CHARIOT OF FAME.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14888, 30 January 1914, Page 4

CHARIOT OF FAME.

.—. . » — : . REUNION OF SHIPMATES. About twenty-fire of those who came j to Lyttelton in the Chariot of Fame, j which' arrived oa January 29th, 1863, attended the second reunion, held yesterday. Mr John Pettigrow, of Pigeon Bay," presided. Several of those present had not met since their early ' days in Now Zealand, and all spent a very pleasant time chatting over old times, recalling memories of the passage out, and of their arrival j in Lyttelton. The proceedings were tinged with a feeling of sadness, for there were many who had been removed by death. I The names of the officers and leading men of the ebip were:— Captain, R. A. Kerr; Mr Selkirk, first mate; J. Corn, second; j J. t Green, third; T. Chapman, midship- j man; JT. Holt, purser; S. W. Frill, assistant ditto; J. Whitehead, engineer; j J. Walker, sailmaker; H. Attrili, boatswain; H. Byas, carpenter; D. Robertson, joiner, and first cabin steward, T. Barrow. The cooks should have been named, but seem to have been omitted. Tho following are some of the survivors by the ship:—Dr. C. Nedwill, Christchurch; Mr Thos. Hill, Christchurch ; J. Lowthian Wilson, Kaiapoi; Mrs A. Turnbull, Kelson; J. K. McGregor, Fairlie; iJryan Flynn, Waimate; Airs T. Kowe, Christchurch; J. Murray Bennetts, Mrs Beattie. Cust; Mrs Quartormain, Hororata; W. Tresidder, Hastings; W. H. nighton, Christchurch; Job Doak and J. l>. i Doak, Fernsidej W. M. Henderson, ■ Ferry road; J. Douds, Waiau; Mrs J. W. McLean, Waikari; J. Henderson, Linwood; Geo. Stephens, Brookside; G. Robertson, Hororata; J. Muir, Pleasant Point; Gilbert Hutchinson, Papanui; Mrs Loader, Timaru; John Pettigrew, Pigeon Bay;" Michael Hanna, Seiton; W. J. Hanna, Loithfield; Mrs Lill, St. Albans; Mr and Mrs A. White, Bealey avenue: Wm. Jainieson, Linwood; John Doak, Wakanui; A. A. Wood, Amberley; Mrs Pettigrew, Addington; Mrs Paton. Addington; Mrs T. Kelly, Sydenham; Mrs E. A. Beckett, Richmond; Geo. Robertson, Richmond; Mrs Skilling, Rangiora; Wm. Pettigrew, T»igeon Bay; J. Gemmell. Ihinsandel; A. W. Muir, Makaraka; R. Anderson, Christchurch; J. Muir, Totara Valley; A. Muir, Upper Riccarton; Mrs Muir; Middleton; Mr and Mrs W. McDowell; Heathcote; Mr and Mrs H. Cramp, Christchurch; Mrs B. Gingayon, Bennetts: Chas. l>uggan, Christchurch; Mrs Sowden, Dunsandel; Mrs Burson, Waimnte; Mrs Harkley, German Bay; Miss Hollis, Addington; Mrs J. Anderson, Methven; W. Chapman, Opawa; J. Bishop, Tinwald; Mrs Brodio, Addington, and Captain Tom Bowling. Mr Pettigrow apologised for the absence of Dr. C. Nedwill, who was unable to be present for the second reunion of those who came out in the Chariot of Fame fifty-one years ago. A few of their old messmates were not there, having passed away during the past year, and ho would ask them, as a fitting tributo to those who had gone to their last rest after having borne I the heat and burden of tho pioneering days, to stand for a moment or two. Those present, who were visibly affected, rose to their feet as a silent tributo to the missing shipmates. Continuing, Mr Pettigrew said that in the natural course of events, a thinning of their ranks must be expected. There were those who said that such gatherings as this served no practical purpose, but he felt that it was the sentiment of old associations and/memories that called them together. He well remembered the calm placid morning of fifty-ono years ago, when their ship glided into Little Port Cooper, and later worked up to' her anchorage: The hurry-scurry of the landing in Porfc Lyttelton, and the change of diet after tfie long voyage he well remembered. Then there was the journey round from Lyttelton to tho ferry wharf at Heathcote in the old Mullogh, and the long journe3' up tho very dusty Ferry road to Christchurch. • He felt that it did them all good to recall theso old memories. They had had many difficulties and hardships since they landed, but none of them was any tho worse for that. Their adopted land had served them well. Ho hoped that the reunion would ho made an annual affair, and he hoped that they would retain their health and strength for some time to come. (Applause.) Mr J. L. Wilson, who carried out the arrangements for the reunion, referred to those who 6ince last meeting had "crossed the bar," including Mr A. D. Mcllraith (who presided at the jubilee, , and xiaxb day tendered him a cheque for all expenses, which he had to respectfully decline): Mr Matthew Stitt, who had a large influence in the Ashburton district; Mr Thos. Wilson,'of Ivaiapoi, and Mr J. Adair Moore, of Hinds. A journal of the ship was now forthcoming, also the original list' of subscribers to tho fund for tho widowed mother and sister of G. H. Fisher, one of the popular sailors. • With "this incident the speaker hnd a tale to tell. The sailor (Fisher) fell from a yard during a gale off the Cape. He failed to catch a lifebuoy thrown by Captain Kerr, and the lifeboat crew returned after searching five or six miles around. One of tho crew was their friend Captain Tom Bowling, at the time a man before tho mast, and was one of the crew in the boat. Captain Bowling, us second mate of the Chile, four years later witnessed the third mate swept overboard and tossed him a lifebuoy The first mate and a crew were lowered in the lifeboat, which was smashed. Mr Bowling called for volunteers and manned a second boat, which, in a heavy 6ea, and stimulated by the frantic appeals of the passengers, effected the rescue of the third mate. Morten, who later became captain of the fine ship Mamnri. It need hardly be added that his Chariot shipmates were proud of Captain Bowling, who had conveyed thousands of immigrants to the colonies and commanded several crack China tea clippers without any serious miehap. His grandfather fought in thirteen engagements under Lord Nelson, and he had a son in the Union S.S. Co. Of Captain Kerr, of the Chariot, who visited these waters later in the Crusader, also the Dover Castle, and in 1872 visited among his Canterbury friende for a week. Every one of them admired his firmness as well ns the way in which ho, with Dr. Nedwill, attended to health conditions. This duty was well carried out later by the doctor as health officer of the city when fever threatened to prevent it becoming a residence for fifty thousand people. The Chariot had, they would see. produced a phonograph long before Edison, and i a jubileo Pressman who had lived to collect their scattered units and wish them all "Many happy returns'." Mrs Beckett spoke appreciatively of the manner in which the officers and crew of the Chariot of Fame had looked after the passengers. She was very pleased to see Captain Bowling present. Captain Tom Bowling said he was delighted to be present to meet his old shipmates, many of whom he had not seen since they left the Chariot of Fame. He was glad to know that they bad done well m New Zealand. Hβ had made many voyages round the world einco he left the old ship, but he was glad to be settled at last in New Zealand. Messrs George Robertson, Bryan Flynn, and A. A. Wood also spoke, and recalled many incidents of the voyage and\ of their early days in Canterbury.