ANNA WATSON - 1840
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Copyright (c)1998-2008 A Whyte, Auckland, New Zealand
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ANNA WATSON, ? tons, sailed from Bay of Islands (Auckland) on 1840,
arrived in Auckland, Aug 1840.
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The Anna Watson arrived from the Bay of Islands, with Captain William Hobson's, Governor,
staff. The Captain was too ill to travel at the time.
He and his staff were looking for harbour where they might build a capital for New Zealand.
Hobson, a man with many years sailing experience, felt the Waitemata would make a good harbour,
whereas Felton Mathew, the surveyor-general, preferred Tamaki.
Surveyors sent a small vessel around the Waitemata harbour drawing up their plans for a new
city. An old woman from the Ngati Whatua watched as the vessel went slowly around Orakei.
The Ngati Whatua were at their plantation in Onehunga.
When Hobson did arrive, he named Remuera, Mt Hobson. The only problem being he did not
purchase the land from the Ngati Whatua.
John Logan Campbell and William Brown had settled on Browns Island and met Chief Te Kanini,
where they learnt that the Waitemata had been sold. A few days later the deputy-governor
landed on the Browns Island following orders that he was to place a flag on there. It
turned out to be a pleasant picnic and a flag was hoisted on an oar once the deputy-governor
learnt that Campbell-Brown had purchased the island, and that they were not uncivilised
Pakeha-Maoris. Curious, and not wanting to miss any news of the outside world, John
Campbell, and William Brown paddled by canoe from Browns Island 'up to town' (a tent city
with raupo huts).
Mrs Sarah Mathew, the dour wife of Felton Matthew dismissed the future 'Father of Auckland',
John Campbell and his business partner, William Brown, writing:
'" Such specimens of settler, many degrees below those of New South Wales in apparent
respectability! Truly, the early settlers in a new colony most extraordinary beings,
somewhat of the Kentucky style, half-horse, half-alligator, with a touch of the
earthquake. They were not welcomed with much cordiality, so they soon pushed off again."'
Hitching a tent in the middle of Auckland's squatter camp, the Brown-Campbell store was open
for business(!) Within three years they were to purchase the Bolina and trade with Sydney
and England. Mr and Mrs Felton Mathew were to return home.
William Hobson died of accidental poisoning in September 1842, aged 49. Hobson St was named
after this first governor who was buried at Symonds St cemetery.
William Cornwallis Symonds, police magistrate, was a popular and kind man who drowned while
on an errand for Mrs Haskin, a passenger from the 'Brilliant'. Mrs Haskin feigned illness
and Symonds went to the 'Brilliant' to fetch her medicine, a storm blew up and he and two
others drowned - the first europeans to drown in Auckland harbour. Symonds St and Cornwallis
St, Auckland were named after him. His brother, Capt John Jermyn Symonds, came to NZ on the
the seventh Fencible ship, Berhampore (16 Jun 1849)
FORMAT
last name, first name, profession
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Capt , Master;
PASSENGERS PROFESSION
Beck, Peter boatman
Burns, John boatman
Carlos, Michael boatman
Collins, David carpenter
Condon, Richard carpenter
Dalcombie, Manuel boatman
Dew, John carpenter
Gamble, James labourer
Hamilton, Francis labourer
Harkin, William labourer
Harris, Alexander sawyer
Hill, Charles blacksmith
Johnson, Dr John surgeon
Kearney, Thomas blacksmith
Kendall, William groom
Mason, William superintendant of works
Mathew, Felton surveyor-general
Mills, Samuel carpenter
Motion, William carpenter
McGee, James labourer
McQuoid, John labourer
McNaughton, Donald mason
McRichie, James boatman
O'Neill, Charles carpenter
Rayner, Henry bricklayer
Raynor, Henry boatman
Robertson, John sawyer
Rough, David harbour master
Sharkey, Patrick mason
Smith, Isaac bricklayer
Swanson, John carpenter
Symonds, William C police magistrate
Williams, Edward M interpreter
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RESOURCES:
©McCarthy, Darry., (1978) "The First Fleet of Auckland." Pacer Printing Co
Ltd., Box 13197, Onehunga, Auckland.
©Campbell, Sir John Logan., (1881)., "Poenamu." Williams & Norgate.,
14 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London; and 20 Sth Frederick St,
Edinburgh.
Auckland Central City Library (1998): 44-46 Lorne St, Auckland City, New
Zealand, or PO Box 4638, Auckland 1001, New Zealand.
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t r a n s c r i b e d & c o l l a t e d
A Whyte, Auckland, New Zealand
6 November 1998
http://www.geocities.com/wlorac/annwa40.txt
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