Who will go?
Update! Ships May Never Sail
By early August it seemed possible that the Canterbury Association’s plans might fail. Very few working class families or servants had been nominated by intending colonists. Three hundred people were needed to fill steerage, the accommodation on board the ships for the working class. Colonists had filled the chief and fore cabins, but it was feared by some in the Association that the very people who would supply the money needed to invest in the Canterbury Settlement might cancel their journey if they didn’t think there would be enough workers to support their plans.
Finding a Fast Solution
There was very little time and members of the Canterbury Association’s Management Committee knew they had to act quickly. Read these extracts from letters to find out what happened.
“After consultation with Wynter and others, I find that it will be difficult to get any paying emigrants here; but that at least some very good ones, and a good many too, may be got if needful, by taking them free. The whole class is described as being penniless and in debt; and there is not time to get up subscription in aid.”
By early August it seemed possible that the Canterbury Association’s plans might fail. Very few working class families or servants had been nominated by intending colonists. Three hundred people were needed to fill steerage, the accommodation on board the ships for the working class. Colonists had filled the chief and fore cabins, but it was feared by some in the Association that the very people who would supply the money needed to invest in the Canterbury Settlement might cancel their journey if they didn’t think there would be enough workers to support their plans.
Finding a Fast Solution
There was very little time and members of the Canterbury Association’s Management Committee knew they had to act quickly. Read these extracts from letters to find out what happened.
- Take them for Free – Mr E.G. Wakefield writes to Henry Sewell, deputy chair of the Canterbury Association’s Management Committee:
“After consultation with Wynter and others, I find that it will be difficult to get any paying emigrants here; but that at least some very good ones, and a good many too, may be got if needful, by taking them free. The whole class is described as being penniless and in debt; and there is not time to get up subscription in aid.”
- Ask Mrs Chisholm – The Canterbury Association asks Mrs Caroline Chisholm, founder of the Family Colonisation Loan Society to help. Mrs Chisolm devoted much of her life’s work to ensuring working class emigrants, particularly young women, were treated fairly on their sea journey and when they reached their new home.
She wrote to Canterbury Association member Sidney Herbert.
"Confidential
August 20 1850
My dear Sir, One of the Canterbury Committee have called upon me today and I want to hear from you what course I had better pursue under circumstances…The offer to me is Free or Loan passages if I will send them the people to fill their ships. One of the Canterbury Committee have called upon me today and I want to hear from you what course I had better pursue under
Yours sincerely, Mrs Chisholm"
“You will be glad to hear that our ships are filled, with considerable surplus for the next ship which will sail on the 17th.”
Source: Letter extracts from R.A. Chapman., Problems Associated with the Recruitment of Steerage Passengers for the First Four Emigrant Ships to Canterbury in 1850, 1990 Christchurch City Libraries
"Confidential
August 20 1850
My dear Sir, One of the Canterbury Committee have called upon me today and I want to hear from you what course I had better pursue under circumstances…The offer to me is Free or Loan passages if I will send them the people to fill their ships. One of the Canterbury Committee have called upon me today and I want to hear from you what course I had better pursue under
Yours sincerely, Mrs Chisholm"
- Success – Just four days after Mrs Chisholm was asked to help, Mr Sewell was able to write to Lord Lyttelton:
“You will be glad to hear that our ships are filled, with considerable surplus for the next ship which will sail on the 17th.”
Source: Letter extracts from R.A. Chapman., Problems Associated with the Recruitment of Steerage Passengers for the First Four Emigrant Ships to Canterbury in 1850, 1990 Christchurch City Libraries
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See also >>
Will you join us? | The plan | Who can go? |A better life | Why here? | An ideal place
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.Haere Mai, Welcome / Solving History’s Mysteries / Will you join us? / Our Journey / Our New Land / Resources / About this site / Links / Sitemap