Randolph (ship)

History
UK
Name:	Randolph
Builder:	Sunderland
Launched:	1849
Fate:	Wrecked on 25 June 1851
General characteristics
Tonnage:	664 tons
Sail plan:	Full rigged ship

Randolph memorial in Cathedral Square in front of the former Chief Post Office

The Randolph was a 664-ton ship-rigged merchant vessel constructed in 1849 in Sunderland. She was one of the First Four Ships to settle Christchurch, New Zealand (the other three were Cressy, Sir George Seymour and Charlotte Jane).

Randolph left Gravesend on 4 September 1850, and Plymouth on the night of 7 September 1850. The ship was chartered by the Canterbury Association, with Captain William Dale serving as the ship's captain. She arrived at Lyttelton 99 days later on 16 December 1850, with 34 cabin passengers, 15 intermediate and 161 steerage passengers.^[1]

She was lost on 25 June 1851, on a reef off Amber Island (Mapon). She had on board a cargo of sugar for London, a large amount of money, and 254 Indian emigrants, for Port Louis. Nothing belonging to the vessel could be saved. Mr. Scott, an officer of the Madras Army, swam on shore, but died a moment after reaching it from exhaustion. Two European sailors, nine men (immigrants), ten women and three children were drowned.

References

1. "The first four ships". Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved 25 October 2011.