PERCY
The PERCY departed London, Gravesend, on 14 November, 1868 and arrived in Auckland on 3 March, 1869, with Captain James Thomas Cooper in command.
Daily Southern Cross, 4 March 1869, Page 2
ARRIVAL OF THE SHIP PERCY PROM LONDON. ONE OF THE PASSENGERS DROWNED. The magnificent clipper ship Percy, 920 tons, in command of Captain Cooper, arrived in harbour last evening from London, after a moderate passage of 109 days. The Percy visited this port about four years ago, and took her departure for London in company with the ill fated ship Ida Ziegler, with a number of British troops on board. She comes consigned to L. D. Nathan and Co., and arrives in a most clean and orderly condition. Amongst her passengers are a number of old colonists; and the passengers one and all express their satisfaction at the kindness bestowed upon them by Captain Cooper and the officers under his command. Her cabin accommodation is second to none of any ship we have seen enter this port for some time; and her lofty and spacious 'tween-decks, both for room and cleanliness, must have made it pleasant for those persons who are passengers by her.
We are sorry to have to chronicle a sad and painful accident which occurred on board, casting a gloom over the entire ship, and making melancholy what would otherwise have been a pleasant and prosperous voyage, there having been no sickness or other deaths during the passage. A young man named William J, Stockdale, one of the steerage passengers, had occasion to get on to the bows, or cat-head of the ship, when he accidentally fell overboard. The cry of "A man overboard" was at once raised, and orders were given to put the ship about, but all efforts to save him were in vain, as nothing was seen of him after he fell. His cap was floating in the water, and it is supposed his body must have floated under the ship. After the accident it was not known who the unfortunate man was, and the crew and passengers were at once mustered, when their names were called over, and the poor fellow mentioned above was found missing.
The following is a report of her passage:- Left Gravesend, on the 14th November, and Start Point on the 15th, and had fine weather down the Channel. Experienced fine weather and strong easterly winds till 4º north, and light S.E, trades 'till near the Equator, which was crossed on the 18th December in 30º west, being then 34 days out. When in 36º south and 10º west, fell in with westerly breezes, which carried her as far down as 50º south. Crossed the Meriden of the Cape on the 21st January in 44º south, with fresh breezes, till off Tasmania, which was passed on the 20th February; and from thence had baffling winds and unsettled weather tilt Cape Maria Van Diemen, making the Three Kings on the 1st instant, and since then fine weather along the coast, arriving as above.
Reports having spoke the missionary ship John Williams, bound from London to Melbourne.
The following is a list of passengers:
Passengers:-
Chief Cabin
John Brown
Edward Walford
Captain Newman and family
Second cabin
Alfred William Cobbett
Alexander S. Flinders
George Lowe
Mr. and Mrs. Cleave
Mary, Martha, and Ellen Williams
Richard B. Mason
Thomas McRedil
Henry Ford
Mortimer Codd
Henry Nathan
J. C. Davison
Rev. Mr. Ballantine
William Williams
James Slater, wife, and family
George Hall
J. G. Forrester
Steerage
William Burrows
Thomas and Richard Bach
Charles Reeves,
Thomas Newport
Robert Johnston, wife and family
William Head, wife and family
Frank Robinson and wife
Henry G. Crane
George Bolton
Patrick Woods
Henry G. Collett, wife and child
R. A. Bartlett
William Daw and wife
George McInnes
George Grover
Warwick P. Bell
John Monk
Joseph Tyler, wife and child
Samuel McCallum, wife and family
Thomas B Noble
W. M. P. Yates
John Cocking
J. Pilkington
Richard Bach
Michael S. Ireland
Joseph Foster
Charles Suckling
Walter Oldham
Samuel Davison and wife
Samuel Mollvern
Thomas Hanns
John Poufrey
John Riddington
Copyright – Gavin W Petrie – 2011