The Ship HANOVER - 1862/65

Master: Captain H.H.Rich
Rigging: Ship; sheathed in felt in 1859 & yellow metal in 1860; fastened with copper bolts Tonnage: 1,045 tons
Construction: 1853, Marshall in Shields on Tyneside; repairs to damages in 1855; vessel lengthened in 1859
Owners: George Marshal & Co
Port of registry: London
Port of survey: London

The HANOVER left the East India Docks on May 29, the Downs on June 3 and took her departure from Start Point on June 4.  She arrived in Auckland, New Zealand on Sept. 17 1862 having 336 souls on board.  Her passengers were some of the first pioneers of the Albertland, Non-Conformist Colony to settle at Port Albert, on the Kaipara Harbour in New Zealand.  During the voyage one child died and there was one birth.

THE DOWNS

In the days of sail, the Downs was an important anchorage and pilot station. It is just off the East Kent coast, sheltered by high ground to the West and the Goodwin Sands some 6 miles offshore to the East. Ships with a favourable wind outward bound from London would often have to wait here for days or longer until the wind direction changed before making their way westward down the English Channel. Conversely inward bound ships would also have to wait here before entering the Thames Estuary.

The nearest coastal town is Deal at which Lloyd's and many shipping companies and foreign embassies maintained signal stations to communicate with ships by flags.

Suggested reading:
Sir Henry Brett, 1842-1927 Albertlanders: brave pioneers of the sixties.  Published 1927 by Brett. 436 pages. Reprinted by Caper Press 1979.
Brookes, Edwin Stanley, 1840?-1904. Bachelor Block : a story of Albertland.1995.
Auckland Star early 1925. Articles on the Albertland settlement.
Mabbet, H. The Rock and the Sky The Story of Rodney County. Wilson & Horton Ltd, 1977; 449pp.

The following names appeared on the passenger list:

Cabin passengers: Rev. and Mrs. John Davis, Dr. and Mrs. Hooper.