First New Zealand Company Ships to Arrive in New Zealand

The New Zealand Company was an organisation founded in early 19th-century England that arranged for the hire of various ships to carry British migrants from England to New Zealand, lured by the promise of abundant land and opportunity.

The company’s foundation was largely inspired by Edward Gibbon Wakefield’s theories of colonisation, which aimed to balance capitalism with a supply of labour. However, many of the settlement plans were developed without the consent of the Maaori who already occupied the targeted land. In some cases, land was purchased 'sight unseen,' leading to significant issues when the settlers first encountered the geography and conditions of their new home.

To achieve Wakefield’s vision of social balance, land was deliberately priced just beyond the reach of working-class migrants. This ensured that they would remain a labour force for wealthier investors eager to capitalise on New Zealand’s fertile land and natural resources.
This approach attracted the attention of Parliament and offered a lucrative opportunity for the British elite.
In 1839, the Oriental became the first of five 500-ton immigrant ships hired by the New Zealand Company to begin the long and perilous journey from England to Wellington, New Zealand.

Other ships in this initial fleet included the Aurora, the Duke of Roxburgh, the Bengal Merchant, and the Adelaide.
The Oriental, a 506-ton barque, departed London under the command of Captain Wm. Wilson on 15 September. On board were 46 couples and 33 children, making a total of 145 immigrants.

The journey to reach New Zealand in the late 1830’s was not only the longest migrant journey in written history, but also very dangerous, with the threat of shipwreck and illnesses causing death. 

Not long after the Oriental had departed, the Aurora followed, leaving Gravesend, England on 18 September (Brett, 1984). The Aurora, also a barque ship, and weighing 550 tons, was commanded by Captain Theophilus Heale. The ship carried 148 migrants and 21 cabin passengers; from this count, there were 25 married couples, 36 single people and 40 children on board. 

The Oriental and the Aurora met at D’Urville Island (also known as Rangitoto ki te Tonga) before continuing to Port Nicholson, Wellington. Although the Oriental was the first to depart from England, the Aurora was the first to arrive in Wellington, docking on 22 January 1840. The Oriental followed nine days later, arriving on 31 January 1840. These were the first organised settler ships to arrive in New Zealand.

Explore a wide range of resources related to passenger lists and immigration records in our Te Puna Maatauranga Collection, designed especially for family history research and held at Central Library on Level 3. Check here to view the passenger list of the Oriental. 

The ship “Aurora” at an unidentified location. Ref: 1/2-025379-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, NZ.

Bibliography

Brett, H. (1984). White Wings: Immigrant Ships to New Zealand 1840 -1902. A.H. & A. W. Reed Ltd

Simpson, T. (1997). The Immigrants: The Great Migration from Britain to New Zealand, 1830-1890. Godwit Publishing Ltd

Shadows of Time, (n.d.). Passenger List: The Oriental. https://shadowsoftime.co.nz/oriental.html

Wilson, J. 'The voyage out - Journeys to New Zealand', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand,(accessed 18 September 2024), https://teara.govt.nz/en/the-voyage-out/page-1

Photograph reference - The ship 'Oriental'. Ref: 1/2-038387-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, NZ.