The Blenheim
Richard and Letitia Goninan with their two children were probably the first Goninans to leave Cornwall permanently. They went on the ship Blenheim from Plymouth to New Plymouth in New Zealand, sailing on the 2nd July 1842. There were 159 passengers. This was one of the very early emigrant ships that went to New Zealand. New Plymouth itself has only been founded the year before. However Richard and Letitia only stayed a few years in New Zealand before they left for Australia and settled in New South Wales.
We are very fortunate that the Surgeon’s log has survived. Below are some extracts. Note that Richard Goninan is mentioned having been given the job of cook although later he falls foul of the Captain due to his impertinence. Being Cornish he probably didn’t take too well to being told what to do.
Friday 1st July 1842: Embarked the steerage emigrants at 10 o'clock. All appear to be in good health except Jane Lee who appears to be consumptive and pregnant.
Saturday 2nd July 1842: Sailed this morning at six o'clock. Fresh breeze with a heavy head sea which soon made every person seasick.
Monday 4th July 1842: A heavy gale of wind from the southward and westward accompanied by heavy head seas with occasional heavy rain. The emigrants and passengers all very seasick - the ship rolled heavily. James Pierce fell out of the rigging but escaped with a slight bruise in the lumber region. William Mitchell, a sailor, fell overboard and was lost from the fore top-yard and Sam Lauvier was placed in irons for refusing to obey the Captain's orders. He was allowed out in the morning on promising future good behaviour. They were all drunk from grog given to them by four of the intermediate passengers.
Tuesday 5th July 1842: The cook and the cook's mate resigned on Monday and Richard Goninan and Edward George were appointed in their place. Today the last of the fresh meat and soft bread issued.
Saturday 16th July 1842: Slight fair winds - smooth seas. People well. Bedding on deck. Ordered Mrs. Lee two pints of grits and one ounce of arrowroot and stopped her beef and pork. In the afternoon and evening kept the people jumping and dancing. John Hughes refused to join them in an impertinent manner and said he would not do as ordered for which conduct I confined him and intended to do so on bread and water - with which he asked my pardon for his condition but the Captain has confined him for about an hour.
Tuesday 19th July 1842: Fair wind. No fresh sickness. Bedding on deck. People rather inclined to be riotous but it was settled without interference on my part. School opened for the first time. It had not been done before because the children and the parents had not been fully recovered from their seasickness.
Saturday 23rd July 1842: Fair breeze - very hot. No fresh cases of sickness. The boatswain and some of the other sailors were absent from their watch and would not obey the orders of the chief mate who complained in the morning to the Captain who after breakfast made a search and found 6 bottles of port in the boatswain's chest and a bottle of whiskey in the chest of Sam Lauvier. The Captain ordered the boatswain to prison in the poop. He refused to go and when told that if he did not go willingly he would be forced. He drew his knife on the Captain and threatened his life. He went at last after giving up his knife but on his way seized the carpenter's saw and again threatened the life of the Captain or any other man who followed him. After some time he went on the poop and threw down his weapons viz; the saw and hand pike. He then suffered himself to be ironed. He was then for flinging himself overboard. He was then handcuffed or rather his hands were ironed.
Wednesday 27th July 1842: Fine day. Spoke the Barque Christopher Rawston from Portsmouth to China - out 31 days. Obtained a spar from her to make a main top-gallant which was sprung the 13th inst. Bedding on deck. One new case of sickness. Mary Langman. The decks washed.
Friday 29th July 1842: Heavy rain during the night and day. Kept the people below under the hatches. They suffered a good deal from the heat. Caught a couple of sharks which were given to the emigrants. No fresh cases of sickness. Ordered lime juice for Mrs. Langman.
Wednesday 10th August 1842: Fine weather - strong breezes and more in our favour. Jane Lees was sent to the hospital being in labour. Ordered her one quart of oatmeal, one ounce of lime juice and half a gill of brandy. Berths cleaned and ventilated. People on deck.
Thursday 11th August 1842: Fine weather. Fair wind. Crossed the Equator today. Neptune made his appearance on board and as per formula of shaving the hair of those that had never passed the equator before. All the male passengers bowed to his sway. Some of the emigrants joined in but others made such a great noise about it and refused to pass the ordeal. No bedding on deck - an amount of water being constantly thrown about during the games. Ordered an ounce of lime juice for Jane Lee. Spoke the ship Pembroke, Captain Tate from New London, United States, out 50 days - bound for the South Seas whaling. She sent us on board some potatoes and onions.
Wednesday 24th August 1842: Light winds and clear weather. Bedding on deck. Three new cases of sickness amongst the emigrants. Mrs. Lee’s infant going very fast - refused to take any food and will not suck. Some water having escaped from the water closet of the young women's berth wetting their berths. I ordered Elizabeth Baker, Eliza and Francis Rogers, Eleanor and Caroline Julian to clean it up which they refused to do. I locked them up and kept them there without dinner until it was done. They did not clean it up until near dark. The carpenter stopped the leak, he could not do it before - it was too wet. Mrs. Lee's infant died in the afternoon and was committed to the sea.
Sunday 28th August 1842: Strong winds and fine weather. Bedding on deck. At 6am carried away our top main gallant and royal mast. Set the new main top gallant and royal by 10am and set sail again. Prayers read. Mrs. Moon was delivered of a daughter this morning after a very easy and quick labour. Mrs. Lee better. No new cases of sickness. A French barque in sight. Decks washed. Berths cleaned and ventilated. People on deck.
Friday 9th September 1842: Blew very hard during the night and the ship rolled very much. About 9 o'clock pm a heavy sea struck us astern. Threw the man at the wheel into the scuppers, knocked in one of the dead lights in the starboard cabins and washed the passengers out of their berths and flooded the cabins. The wind and sea moderated towards morning. The emigrants all well though battened down for three days. No muster. Chloride of Lime scattered through berths. The Captain's barometer was injured during the gales.
Wednesday 5th October 1842: Light wind and clear cold weather. The emigrants all well and on deck. Chloride of Lime scattered through berths. Richard Goninan, the cook, was impertinent to the Captain on which he stopped his provisions for a week.
Sunday 9th October 1842: Strong breezes with occasional showers. No prayers said. The emigrants all well. The people on deck between showers. Decks cleaned by 7am. Berths cleaned and ventilated by 11am. Chloride of Lime used. The bedding not on deck. The Captain ordered Richard Goninan to have his rations again.
Thursday 20th October 1842: Light winds and cloudy wet weather. Made King Island, Bass Strait about 4am. Mrs. Lee a little better. James Williams the same. The remainder of the emigrants well. No bedding on deck. The emigrants on deck at times. Berths cleaned and ventilated by 11am. Made Wilson's Promontory towards evening. Lay to during the night.
Saturday 29th October 1842: Strong squalls with clear weather. The sick improving. Slight signs of scurvy in Mrs. Collins and Mrs. Wilkinson. People on deck between showers. Decks washed. Berths cleaned and ventilated. Chloride of Lime used. Made the Southern Island of New Zealand about Cape Foulwind this morning.
Monday 31st October 1842: Light fair winds and clear weather. The sick improving. Decks washed. Bedding on deck. Berths cleaned and ventilated. Chloride of Lime used. People on deck. Off the Taranaki coast with Mt. Egmont in view, could not bring up the straits for the foul weather. The symptoms of scurvy have disappeared. Probably I was mistaken in the first instance. 1 cask of beef and 1 cask of port opened and found to be very good.
Wednesday 2nd November 1842: Fresh wind and clear weather. Mrs. Williams confined of a girl - very small. The sick better. The decks washed by 7am. Berths cleaned and ventilated by 11 am. Chloride of Lime used. Bedding on deck. People on deck. Came to anchor at the entrance of Port Nicholson, the winds failed and could not work up against the tide.
Thursday 3rd November 1842: We sailed into Wellington today and came to anchor about 3pm. The sick better. The bedding on deck. Berths cleaned and ventilated. Chloride of Lime used.
Friday 4th November 1842: Fine weather. Mrs. Hurford confined of a fine girl. The sick getting better. Decks washed by 7am. Berths cleaned and ventilated by 1am. Bedding on deck. Chloride of Lime used. People on deck. Fresh meat, pork, issued to the emigrants. Mr. Ruddaford, the emigration agent came aboard and gave Marion Baird liberty to remain at Wellington with Mr. Knight: and Mr. Killon, acting for Colonel Wakefield, was on board.
Wednesday 9th November 1842: Blew very hard during the night. Obliged to let go of the second anchor and during the day could have no communications with the shore. Beds below. Berths cleaned and ventilated. Chloride of Lime used.
Thursday 10th November 1842: During the night alarmed by a tremendous fire ashore. Could observe that a great number of houses were in flames but could not send a boat as it was blowing very hard and we were in danger of going aground. A fine day. Beds below account of discharging cargo. Berths cleaned and ventilated. Chloride of Lime used. Decks washed. People on deck. Received in the evening dispatches from Colonel Wakefield's office for New Plymouth. Salt port and biscuits only issued.
Sunday 13th November 1842: Blowing hard - fine weather. Ready to go to sea. The sick better. Biscuits, fresh pork and potatoes. Sugar for the sick. Blowing too hard to read prayers.
Monday 14th November 1842: Blowing very hard, cannot go to sea. Berths cleaned and ventilated. Chloride of Lime used. The beds below on account of expecting to go to sea any moment. Sailed this evening about 4pm."
At 4 a.m. on the 17th Mt. Egmont was sighted to the N.W. and on Sunday 20th "hove to off New Plymouth for a boat from shore". The Port Master Captain King, and the Collector of Customs, Mr. Webster went on board and commenced the landing of passengers and luggage. It was reported that the Blenheim did not come to anchor as the Captain was afraid of his crew leaving him. Captain Gray's problems with the crew throughout the voyage appear to have been mainly caused by liquor.