Immigration to New Zealand

In 1865 Thomas and Mary SHAW (nee McINTYRE), together with Thomas' brother David, his wife Janet and their children David, Janet, Charles and Thomas, immigrated from Glasgow to New Zealand aboard the ‘Viola’.

In addition, some of Mary's family immigrated with them, including Donald & James McINTYRE, Daniel & his wife Janet, together with their children Marion, John and Peter.

Also on board was John SHAW, possibly a cousin.

Newspaper Report of Arrival

The Southern Cross April 5th 1865

ARRIVAL OF THE SHIP VIOLA

The ship Viola, Captain Mitchell, arrived in harbour yesterday morning from Glasgow, with a large cargo of general merchandise and 340 Government immigrants. She is consigned to Mr. Walter Grahame. The Viola took her departure on the 8th December, and was detained in the chops of the Channel for ten days. Experienced very light N.E. and S.E. trades. Crossed the equator on the 16th January, in 20' 30 W. longitude, and rounded the meridian of the Cape of Good Hope on the 17th February in 40' S latitude. Ran her easting down between the parallels of 42' and 47' S with moderate weather, passing to the southward of Tasmania. Rounded the North Cape of New Zealand on the 27th March, and encountered heavy S. E. gales for three days. Since then fine weather has prevailed. No vessels connected with the colonies were sighted during the voyage. There have been eight births, and twelve deaths.


Settling in Clevedon

In 1852, one of the first European settlers to arrive in Clevedon was Mr Duncan McNicol and his family. In 1865 a further 150 new immigrants arrived from Scotland on the ship ‘Viola’. After landing at Auckland they went by barge up the Wairoa River to Wairoa (Clevedon) where they decided to settle in the Clevedon Valley and the surrounding districts. Originally covered in thick native bush, the settlers cleared the land resulting in many of them being involved in timber milling and gum digging activities. After clearing, the area was used predominantly for pastoral farming, with some horticultural development in prime soil areas.

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SOURCE:

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM90YP_Passengers_on_the_Viola_Clevedon_New_Zealand

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Settling in Scots Valley, Waikato

David Shaw who married Janet, the son of Thomas and Mary, sought their way in the Waikato, buying some scrub land, developing farmland there and successfully farming.

The area became known as 'Scotsmans Valley'. This is our family connection

Their children were David,Janet, Charles and Thomas. Their son Thomas is our forebearer.

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Our Fore-bearer THOMAS SHAW born 1854 in Chile.

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Thomas Shaw was born in Valpariso Chile in 1854. His parents, grand parents and some of his siblings were in Chile working in the copper mines for a Scottish Mining Company. It was while they were there that Thomas was born. The indenture was for 5 years, after that they returned to Kilwinning, only to leave shortly on the ship Viola bound for New Zealand from Glasgow.

As a young man Thomas helped his brother David on the farm in Scotsman's Valley and during this time he met his future wife Sarah Ann Young, a English young women born in London. She was  the daughter of English carpenter cabinet maker Benjamin Young. He would become a successful business man who started Benjamin Young Builders in Auckland NZ. His wife was Eliza Jane  Beale of London. Benjamin Young's  parents were Joseph Young and Margaret Lancaster of Bedfordshire England, his parents were John Young and Hannah Matthews, her parents were John Matthews and Sarah Hare.

Thomas and Sarah had seven children, five of which survived into adulthood.

One of these was Mary Mc Intyre Shaw, my great grand mother.

Unfortunately Thomas had deserted Sarah, leaving her to raise the children alone.

After seven years she was allowed to be free of her marriage. She then married again a Mr Byrant.

She had joined the Salvation Army and had started a work amongst abused women, the women's refuge became called Byrant House. She became known as Granny Bryant.

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Nobody in the family knew where Thomas had gone, one story was that he had joined a ship and had died

in the China sea by a ships boon hitting his head. But at more recent times we think we have found other cousins in Australia who have possibly the same Thomas Shaw as their fore bearer.

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And there is even more mystery attached to Thomas Shaw. He was called 'The Black Sheep' of the family, perhaps because he abandon his family. But also he was said to be of 'dark blood' by the old women.

My grand father told me, that he was told this when he was likened to his grandfather because of his wild ways , ''it was because of the 'dark blood' ''.

This has lead me to believe that there is more to the story that just the' case of abandonment'.

I am only surmising, but say Thomas who was born in Chile was in fact the son of a Chilean or Spaniard?

Suppose his mother was either in an illicit affair or was forced to comply?

If this were the case it would be more likely that his 'mother' was NOT his real mother as she, Mary Shaw, would have been not that young and had several children already. I do wonder if his sister, who was 16 years older than him, was in fact his mother?

Scottish families were known to take their children's illegitimate babies and raise them as their own, to protect the daughter and the child. It was common practice in poorer families.

In addition, my grandfather KD Campbell the grandson of Thomas, was a natural Horse Whisperer, having not really knowing what that was, in its self!

Any way we don't really know, but its interesting.

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