Historic ship arrives ahead of 175th anniversary European settlers’ arrival
Originally published in THE PRESS 27 December 2024
The historic Dutch ship Oosterschelde, a three-masted schooner, arrived at Lyttelton Harbour on Thursday.
IAIN MCGREGOR / THE PRESS
A historic Dutch ship has arrived in Lyttelton Harbour, marking a significant moment ahead of next year’s 175th anniversary of the arrival of European settlers to Canterbury.
The Oosterschelde, a three-masted topsail schooner built in 1918, is one of the last remaining sailing ships of its kind.
She arrived earlier than expected on Thursday, with Friday the anniversary of when the Cressy – the last of the First Four Ships bring early European settlers to New Zealand – reached the same port in 1850.
“It’s a pure coincidence that it arrived around the same date,” Canterbury Pilgrims and Early Settlers Association secretary Linda McFarlane said.
The Oosterschelde will remain in Lyttelton until January 2 as part of her Darwin200 voyage, ahead of 175th anniversary celebrations for the arrival of European settlers to Canterbury in 2025.
IAIN MCGREGOR / THE PRESS
“The historic ship is about the same size as the ships that brought the early settlers in. Her arrival is a precursor to next year’s 175th anniversary celebrations.”
The Oosterschelde will remain in Lyttelton until January 2 before setting sail for Cape Horn and the Falkland Islands as part of her Darwin200 voyage.
Built in 1918, the Oosterschelde is the largest restored Dutch freightship and the only remaining Dutch three-masted topsail schooner.
Its home port is Rotterdam and it is used for voyages around the globe.
Canterbury Pilgrims & Early Settlers Association secretary Linda McFarlane, at Pilgrims Rock mural.
JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON / THE PRESS
It travelled from Hobart and along the east coast of New Zealand before docking in Lyttelton this week.
The 50m-long ship began her life as a freighter, transporting a diverse range of cargo across European waters – from clay and strong to herring, bran, potatoes and bananas.
She underwent modifications in the 1930s, including the additions of a more powerful diesel engine.
The official 175th anniversary of Canterbury’s founding as a province will be observed on December 16, 2025, said McFarlane, whose New Zealand ancestry can be traced back to the 1840s.
The celebrations will commemorate the arrival of the Charlotte Jane, one of the first ships that brought European settlers to the province in 1850.
By then, about 300 people already lived in Port Cooper (as Lyttelton Harbour was known to Europeans at the time), including Māori from nearby Rāpaki and workers from Wellington who were brought in to build shelter for the new immigrants.
While no specific events had been confirmed yet, McFarlane hoped there would be a Canterbury-wide celebration with support from local councils and community groups.
“It’s a celebration of Canterbury as a province,” she said.
The 50m-long ship began her life as a freighter, transporting a diverse range of cargo across European waters.
IAIN MCGREGOR / THE PRESS
“It’s the birth of Canterbury, in many respects, although others were all ready here and Ngāi Tahu were very helpful to the early settlers when they first arrived.”
The first European settlers, known as the Canterbury Pilgrims, arrived in Lyttelton on four ships: the Charlotte Jane (December 16, 1850), the Randolph (December 16, 1850), the Sir George Seymour (December 17, 1850), and the Cressy (December 27, 1850).
About 750 passengers made the three-month crossing on the Summer Ships, as they are often called.
The arrival of the first four ships, painted by William Menzies Gibb (1859-1931) in 1900.
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They left Gravesend, in the southeast of England in September 1850.
Another two ships – the Castle Eden and Isabella Hercus – arrived the following year as part of the Canterbury Association’s immigration scheme.
The legacy of those early European settlers lives on across the region today, in its people, institutions and place names.
A reproduction of a painting showing the landing of the Canterbury Pilgrims in December 1850.
CANTERBURY MUSEUM / THE PRESS
Canterbury Anniversary Day (known as Show Day) used to be celebrated on December 16, in recognition of the day the first ship arrived.
The port town of Lyttelton served as the initial landing point and base for the settlers.
Some of the settlers soon moved inland to establish Christchurch, which was planned as the main city of Canterbury.
WEI SHAO • REPORTER wei.shao@press.co.nz