The Trip to Gravesend
The 300 mile trip from Crowan in Cornwall to the London docks at Gravesend would have taken a numbers of days for the family of five. William (40), Elizabeth (34), Thomas (11), Elizabeth (7) and Mary (4) would probably travelled by way of horse drawn coach. 
They travelled with five boxes of belongings and upon arrival at the departure office were given 1001 as their passenger number and allocated cabin 49. (see extract from the ship records)The cabin was just seven along from the Spackmans, George (19) and Sarah (22), who were recently married and the Gr Gr Grandparents of the friend mentioned in my first "blog".
There is no doubt they would have gotten to know each other very well during the five month voyage to New Zealand. Quite possibly Sarah would have looked after the young Trevarthen children at some stage during the trip.
The "Bolton" (an extract from the passenger list)
Ship: 540 TonsCaptain: John Percival Robinson
Surgeon Superintendent: Dr Richard Godfrey Lowe
Sailed London Gravesend 10:30am 19 Nov 1839 -
Arrived Port Nicholson 20 April 1840
Such was the rush of people to emigrate to New Zealand that they could not all be accommodated on the ships already chartered by the company, and a additional vessel put on the berth to take those who had been shut out of previous ships was the Bolton.
She left Gravesend on the 19th November, three days later she was off the Isle of Wight and took just under a month to reach Santa Cruz, Teneriffe where she made a call. She was a slow craft and didn't reached Port Nicholson until 20th April 1840. (A five month trip)
All the Bolton's passengers were landed at Thorndon Beach, and the greater part of them lived in very primitive shanties known as "Bolton Row" until they could build themselves something more substantial.
Among the passengers were the Rev's J. F. Churton and J. G. Butler, the second and third clergymen to be sent out by the company.
Hand-written note by Colonel William Wakefield on passenger list:
"I hereby certify that at 3pm of Wednesday May 20th 1840 the last of the cargo on board "Bolton" was landed and that she this day received her discharge from me." W. Wakefield
The "Bolton" was the ninth ship in the New Zealand company fleet to arrive in Wellington and the sixth that carried passengers.
A Journal of a Voyage to New Zealand, 1840
Set out below are extracts from the Diary of Hannah Butler, aged 22yrs and daughter of the Rev J. G. Butler mentioned above. The Rev Butler, his wife Hannah and their daughter were on board the "Bolton" with the Trevarthen and Spackman families. The diary makes for some fascinating reading.
JANUARY 1st.—Becalmed about forty-seven degrees off the line. (the equator)
2nd.— Making about a mile an hour.
3rd.— Drifting backwards. Saw a turtle; lowered a boat and went after it, but was disappointed, it being only a squib fish. Caught a dolphin. A man and boy fell overboard; not hurt, except a good ducking, which they seemed to relish much.
4th.— Went back over ten miles.
5th.—Divine Service held on deck by Mr. Churton. An internal complaint attacking nearly everyone on board.
7th.— A squall, and good breeze all day. A child buried, named Woodham, making the sixth since we left England.
8th.— A little boy named Nash fell overboard just at the cuddy, dinner-time; was saved; caused a great sensation.
11th.— A little disturbance in the single women's cabin.
12th.—Caught a small shark.
13th.—A vessel close by our side, which proved a Dutchman.
16th.—Crossing the line; winds very favourable.
20th.—The ship's butcher fired at a bird which was hovering round.
23rd.—Off the coast of Bahia, South America.
25th.—Spoke an American whaling ship, lat. 18.15, long. 35.40, the “Rochester” by name.
28th.—A large vessel in sight going in the same direction.
29th.—Another child dead, named Nankeville, making five boys and two girls.
31st.—Sea running very high.
FEBRUARY 1st.—Disturbance with the —— family, young —— put in irons, for being impudent to the doctor. The emigrants came up to the captain, and said if —— was not released immediately, they would release him themselves, and throw the doctor overboard.
2nd.—Great confusion below during Divine Service, dogs barking and howling, pigs squealing and men cursing and swearing in a most shameful manner. Saw a ship and signaled her; “Victoria,” from Bristol to Brenan, seventy days out.
3rd.—Mr. Collett's 31st birthday. Messrs. Butler, Churton, Collett, Minett, Wadeson, Douglas, Cole and Drury spent the evening together.
4th.—Vessel in sight.6th.—Caught a ten foot shark.
7th.—Vessel again in sight.
9th.—Several grampus playing round the ship. Albatross seen in the evening.
14th.—A quantity of seaweed around us.17th.—Passed the Cape of Good Hope at six p.m.
18th.—Caught an albatross, ten feet, tip to tip, on a fishhook.
26th.—Terrible night, the vessel rolling in a most fearful manner; no one had any rest.
MARCH 3rd.—Fog.
4th. — Two ships seen in the evening; some penguins around the vessel.
5th.—Seas breaking over the ship; gale blowing.
13th.—Wind off the larboard quarter; saw a sperm whale.
16th.—A tremendous sea struck and deluged the vessel fore and aft.
21st.—Main topsail sheet broke in two; sea struck us at the same time, and came through the windows.
APRIL 1st.—Passed Van Dieman's Land about fifty miles off; weather foggy.
4th.—Ship's cook ill with delirium tremens.
5th.—Mrs. Woodman churched, and child christened.
7th.—Mrs. Nankeville has a daughter.9th.—Sixty miles from Cape Farewell at twelve o'clock; ship's cook died; Captain Robinson's cow died.
10th.—Becalmed, within sight of N.Z.
11th.—Beating about for Port Hardy.
12th. — Entered the heads of the harbour of D'Urville Island about ten a.m. A native canoe came to meet us. Another canoe came off with a man and child; the man was tattooed all over his face; he also brought a paper relative to one of the vessels having arrived, and left for Port Nicholson. A party went round the bay in search of information, but could get none. The first place they went to they saw a boat sail, boat sprit, oar, frying pan, iron pots, tin pots; and the natives seemed very suspicious of us. We suppose there are many natives in the bush, who do not make their appearance.
13th.—The vessel drifted very near the shore in a dangerous position.
14th.—The man and his wife from the first place came on board; fired a gun at his request, to let the natives know they might bring pigs and potatoes; a few came. The gentlemen all went on shore with the native to his place for water. We saw a large canoe full of natives going towards our people; very much afraid they were going to do us some mischief, but they went up and shook hands, and seemed very pleased; they sang and prayed before they retired.
15th.—Purchasing pigs and potatoes; the decks were strewed with potatoes. Two large canoes full went away, the owners were very much displeased.
16th.–Just going to breakfast when Mr. Douglas came to fetch my father, a dispute having arisen among the natives about the water; my father went to make peace; we succeeded, the ship's crew getting as much water as they possibly could. The great chief Mako and his wife came off with the gentlemen who had been on shore, and remained with us until nine p.m. Two natives are going to Port Nicholson with us.
17th.–Two Englishmen came to us from Port Nicholson, belonging to Mr. MacAllum, who brought us some information.
18th.—Mr. MacAllum came about twelve o'clock in a boat one of the men left on board to pilot us out of Port Hardy.
19th.—Tacking.
20th.—Arrived at Port Nicholson; wind strong out of the harbour; endeavored to beat in; only a little way into the heads, but had to let go the anchor; fired two guns for a pilot, who came, accompanied by a person named Northwood, a colonist. Mr. Collett went on shore with the gentleman above named, and stayed the night. About half past two Colonel Wakefield came on board; he only stayed a short time.The above is a painting of the "Bolton" entering the Wellington heads, kindly provided by Neil Spackman.
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