The 'London' was a ship contracted by the New Zealand Company to bring emigrant labourers and their young families to the colony of New
Zealand, to populate and work the land in and around the township of Wellington.
Suitable emigrants and their families were granted a free voyage to New
Zealand, and were given assistance in finding employment here, should they be
unable to find their own.
There were a total of 332 people on board:
7 Cabin-class passengers
17 Intermediate-class passengers
263 Steerage-class passengers
7 NZ Māori passengers
38 crew
The seven New Zealand Māori passengers were returning to their homeland, having been employed to make up crew numbers on the ship's previous return voyage from New Zealand.
Most emigrants boarded the London at the emigration depot in Deptford on the afternoon of 30 December 1841. The following day the ship was towed downstream to Gravesend by a steam-powered tugboat, where Cabin and Intermediate Passengers boarded.
The London left Gravesend at 1pm on 2 January 1842 and arrived in Wellington on
1 May 1842.
Click a placemarker and then the 'More Detail' link to view detailed information about experiences onboard that day.
For further reading about the 1842 voyage of the London to New Zealand, I recommend Jenny Robin Jones' book 'No Simple Passage'. It is available for purchase in eBook or print format.
Jenny Robin Jones has also produced an audiobook for children, which adults will also find entertaining. It tells the story of the adventures of two young friends, on their voyage to New Zealand on board the London.
