Family History 4.27

Robinson story

from Robinsons of Rotherhithe by Joanne Robinson

Tales Told by Dad

[We now pick up the Robinson family story from the account given to his children by Joshua Caleb Robinson, seventh child of Joshua and Elizabeth, and my great-grandfather, and included in Joanne's book]

In the year 1842 a large crowd of people were assembled on the London dockside, where the barque Louisa Campbell was berthed. The tide was at the full and the ship about to start on her long voyage to New Zealand at the other end of the world. The passengers were all aboard messages were flying from passengers to friends on shore, and were answered cheerfully or sadly according to the temperament of the individual.

The ropes were cast off, farewells flew faster, women wept and handkerchiefs were waved. Slowly, as if reluctant to leave her safe berth, the barque being now in the grip of the fast-ebbing tide, gradually widened the distance between the shore and her side. A small sail was set to catch the small breeze blowing. As more and more sail was spread the barque heeled gently over, a ripple of foam appearing at the forefoot, and gathering way, the distant crowd with their waving handkerchiefs flashing in the sunlight, soon disappeared from the voyagers' view.

AS soon as they were fairly started most of the passengers went below to make the most of the quarters provided for them. Among them were my father and mother with their children and my Uncle Caleb, Father's twin brother with his family.

It was a big undertaking, this leaving of the old home, where everything worked according to law, and where the benefits of civilisation might be enjoyed, to go to the other end of the world with only a very hazy idea of what they would find there, and in that place to start afresh. In one thing Father was better off than some of his fellows: he had work to go to landing in New Zealand. He came out under engagement to the Cornwallis Timber Company was a carpenter.

I left the Louisa Campbell sailing don the Thames and as the voyage was not of an exciting nature, it will be sufficient to say that having called at the Cape Verde islands and at Cape Town, at the end of four moinths' voyage she dropped anchor in the Waitemata Harbour off what was known as Official Bay, three weeks prior to the arrival of the Scotch emigrants in the Jane Gifford.

[The Jane Gifford and the Duchess of Argyle did not actually arrive in Auckland until 9 October 1842, so the passengers of Osprey and Louisa Campbell were well and truly the first major groupm of emigrants to come from Britain.]

Auckland at that time was a mere village. Shortland Street was the principal thoroughfare, and the residential quarters of the officials were in Princes Street. Queen Street was at that time a marshy creek. The buildings were for the most part raupo whares. Of brick structures there were none and wooden ones were but few. Both David Nathan and W S Grahame then housed their businesses in whares.