Captain Thomas Capel Tilly

THOMAS CAPEL TILLY, RN (1830-1900) was the only son of Captain Thomas Tilly, RN (1792-1844), and his father Charles Tilly was a Commander in the Royal Navy.

Notes by Robert L Hunt.

Thomas Capel Tilly's eldest sister Mary married Edward Boynton who became a Captain for the Union Steam Ship Comany; his second sister Elizabeth married John Rogers who commanded ships for the Pacific and Orient Shipping line; and his third sister Sarah Jane married Alftred Helby who became an officer in the Royal Navy.

Captain Tilly was born in Falmouth England, and also wanted to go to sea: in 1845 he was the head boy of the Grrenwich Naval Academy, distinguishing himself in navigation. In 1847, he sailed first in the 'Endymion', and he then served on the training ship 'Britannia'. In 1856, he was gazetted master Lieutenant. He showed bravery during the Crimean War and was decorated with two medals.

Then he was then placed aboard HMS 'Cordelia' in 1857, and that vessel was directed to Sydney, then the Australasian headquarters of the Royal Navy. That year the first Bishop of New Zealand, George Augustus Selwyn took the young priest John Coleridge Patteson to the islands of Melanesia in the South Pacific aboard the 'Undine'.

In 1859 Thomas Tilly made his first visit to Norfolk Island; the following year he came to New Zealand aboard the 'Cordelia'; that vessel was charged with conveying men and munitions for the Taranaki Land War. That year too the 'Southern Cross I', the Melanesian Mission vessel that had been built in England and had made a few voyages to the diocese of Melanesia, was wrecked in the north of Auckland.

In 1861, the 'Cordelia' was sent on a mission to the islands to investigate a case of kidnapping, and en route there, that ship called at Norfolk Island and picked by Bishop John Patteson, who was seen by the Navy as a valuable help in the enquiry, because of his distinct linguistic skills as well as one knowledgeable about Melanesian life and customs. Thomas Tilly was a strong churchman, and he and Patteson immediately became acquainted. Very soon Patteson realised the navigating lieutenant would be of enormous benefit to the mission, and proposed to Tilly that he join the Mission staff as commander of its new ship.

The kidnapping case came to nothing, but Tilly agreed that on returning to England (the 'Cordelia' crew had by then completed its tour of duty in the area, and were due to be paid off) that he would seek leave of absence from the Navy, and then to superintend the construction of the 'Southern Cross II'.

The well-connected families of the Selwyns and Pattesons in England, and their equally prosperous friends were instrumental in ensuring that the new Mission vessel was paid for, and on completion of the building, Tilly with his crew sailed the new schooner to New Zealand and reached Auckland in 1863.

From May to August that year ( the most favourable time in the year to travel around the islands) Captain Tilly sailed with Bishop Patteson around the Diocese of Melanesia,.While the Bishop was picking up would-be converts to the Mission, Thomas Tilly was beginning to re-write the navigational system for the area, drawing on the work of Captain Thomas Kerr RN who had been recruited by Bishop Selwyn.

[It is interesting to note that after a brief stint serving under Selwyn in Melanesia, and finding the life in the islands too tiring on his health, Kerr returned to Auckland and became a priest, serving in the parish of Flagstaff ( later Devonport), and ministering among the seamen in and around Auckland. He later left New Zealand and returned to England where he continued in the field of navigation there.]

In 1864, Tilly made his second voyage to Melanesia, again during May to September, and on returning to Auckland, married Harriette Ward in St. Andrew's Church in Kohimarama in Auckland. In 1866 he made his third voyage to the islands, and on returning he was asked to command the 'City of Dunedin' (from December to March 1867) to bring a boatload of emigrants to the 'Edinburgh of the South', Dunedin. Returning to Auckland he was then again away in rhe 'Southern Cross' on his next voyage to Melanesia. That year, his first daughter Mabel Elizabeth Tilly was born. In 1868 he made a further voyage to Melanesia.

On returning to Auckland Thomas Tilly began involved in the building of a training school for young men on the site of the former Mission site at Kohimarama : the Pacific Islanders had found the climate in Auckland too severe and so had moved to the warmer Norfolk Island where the new Mission headquarters was built. He again made another voyage to Melanesia and that year too his first son, John Edward was born.

Tilly then commanded another emigrant ship, the 'Edward P Bouverie' from December to March, 1870. That year he bought his property in Lower Remuera, which he named 'Tremough' taking the name of his family's mansion in England. He then went back to England to bring another shipload of emigrants in the 'Edward P Bouverie', and on returning to Auckland after landing them in Dunedin, he settled down for some rest and relxation. He acted as the agent for the Melanesian Mission in Auckland, where his principal task was to buy stores and other provisions for the Mission outposts in the islands, and to see that they were despatched from the port of Auckland.

1871 was a tragic year for Thomas as his dear friend Bishop Patteson was murdered on the island of Nukapu in the Santa Cruz group of islands, along with two of his followers.

Captain Tilly's Boxed Brass Telescope with tripod stand and smaller eyepiece.

Thomas was also then beginning to contribute to the life of Remuera, serving on the Highway Board there,which was a precursor to the local council, as an auditor. He also began to assist in the church services in the small Mission Hall that had been built by Joseph Wilson on his 'Roselle' property in Lower Remuera.

But his time on shore was again short : he was sent again to England to bring another group of migrants to Dunedin, as master of the 'Christian McCausland' in 1872. Thomas's second son Cecil Robert was born that year. In the meantime Bishop Selwyn had resigned the New Zealand bishopric and had gone back to England at the express wish of Queen Vuctoria. Selwyn had maintained however an active interest in Pacific Island affairs, and had written to Captain Tilly for up-to-date information ablout the Labour Trade in the Pacific, then becoming an issue with the British government. Tilly then interviewed a couple of naval Captains and sent his report to Selwyn.

Then he made his last voyage to the islands as Captain of the 'Southern Cross II'; when he brought her back to New Zealand, he went off again aboard the 'Christian McCausland' from September to December, 1871.

In 1873, Thomas advertised for tenders and models for a new 'Southern Cross': the Mission needed a vessel that would be faster and that the vessel would have not only sails, but steam. Construction got underway in Auckland, complying with Bishop Patteson's earlier request that the new vessel be made of New Zealand wood, and to be built in New Zealand.

On 21 March, 1874, the 'Southern Cross III' was launched in Auckland, in the presence of Sir William Martin and the Bishop of Auckland. That year, Thomas was appointed by the New Zealand Government, with Captain MT Clayton, RN, as Examiners of Masters and Mates, and had to prepare the necessary examination papers. He was asked again to go to England, and commanded the 'Invercargill 'on her maiden voyage to New Zealand from July to October, 1874, bringing yet another group of emigrants to Dunedin.

That year too, the Naval Training Act was passed in New Zealand, and the Kohimarama Training school was opened in December. Captain Tilly had planned the school snd had recruited Captain Breton, RN as its head. The school was not long after inspected by the Governor of New Zealand, cabinet ministers, and local and overseas education officials, and the school was given a very favourable report. And the old 'Southern Cross II' was used as a hands-on training ship for the school.

A Boxed Set of Captain Tilly's Navigational Instruments

In 1875, Tilly was again the commander of the 'Invercargill' and it arrived in Dunedin in January 1876. That year, his second daughter Olive Mary was born. Next he was sent again to England, and he brought the 'Wanlock' out to New Zealand. He then wrote for both the 'New Zealand Herald' and the 'Church Gazette' about the formation and development of the Kohimarama Training School.

His hectic life began at last to wind down ; he was suffering from the sailors' dreaded disease of rheumatism. However, he found time to edit the 'New Zealand and South Pacific Pilot' and it appeared with revised editions each year from 1881. In 1882, the Tillys' last child Charles Selwyn Rsokruge (''Ross') was born.

The Kohimarama School while steadily growing, began to have too many problems dealing wirh the deliquent boys and others who were sent to it ; and in spite of the few who did find the naval life conducive and actually began a career aboard some Auckland ships, the school finally ceased to exist in 1883.

That year was his last visit to Norfolk Island. In 1884 the families in Lower Remuera, notably the Tillys, the Wilsons, and the Carrs, and with the Mitchelsons, got together and organised a regatta; there was a women;s committee who took part in one rowing race and there were medals as prizes. It proved so successful that it was held in subsequent years. Thomas then was also drawing up plans for the erection of the Auckland Sailors' Home : the foundation stone for the Home was laid by Bishop Cowie in 1887. Tragedy fell again for Thomas when his eldest son died in 1890.

Although suffering with rheumatism, he was reappointed the Examiner for Masters and Mates after Sir George Grey had intervened, and in 1895, he was appointed Examiner of Able-bodied seamen in Auckland. The last few years of his life he was confined to bed, and he died on 27 July, 1900. All the shipping in port had their flags flying at half-mast that day.

He was a devoted family man, an earnest Christian, an avid gardener, and amateur wine-maker. He was a kind friend a faithful officer in the performance of his duties, and always took the deepest interest in matters affecting the Melanesian Mission, to which he devoted 38 years of his life. He was an extremely popular Captain of the emigrant ships, and was royally feted in Dunedin after each voyage there.

FROM ONE COMMAND TO THE NEXT : CAPTAIN THOMAS TILLY IN COMMAND OF EMIGRANT SHIPS TO OTAGO, 1866 - 1876

Captain Thomas Tilly had found the way more and more onerous during the voyages to the Melanesian Islands in the small schooner 'Southern Cross II' during the 1860s, and so needing a rest from the oppressive heat of the tropics, which was affecting ever more severely his rheumatism, he took a break from the yearly voyages to the islands. After supervising the construction of specially built emigrant ships, he commanded several of them for about ten years from England, and brought them out to Dunedin, the Gaelic form of Edinburgh.

[Dunedin was founded as a Free Church of Scotland settlement following a schism in the Church of Scotland in gthe early 1840s and intened as the 'New Edinburgh'. Largely as a result of the wealth and population generated by the gold rushes in gthe hinterland of the Otago province, Dunedin was become then the country's principal commercial centre as well as an important industrial centre]

Captain Thomas Tilly's first command was the 'City of Dunedin' on its third (out of ten) voyages to the country, taking 96 days from 7 December 1866 to 13 March, 1867. That vessel had been described as the 'finest addition to the fleet of Messrs. Patrick Henderson & Co's. fleet : it was a typical emigrant ship, of 1,085 tons and built especially to carry passengers. The passengers on ships then were rigidly divided into distinct groups - each with its own 'mess police', whose duty was to carry out the strict rules regarding the segregation of the single men and women, who were not allowed to mix or even to hold conversations !

His next command was the 'Edward P Bouverie' in 1869 (of 997 tons) and he brought that vessel out from Glasgow (in one of seven passages) on her maiden voyage to Otago arriving in Dunedin in March 1870, taking 90 days. The assisted immigrants were mainly ploughmen, shepherds, and farm servants, and it was noteworthy that the new residents of Dunedin were soon employed [In the 1860s New Zealand's population had quadrupled reaching a peak in 1866]

Remaining only a short time to see his family again, Tilly took the 'Bouvarie' back to England, That ship then brought another shipload of immigrants with 227 travelling in the steerage. Tilly provided the local press with full details of the voyage - 'the general health of all was good throughout the passage, no infectious diseases carried whatsoever'. There was one death and eigh births : that voyage was notable for bringing the largest number of babies then on an emigrant ship to Dunedin. He noted that the passengers all looked 'strong and healthy'. On berthing the ship, Tilly was inundated with thanks ; he received many 'testimonials' and a number of passengers entertained him to a dinner party to thank him for his 'kind attention and gentlemanly consideration'.

The next vessel that the Captain commanded was the 'Christian McAusland'and it had also been built (in 1869) for Patrick Henderson and Co; it was an iron craft of 992 tons and again was especially built for the conveyanvce of passengers. That ship made six voyages to Dunedin, and Tilly commanded three of them : 28 September 1871 - 28 December 1871 of 91 days (there were 102 passengers) ; 6 September 1872 to 5 December 1872 of 90 days; an from 22 August 1873 to 21 November 1873, in 91 days.

During 1874 there was a boom in shipbuilding in Glasgow : the building firm of Robert Duncan deisgned and built six ships, and one of which was the 'Invercargill'. It is noteworthy that the ships were all launched in a space of six months. The 'Invercargill' was of 1265 tons and was built of iron ; the maiden voyage was commanded by Captain Tilly, and she was then regarded the fastest ship afloat.The 390 passengers left Glasgow, but there was during the voyage out however many cases of sickness, and according to Tilly's account 'poor trades and unfavourable winds'. On the turn-round voyage to England the vessel carried a large cargo of wool, skins, meat, glue, and 4000 ounces of gold.

The final emigrant vessel that Captain Tilly commanded was the 'Wanlock' , she was a new 745 ton barque that was built for the New Zealand Shipping Comany, and he had also supervised its construction.The saloon accommodation was however limited..It left England in December 1875 and reached Auckland in February 1876, after a long passage of 134 days. There had been much stormy weather, and one of Tilly's Auckland friends the well-known lawyer-businessman JB Russell and his family were among the passengers. The difficulties were exacerbated during the voyage by the nature of the cargo : a large number of iron pipes which were to be used in the construction of the new Auckland Waterworks, and 'the crew had to constantly attend to them rolling'. Tilly regarded that voyage as the most tempestuous he had made and was 'ever so thankful to reach port'. When he reached Dunedin he was royally feted, 'as an old friend who had superintended the building of the bonny wee barque' .

For further information or comments please E mail robertlhunt2009@yahoo.com

Vessels that Captain Tilly served on and commanded:

The Journal of Captain Tilly.

'Southern Cross' ex Southampton 12 Nov 1862 UK to arrive in Auckland 28 Feb 1863, only 109 days. He then sailed it around the Pacific.
'City of Dunedin' 1866-1867
'Ed.P. Bouverie' 1869-1870
'Christian McCausland' 1871-1874
'Invercargill' 1874 - into Port Chalmers 14/10/1874
'Wanlock' 1876 - into Auckland 30/6/1876
The 'Undine'
Steam Guard Ship 'Blenheim'
HMS 'Britannia'
Paddle steamer 'Shearwater'
Yacht 'Viking'

The Journal of Captain Tilly

On board the"Southern Cross" schooner, dating from July 1865 to September 1872. Includes weather reports, accounts of daily shipboard life, references to Bishop Patteson's activities and personal insights whilst travelling the Pacific.

Captain T.C. Tilly's Logbook dating from April 1850 (with a hand drawn plan of the Steam Guard Ship "Blenheim").

The following extract is found towards the end of the journal - "Voyage of 1872 in the Southern Cross/16th April/After nearly three years, I again find myself out in the old vessel going to make one more voyage, but under sadly altered circumstances. The Bishop gone - Aitkin gone too - and we have to try and do without them, that is why I am here, for I am no longer Skipper, but have come to help in the Boat - and surely it would be hard to find anyone undertaking an arduous duty with a more thorough sense of inefficiency - in every way. I must hope to have godly strength for it, the other requisites of discretion, firmness with kindness etc. I cannot hope for, at least in any useful degree and though I willingly undertake this service, I do it very reluctantly on account of my infirmities and deficiencies, and shall be truly thankful when (?) the voyage is over".

Captain T.C. Tilly's Logbook dating from April 1850 (with a hand drawn plan of the Steam Guard Ship "Blenheim"). Nine days later he transfers temporarily to the "Birkenhead", then the log resumes aboard the "Blenheim" until December 1851 when he transfers to"H.M.S. Britannia" for approximately one year. The book ends aboard the Paddle Steamer"Shearwater" amongst the Ionian Islands.