File:Crew List for the Ship 'Tory' (9527041316).jpg

On 17 August 1839, the New Zealand Company sailing ship Tory reached Queen Charlotte Sound, New Zealand, and entered Port Nicholson (Wellington) three days later.

The New Zealand Company, which was based on the colonisation principles of Edward Gibbon Wakefield envisaging a new-model English society in New Zealand, journeyed to New Zealand with three main objectives in mind - to purchase land, acquire information about the country, and prepare settlements for the emigration the Company was recruiting. The journey was hastily organised when the New Zealand Company heard news of the impending declaration of British sovereignty over New Zealand and the consequential freeze on land sales out of fear the expedition would be stopped by the government. On board the ship were 35 passengers, including head of the expedition Colonel William Wakefield (a founder of Wellington), his nephew Edward Jerningham Wakefield (Member of the 1st NZ parliament) and author of Adventures in New Zealand), naturalist Ernst Dieffenbach (the first trained scientist to live and work in New Zealand and author of Travels in New Zealand a meticulous account of life in New Zealand with a 19thC liberal view on the importance of land and language to Maori), draughtsman Charles Heaphy (known for a legacy of illuminating topographical watercolours of New Zealand and early European settlement), and interpreter Nahiti, a young Maori who had been conned by a whaling caption into working his passage to France. Dr John Dorset had been appointed as Colonial Surgeon and Captain Edward Main Chaffers was the ship’s master.

The Tory had made a very fast passage to New Zealand, completing the journey in only 96 days. This time was never bettered by any of the Company's other ships, and it was some years before others began to make faster times. Speed was important for this journey as the Company planned to send their first passenger ship with settlers to New Zealand before word was received that the Tory's expedition had been successful. The New Zealand Company migrant ship, the Aurora, arrived in Wellington Harbour on 21 January 1840.

With the voyage to New Zealand in mind, the Company had purchased the Tory from Joseph Somes, deputy director of the Company, in late 1838. The ship’s name, which now graces the channel that forms part of the ferry route between Wellington and Picton, expressed Somes’ political leanings.

This passengers list is a part of the series Shipping Department Office Papers which includes tenders for, and charters of ships carrying emigrants to the New Zealand Company's settlements in New Zealand. This series of records were created by the New Zealand Company who have created some of Archives New Zealand’s earliest records, reaching back to 1826 and provide an interesting insight into the times leading up to and surrounding the establishment of government in New Zealand.

Archives Reference: [AAYZ 8983 NZC36 15/ 18] www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=17497091

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