My family emigrated to Natal, South Africa, in 1850 and I have posted here the chapter in my book that deals with the voyage.
The Edward sailed from Gravesend docks in London and I have a passenger's diary of the voyage, which took 110 days, including the ship's position almost daily. My great-great-grandfather John Bazley was an engineer working for George Stephenson who pioneered railways in the UK and built the Rocket. There was a slump in the late 1840's and the family decided to seek settler opportunities in Natal. He was a founder of our sugar industry and with his son William built sugar mills and the harbour at Port Shepstone, where small ships could enter the river and load cargo. By wagon it took 3 weeks to reach Durban but the small steamers could sail there in 8 hours. I wrote a book about it, Nil Desperandum, the Bazley Story..
Coincidentally, the Illustrated London ran articles and printed sketches of scenes on the settler voyages so I have a very good idea of what things looked like.
I'm not sure many know of the late Bob Lightley but he was a legend in the model ship building game. He advised me that the plans I acquired from Underhill were accurate for the Edward. It was a 680-ton, three-masted barque, and carried a 40-foot cutter for landing passengers.
I started a 1:75 waterline model years ago, now I'm trying to decide whether to continue or start again. The hull is complete and not too badly made, so I think I might just soldier on. The rigging will be a challenge but I have much material to draw on. I've also thought of adding figures.
The Edward sailed from Gravesend docks in London and I have a passenger's diary of the voyage, which took 110 days, including the ship's position almost daily. My great-great-grandfather John Bazley was an engineer working for George Stephenson who pioneered railways in the UK and built the Rocket. There was a slump in the late 1840's and the family decided to seek settler opportunities in Natal. He was a founder of our sugar industry and with his son William built sugar mills and the harbour at Port Shepstone, where small ships could enter the river and load cargo. By wagon it took 3 weeks to reach Durban but the small steamers could sail there in 8 hours. I wrote a book about it, Nil Desperandum, the Bazley Story..
Coincidentally, the Illustrated London ran articles and printed sketches of scenes on the settler voyages so I have a very good idea of what things looked like.
I'm not sure many know of the late Bob Lightley but he was a legend in the model ship building game. He advised me that the plans I acquired from Underhill were accurate for the Edward. It was a 680-ton, three-masted barque, and carried a 40-foot cutter for landing passengers.
I started a 1:75 waterline model years ago, now I'm trying to decide whether to continue or start again. The hull is complete and not too badly made, so I think I might just soldier on. The rigging will be a challenge but I have much material to draw on. I've also thought of adding figures.