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Goldminer Buys Devonport - Auckland

Oct 2, 2020
1 min

Goldminer Buys Devonport - Auckland

Curtis & Cobley Families Unite! Ashmore Curtis, born on the ship Ashmore, married William Cobley's daughter Gertrude. He used to walk from their market garden in Takapuna, to her house in Devonport. A total of 8.8 km/5.4 miles, a 19-minute drive today. If he was lucky, he'd go by horse. For more information on William Cobley see the book trailer of The Shotover below. The Shotover Book Trailer Courtesy:AngelaCurtis William Cobley - Devonport Wharf - 1882 Ashmore Curtis, born

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What Did Devonport - Auckland - NZ - Look Like in 1882?

Oct 1, 2020
1 min

What Did Devonport - Auckland - NZ - Look Like in 1882?

This is what Devonport Wharf looked like when the Ashmore arrived in 1882. Image: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections Image: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections Today: Where the Curtis farm used to be. Brett Curtis (Ashmore's Great Grandson, Allan Curtis (Ashmore's Grandson) Angela Curtis (Ashmore's Great Granddaughter). Image: Angela Curtis The Takapuna Golf Course was once the Curtis market garden: (27 Northcote Road, Takapuna, North Shore, Auckland) Takapuna Allotm

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How Did Auckland City - NZ Look in 1882?

Oct 1, 2020
2 min

How Did Auckland City - NZ Look in 1882?

Ever wonder what the wharf and streets looked like over a century ago? These were from when the Ashmore arrived on 2nd September 1882. Auckland Wharf Image: Natlib.govt.nz Victoria Street Shortland Street Wellesley Street Image: Remueraheritage.co.nz Albert Park Image: Natlib.govt.nz Albert Park Tunnels Middle-aged men who were unfit for war dug the tunnels under Albert Park. Image: Albert Park Tunnels Facebook Albert Park Tunnels - Map Image: Auckland City Centre Residents G

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History of Depth Measurements at Sea

Oct 1, 2020
2 min

History of Depth Measurements at Sea

Depth Measurements - Fathoms - Soundings History of Depth Measurement A sounding line or lead line was a thin rope of a certain length, with a lead plummet on its end. They were swung or cast by the “leadsman,” usually from part of the ship called “the chains” which were small platforms, built on either side of the hull of a ship. Sailors tied marks made of leather, calico, serge or some other materials and placed at certain intervals. They then made them shaped for ease of r

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What is a Derrick Crane?

Oct 1, 2020
1 min

What is a Derrick Crane?

A derrick crane was used on the Ashmore to help winch poor Mrs Welsh on board as her bustles and skirts were too wide to get her up the thin gangway. The wind didn't help as her full skirts were blown upwards, which caused quite a stir amongst both the sailors and the passengers watching her from below. This was often the case for first-class passengers back in the 1860-1890s. Image: Wikipedia Where Did The Name Come From? Ashmore's derrick crane back in 1882 didn't have a ho

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What is Tiffin?

Sep 16, 2020
1 min

What is Tiffin?

Image: 2tuckbox.com The doctor mentioned tiffin on their very first day of the voyage. Having never heard of the word, I asked Mr Google. Tiffin is an Indian/English word meaning a light meal. It can be the midday luncheon or, in some regions of the Indian subcontinent, a snack taken between meals. The fact Dr Knight wrote that it was served at two-bells, which is 1pm, led me to the fact that's when the first-class cabin were served their mid-day meal. It wasn't always a lig

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Petition Against Doctor

Sep 16, 2020
2 min

Petition Against Doctor

Doctor Knight's Diary during the 103-day voyage from Great Britain to New Zealand in 1882, Doctor Alfred Knight wrote about the petition the passengers brough against him. Below are the two pages from day 87 and 88 of the journey, on August 16th and 17th, 1882. Page 119 - Day 87 - August 16th 1882 Photo: Angela Curtis (Original photo) Page 120 - Day 88 - August 17th 1882 Photo: Angela Curtis (Original photo) It's not an easy read, but physical proof written with his own hand.

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Lighthouse History In New Zealand

Sep 8, 2020
4 min

Lighthouse History In New Zealand

First Flying Boat In Southern Hemisphere Image: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1-W35 To see footage of a lighthouse in New Zealand, see below. New Zealand's rocky and often stormy coastline, endangered the lives and claimed the cargo of many early settlers. These goods were vital to colonial settlement, but most of the chartered coast was still unchartered. Their uproar of the new colony's settlers led to the Pencarrow Head lighthouse being built at the Wellington Ha

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Every Wondered Where Our Expressions Come From?

Sep 8, 2020
3 min

Every Wondered Where Our Expressions Come From?

Image: Shipping Wonders Of The Sea Ever used these sayings before? I know the ropes. Would you pipe down? I'm chock-a-block. There's no room to swing a cat. He got a right dressing down. I'm footloose. That's first rate He's three sheets to the wind. I'm feeling blue. He looks like he's about to keel over. I'm giving them a wide berth. I cannot fathom that. He's between the devil and the deep blue sea. He turned a blind eye. There will be the devil to pay. These sayings origi

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Rangitoto Island - New Zealand

Sep 7, 2020
2 min

Rangitoto Island - New Zealand

Image: Angela Curtis Doctor Knight's diary mentions Rangitoto Island and today you can visit the youngest volcano in New Zealand. It last erupted 600 years ago after which the native Maori lived upon the island. They sold it for £15 in 1854 to the Colonial Government. Basalt and scoria were quarried on the island and shipped to Auckland where they played an extensive role in building the city. The first view you see in the footage below is filmed on my great, great granddads

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Cape Reinga - New Zealand

Sep 7, 2020
1 min

Cape Reinga - New Zealand

Cape Reinga is also known as Te Rerenga Wairua in Māori. It means the leaping-off place of spirits or the underworld. According to mythology, they believe the cape is the point where the spirits of the dead journey travel to and leap off into the underworld to their ancestral world called Hawaiki where they spend the afterlife below the roots of an 800-year-old tree called a pohutukawa. Because the site is sacred, no eating is permitted. If you're looking for a good picnic s

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Experience Life On Board A Tall Ship

Sep 7, 2020
1 min

Experience Life On Board A Tall Ship

Want to know what it was like to be on board the Ashmore? You can by listening and watching the footage below. Listen to the sounds that inspired the book. Footage: Michael Ghelfi - RPG Ambiences & Music Relaxing Sounds of a Tall Ship at Night Footage: Creative Fantasy CF Lightning Storms at Sea Footage: Sounds For Sleeping Rainfall At Sea Soundtrack: Rainfall at Sea By Relaxing SoundZZZ By: Assassin's Creed IV 1938 Film Archive Footage - A Tall Ship's Battle In Atlantic Stor

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Ocean Currents & Tides

Sep 7, 2020
3 min

Ocean Currents & Tides

Visualising Earth's Ocean Currents Footage: TedEd & Jennifer Verduin The currents and tides affected the Ashmore's 102-day journey from Great Britain to New Zealand in 1882. If she sailed too far south, she ran the risk of icebergs, but that was where the strong winds blew. Here is a short history on mapping the tides and currents around the world. Photo: Courtesy of Catolico Tides It's been known since classical times the tides were related to the Moon's journey around the e

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Three Kings Islands - New Zealand

Sep 7, 2020
2 min

Three Kings Islands - New Zealand

Image: By Isaack Gilsemans - Research Services Alexander Turnbull Library- National Library of New Zealand The Ashmore sailed towards the Three Kings Islands, a group of thirteen islands approximately 55 kilometres northwest of Cape Reinga where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet. They are uninhabited and measure 4.86 km² in area. The islands are situated on a submarine plateau, called the Three Kings Bank. Even though they are only separated from the mainland of New Z

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Sailing Speed In Knots

Sep 7, 2020
1 min

Sailing Speed In Knots

How did ships know how fast they were going? What is a ship's log? How were knots invented for speed? How long is a nautical mile? Watch this old footage for the answers. (Duration: 5:25 minutes) Footage: TheCuriosityShow Ship's Logs & Knots Oceanservice.noaa.gov explains it this way: 'A knot is one nautical mile per hour (1 knot = 1.15 miles per hour). The term knot dates from the 17th century, when sailors measured the speed of their ship by using a device called a "common

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Nautical Navigation History

Sep 7, 2020
1 min

Nautical Navigation History

Image: Cottrillresearch.com Sextant Image: This sextant is available on Fishpond.co.nz for $248.00 A sextants a doubly reflecting navigation instrument that measures the angular distance between two visible objects. The primary use is to measure the angle between an astronomical object and the horizon for the purposes of celestial navigation. Here's another documentary on navigation, (although the picture is not sharp) it's very informative. Duration: 52:22 minutes. Footage:

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Trade Routes - 1882

Sep 7, 2020
2 min

Trade Routes - 1882

Image: Pexel.com Captain James Whitmore preferred to take the old admiralty route from Gravesend to Auckland. He sailed the Ashmore from the English Channel into the North Atlantic Ocean, and crossed the equator 3,275 miles (5,271 km) later on their twenty-first day. The average time if lucky enough not to get caught in the doldrums, which could add weeks to the journey. He then sailed her into the South Atlantic Ocean and east beneath the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. T

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Passenger & Crew Quarters & Tall Ship Rigging

Sep 7, 2020
3 min

Passenger & Crew Quarters & Tall Ship Rigging

ASHMORE RIGGING Diagram: Air Freshener This rigging example is barque rigging, the same as the Ashmores. There were also barque fully rigged ships, these had the same three masts, but the mizzen mast at the back also had square sails, not the spanker you see here. In between the masts you can see jibs, the triangle sails. The jibboom is the beam out front made from two sturdy and long tree trunks. The jibboom was what anchored the entire rigging down. If it broke, as it did d

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Signal Flags On Tall Ships In 1882

Aug 12, 2020
1 min

Signal Flags On Tall Ships In 1882

The Ashmore used signal flags created by British naval officer named Frederick Marryat in 1817. The officer developed this system for merchant ships to use for communication. Each ship was assigned a number and a group flag. Up to 19,752 vessels were distinguished this way. Later, he expanded the system to include groups of British warships. It was called the Universal Code of Signals from 1854. A flag alphabet was published in 1857 and other countries soon joined in. It exis

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Cape of Good Hope

Aug 7, 2020
2 min

Cape of Good Hope

The Cape of Good Hope was originally named Cape of Storms by Bartolomeu Dias in 1488, because there were rough seas and stormy weather. But John II of Portugal changed the name to Cape of Good Hope because it was a good omen. The island meant India could be reached by sea from Europe. A lighthouse was built to warn ships but it sat too high and was often covered in cloud. This caused ships to run aground on its rocks, so they built another lighthouse closer to sea-level. The

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