Joseph Hudgell

1820 - 1899

Newington Surrey

  Joseph went to New Zealand in 1840 on the ship Martha Ridgeway listed as bricklayer/carpenter he could have only stayed for about 10 years or less as by 1850 he had returned to England and married Mary Ann Collis. His children were born from 1851 until 1861 in Bermondsey Surrey.

  Mary Ann died  before 1881 and in the 1881 census Joseph is listed as being an inmate of "Christchurch Workhouse" Marlborough St Southwark and in 1891 in Bermondsey Workhouse London Joseph died in 1899

  Joseph had not boarded the Martha Ridgeway in London but had been added to the bottom of the list. I believe this was done as a number of potential immigrants had been crossed-out leaving space for more to board the vessel. It is likely, therefore, that when he was contacted and offered a berth the easiest place for him to board was when the ship was anchored off the Downs, in eastern Kent. One of the ships boats would have rowed ashore to collect him and his luggage - generally speaking, able to be carried by hand. The Martha Ridgeway also put in at the Isle of Wight.

  In those days passenger lists went through several drafts and passengers were added as others were crossed out for various reasons (criminal convictions, insanity, illness, withdrawing or changing their minds and just-not-turning-up).

 It was the Surgeon Superintendents responsibility to compile the list and care for the passengers (the Captain and his officers just sailed the vessel) and often the Surgeon (not always a Dr. but at least medically qualified) made notes as to why people were deleted from the list.

  On draft list number 2 for the Martha Ridgeway a note appears on the left hand side - the number on the register alongside Joseph's name is 1469 - the registration number saying "Downs 8th July 1840" and on list number 3 (probably the final list) there is a note on the right-hand side saying "Came on board in the Downs 8 July 1840".

So this could account for him boarding at The Downs:

1) Joseph had registered with the New Zealand Company to emigrate to New Zealand (as a carpenter he would have had one of the prime occupations for an emigrant). He was allocated number 1469.

2) As the list was being compiled for the Martha Ridgeway he would have been advised that he should remain close to the port of embarkation but that he may not get on board as they had enough for the accommodation on this ship. As always, however, some didn't make it (as already stated) so those next on the register would have been substituted - Joseph wasn't the only one in this situation.

3) Joseph would have been advised that he had made the list and somehow they decided that he should board at the Downs, possibly because he couldn't make London in time - she sailed on the 5th July - nor could he make the Isle of Wight her next official stop before sailing for Wellington. You must assume that he was in Kent somewhere when he got the news that he was going.

It looks like he could very probably changed his mind when arriving in New Zealand as this letter to his parents shows

 

Many thanks to Peter

from

Wellington New Zealand for that explanation