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Research in Other Countries => New Zealand => New Zealand Completed Requests => Topic started by: Brian H on Sunday 08 July 07 11:47 BST (UK)
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Hello Rootschatters
I have just discovered that my mother sailed on the 'Ruapehu' from Southampton, England, to Wellington, NZ, on June 9, 1922.
Does anyone know how long the journey would have taken or when this ship arrived in NZ?
Brian H
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Hi Brian
FindMyPast has just added 1920-1929 to it's passenger lists:
http://www.findmypast.com/home.jsp
Bren
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Hi Kiwi,
Returning from Fiji in 1966, it took only a two days from Suva to Auckland.
The trip from there it took 6 weeks to return round the Cape to Southampton.
Five weeks and 3 days going out also Via Auckland.
Took longer second time out as we came via Panama in 1979.
I'm not sure but possibly the Rangi's ( think the Rhua' was also NZ shipping Line)were more direct. Beautiful ships. Always wanted to travel on one.
There a few links to shipping on here (I think) and on some you can find specific ships .
Spring
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Just had a google and might be a link on here.
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/Emigration.html
I know that there others out there, but can't remember the Search criteria I used
Spring
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Hi Brian,
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Hi Brian,
My mother sailed from Southampton to Wellington aboard the Corinthic in 1926. She always said it took 6 weeks via Panama canal.
Regards,
Kiwicousey
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Hello Rootschatters,
Thank you to everyone who has responded so far to my Topic.
Hello Rootschatters
I have just discovered that my mother sailed on the 'Ruapehu' from Southampton, England, to Wellington, NZ, on June 9, 1922.
Does anyone know how long the journey would have taken or when this ship arrived in NZ?
Brian H
Maybe my original Topic Title was not worded correctly, I have now rectified this.
Hello KiwiBren,
FindMyPast has just added 1920-1929 to it's passenger lists:
Bren
Yes, we are members of 'FindMyPast', and are currently searching through the Shipping Records. This is how we found out, on which ship my mother arrived on.
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Hello Kiwicousey,
My mother sailed from Southampton to Wellington aboard the Corinthic in 1926. She always said it took 6 weeks via Panama canal.
Regards,
Kiwicousey
I tend to agree with you, that (6 weeks) is probably a good estimate for the duration of the Voyage, in those years via the Panama Canal.
Now all we need is a shipping report which possibly appeared in the newspapers of the day, to confirm our assumptions.
Thanks to everyone,
Brian H.
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Hi Brian
Don't the FindMyPast records show date of departure AND date and Port of Arrival?
Bren.
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Hello KiwiBren,
Thank you for your reply.
In answer to your Question:
Yes the Findmypast 'Passenger Ship Lists', do detail the
Date of Departure
Port of Departure
Destination Port
Destination Country
They do not list the Date of Arrival.
However I did come across an entry, which is on each Header Page (Page 1) of each Shipping Record.
Which does give the Duration for the Voyage.[/color]
I suppose this duration estimate is always open to change depending on the weather and possible unforeseen circumstances and of course the type of ship.
So the 'RUAPEHU' from Southampton, England, to Wellington, New Zealand, departing on 9th June 1922, estimated duration for the voyage was 49 days.
All we need now is the confirmed Arrival Date.
So if anyone happens to have access to a New Zealand Newspaper (circa 1st August 1922), and if it is not too much trouble, I would appreciate it if possible some confirmation of the definite Arrival Date.
Thanking you for your help,
Brian H.
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Hi Brian ,
You might find this site of use and there is a contact Tab.It also contains links.
http://www.nzmaritime.org/home.html
Spring
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This is interesting.
A long distance voyage by ship in the 1920s would have an estimated date of arrival at its destination, but not a guaranteed one: as Brian says, weather conditions etc could mean that the actual date would be one or more days either side of the estimated or timetabled date. I haven't seen any outbound passenger lists from UK which give date of arrival, as this was unknown at the outset of the voyage. Has anyone?
Also, the declaration on the "header" page of the list mentioned by Brian is about provisioning -- in other words, the shipping line was obliged by law to supply enough food, water etc for a certain number of passengers for a certain number of days. The figures are usually different to the actual number of passengers and the number of days travelling. I looked at the voyage of the Ruapeha and this says 300 statute adults (this means each adult counted as one, and each child counted as half a person!) and 49 days. The "summary" page at the end of the list shows that there were 340 "souls" on board (this excludes crew), equating to 302 statute adults. What this means, I imagine, is that the ship called in at one or more ports en route to NZ to stock up on provisions. If the ship went the direct Panama Canal route, an obvious stopping off point would have been there, but I've seen old atlases from the 1920s which show apparent stopping off points in the Caribbean (St Thomas and Jamaica). However, some ships were still taking other routes to NZ, including round Cape Horn, in which case they may have stopped off on the coast of Brazil or Argentina.
It would be great to find the actual date of arrival in NZ -- perhaps you could let us know if you find out, Brian. Good luck!
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Hello to Springbok and GreySquirrel,
Thank you for your replies.
Springbok, thank you for mentioning the website, it certainly is very interesting. So far I have only looked at it briefly, but I will be heading back there in the next couple of days.
Grey Squirrel, thank you for your very explanatory description, in relation to destinations and arrivals.
Now I must get back to searching out this arrival date.
Bye for now ,
Brian H.
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In the interests of good housekeeping, I’ve moved this post to completed.
Assistance has been provided …….