Vansittart
It was Christmas Day in 1819 when Bennet & Son’s ship Vansittart set sail from Gravesend for the whale fisheries. This wasn’t the ship’s first visit to the South Seas, in fact she had not long since returned, but with some new apprentices and new faces in her crew, she set out again under the captaincy of Thomas C Hunt.
On 17 July 1820, Vansittart was spoken by HMS Cutter off the East Coast of New South Wales as she arrived in the colony. When the 297 ton ship arrived at Sydney a few weeks later her crew had already taken 100 barrels of oil for the London market. On 07 October, Vansittart arrived at the Bay of Islands where she joined Cumberland, and ten days later the two ships sailed in company for the fishery.
In 1821, Vansittart visited New Zealand twice, but when she was there again the following year, disaster struck her crew. Five of Vansittart’s men drowned when their boat capsized at Waitangi. Only one young man, Richard Cheers, survived by clinging to the upturned hull for several hours while a Maori girl who had been with them swam ashore and raised the alarm. When local Maori recognised the survivor, they delivered him back to Vansittart in their waka (canoe). Captain Hunt was at the Mission Station when he received news of the accident, and although he and others rushed to the scene, it was too late for his men. Two of these souls lie buried at Oihi cemetery in the Bay of Islands.
On 05 May, Vansittart sailed for Port Jackson, taking several men from the Mission, carpenters Bean and Fairburn, and Samuel Butler who had been sent to find a wife. By now Vansittart had 175 tons of oil onboard. After a month she headed out again for the fisheries to secure more of the lucrative cargo. In October while back in the Bay of Islands, missionary Thomas Kendall, who had fallen spectacularly from grace with the mission station, considered returning to England when Vansittart sailed but in the end chose to remain in New Zealand.
A year laterVansittart returned to the Bay of Islands, now commanded by Captain Beacon. Beacon made a several more visits over the next couple of years before sailing for England for the final time in February 1826.
On 17 July 1820, Vansittart was spoken by HMS Cutter off the East Coast of New South Wales as she arrived in the colony. When the 297 ton ship arrived at Sydney a few weeks later her crew had already taken 100 barrels of oil for the London market. On 07 October, Vansittart arrived at the Bay of Islands where she joined Cumberland, and ten days later the two ships sailed in company for the fishery.
In 1821, Vansittart visited New Zealand twice, but when she was there again the following year, disaster struck her crew. Five of Vansittart’s men drowned when their boat capsized at Waitangi. Only one young man, Richard Cheers, survived by clinging to the upturned hull for several hours while a Maori girl who had been with them swam ashore and raised the alarm. When local Maori recognised the survivor, they delivered him back to Vansittart in their waka (canoe). Captain Hunt was at the Mission Station when he received news of the accident, and although he and others rushed to the scene, it was too late for his men. Two of these souls lie buried at Oihi cemetery in the Bay of Islands.
On 05 May, Vansittart sailed for Port Jackson, taking several men from the Mission, carpenters Bean and Fairburn, and Samuel Butler who had been sent to find a wife. By now Vansittart had 175 tons of oil onboard. After a month she headed out again for the fisheries to secure more of the lucrative cargo. In October while back in the Bay of Islands, missionary Thomas Kendall, who had fallen spectacularly from grace with the mission station, considered returning to England when Vansittart sailed but in the end chose to remain in New Zealand.
A year laterVansittart returned to the Bay of Islands, now commanded by Captain Beacon. Beacon made a several more visits over the next couple of years before sailing for England for the final time in February 1826.