First Four Ships

The First Four Ships were four sailing vessels chartered by the Canterbury Association that departed Plymouth, England, in September 1850, carrying the first English settlers to Canterbury, New Zealand. The colonists who arrived on these ships are known as the "Canterbury Pilgrims."

Background

Edward Gibbon Wakefield and John Robert Godley organized the settlement as an offshoot of the New Zealand Company, initially intended for the Wairarapa region in the North Island. The Canterbury Association's inaugural meeting took place in London on 27 March 1848. A resolution passed at that meeting gave the settlement the name "Canterbury" and the chief town "Christchurch."

Preparations

Explorations

Captain Joseph Thomas was sent as chief surveyor, accompanied by Thomas Cass and Charles Torlesse (nephew of Edward Wakefield). They arrived at New Plymouth aboard Bernicia on 2 November 1848. While at Nelson, Thomas learned from settlers about unexplored plains north and west of Banks Peninsula. The group, along with Sir William Fox and five survey hands, arrived at Port Cooper (now Lyttelton) aboard HMS Fly in December 1848. Their exploration confirmed the area as an ideal site for the Canterbury settlement.

Preparations in Canterbury

Governor Grey and Bishop Selwyn agreed to relocate the Canterbury Settlement to this area. Thomas and his team arranged infrastructure at Port Cooper and Christchurch. Port Cooper was named after the Sydney whaling firm Cooper & Levy. The port was later renamed Lyttelton after Lord Lyttelton of Hagley, a Canterbury Association member.

An initial survey was completed in early 1849. Thirty-five laborers arrived on the Fair Tasmanian on 2 July 1849, including architect Henry John Cridland, works overseer Donald Gollan, and assistant surveyor Sydney Scroggs. Edward Jollie and Thomas Brunner joined them on 12 August 1849, with Jollie surveying town plans for Lyttelton, Sumner, and Christchurch. Workers constructed a jetty at Lyttelton and formed roads. However, when Godley arrived in April 1850, he halted all work due to lack of funds.

In November 1850, Godley secured further funding, and the Bridle Path was surveyed over the Port Hills behind Lyttelton.

Journey

The Ships

The four ships were:

• Charlotte Jane — arrived at Lyttelton Harbour on the morning of 16 December 1850
• Randolph — arrived the afternoon of 16 December 1850
• Sir George Seymour — arrived 17 December 1850
• Cressy — arrived 27 December 1850 (delayed after springing her foremast south of the Cape of Good Hope)

Together, the four vessels carried an estimated 790 passengers. Roughly 60 additional people worked their passage or deserted and disembarked.

Passenger breakdown per ship (from the Lyttelton Times): - Charlotte Jane: 720 tons, 26 cabin, 24 intermediate, 104 steerage passengers - Randolph: 761 tons, 34 cabin, 15 intermediate, 161 steerage passengers - Sir George Seymour: 850 tons, 40 cabin, 23 intermediate, 164 steerage passengers - Cressy: 720 tons (barque), 27 cabin, 23 intermediate, 105 steerage passengers

Subsequent arrivals included the Castle Eden (17 February 1851) and Isabella Hercus (1 March 1851). Between March 1851 and early May 1853, an additional 22 shiploads of settlers arrived, bringing the colony's population to over 3,000.

Social Cross Section

"Cabin passengers" (colonists) could afford to buy land and travelled in relative luxury. Some of these families remain prominent in Christchurch. "Emigrants" in steerage included farm workers, labourers, and tradesmen, some with assisted passage. Each ship carried a chaplain, a doctor, and a schoolmaster. Cargo included a printing press, a library of 2,000 books, a church organ, and prefabricated houses. Cabin passage cost £42, cheaper berths £25, and steerage £15.

Greeting the Settlers

Governor Sir George Grey arrived aboard HMS Fly to welcome the settlers (departing before Cressy arrived). John Robert Godley was also at Lyttelton to meet them.

A marble plaque in Cathedral Square, Christchurch, lists the names of the Canterbury Pilgrims.

Notable Passengers

Charlotte Jane: Alfred Barker, Edward Bishop, Charles Bowen, James Temple Fisher, James FitzGerald, Benjamin Mountfort, Harriet Ritchie, James Stuart-Wortley

Cressy: Harry Allwright, Arthur Dudley Dobson, Edward Dobson, Benjamin Dudley, Michael Hart, James Townsend, Mary Townsend

Randolph: Isabella Williams

Sir George Seymour: John Anderson Sr, John Anderson Jr, Guise Brittan, Emily Foster, Richard James Strachan Harman, Henry Jacobs, Elizabeth Watts-Russell, John Watts-Russell

Key Dates

• 27 March 1848 — Canterbury Association inaugural meeting
• 2 November 1848 — Joseph Thomas et al. arrive at New Plymouth
• December 1848 — Exploration of Port Cooper via HMS Fly
• July–August 1849 — Surveyors and labourers arrive
• April 1850 — Godley halts work due to lack of funds
• September 1850 — Ships depart Plymouth
• 16 December 1850 — Charlotte Jane and Randolph arrive
• 17 December 1850 — Sir George Seymour arrives
• 27 December 1850 — Cressy arrives
• 1851–1853 — Further 22 shiploads of settlers