July 1863
Helen's farewells to her family and friends before her marriage were thought by her to be difficult but
they could have been nothing to the round of farewells undertaken by the pair of would be emigrants
during the early months of 1863. Selling their house, contents and the belongings that they would not be
able to take with them and deciding what would be of most use must have been nightmare enough but
saying goodbye to family and friends in the knowledge that, more than likely, they would never see each
other again must have been particularly painful. At best, given the distance, they could only hope to
exchange one letter a year, two if particularly fast ships were caught in both directions.
As we saw from the various family letters quoted above the Bowies, Forresters and Hills appear to have
always been a close-knit family where family ties were considered important. Now with a sense of
finality they were saying goodbye to people who had meant so much to them over the years. People
such as Helen's cousins the Forresters, and Aunt Isobel and Aunt Agnes, her mother's sister who had
virtually brought her up and who would be 74 years old when they left, and on David's side his brothers
Simpson, James and Andrew.
THE QUEEN OF BEAUTY
David and Helen and their three children would have arrived in London Docks
somewhere about the beginning of May 1863 and embarked on the ship the 'Queen of Beauty' that was
to take them to Auckland. This fully rigged wooden Clipper Ship, without engines, was built in St Johns,
New Brunswick, by Nevins in 1861 and was 189.9 feet in length and 38.6 feet broad with a depth of
22.9 feet. She weighed 1235 tons gross and 1035 net. (Lloyds Register of Shipping)
The 'Queen of Beauty' was designated as a clipper ship the definition of which is given by MacGregor
as "---any vessel designed to sail as fast as possible and to carry cargo. Clippers could be of any size and
rig. Clippers were at their peak in the years 1845--1875. Only a handful of clippers were ever built,
compared with the mass of cargo carrying ships sailing the seas." 'Clipper Ships' , David R MacGregor,
Argus Books, 1979.
Captain Chapman was her Master and she sailed under the British flag. The 'Queen of Beauty' was
owned by Fernie Brothers of Liverpool, owners of the Red Star Line, although for this voyage she
appears to have been leased to Shaw Savill one of the major companies to ship emigrants to the colonies
and this may be the reason for her departure from London rather than Liverpool which was her home
port.
The 'Queen of Beauty' left London Docks on the 4th of May 1863 heading for Gravesend where the
Government Inspectors checked that all the necessary food and provisions was aboard and that all
passengers and crew were in good health. Indeed that the ship was sea-worthy in all ways. It also gave
time for the passengers to finalise their preparations for the long voyage---fixing up any little extras for
comfort. On the next day, 5th May, the Philp's great adventure with its mixed emotions to their new life
commenced in earnest as the 'Queen of Beauty' cast off from Gravesend for its voyage to New Zealand
with 257 passengers as follows ;
English Scottish Irish Foreign Total Adult 96 11 96 11 21 4 Children 9 3 19 31 Infants 5 2 5 12 257
The trades and occupations of the adults were very varied ; Drapers 3; Plumbers 2; Carpenters 2;
Clerks 5; Gardeners 3; Warehousemen 2; Farmers 63; Accountant 1 (presumably David Philp) ; Joiners
2; Engineers 4;smiths 2; Surveyor 1; Labourers 8; Boatbuilder 1; Sugar Bakers 7; Farm servants 6;
Baker 1; Cabinet maker 1; Grocer 1; Milliner 1; Dressmaker 1; quarryman 1; Blacksmiths 2;
Wheelwright 1; Saddler 1; Shepherd 1; Coachmen 2; Shipwright 1; Miners 4; Men servants 3; Carter 1;
Bootmaker 1. (Source ;-Auckland newspaper of 10th August 1863)
NOTE See below for a link to the the complete passenger list of the voyage.
Given the social standing of David and Helen a natural assumption would have been that, for such a
long and arduous journey, they would have travelled in cabin accommodation and shared that with their
children. The list of arrivals printed in the Auckland newspaper of the time indicates, however, that that
was not so. There were only six cabins on the Queen of Beauty and the Philps are listed as travelling
steerage. A reflection surely of how far their fortunes in Scotland had deteriorated prior to their
departure.
Three days after departure while the passengers were settling down to learn and get used to the
shipboard routine not to mention their cramped conditions the first excitement of the voyage occurred
when a boy stowaway was discovered. on Captain Chapman's orders and reflecting the harsh laws of
the day he was clapped in irons. the passengers taking pity on him took a collection that raised £14 and
this was accepted by the Captain as the boy's passage money and he was released and set to work with
the first steward.
THE DAY TO DAY SHIPBOARD EXISTENCE
On May 22nd with a head wind blowing and the Queen of Beauty having to tack in order to make any
headway the passengers boxes were brought up from the hold and they were able to get access to their
belongings, perhaps change clothes. Three events occurred that day to liven up the monotony of a
shipboard existence. In the afternoon the only cow on board died and was thrown overboard. An event
that would mean no more fresh milk until landfall. An exhausted swallow landed on board and was fed
by some passengers before being released. and in the evening the first 'musical' concert was held.
The next day the last two pigs died and were thrown overboard. This made a total of eleven in all that
had died in the nineteen days of the voyage. a weekly newspaper was started to cover all the news of
interest together with articles, critiques, sketches and advertisements. To read the paper cost 1d per
quarter of an hour per passenger.
After that nothing out of the ordinary happened to create any excitement on board until the 5th of June
when, at 5 degrees North and 23 degrees West, the 'Queen of Beauty' met up with and spoke to the
'Arab Steed' and its Master Captain Walker. Meeting another ship at sea was a big event in a basically
boring existence, particularly if that ship was heading for Britain as mail could be carried home.
THE CROSSING OF THE EQUATOR
Three days later on the 8th of June the Queen of Beauty crossed the equator but, because Captain
Chapman had issued an order saying 'no tricks', there would be little of the time honoured ceremony of
king Neptune coming on board. The intense heat and the confined conditions seems to have had an
adverse effect on some of the passengers because on the 12th of June there seems to have been a row
between the Captain and some of the passengers who, it was claimed were making too much noise at
night. The Captain's dealing with the rowdy passengers does not seem to have had the full necessary
effect because on the very next day a further incident occurred and this time the Doctor showed them
the Act of Parliament that authorised him to fine recalcitrant passengers on their arrival in Auckland if,
after a warning they continued their antisocial behaviour. This seems to have had a salutary effect for no
further difficulties are mentioned.
THE ENCOUNTER WITH THE CONFEDERATE SHIP 'ALABAMA'
A much more exciting and indeed worrying encounter at sea occurred three days later when, on
Tuesday 16th June, the 'Queen of Beauty' was at 22.47 South and 34.47 West, about 80 miles off Rio
De Janeiro. About eight o'clock in the evening a sail was spotted ahead. As the ships came close the one
ahead fired a blank cartridge as a warning shot across the bows of the Queen of Beauty closely followed
by another. Because the Queen of Beauty took no notice a third live shot this time was fired ahead of
her. Captain Chapman had the 'Queen of Beauty hove to because this was the feared Confederate
Steam Ship 'Alabama' with the infamous Captain Raphael Semmes at the helm.
We pick up the story of the 'Queen of Beauty's meeting with the 'Alabama' as the incident is described,
not totally accurate in detail, in the log of the 'Alabama'. ;
"She proved to be another Yankee ship sold to British owners. She was formerly the 'Challenger', now
the 'Queen of Beauty'. running as an Australian Packet. She had 300 passengers on board. Her papers
were all in form, and I have no doubt of the bona fides of this transfer. The boarding officer reported
great excitement among the passengers and crew when they learned that we were the 'Alabama', and
they gave him a three cheers when he shoved off. Thus ends our days work. Out of the four vessels
boarded, no prize, in two of the cases the 'old flag' taking refuge under the English ensign, so much
despised by the Yankees except in the way of trade." ( Official Records of the Union Confederate
Navies in the War of Rebellion, Series 1, Vol 2. p 750)
A report giving more detail and a view of the 'Alabama' incident, this time from the deck of the 'Queen
of Beauty, is recounted by Mr Robert Farrell, a builder of Auckland who was a passenger on the Queen
of Beauty. He tells us that ,after the 'Queen of Beauty' hove to, a boat left the Alabama with an officer
and seven men in it.
"The crew of the Alabama's boat were a rough-looking lot, and they were armed to the teeth. At first
the 'Queen of Beauty' people did not think that the shots were intended for their ship, and they were
lucky getting off as they did. It was just a toss-up whether the third shot, which was ball and not blank
charge like the first two shots, struck the ship, but fortunately it did not.
At the time there was considerable excitement among the Queen's passengers, many of whom, believing
that they would be taken off the ship and landed on some island, hurried to collect their valuables in
bags and kits and any other receptacle that they could rake up. When the Officer and men of the
'Alabama ' came on board the Queen the officer went down to the Captain's cabin and examined the
ships papers. Being satisfied that she was a British ship the officer apologised to Captain Chapman for
delaying him. Refreshments were then served out, and the Alabama's boat left the ship's side to the
accompaniment of hearty cheers from the people on the Queen". (White Wings Vol. IV p 221)
In 22 months the 'Alabama' travelled over 75,000 miles, captured 55 Union ships valued at more than
4.5 million dollars and released ten other vessels. Eventually in 1872 Britain paid 15.5 million dollars in
compensation for the damage done by the three confederate raiders. One can well understand the
concern of the 'Queen of Beauty's' passengers that day in June 1863 when they met and were stopped
by the Semmes / 'Alabama' partnership off the coast of Brazil.
IN THE ROARING FORTIES
In early July, as the Queen of Beauty sailed south to catch first the winds of the westerlies and later the
roaring forties the weather became bitterly cold and the seas rougher. In these gales the passengers
cabins were frequently flooded and at times virtually everything from clothes to bedding must have been
permanently damp. This was only to be expected as June/July would be mid winter in the Southern
hemisphere and the pack ice from the Antarctic continent would be as far north as it comes. This would
mean that, for safety, the ship would, at no time, drop down to the 50 degrees south as the most skilled
mariners did but went racing along to the east around 44 degrees to 45 degrees south along the great
circle route that would make for the shortest journey.
On the morning of the 24th of July the ship was saddened to learn that a child had died of congestion of
the brain and was committed to the deep in the afternoon sewn up in a piece of sacking and covered
woth a large flag. There would not be long to dwell on this sad incident because that day the 'Queen of
Beauty' experienced the worst gale of her voyage. Sails were split and on each watch it took four men to
control the wheel. We can imagine the state of the Philp family. Incessant noise of both the gale and the
passengers and crew, cold and dampness everywhere in extremely cramped conditions with the hatches
battened down and virtually no light at all. All around the gale screaming incessantly. Other passengers
around them also being frightened and sick.
Such stories about the passage east along the great circle route through the 'roaring forties' of the
Southern Ocean, are duplicated in virtually every voyager's diary and serve to give the flavour of the
conditions and hardships that David, Helen, Margaret, James and Andrew more than likely would have
suffered and endured. When we remember that Margaret was only four years old, James two years old
and Andrew just over one year old the physical difficulties almost appear to double. Comforting three
small children in such circumstances as the 'Queen of Beauty' met during the gale of the 24th July must
have tried David and Helen to the utmost. Frequently, I am sure, they must have reached that point of
despair where they wondered about the wisdom of their decision to seek a new life in New Zealand and
then been forced to rally their flagging spirits to recharge their hopes and dreams.
About mid-day on the 9th of August the 'Queen of Beauty' came to anchor in Auckland harbour and at
some time on the 10th of August 1863 after 96 days at sea the Philps would have disembarked and
taken their first step on their new home.
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