Active
There could have been no name better suited than Active for the 120 ton brig that was purchased with a view to setting up a Christian Mission Station at the Bay of Islands in New Zealand.
Her first voyage saw her arrive in the Bay on 10 June 1814. Thomas Hansen was captain and he had on board Thomas Kendall and William Hall who were assessing the situation with a view to bringing their families to live there and establish a mission. Pleased with what they found, Active returned to Sydney the following month along with three of the Bay's most important men, Maori chiefs Ruatara, Hongi Hika, and Korokoro. Among their cargo was flax and spars procured in New Zealand for trading. Active's role was not just one of transporting missionaries, their families, and provisions, she also acted as a trading vessel to create a source of income to support the mission station. Captain Hansen's adult son became one of the first recognised European settlers in New Zealand.
On December 22 1814 Active fired her guns as she hove into the Bay of Islands. She anchored off Rangihoua just long enough for the mission people and their possessions, including cattle and horses, to be put ashore, before departing for Whangaroa and Thames with Reverend Samuel Marsden on board in January of 1815. Marsden's friend, John Liddiard Nicholas, was also on board Active and his account of this time in the Bay of Islands remains an important record from the first days of organised European settlement in New Zealand.
Active made two more voyages between Sydney and the mission station in 1815. Each time she brought provisions for the mission and took back spars and flax for trading. Active's first visit to the Bay in 1816 was in February when Captain Hansen arrived having rescued the survivors of the wreck Betsy at North Cape. Active then set sail for the first of three voyages to Tahiti and Marquesas in Eastern Polynesia.
In 1817, captaincy was transferred to Joseph Thomson and the trading voyages between Sydney, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands continued with the brig carrying various cargoes of pork, produce, spars, cattle, passengers, New Zealand pine logs, flax, plank, and salted fish. The latter was being made at Paroa by a European called James Boyle who lived alone in a rush hut, but was forced to leave on Active in February 1821 after serious harassment from the New Zealanders. Active was never more welcomed at the Bay of Islands than on that particular visit, the mission families were on the brink of starvation, it had been so long since they had received any provisions from Sydney.
Twelve months later Active brought Samuel Leigh to New Zealand for several months visit. After delivering the Wesleyan Missionary to Rangihoua in the Bay of Islands, Captain Thomson sailed for Hobart and made one more brief call at the Bay before sailing for the fishery to join the whaling trade.
In July 1822, Active returned to Sydney with 35 tons of sperm oil and left again the following January under a new captain, Jameson, for Calcutta.
In 1836 a ship called Active was seized by Maori at Port Nicholson.
Her first voyage saw her arrive in the Bay on 10 June 1814. Thomas Hansen was captain and he had on board Thomas Kendall and William Hall who were assessing the situation with a view to bringing their families to live there and establish a mission. Pleased with what they found, Active returned to Sydney the following month along with three of the Bay's most important men, Maori chiefs Ruatara, Hongi Hika, and Korokoro. Among their cargo was flax and spars procured in New Zealand for trading. Active's role was not just one of transporting missionaries, their families, and provisions, she also acted as a trading vessel to create a source of income to support the mission station. Captain Hansen's adult son became one of the first recognised European settlers in New Zealand.
On December 22 1814 Active fired her guns as she hove into the Bay of Islands. She anchored off Rangihoua just long enough for the mission people and their possessions, including cattle and horses, to be put ashore, before departing for Whangaroa and Thames with Reverend Samuel Marsden on board in January of 1815. Marsden's friend, John Liddiard Nicholas, was also on board Active and his account of this time in the Bay of Islands remains an important record from the first days of organised European settlement in New Zealand.
Active made two more voyages between Sydney and the mission station in 1815. Each time she brought provisions for the mission and took back spars and flax for trading. Active's first visit to the Bay in 1816 was in February when Captain Hansen arrived having rescued the survivors of the wreck Betsy at North Cape. Active then set sail for the first of three voyages to Tahiti and Marquesas in Eastern Polynesia.
In 1817, captaincy was transferred to Joseph Thomson and the trading voyages between Sydney, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands continued with the brig carrying various cargoes of pork, produce, spars, cattle, passengers, New Zealand pine logs, flax, plank, and salted fish. The latter was being made at Paroa by a European called James Boyle who lived alone in a rush hut, but was forced to leave on Active in February 1821 after serious harassment from the New Zealanders. Active was never more welcomed at the Bay of Islands than on that particular visit, the mission families were on the brink of starvation, it had been so long since they had received any provisions from Sydney.
Twelve months later Active brought Samuel Leigh to New Zealand for several months visit. After delivering the Wesleyan Missionary to Rangihoua in the Bay of Islands, Captain Thomson sailed for Hobart and made one more brief call at the Bay before sailing for the fishery to join the whaling trade.
In July 1822, Active returned to Sydney with 35 tons of sperm oil and left again the following January under a new captain, Jameson, for Calcutta.
In 1836 a ship called Active was seized by Maori at Port Nicholson.
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