Tales from the Trunk #1

A diary & a feather pillow.

On 26 September, 1873, with a complement of 271 passengers and 37 crew, the Surat set sail from London. Amongst those 271 passengers were brother and sister James and Margaret Mulligan.

The 99-day voyage of the Surat to New Zealand was relatively uneventful. At least until they reached Stewart Island.

On 31 December, 1873, New Zealand's Stewart Island was first sighted. This was a significant moment: the eve of a new year, within sight of a new land, indicating the start of a new life. But at approximately 9.50 that evening, the Surat, ‘grated as if she were going over a gravel bank’. The Surat had hit land at Chaslands Mistake, on the Catlins coast of the South Island of New Zealand.

One moment some of the passengers were celebrating and dancing, the next they were being flung across the deck. Four times more the ship struck and they clutched at fittings to stop being tossed about.

After a period of confusion, she reached her final resting place. The time was 11.15 am. The remaining 170 passengers and crew were now able to take to the boats and land safely.

James and Margaret made it ashore. They were dressed. But apart from the clothes they were wearing, the only other belongings they had were a small pocket diary (in James' possession) and a feather pillow (carried by Margaret)!

Welcome to New Zealand, folks!

See The voyage out.

'Twas Christmas Night ...

Well , actually Christmas Day; and then Boxing Day.

Christmas time is always special for our family.

Although we see each other often - usually at family dinners on a Sunday evening - Christmas is that and more.

More because it usually spreads over much of the day, and often into Boxing Day as well. This year we were joined by Gareth's sister & brother-in-law Ian, visiting from Perth. But we were missing Sarah & Craig, who spent the day with Craig's family in Auckland. They joined us on Boxing Day, along with Kirsten, Adrian & the kids, and Freda, and an 'orphaned' friend from work (not really orphaned - just on his own because his wife was visiting her mother in California).

It has, of course, the usual gift-giving element, which adds a special element to the day. And a Xmas Tree, and sundry decorations, lights, crackers, glorious food and drink.

The weather is often 'moderate' in the Hutt Valley at Christmas, but this year we 'cooked' in 31 degrees Celsius - very unusual! Boxing Day was a little different as a Southerly change dropped temperatures and cloud hid the sun, but that didn't stop the barbecue!

There are, of course, a range of photos.

'Tis the season ...

Christmas is the time of year when people do 'silly' things - well, some of us do!

Gareth had a DJ session at The Southern Cross Hotel recently. So Desiree & I decided to go along, and meet Charlotte, Bethan & Ian for a drink.

 

What we hadn't counted on was that the outside tables had giant Jenga sets. So of course we had a couple of games.

Media happy to be manipulated

There was an interesting instance of the way in which the media and politicos operate to meet their respective purposes yesterday.

The Dominion Post ran a full page story profiling Secretary of Education Lesley Longstone, and her views on the state of education in New Zealand.

After a lengthy traverse of various issues (Finland or Singapore?) and re-treading of well-worn paths of some of the shambolic handling of sensitive issues (close Christchurch schools, anyone?), we get to the final paragraphs.

"But just as things start getting comfortable, you note Ms Longstone is also the past master of the casually provocative statement."

You can almost hear the journalist (one Philip Matthews) salivating at the prospect of the print equivalent of TV's 'sound-bite' - a juicy headline!

"This one might get New Zealand's teachers incensed all over again: 'There's no doubt that there is world-class practice in schools but it's not widespread,' she says.

'The best practice is not common practice.'"

End of article.

End of story.

And there you have the mutual back-scratching.

Matthews has his headline. And the chance to "get New Zealand's teachers incensed all over again". Which of course, will increase the readership of his article. And generate more column inches, and more Dominion Post readers. And so meet the needs of his paymasters, who expect him to generate eyeballs looking at Stuff pages, so they can sell those viewers to advertisers. Which, after all, is how Fairfax media makes it's money.

Longstone has her claim in the public domain, and the justification for future policies declaimed. Without challenge. Repeat the claim often enough, without justifying or supporting it, and the public will begin to see it as true, whether it is or not. Keep it simple and the stupid will believe it.

And the mutual back-scratching? Longstone doesn't have to justify her claim, because the journalist isn't interested in the substance, only the headline-making "provocative statement". So there is no effort to ask Longstone anything like: "And what's the evidence for this claim? How did you arrive at this view?" And Longstone doesn't therefore have to defend her stance. Just roll-on with her ideological agenda.

Longstone's next step, of course, is to get her Minister, Parata, to follow the same path, and use the same claim to justify government policy.

Watch this space.

Let me tell you the story of a ...

... girl named Jayne.

Seems she was born 21 years ago TODAY. (I remember it like it was YESTERDAY!)

But looks what's happened to her since:

Oh well, at least the Family Tree doesn't give away her age!

Ice patterns

In the depths of winter, even in our moderate climes, a hard frost can settle and produce dazzling patterns. As happened this morning, on our cars in the drive:

Artefacts from the past

I was recently sent a series of scanned images by a cousin of items from our family's past. And that has prompted another round of investigation and planning.

My sister Barbara has a flute which belonged to our grandfather Francis Humphrys. It was presented to him by the congregation of St Peters Church in Caversham in 1904.

The church, in Hillside Road, was the family's 'local', and Francis (& his siblings) sang in the choir. Most of them attended a church re-union in 1948, at which the photo below was taken.

But the most interesting to me was this copy of a photo apparently of Eliza Jane Madill.

What I find fascinating about this is that I am a 3rd great grandson of Eliza Jane MADILL! She was born in or about 1787, and married Joseph William Mulligan of Ballyhaise, Co Cavan. That means we have in the early 21st century, a photo of a woman born in the late 18th century! And the photo was probably acquired by a cousin visiting Ireland in the early 20th century. I find that amazing!