and price on 30 September the transaction was formalized.
After a large feast Wakefield formally announced the taking of possession of the harbor and district on behalf of the New Zealand Company.
Then the TORY sailed for some months around New Zealand for company business. When entering Kaipara Harbour she struck a sandbank, and got holed, repair was undertaken by the crew. Capt Chaffers became harbour Master at Port Nicholson and on 19 April 1840 the TORY sailed under the command of her first officer Richard Dowry (other source gives Lowry) from there for Sydney.
Repaired and refitted there for a sum of £3.515 8s 6d, but failing to load a cargo she sailed for Surabaya, Dutch East Indies. Again she could not get a cargo and went to Singapore where she loaded for Macao.
Dowry died at Singapore, and command was taken over by his brother Nicholas who was before mate on board. This was not to Soames’s liking and when he got the news he took immediate steps to remove him.
But it was to late, the TORY was already wrecked in the Palawan Passage on 23 January 1841.
The New Zealand Company received a sum of £9.220 9s 5d from the insurance.
Sources: White Wings by Henry Brett. Notes I took in the library at Hamilton.