Crew List "Waikato" Plymouth - NZ 1877 *COMPLETED*

[fifer1947]

Alan your last post said

In 1881 Alexander gave his occupation as "Mariner".

Does that 1881 roll contain the names of his wife and family like a census or is it just heads of household?   Oh you see where I'm going - don't you?  

[alamar]

Hi Fifer

A quick lesson no NZ electoral law. Prior to 1881 only adult (21yrs) males who owned a certain amount of property were allowed to vote. From 1881 the franchise was expanded to include ALL adult males. From 1893 ALL adult females were given the vote. Therefore the 1881 roll is the first to list all adult males and 1893 the first to list all adult females. They are a substitute for a census only to the extent that they show adults and then only if they bothered to enroll.

Alan

[fifer1947]

Many thanks for that explanation Alan - I am very much a NZ virgin! 

[alamar]

Hi Fifer

Don't know if it helps but in 1893 the only Alexander Gollan (apart from the Auckland farmer) is a plumber living in Masterton. The only Christchurch Gollan is perhaps your William living in Riccarton, occ Labourer. Beatrice Jessie Maud is listed as a housekeeper in Karamea but there is no matching male in that location.

Alan

[fifer1947]

New road or blind alley - they are all clues which have to be explored. 

William (if that is him at Riccarton) would have been just 21 in the August of 1893.

Could Alex the plumber be the spouse of Beatrice I wonder?  I wonder if they separated, I could only find one child to the pair.  Annie Agnis (sic) bn 1891 who married in 1911.

Hmmm this has got me thinking.  Is there another adult at the same address as Alex the plumber?

I'm beginning to wonder if Alex was a bit of a womaniser!!! 

[fifer1947]

Blimey!  Just checked the map - if they were a "couple" she couldn't have got further away from him if she tried!

[fifer1947]

Re William Gollan in Riccarton if that is 'my' Wm he should disappear from that address and NZ within the next few years as he died in Sydney Australia in July 1898 aged just 26. 

[fifer1947]

Back to the Dredge!! 

Found this info online and it all ties into the dates I already have!!  Note the Dredge was built in Glasgow in 1876 - that would have been Port Glasgow where the ship building took place up river the river is too narrow for shipbuilding.  Alexander lived in Port Glasgow and worked as a Ship's Carpenter and was somehow in NZ by 1877.  My guess is that he not only helped build it but also sailed on its maiden voyage to NZ.  I think I've found how he got to NZ!!    Now I need to prove it. 

Vessel Name:   ERSKINE
Vessel ID:    543010073
Vessel Type:    Dredge
Owner:    Lyttelton Harbour Board
Built:    c1876
Where Built:    Glasgow
Vessel Abstract:    Jun 1876 arrived Lyttelton to begin work. 1884 laid up. 1890 sold to Westport Harbour Board.
Significant Date:    1890

I really need to get a copy of the following article - off to google again!!

Source:    New Zealand Marine News 1994 Volume 43 Number 1   Pages 33-35, 42-50 ( Reference ID 43010006 )
Article Title:   Rarely a Dull Moment - The Story of the Lyttelton Steam Dredge "Te Whaka"
Article Abstract:   A detailed article on the 1910 Lyttelton dredge TE WHAKA, which also covers much of the history of dredging in the port of Lyttelton.

[fifer1947]

The Erskine Dredge was built by Murdoch & Murray Ltd of Port Glasgow in 1875. 

There's a report in the Greenock Telegraph of 1875 which I will put up for Renfrew Scotland as a look up; the papers of the day are held in the Watt Library, Greenock, but not digitised.