Who were the Bradleys who were crew members of the lifeboats involved in the Benvenue wreck

Benvenue Disaster 50th Jubilee, 1932. A portrait of three surviving crew members of the lifeboats involved in the Benvenue wreck, taken on the occasion of the fiftieth jubilee, 14 May 1932. Depicts the three men as (from left to right) as Isaac James Bradley, Carl George Vogeler, and Philip Bradley. South Canterbury Museum. 14/05/1932 CN 1457. https://timdc.pastperfectonline.com/photo/06F405BF-F04D-4339-A7A7-381944387269

Vogeler, Carl George, 1860-1934

Bradley, Philip, 1853-1936

Bradley, Isaac James, 1860-1936

This image from the collections at Te Papa and Illustrated Australian News - Melbourne Vic -1876-1889 Saturday 10 June 1882, shows the wreck of the Benvenue Ship and the City of Perth which was later refloated.

Timaru, 1875, Dunedin, by Burton Brothers, Alfred Burton. Te Papa (C.014372)

Timaru Rocket Brigade, c.1883 – This photograph, taken by William Ferrier in Timaru between 1882 and 1888, depicts the Timaru Rocket Brigade posed as if practicing on the rocks below the cliffs at Caroline Bay. The brigade was part of local lifesaving efforts, particularly important after shipwrecks such as the Benvenue disaster of May 1882. Notably, five men in the image are wearing their Benvenue medals, awarded for bravery in that rescue.

From left to right, the men are identified as: Alf Potts, Alf Allan, Arthur H. Turnbull (at back), Carl Vogeler (in front), Chris Gruhn, Adamson, Arthur Haylock, George Davies, W. Budd, James E. S. Jackson (First Lieutenant), W. Webster (Captain and Harbour Master), John McNab, W. J. Hughes, and George Shirtcliffe (manning the rocket trough).

The print, an original albumen POP photograph (275 x 195 mm), was captured at Timaru Harbour and is held under catalogue number 0847. Ferrier, William. Timaru Rocket Brigade, c.1883. Timaru Harbour, circa 1882–1888. Albumen POP photograph, 275 × 195 mm. Catalogue No. 0847. https://timdc.pastperfectonline.com/photo/8AD4780D-2050-40FB-AC62-704195806056

14/05/1932 Memorial service, 50th anniversary of the Benvenue wreck, 1932. Crowds assembled around the Benvenue Memorial, in Sophia Street Timaru, for a service marking the the 50th anniversary of the wreck of the Benvenue, dated 14th May 1932. In the left background the lifeboat Alexandra is visible. South Canterbury Musuem 1456. https://timdc.pastperfectonline.com/photo/D49F9CEB-DDDB-41F5-938D-879831741057

Port Guards on a parade 1901 fundraising for Boer War South Canterbury Museum CN 1581. https://timdc.pastperfectonline.com/photo/F2AEFA31-B5FA-49EB-9EFC-577378580051

The large painting (about four feet in length) of the wreck of 'City of Perth' and 'Ben Venue' at Timaru hung for many years in the Farmers tearooms and now the painting is at the Port Company Offices, Timaru at Marine Parade. The plate below the painting read : The Wreck of the Ben Venue and City of Perth 14 th May 1882. Presented to The Port of Timaru Ltd. By Arthur Bradley. Last surviving son of Issac Bradley a member of the rescue crafts crew. Located at Prime Port - Photo by Roselyn Fauth.

After the storm (Timaru Beach 1882, showing the wreck of the ships Benvenue and City of Perth, 1883). John Gibb 1883. Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, bequest of Mr Thomas Peacock Esq, 1922

The wrecks at Timaru, New Zealand: Lifeboats rescuing sailors in heavy surf, one life boat named City of Perth. . Wood engraving by Ashton, Julian Rossi, 1851-1942 slv.vic.gov.au/permalink/f/1cl35st/SLV_ROSETTAIE670476

The wrecks at Timaru, New Zealand : the ships on shore. - wood engraving by Cooke, A. C. (Albert Charles), 1836-1902  - June 17, 1882 - slv.vic.gov.au/permalink/f/1cl35st/SLV_ROSETTAIE737295

Queen Alexandra, the Lifeboat, and a Civic Square: Tracing Timaru’s Royal Connections

Invitation, 1901, New Zealand, by Benoni William Lytton White, A.D. Willis Ltd. Purchased 2001. Te Papa (GH009568)

Colour postcard entitled "Alexandra Square, Timaru", circa 1910. Features the band rotunda gifted by Charles Bowker in 1903 in the foreground, with the James Bruce & Co. (or Timaru Milling Co.) flour mill on High Street in the left background. Both the reserve and the life boat were named after British Royal.

It was to the memory of these men, and to those who gladly encountered the peril of death, that the monument was erected.

Timaru Herald. 13 July 1928

Page 9 (Supplement).

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/.../timar.../1928/07/13/25

ALEXANDRA LIFEBOAT, 1865.TIMARU HERALD, VOLUME CXXV, ISSUE 18008, 13 JULY 1928, PAGE 9 (SUPPLEMENT)
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Port History

• Timaru Harbour is located deep in the bight extending from the Waitaki River on the south to Banks' Peninsula on the north.
• Protected from southerly seas by reefs projecting from Patiti Point.
• Known and used by the Maoris as a halting place on the long harbourless eastern coast, long before the arrival of white settlers.
• Warlike Maoris from Dunedin and the south rested there before continuing their canoe journey northwards to battle enemies in the North Island.
• Between 1852 and 1857, shipping wool and landing supplies at Timaru was done with whaleboats, with no convenient beaching and landing facilities.
• Loading and unloading even small vessels was slow, tedious, and often dangerous, but essential for settlers to trade wool and obtain supplies.
• In 1857, Messrs H. J. LeCren and Cain opened a store and started a landing and shipping service using small surf-boats hauled up on the beach by a capstan.
• The landing place was the site of the present Harbour Board's service.
• In 1865, shipping facilities improved with the erection of boat sheds (now owned by the Harbour Board) and the introduction of a steam engine for hauling boats.
• The steam engine was initially considered extravagant due to the cost of coal, leading to recommendations for a return to manual labour.
• Two additional boating services were later started at the foot of George Street.
• Before protective works, wrecks were common at Timaru, often without loss of life.
• The Rocket Brigade frequently provided rescue services.
• A coasting steamer was once washed up between the present railway station and Club Hotel but was successfully refloated.
• In 1882, the "City of Perth" and "Benvenue" broke from their moorings, with the "Benvenue" being completely wrecked but the "City of Perth" refloated.
• Heroic rescue efforts during these wrecks led to the erection of a monument near the Post Office.
• During the wrecks, Captain Mills and other crewmen attempted rescues, resulting in capsized boats and several fatalities, including Captain Mills.
• The local lifeboat made three trips and rescued many, despite capsizing multiple times.
• The Timaru Harbour Board was established under the Timaru Harbour Board Act of 1876 and began operations in 1877.
• Steps were taken to construct an artificial harbour, with Mr. John Goodall's design for a concrete breakwater being adopted and modified.
• The first contract for a 300-foot mole was let to Messrs Allan and Stumbles in 1878.
• The concrete breakwater, completed in December 1887, is 30 feet wide and 2278 feet long, costing £219,518.
• On the northeast side, the harbour is enclosed by a 2400-foot rubble wall.
• The enclosed space is fifty acres, with total construction costs reaching £281,000.
• A rubble mole was authorized to extend the harbour, with a proposed length of 3000 feet; 1800 feet had been formed by July 1903, costing £82,000 by the end of 1902.
• Wharfage has been extended, and a powerful suction dredge is maintained for deepening the harbour.
• The registered tonnage of shipping entering the port increased from 58,402 tons in 1883 to 283,425 in 1902.
• Cargo handled increased from 62,492 tons in 1883 to 124,497 tons in 1902.
• Principal imports include general merchandise, timber, and coal; chief exports are breadstuffs, potatoes, frozen mutton, grain, and wool.
• The port's ordinary revenue from dues increased from £6356 in 1883 to £19,809 in 1902.
• The Harbour Board consists of members representing various districts and includes positions such as Secretary and Treasurer, Resident Engineer, and Harbourmaster.
• Mr. William Evans has been the Chairman of the Timaru Harbour Board since 1899 and is also the proprietor of Atlas Roller Flour Mills.
• Mr. George Lyall, J.P., a member of the Harbour Board, is also the general manager of the Pareora estate and involved in several local organizations.
• Mr. John Manchester represents the Makikihi riding on the Harbour Board and was previously the Mayor of Waimate.
• Mr. Alexander Campbell Pringle, J.P., a member of the Harbour Board, has been involved since 1893 and is active in numerous local societies and councils.
• Mr. David Clarkson Turnbull has been a member of the Harbour Board since 1900 and founded the firm D. O. Turnbull and Co.
• Mr. William Julian Bardsley, Secretary and Treasurer of the Harbour Board, has been in the position since the end of 1902.
• Mr. Albert Ernest Austin, A.M.I.C.E., is the Resident Engineer of the Harbour Board, having a background in railway surveys and harbour construction.
• Captain Thomas Nicolson Clarkson has been the Harbourmaster at Timaru since 1886.
• Mr. Peter Sinclair, foreman blacksmith at the Harbour Board's engineering works, has been in Timaru since 1870 and involved in various local organizations.

Summarised from https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc03Cycl-t1-body1-d7-d1-d4.html

The shipping disasters and loss of life at Timaru, which occurred on Sunday 14th May, 1882.. Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 21/05/2023, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/239

Conservation officer Mr Ashley Gualter at the city’s memorial for the wrecks of the Benvenue and the City of Perth.

Timaru streets are the sites of many famous wrecks Few people would think, walking into the Caroline Bay Hall, that in May 1869 a 183-tonne barque called the Susan Jane was wrecked there. Local conservation officer Mr Ashley Gualter recently compared records of where many vessels went down at Timaru to where land had been reclaimed. He plotted from information he had obtained from the South Can- terbury museum where each vessel originally sank or was grounded — although many of the wrecks broke up and were scattered. Between 1866 and 1886 what are now the Port of Timaru’s roadways had the unenviable record of having 28 wrecks or strandings.
Passing the South Canterbury Roller Skating Rink on the Port Loop Road, you are crossing over the site of the wreck of the Layard. On 8 June 1870 the 179-tonne brig ran aground there and was wrecked, while discharging its cargo of 257 tonnes of coal. Continuing along the Port Loop Road you cross the bows of where the 214 brig Fairy Queen ran aground in August 1873; the Wan- derer, a 32-tonne ketch which grounded on the same day; and the 237-tonne barque Isabella Ridley. The Isabella Ridley was dragged to the rocks by a strong surf on 19 April 1877.
The Rocket, Brigade had already assembled, and when the vessel beached a rocket was fired through its foresail, setting it alight. By Lindsay Mutch Staff Reporter Its crew of 10 landed safely, but during the night the chief officer and a seaman made an attempt to reach the wreck and save personal effects, but one of them drowned. The other was saved by the po- lice and later discharged with a caution. After passing the site where the Duke of Edinburgh was originally grounded with the Wanderer and the Fairy Queen but later refloated, you can move on to Hayes Street. On Hayes Street you pass over the site where the Prince Consort, a 36-tonne schooner was wrecked on 20 December 1866; and the 272- tonne brig Princess Alice ran ashore on 9 May 1875. Where the corner of Hayes Street. and Hayman Street is situated, the Cyrene was wrecked on the same day as the Princess Alice. The barque of 538 tonnes had been taking on water and ran itself aground about two hours after the Princess Alice.
Further down Haye Street is the site where the Lady of the Lake was grounded in 1873, but later refloated. Numerous other vessels were wrecked around Timaru — apart from the infamous tragedy of the City of Perth and the Benvenue on 14 May 1882. In 1886 the Lyttelton, an iron- hulled ship of 1111 tonnes, was be- ing towed out of the port by the steamer Grafton. However the tow line became entangled in the ship’s propeller and an anchor was dropped. When the tow resumed the ship holed its bottom with the anchor, and sank. It was the last vessel to sink at the port in the 20-year period. Since those years, between 1866 and 1886, the port’s record has im- proved considerably. Although the Elginshire ran aground at Norman- dy, south of Timaru, in 1892.
And in 1958 the Kaitoke ran aground, to be refloated later.
In 1959 the Holmglen sank about 35km east of Timaru, and on 12 November 1964 the 4670-tonne Treneglos was stranded on a reef off Jack’s Point. For four days the liner remained fast on the reef, until about 5000 bales of wool and several hundred tonnes of general cargo had been unloaded for transfer back to the port in boats — or jettisoned into the sea. When lifted, the vessel made its way to port for temporary répairs before being towed to Wellington. Mr Gualter said the study was one small historical aspect in the investigation of the department’s proposed marine reserve for the area.

D E Drake, Three Bradley brothers in 1882 wreck rescues (12 May 1982). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 05/07/2023, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/3660

Three Bradley brothers in 1882 wreck rescues D. EK. Drake It is not surprising that the dramatic events involving the wrecked Benvenue and the City of Perth in Caroline Bay on May 14, 1882, have been a talking point in the Bradley household over the years. On that fateful day annual reunion of sur- the cliffs alongside the perience of a shipwreck when nine gallant men lost. vivors. Benvenue. If I had known Was in 1873. When he was their lives in the port’s The reunions were dis- of the set as I do now, I only 18 years old, the little worst achipping uisebier, contin eda iS ouenl would never have left the pieamers ie eaeys e Hae Bradley brothers — abou 920 when ere ship.” 4ake, Was wrecked at the saac, Philip and Dan — were only eight or nine On-the journey back to Old landing service. at the ere solved in the Sever. Paes ee aa the shore, the Bradley life- Potton Cle eoree aoe al rescue attempts: which n May 14, 2, Isaac boat capsized. Isaac and n » When he was eo asblacs: oe peliand aspilp aradley were Philip were both rescued, OHNE a the one pilot rother-in-ld seorge among the first volunteers one of them by their Service, he schooner Sunaway, was also there. to crew a lifeboat which brother, Dan, who was a Amaranth got into dif- went out to the stricken member of the crew of the ficulties, and he had to row iT City of Perth, and Isaac, Alexandra, the port’s life- out to the ship, pick up the 5 then only 22 years of age, boat. master, and tow him back was the first man to go on For years afterwards, to shore. The Amaranth board the vessel. Later, he Isaac had plenty of op- later went ashore on Nine- said he was_ sent forward portunity to discuss the ty Mile Beach. by Captain McDonald events of 1882, He was for In 1882, there was the {master of the City of a long time. until his re- loss of the City of Wilfred, Florence, and Perth) to see if the bow an- irement in 1934, the Union Cashmere (January), the Rita (Mrs Pragnell), who chor had been carried Company’s marine super- Duke of Sutherland (May ailivesncbimnacn: away. intendent at the Port of 2) which was wrecked in cineronl vecurvivincarel’ In an interview with a Timaru, and often used to Caroline Bay in spite of ye oe youn iving Tela- vimaru Herald reporter in entertain the masters of nt attempts to save tive of Philip is his grand- Ldeldlaetint ie anna reaper ka her, and, of th son, Mr P. J. A. Bradley, !932, Isaac said it was then Visiting ships in his home. Ben SHC paecOUuse =the PISO OMTIMATUG: “" that a fatal mistake was | But the Rev. Ww. J. Benvenue and City of A vivid reminder of the Made. Brad eons, ise “Thi ee ees ory father dis i Bi ings or 2 scene in Caroline Bay 100 “Most of us thought the aes coun e. sipeln “Black” Sunday” Be May years ago is a fine oil pain- vessel was going ashore on “He used 14, 1882 — but Mr Bradle} ting in the home of Mr A. I Dashing Rocks,” he said. e later considered that his Biciia at 137 eon the a ip, ve pou time went on, but we were Worst personal experience The Saran of CoM ne ieee a ing over really just water rats’,” was with the wreck of the C..M. th , and it did not look Mr Bradley recalled. Elginshire, just south of Jones, once eescribed fas like an inviting place to go Isaac Bradley probably Timaru, in May, 1892. On an engineer aboard the . . . and we took to the had every reason to de- that occasion, he spent 24 be dranimg i chvsfe Sap” gina See, el a a ater Nurs nasal bat nie a z s at, for vas j 2 open sea. Benvenue close in to the shore, she got into a south- Sales eves: eS "'Tsaac Bradley died in Benvenue Cliffs and rolling erly set. and drifted into sailors. His first ex- 1936. He was 76. Isaac, who was almost legendary on the Tir waterfront through his 55 years’ service there, most of it with the old Union Steam Ship Company. is today survived by four of his large family — Arthur, to say ‘we were called heroes as the and the City of Perth . drifting stern-on to the cliffs. Amid the heavy, rolling seas are the life. boats which set out to try to rescue the City of Perth. According to notes pub- lished in The Timaru Her- ald 50 years ago, the paint- ing had been described as “most realistic’’. Mr Arthur Bradley, now 83, said he did not know how the painting came to be in the possession of his family, but ‘‘it was in our old home‘for as long as I can remember”’. And, perhaps, it was ap- propriate for the painting to be in the Isaac Bradley home for not only did he and his two brothers figure prominently in the rescues, but for a number of years afterward his Messrs Arthur (left) and Wilfred Bradley with the C. M. Jones oil painting of ships in trouble in home the venue for an Caroline Bay on May 14, 1882.

THE SHIP BENVENUE A TOTAL LOSS— THE SHIP CITY OF PERTH STILL INTACT
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THD18820518.2.36?utm_source=chatgpt.com

(From the Timaru Herald, May 16.)

In yesterday morning’s issue we recorded what had occurred up to a late hour, so far as we could learn, in connection with the wrecks of the ships Benvenue and City of Perth. In that report several errors crept in, not as regarded the wrecks themselves, but as regarded the events which occurred afterwards. We will, to begin with, proceed to correct our mistakes as far as possible, at the same time we have no doubt that our readers will make allowance for all discrepancies in our yesterday’s report, as owing to the excited state of mind in which those immediately concerned in the wrecks were, it was all but impossible to obtain a correct idea of what had occurred on the water.

To the list of names given as the lifeboat crew who manned her in the first instance, must be added those of John Isherwood and David Watson. When the lifeboat went off the second time Messrs Arthur Turnbull and George Shirtcliffe, members of the Rocket Brigade, were in her instead of J. Vogeler and A. Haylock, as stated yesterday, the two latter being in her on her third trip.

On the second occasion she put off, it will be remembered, she capsized, and we have since ascertained that two men, instead of one, were then drowned. The second was George Falgar, a married man, with a family, living in Timaru. He was rescued from one of the buoys, to which he had swum, by the lifeboat, and was not seen after it capsized. James Henneker, a young unmarried man, who has of late been working for Mr Bruce, had a narrow escape. He also formed one of the lifeboat crew on its second trip, but got badly jammed between it and the surf-boat, and but for Mr Arthur Turnbull, who seized him and stuck to him, would have been drowned. His injuries, though severe, are not expected to prove fatal, and he is receiving every attention at the Royal Hotel.

To complete the history of what occurred up to midnight on Sunday, we must state that the Rocket Brigade kept watch at their station, and that a volunteer party organised by Mr E. Waters, provided with lanterns and lifelines from the Rocket Brigade station, watched the beach to the northwards, in hopes of being able to assist and bring to shore alive some of those who were capsized in the boats and who were believed to be provided with lifebelts.

As daylight dawned yesterday the watchman of the Rocket Brigade observed that the lifeboat had got adrift, and that she was kicking about on the reef immediately inside the approach to the Breakwater. Lieutenant Jackson lost no time in sending down a party of the Brigade, and they succeeded in getting the Alexandra out of danger and remoored her, the only observable damage which she had sustained being two broken gunwales. The Brigade had now been twenty-four hours on duty, but they seemed as “fit” as ever. However, as there seemed to be no prospect of their services being required again, they were dismissed, after bringing back from the cliff near Woollcombe’s Lagoon the rocket apparatus which had been left there in readiness to save the crew of the C. F. Fanch if she parted. Later on in the morning that vessel was communicated with by signal, and it was ascertained she had suffered no damage, nor had any of her crew been hurt during the heavy weather.

On making enquiries yesterday morning, we ascertained that Captain MacDonald, of the City of Perth, was quite out of danger, although still in a weak state. Mr Blacklock, first officer of the City of Perth, who had sustained a compound fracture of one leg, was not progressing very favourably, and it was anticipated that the limb would have to be amputated. Mr Philip Bradley had one rib broken and was considerably bruised, but was also out of danger. Mr William Collis, coxswain of the whaleboat in which Captain Mills went off, and who was brought ashore in a very exhausted state, recovered during the night, and seemed little the worse for his adventure, except feeling stiff and tired. Mr John Macintosh, one of the lifeboat crew, was suffering somewhat from a stiff leg.

The last person we have to mention is James Henneker, but as he is receiving careful medical treatment, it is to be hoped he will pull through.

As regards the vessels themselves, we may state that the Benvenue is a total loss, having broken up to a great extent. She lies close under the cliff, and more than one hole in her bilge is apparent. She has canted over to seaward, nearly all her masts have gone, the yards of the mizzenmast falling foul of the mizzen rigging of the City of Perth. She is advertised to be sold.

The City of Perth was all but afloat at high tide last evening, and seemed, comparatively speaking, to have suffered little damage. Captain Dunsford, the Underwriters’ Agent, arrived from Christchurch yesterday morning to inspect the wrecks, but we were unable to ascertain from him what was intended to be done with the City of Perth, as he had had no opportunity of inspecting her. The various effects of her crew were secured early yesterday, and the general opinion is that had a steamer been wired for on Sunday night or yesterday morning, she would now have been well on her way to Lyttelton or Port Chalmers.

We must also mention that more than one person who was on board the City of Perth yesterday stated that she was full of water, but this we can hardly credit, for she lifted to every wave that came in. We have little more to add to the wrecks themselves. There the two vessels are, and since they parted their anchors everything that could be done for them by the people here was done. Their crews are being carefully attended to and looked after.

Up to a late hour last night none of the bodies of those drowned on Sunday afternoon had been found. All the vessels in port yesterday, as well as the various public buildings and offices in town, had flags half-mast high flying, out of respect to the memory of the deceased.

EXPRESSIONS OF SYMPATHY FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COLONY

Telegrams from all parts of the colony were received yesterday sympathising with the people of Timaru in general, and the friends of those who lost their lives in particular, in regard to the fearful catastrophe of Sunday last. For once all feeling of jealousy in regard to the port and its district seemed to be sunk, and there was no gloating over its mishap. Private telegrams from Auckland, Napier, Wanganui, and Invercargill were received by us sympathising with the people, and expressing the hope that all the deceased’s friends were well provided for.

Besides these, the following telegrams came to hand:

Christchurch, May 15.
The City Council to-night passed a resolution of condolence with Timaru on the calamity it has endured, and of admiration at the intrepid conduct of the men who went to the rescue of those in danger.

Lyttelton, May 15.
In consequence of the sad calamity at Timaru, flags were hoisted half-mast on all the vessels and the principal buildings in Lyttelton.

THE FEELING IN TIMARU

From various quarters we learn that subscription lists are being opened to relieve the families of those who have met their deaths. The Masonic Lodges took the initiative. The Harmonic Society intend devoting the proceeds of their concert tomorrow evening to the fund in aid of the sufferers, and we are quite sure the statement of that fact will be sufficient to ensure a large attendance, especially as the concert has been thrown open to the public at large.

When the Sea Rose Up: The Tragedy That Changed Caroline Bay

In the late 1800s, Timaru’s harbour was a place of both opportunity and danger. As trade increased, so did the debate: should ships anchor close to shore for quicker unloading, or further out where the swell posed less risk? At the centre of this tension was Captain Alexander Mills, harbourmaster for sixteen years. He carried not only the responsibility for safe moorings, but for the lives of every sailor and every rescuer when the sea turned wild.

Timaru’s Rocket Brigade formed the frontline of rescue. When a ship was in distress, they fired a line from the shore and sent out a pair of canvas “rescue pants” on a pulley system. Sailors would climb in, one at a time, and be hauled back through the surf. It was a dramatic and dangerous operation, carried out by men whose names are mostly lost to history.

In 1878, construction began on a breakwater to protect the port. Government engineer John Blackett warned it would alter the coastline permanently. He was right. Caroline Bay, once a rocky headland, gradually transformed into a wide sandy beach. The lagoon behind it was cut off from sediment flow and now only a small portion remains. Despite these warnings, locals were determined. In protest, they paraded an effigy of Blackett through the town, carried it to the end of the new breakwater, and set it alight with fireworks.

The breakwater went ahead. Steamships gained better moorings, but sailing ships were still forced to anchor dangerously close to shore. On 14 May 1882, a powerful swell struck the coast. The Benvenue broke loose from her anchor and was wrecked against the rocks. Her crew managed to escape to the City of Perth, but that vessel also drifted and was wrecked. The old lifeboat Alexandra, neglected for years, capsized during the rescue. Nine men died, including Captain Mills.

Stories Resurfacing
While the infrastructure and rescues were led by men, the stories of Caroline Bay have often been preserved and reimagined by women. In recent years, Timaru-based researcher and storyteller Roselyn Fauth worked with Frank Film to create a short feature on the 1882 disaster. Her project explored not just the wrecks and rescue attempts, but the emotional impact on the community, including the widows left behind.

That storytelling helped spark a new vision for the bay. Under the banner of CPlay, Roselyn joined a volunteer team working to redesign the playground at Caroline Bay. The design draws directly from this history. It features a lighthouse, a buried Benvenue, a Rocket Brigade flying fox, and inclusive play elements that connect children to the stories under their feet.

From Wreckage to Play
The sea once tore ships from their anchors here. Today, it inspires something else. At the edge of Caroline Bay, children climb, swing, and imagine. The past is no longer forgotten. It has been turned into movement, learning, and joy.

Thanks to the work of volunteers, researchers, and community storytellers, the legacies of Timaru’s shipwrecks and sea rescues are being remembered in a way that is both grounded in place and full of life.

From wreckage to play, the story carries on.

Timaru’s Caroline Bay used to be known as the Riviera of the South. A wide, sandy beach, it was where Cantabrians would flock (by train) to swim, sunbathe and attend carnivals and concerts. Though it doesn’t quite draw the crowds of ‘Riviera’ times these days, it’s still a beautiful bay, enjoyed by Timaru locals. But it wasn’t always a place of peace, nor of fine golden sand. Rather, Caroline Bay was a place of heaving southerly swells and many a shipwreck. According to Timaru researcher Roselyn Fauth, the story is a good one - and she’s helping plan a new playground to pay tribute to it. Episode first screened in 2022. A Frank Film with Roselyn Fauth

https://frankfilm.co.nz/frank-changing-south/changing-south-season-4-2022/timarus-caroline-bay-remembering-a-stormy-history/

Queen Alexandra, the Lifeboat, and a Civic Square: Tracing Timaru’s Royal Connections

Invitation, 1901, New Zealand, by Benoni William Lytton White, A.D. Willis Ltd. Purchased 2001. Te Papa (GH009568)

Colour postcard entitled "Alexandra Square, Timaru", circa 1910. Features the band rotunda gifted by Charles Bowker in 1903 in the foreground, with the James Bruce & Co. (or Timaru Milling Co.) flour mill on High Street in the left background. Both the reserve and the life boat were named after British Royal.

Hacon's 1882 Lifeboat Letter

In May of 1882, the Timaru Herald published a letter written by E. A. Hacon of LeCren’s Terrace, Timaru. Her words came in the aftermath of a local maritime tragedy, when grief was fresh and a lifeboat had proven desperately inadequate. She called on the women of Timaru and South Canterbury to act. Drawing inspiration from Baroness Burdett-Coutts, an English philanthropist who funded lifeboats in Britain, the writer urged local women to step forward:

To the Editor of the Timaru Herald. published 17 May 1882

Sir,

Now that public feeling is everywhere enlisted on behalf of the sufferers from the late awful struggle between impotent men and the omnipotent sea — and feeling, as we all must have done through every moment of that dreadful scene, that the one prominent fact before all others was: We must have a new lifeboat and a steam tug —

Living all my English life near the sea, and having often seen the grand work done by brave men with the help of lifeboats given by the generosity of Baroness Burdett-Coutts and others, and having witnessed the frequent drills which perfected the men for lifeboat service on our coast — I say that we women of Timaru and South Canterbury, who can only look on helplessly through our tears at such a time, should unite at once (having relieved the present sufferers), and give all our energies, our time, all the money self-denial can lawfully allow us to spare — if needs be, our fingers to work — for the purpose of giving our port a thoroughly seaworthy lifeboat, with all the latest improvements and appliances for saving life.

Although those whose lives have been sacrificed have gone like noble men to a martyr’s rest, let us place our port beyond the reach of another such disgraceful fact — that a lifeboat should be sent to sea that for thirteen years has been known to carry men to their deaths!

What words shall express all we feel about such men as will man a boat like the one that capsized so often last Sunday? Fighting for dear life without having been invested with lifebelts or cork jackets — but only each thinking of saving another’s life?

I can do but little, but I will give £5 to start a subscription. And if the women of Timaru will join me, I will organise a working committee to enable us to devise a plan to give the port a boat that will — humanly speaking, and with God's help — save life.

Let our gentlemen look to the steam tug.

I am, &c.,
E. A. Hacon
LeCren’s Terrace, Timaru
16 May 1882” 

AN APPEAL TO THE LADIES OF TIMARU AND SOUTH CANTERBURY. Timaru Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2387, 17 May 1882, Page 3

There is no mistaking the tone: it is not sentimental but resolute. She is making a case for women’s moral authority and practical influence. If men were to risk their lives at sea, women would ensure they had the tools to survive. This moment captures something often lost in the history books, women who were not just mourning but were organisers, community leaders, and funders of progress.

Since its retirement in 1882 the lifeboat has been a memorial to those who manned it and those it rescued. Named after the wife of King Edward VII, Alexandra of Denmark, the Timaru lifeboat is one of the oldest vessels of its type in the world.

This painting shows a life that was led by the wealthiest in England at the time. A stark contrast to the emerging English colony in Timaru of the 1860s. In the center is the Baroness reffered to in Hacons letter. After reading this letter, I wondered who was Angela Burdett-Coutts? Was she involved in our Alexandra lifeboat? 

Right: By Alfred Preston Tilt / Archibald Preston Tilt / Arthur Preston Tilt - wellcomeimages.org  Collection gallery (2018-03-23): wellcomecollection.org/works/f5ppm5wp CC-BY-4.0, CC BY 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org

The Baroness and her connections to our lifesaving boat Alexandra

Baroness Angela Burdett-Coutts the woman cited in that 1882 letter doesn't appear to be an idle inspiration. She was one of the richest women in Victorian England, and she used her wealth to fund lifeboats, hospitals, and schools across the Empire. She blame known as “Queen of the Poor”, a mantle given to her as a result of her devoted commitment to good causes, earning respect from other social campaigners, such as the successful author and social commentator, Charles Dickens.

Born into a banking dynasty, she was the youngest of six children; her father Sir Francis Burdett, 5th Baronet MP was known for his radical ideas and her mother, Sophia Coutts, was the daughter of the well-known banker Thomas Coutts. Through these prominent social and political family connections she was able to meet a range of important people including the Prime Ministers Disraeli and Gladstone.

When her grandfather died in 1822, his estate was left to his second wife who died 14 years later. 23 year old Angela inherited the Coutts estate, a absolute fortune, including a 50% share of the bank, she became one of the wealthiest women in the land! While I was reading up about her I learned when aged 67, she married a William Lehman Ashmead Bartlett who was, like her father, a Member of Parliament. She must have got a few tails in a spin because he was just 29 years old. This was a scandal at the time, but despite this, Angela Burdett-Coutts was undeterred and focused on her plans, pouring her money into philanthropy, scholarships and charity sponsorships. 

She funded so many things, including a water fountain so the poorest of London had access to clean water, and in the Irish Potato Famine she funded the supply of sugar, flour and corn. Missionaries, soldier’s wives and nurses working on the frontline also received donations from Burdett-Coutts.

One of these recipients was Florence Nightingale, who whilst working in the poor and unsanitary conditions of the Crimean War begged for assistance in improving hygiene standards. Burdett-Coutts helped fund army hospitals based in South Africa.

Baroness Angela Burdett-Coutts supported sea rescue efforts during the 1800s by directly funding the construction and donation of lifeboats to coastal communities in Britain. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) was the key organisation leading sea rescue efforts in Britain at the time.

Founded in 1824, the RNLI was the leading force behind the design, development, and manning of lifeboats across Britain. The RNLI promoted innovations such as self-righting lifeboats, lifejackets, and structured crew training. It relied heavily on philanthropic donations and local committees, so benefactors like Burdett-Coutts were crucial to expanding its reach, and since the charity launched its first lifeboat in 1824, the RNLI has saved more than 146,000 lives at sea.

Lionel Lukin a coachbuilder paved the way when he designed the world’s first unsinkable boat and patented it in 1785. Plan of 'Unmergeable' boat-in  boat taken from his pamphlet. Photo: The British Library Board. Lukin incorporated pockets of air in watertight bulkheads (compartments), buoyant gunwales (top sides of the boat) and used cork and other lightweight materials in the structure. He also included a false iron keel for additional weight to help keep the boat upright.

Burdett-Coutts was helped fund lifeboats during the 1800s. In 1859, she presented the town of Margate with a 36-foot self-righting lifeboat named Angela and Hannah, equipped with sails and oars. This gift was reported in contemporary newspapers and is documented in the history of the Margate Lifeboat Station. The following year, in 1860, she funded a second lifeboat of the same name for the newly established lifeboat station at Silloth, a 30-foot self-righting vessel placed on station with the support of the local community, who contributed to the cost of its boathouse and carriage. These donations were part of Baroness Burdett-Coutts’s wider philanthropic legacy, which spanned housing, sanitation, education, and maritime safety, all aimed at improving the lives of the vulnerable across the British Empire.

Messrs Forrest of Limehouse life-boat building yard where Alexandra Timaru Lifeboat was built - The Illustrated London News Google Books - Page 478 

It was this legacy that was referred in Hacons 1882 letter to the Timaru Herald. A lifeboat was used to rush to the rescue in the Benvenue and City of Perth disaster. The Alexandra was commissioned in 1862 in London by the Canterbury Provincial Council, named after Princess Alexandra of Denmark, and arrived to New Zealand aboard the Lady Bird in Timaru in 1863. The Canterbury Provincial Council was the local government for the Canterbury region from 1853 to 1876. It managed infrastructure, education, land, and public services across the province, including in growing towns like Timaru. In 1862, the Council commissioned the lifeboat Alexandra to improve maritime safety at the Timaru port. The provincial system was later abolished in 1876, with governance shifting to central government control. Hacon invoked the example of Baroness Burdett-Coutts to encourage people in Timaru and South Canterbury to organise and fundraise for a new, modern lifeboat.

Here, across on the other side of ocean, an English noblewoman’s generosity was used to call the community to action on a South Canterbury shore. It is easy to imagine the women of Timaru seeing her not as a distant figure, but as a model.

“After my mother, she is the most remarkable woman in the kingdom”. This was how King Edward VII described Angela Burdett-Coutts, an outspoken and dedicated philanthropist, who helped to found both the NSPCC and RSPCA, as well as funding countless other humanitarian causes…

Despite this call to action in the newspaper, Timaru did not acquire a new lifeboat immediately following the 1882 disaster. The Alexandra continued to serve as the primary rescue vessel until it was eventually retired in 1885. Subsequently, the lifeboat was preserved and has since become a significant historical artifact, symbolizing the bravery and resilience of those involved in maritime rescues during that era.

I can imagine through grief there was so much anger. Pointing fingers to find people to blame and hold to account. Captain Alexander Mills, the harbourmaster, who died from exhaustion after the rescue attempts beared the brunt of this outcry. But I really feel for him. I can see how he was caught between the push and pull of politics of the port and safeguarding the safety of crew, cargo and vessels. He had so much pressure put on him, and I believe in the thick of it, he felt he had to try and save the City of Perth. That call put men back in the ocean. There were plenty of stone throwing, from blaming the boat, and then Mills. But the ultimate person hurt out of this was the wife he left behind, Margaret (née Sinclair), left to raise her seven children (four sons and three daughters).  in the aftermath of the disaster. I hope she received the community's support, as it would have been crucial for families like the Mills during this period of mourning and adjustment.

Left: Angela Georgina Burdett-Coutts, Baroness Burdett-Coutts Wikimedia. Center:  By Sir William Ross - National Portrait Gallery, Public Domain, wikimedia.org/26280357 Right:  Miss Burdett Coutts between 1859 and 1870. Boston Public LibraryWikimedia

By Bain News Service, publisher - Library of Congress  https://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/ggbain/09000/09012v.jpgOriginal Public Domain

Thomas Benjamin Kennington (1856–1916) was a British painter best known for his poignant portrayals of poverty, social injustice, and everyday working-class life in late Victorian and Edwardian England. He was associated with the social realism movement and produced works such as Homeless, Widowed and Fatherless, and The Pinch of Poverty, which depicted women and children in distress with emotional intensity and dignity. Kennington was married and had children, and many of his most powerful works center on mothers and children. His art suggests to me that he had deeply personal empathy with family life, maternal struggles, and child welfare, maybe inspired by his wife who wa probably the central woman in his domestic life. His art is sensitive to the hardships women endured, especially in motherhood and poverty.

Left: One of his paintings is in the Timaru's Aigantighe Art Gallery: The Mother, 1895, oil on canvas, Aigantighe Art Gallery Collection, 1956.37.Right: Thomas Benjamin Kennington (1856-1916)-‘homeless’-oil on canvas    Victoria (Australia)-Bendigo Art Gallery.

Following the shipwrecks of the Benvenue and City of Perth on 14 May 1882 known locally as "Black Sunday", the community rallied to support the families of the nine men who lost their lives during the rescue efforts.

One notable initiative was a benefit concert organised by Herr Ludwig Mosch, a local musician. Held at the Garrison Hall in June 1882, the event featured vocal and instrumental performances and was well attended despite inclement weather. The concert raised a substantial sum for the relief fund, demonstrating the community's commitment to supporting the bereaved families.

In addition to fundraising efforts, a memorial was erected to honour the bravery and sacrifice of those involved in the rescue attempts. Known as the Wrecks Monument, it was funded by public subscription and completed in 1885. The monument features inscriptions detailing the events of the disaster and lists the names of the deceased, serving as a lasting tribute to their heroism.

Crowds assembled at the Benvenue Wreck Memorial, Timaru, for the 50th jubilee of the event in May 1932. The crowd appears to be being addressed by dignitaries from on the lifeboat 'Alexandra'.  Handwritten on verso "14th May Jubilee 1932" - South Canterbury Museum

The Coronation Procession Timaru. Heroes of the Wrecks. Unused picture postcard featuring the lifeboat Alexandra entitled "The Coronation Procession Timaru. Heroes of the Wrecks", dated 22 June 1911. Features the lifeboat being drawn by a four-horse team on Craigie Avenue, Timaru, turning onto North Street. WF No3 South Canterbury Museum timdc.pastperfectonline.com/852999445251