The Promised Land (by Rollo Arnold) On 5 November 1874 the ship Hydaspes bought to Auckland two Lincolnshire families who were to find their way to Cambridge. Joseph BROCKLESBY was a 38 year old farm labourer whom John H WHITE had recruited from Binbrook, and he had emigrated with his wife and four young children. When he wrote from Tamahere, near Hamilton, on 24 April 1875, he was working for a bachelor with about 2,000 acres of land. He explained some of the advantages which the Waikato had over the Lincolnshire wolds, for the working man: "It is a beautiful country, there are all kinds of fruit grows wild; you can go out and gather as much as you like... The peaches are as big as a good sized apple, and grown by tons. There are scores of pheasants, and you can go an shoot one when you think well, and no-one to interfere". The BROCKLESBY's move to Cambridge is indicated by the December 1879 prize list of the Cambridge School. Charlotte BROCKLESBY, who was a two year old on the Hydaspes, appears as one of the prize winners of the Infant Class. The other Lincolnshire family on the Hydaspes had been recruited by the National Union, and consisted of 37 year old Richard WATTAM, his wife and three young daughters. Richard's younger brother George arrived in Auckland with his wife a few weeks later, and another younger brother Thomas, immigrated with his wife and two children, in 1877. All three brothers settled in the Cambridge district. Richard wrote home on 21 February 1875 to tell of his early experiences of the new land. After about a month in quarantine in Auckland, Richard had accepted work draining a swamp in the Waikato..... Richard had put his wife and family in a Hamilton hotel, and then gone to the work. He soon decided it wouldn't do, "it is like the Fens; all wet, thousands of acres...so wet we could not make anything of it. So I left it and had a look among the farmers near Cambridge. I got a house and plenty of work...my brother is with me, we are living in the same house at present but we are goi! ng to build him one this winter. A farmer has promised us 2 acres of land...I have an acre of garden with my house, with 30-40 peach trees, 6 cherry trees, 3 apple trees and some gooseberries.... Tell Mrs DORBAKIN this is the place to keep public-house; talk about drinking in England, it is nothing to compare to New Zealand... You can tell WEBSTER this is the place for brick making +-+-+-+-+ The Hydaspes and Captain Babot The Hydaspes was a powerful ship of 2,092 tons. Under Captain Babot she made several trips to Lyttleton from Dunedin (1868-1872) and made her first appearance at Auckland in 1873. The Hydaspes visited Auckland again in 1874. She sailed from Gravesend on 11 August with 350 immigrants and a number of saloon passengers, arriving in port on 6 November after a passage of 86 days. When she was entering port she was flying the yellow flag, and was placed under quarantine at Motuihi Island. Captain Babot reported that scarlet fever had broken out on board, the first case occurring on 11 September and the last on 23 October. There were 12 deaths. +-+-+-+-+ passenger manifest: WATTAM Richard 37 - Lincoln Ellen 36 Sarah E 11 Mary A 5 Emma 9 mths +-+-+-+-+ Richard WATTAM widower brickmaker of Donington on Bain, son of Richard WATTAM labourer and Ellen BUFFHAM widow of Owmby daughter of George FARMERY labourer, married 4.4.1870 at Donington on Bain. Helen daughter of George FARMERY and Sarah (HANSON) wa baptised at Faldingworth 20.3.1838 and married John BUFFAM Dec q 1860 Lincoln RD. John BUFFAM and Ellen had at least one daughter, Sarah E born 1862. I'd be happy to send copies of these documents to anyone with an interest in any of the names mentioned. Alan R Moorhouse Stroud, Gloucestershire