VETERAN SKIPPER OF 99

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 480, 9 October 1928, Page 16

VETERAN SKIPPER OF 99

HONOURED BY MASTER MARINERS KNEW N.Z. IN THE ’SIXTIES (Special to THE SUN) DUNEDIN, Monday. After a lifetime spent in voyaging up and down the seven seas, Captain Christopher H. Welch, who is living in retirement at Carey’s Bay, Dunedin, has been appointed to membership in the Company of Master Mariners of New Zealand. He will celebrate his 99th birthday next month.

Captain Welch has had a remarkable seafaring career, and first arrived in New Zealand in the early ‘‘sixties” as master of his own vessel, so that ho played his part in the early history of New Zealand shipping.

He was born at Great Yarmouth on November 5, 1829, and as a youth was apprenticed with the Oliver Laing Line of Sunderland, his first ship being the Pascoe Grenfell trading to the West Indies and later to the west coast of South America in the copper ore trade round Cape Horn.

Eventually he obtained his master’s certificate, and shortly afterwards purchased a three-masted schooner named the Elizabeth Phelter. In 1860, just after the first battle of the American Civil War, he sailed out of New York Harbour in this vessel bound for Capetown and from South Africa he lifted a cargo for London, arriving at the latter port in 1861. TOOK MINERS TO OTAGO

After making a voyage to Sodaham in the Gulf of Bolpmany, he sailed for Sydney, arriving there after a 96-day run. At Sydney his ship was chartered to take 488 gold diggers to Otago, and on this voyage he made the record passage from Sydney anchorage to the Port Chalmers wharves in six days. On his return to Sydney two companies of passengers were embarked, and he sailed for San Franciso. When three days out the ship ran into a cyclone and was so badly damaged that Captain Welch had to return to Sydney for repairs, but when a survey had been made, and his lowest repair tender amounted to £2.850, he sold the ship to the New Zealand Government. She was used for some time as a home for prisoners, and subsequently lost on the Manukau. Captain * Welch then entered the Philippine-Sydney sugar trade. and later commanded several vessels in the intercolonial trade, among them being the barques Union and Duke of Edinburgh. His last ventures were two voyages to the Macquarie Islands. Captain Welch finished his long sea career 20 years ago, and has since lived in his trim little cottage at the water’s edge in Carey’s Bay, Dunedin, where he can see the ocean he has served so long. His appointment to membership in the Company of Master Mariners is a distinction of which he is proud. During the short space of a little over two months 60 master mariners have joined the New Zealand Company of Master Mariners, and it is expected the hundred mark will be passed within six months.