Published in The Lyttelton Times, 11 Jan 1851
“Forsan et hæc olim meminisse juvabit”
“Perhaps this too will be a pleasure to look back on one day”
The Randolph, left Plymouth on the night of Saturday, Sept. 7, 1850, a few hours after the Charlotte Jane, having on board 217 passengers. The officers of the ship were Captain Dale, Commander, Mr. Scott, Chief Officer, Mr. Puckle and Mr. Willock, officiating ministers, and Mr. Earle, Surgeon Superintendent.
Her course lay outside Madeira, and crossing the line in longitude 24 20’ west, she proceeded as far to the westward as longitude 36 30’ on Oct. 23rd, being then in latitude 23 46’ south. On Nov. 14, her last lat. was 45 55, south, long. 44 40’. On Dec. 1, lat. 48 26’ south, long. 109 1’ east. On the 7th, she was driven by foul wind to lat. 50 south. On 11th December, she was in the longitude of the Snares, in lat. 48 33’, and after a most delightful run up the coast, she entered Port Victoria at half past three o’clock in the afternoon of the 16th, having accomplished the passage in 99 days. On the anchor being dropped, ‘God save the Queen’ was sung by all passengers on the poop.
The Randolph spoke an unusually large number of vessels during the early part of the voyage, and on the fourth of October fell in with the Sir George Seymour, which had left Plymouth about 12 hours after her, bringing a passenger who had arrived at Plymouth after the sailing of the Randolph.
She was becalmed two days in company with a French Barque, having on board an operatic company who were proceeding to Mauritius. On the first day some of the Randolph’s passengers pulled to the French vessel, and invited a large party to dine with them, and on the second day they kept a promise exacted by their visitors on leaving the day before, by dining on board the Frenchman, the toast drinking on both sides was most amusing. A great deal of Italian music was sung in really first rate style. On the 6th of November, there was almost mutiny on board, which by the mercy of god was suppressed, through the promptness of the Captain, supported by his officers and the passengers. On the 25th, was performed Sheridan’s play of the‘Rivals’, the female characters being played by gentleman. The characters were supported in a manner which gave universal satisfaction. To the ladies on board the greatest praise is due for the effective way in which the characters were ‘got up’, the wonder was where all the dresses could have come from, and it was very curious to hear what they were composed. The representation took place between decks before an overflowing audience, and a second performance was asked for by many who were unable to gain admittance.
There were 5 deaths, all children, and 9 births on board. The voyage is declared, by common consent, to have been most agreeable, the only unpleasant part of it being that which passed in the low latitudes between the Cape and New Zealand, on account of the cold and fog, which proved fatal to almost all the game on board.
The First Four Ships – STAR (Christchurch), Issue 6977, 15 December 1900, Page 9
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS19001215.2.93
![A reception on board the Randolph, at the East India Export Dock, Blackhall [1850]](https://firstfourships.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/reception.jpg)
The reception was held to celebrate the departure of colonists for Canterbury. 340 people attended, of whom 140 were expected to travel as cabin passengers. Emigrants of the labouring class were entertained at another function nearer departure. The function began at 2pm with Lord Lyttelton in the chair. Speeches then took several hours. There was dancing in the evening on the upper decks to the music of the Band of the Coldstream Guards