{"id":29,"date":"2025-01-22T21:52:38","date_gmt":"2025-01-22T21:52:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timpson.nz\/?page_id=29"},"modified":"2026-04-15T03:39:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T03:39:27","slug":"the-timpson-book","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/timpson.nz\/index.php\/the-timpson-book\/","title":{"rendered":"The Voyage Out"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Henry and Ann Timpson Decide to leave Cheltenham for New Zealand<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There was great excitement in the Timpson household in Cheltenham. The tickets were booked on the Great Western Railroad to London then from London by ship to New Zealand and it was time to leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their plans to travel to the colony resulted from letters written by Ann Timpson\u2019s brother, William Wheelband.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final decision was made after William had promised Henry work in his flourishing nursery business in Temuka until he found what he wanted to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

William had been elected to the Temuka Licencing Committee in February 1886 and had contacts in the hotel industry. Henry & Ann had discussed and decided that this was something they were more interested in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Son Harry William who had an established gardening business in Cheltenham was not intending to go with them as he had met Lois Johnson, his future wife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Great Western Railway<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n


Henry had studied the map and was sure the changing views would keep the children occupied with the different landscapes and then London itself which must be vast compared to Cheltenham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Map
Map of the train journey from Cheltenham to London<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Arriving in London<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After an exciting journey the family arrived in London, and had dinner at a modest Inn near the docks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were astounded by all the dock activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"London
London Docklands<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Voyage on the Langstone <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

They then boarded the Langstone on 29 April 1886 the day before it was due to sail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
The above picture of the Langstone was taken at Port Chalmers.<\/em>
Built 1869 Iron ship of 746 Tons. Built by Pile of Sunderland, England for H.Ellis and Co. Reg; London.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Henry had always been one to try and better himself and the family circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ann Timpson’s Diary<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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