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THAMES CITY

THAMES CITY WAS A VESSEL OF 557 TONS HAVING BEEN BUILT IN 1856 BY DOUGLASS OF SOUTHWICK. SHE WAS OWNED BY HENRY ROUNDHWAITE OF SUNDERLAND. HER MASTER WAS CAPTAIN THOMAS GLOVER THEN FROM 1860 ONWARDS IT WAS CAPTAIN JAMES SEDCOLE WHO COMMANDED THE VESSEL

IN AUGUST 1858 SHAW SAVILL CHARTERED HER FOR A VOYAGE TO BRITISH COLOMBIA CARRYING MILITARY PERSONELL FOR THE NEW CROWN COLONY.SHAW SAVILL HAD ADVERTISED HER AS BEING A VESSEL OF 1000 TONS, IT WAS NOT UN- USUAL AT ALL FOR SHAW SAVILL TO EXAGERATED A VESSELS TONNAGE, AND INDEED CLAIM IT WAS THEIR OWN VESSEL WHEN IN FACT IT WAS JUST CHARTERED FROM ANOTHER COMPANY.

SHE LEFT THE DOWNS ON 17TH OCTOBER 1858 FOR BRITISH COLOMBIA,  ROUNDING CAPE HORN SHORTLY AFTER A STAY AT PORT STANLEY, HAVING  ARRIVING AT ANCHORAGE THERE ON 28TH DECEMBER.

SHE PUT INTO VALPARAISO ON THE 10TH FEBRUARY 1859 TO RESUPPLY. SHE ARRIVED AT VANCOUVER ISLAND ON 12TH APRIL 1859 (ESQUIMALT HARBOUR) AS SHAW SAVILL WOULD NOT SANCION THE VESSEL SAILING UP THE FRAZER RIVER,  ALL STORES/PERSONEL HAD TO BE TRASNSPORTED BY ANOTHER VESSELTHERE WAS THE WORRY THAT SOME OF THE CREW MAY DESERT AND OTHER SECURITY ISSUES INVOLVED WITH GOING FURTHER. 

THE FOLLOWING YEAR IN 1860 SHE LEFT GRAVESEND FOR NEW ZEALAND ARRIVING IN AUCKLAND ON 4TH NOVEMBER 1860, THEN ONWARDS TO WELLINGTON ARRIVING 16TH NOVEMBER.