The Voyage on the Langstone
Henry and Ann Timpson and their children boarded the Langstone in London on the 29 April 1886 the day before it was due to sail.
Henry had always been one to try and better himself and the family circumstances. He therefore paid the extra for the family to travel as cabin passengers as recommended by William Wheelband and not in the cramped and unpleasant steerage where diseases were easily transmitted.
Built 1869 Iron ship of 746 Tons. Built by Pile of Sunderland, England for H.Ellis and Co. Reg; London.
Ann Timpson’s Diary
Ann had decided to keep a diary on the voyage out. So this next narrative is a typed transcript of her diary. The whereabouts of the original diary is unknown. You will see that Ann did not have a great journey.
Ann Timpson’s Diary of the Journey on the Langstone – Read the transcript (PDF)
Arriving in Lyttelton, New Zealand
They arrived at the port of Lyttelton on 3 August 1886 and the J Gibb painting which follows is the sight they would have seen.
They quickly booked the train journey to Temuka and Henry sent a telegraph to William Wheelband to let them know they had arrived safely and were on their way.
There was a great welcome from Ann’s brother William and his wife Sarah, who had not been able to have children of their own, so they were very pleased to greet their nieces and nephews as well as Henry and Ann.
The Older Sisters
True to their word Mary, Lizzie and Ada Fanny sailed to join their parents and family on 16 July 1887 on the SS Arawa.
Their passage is recorded in the Assisted Immigration book for Canterbury as shown.
The Arawa arrived from Port Chalmers on 15 September 1887 and Mary Lizzie and Ada Fanny immediately caught the train to Temuka and were re-united with family. A new future awaited them all.
Read about the Timpson family in New Zealand.