Leaving England
Young Charles and Sarah left Ramsbury, Wiltshire, England on August 29, 1842. Charles was an agricultural labourer and shepherd, only 23 years old, and Sarah was 22.
They boarded the barque Prince of Wales and set sail for New Zealand ... what an incredibly brave adventure!
The ship, 516 tons, sailed on September 2 under Captain Alexander, leaving from Gravesend. There were 158 steerage passengers (Charles and Sarah were among them) and 43 cabin passengers. |
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Their first baby died at sea
There were four births during the voyage, and 15 deaths, twelve of them from dysentery. Sadly, Charles and Sarah's baby son William was among those who died.
Arrival in Nelson
Charles and Sarah arrived in Nelson, New Zealand, on December 22, 1842. The ship left for Wellington on December 31. It's mentioned in the "Nelson Examiner" for January 7, 1843, page 174.
Charles' occupation is given as sawyer when the second baby (also named William) was born and they were living at Waimea West.
Poor Sarah died of consumption (tuberculosis) on February 13, 1856. She was only 36. Charles was a farmer by that time, with five small children to bring up. He never re-married, and died in 1907 at the age of 82, at Hope, Nelson.
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