Over The Mountains Of The Sea : Life On The Migrant Ships 1870 1885

Local Description

Published 2006, soft cover.

Second hand.

Description

Second hand. This lively, well-illustrated and very readable book draws on shipboard diaries and archival sources to give a vivid picture of the voyage out to New Zealand during the crucial Vogel period. Using information on individual ships, voyages and passengers Hastings follows the narrative of the voyage and the way in which the space on the ship was allotted according to gender, class and marital status. He then explores the social dynamics on board dealing with the routines of daily life, crime, mutiny, health, religion and an interesting chapter on 'the virgins' cage' where the single women were confined. He convincingly shows the ship as a microcosm of the society British migrants brought to these islands. The book is generously illustrated with photographs, sketches and magazine illustrations. It will be warmly welcomed by genealogists, professional historians and the many New Zealanders who enjoy reading about our history. First published september 2006. Hastings has combined his historian's training and journalistic experience to produce a book that is a valuable addition to the story of this country. The more so since nearly every one of us is descended from settlers at some time in the past. - John Ewan, Nelson Mail This could easily have been one of those dry academic-laden tomes that is about a worthy subject but tends to induce insomnia rather than excitement. I'm happy to say that's not the case here. It has its roots in a Master's thesis and is a fascinating and not overly long account of the lives and loves of some of the people who made the arduous journey by ship to New Zealand. The threats of illness, skulduggery, mutiny, religious and class clashes, and the little tensions that are magnified in such a small environment are all well documented, from the funny to the frankly disturbing. It's like a microcosm of society really. - Tania McCauley, HawkeÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Bay Today This is popular history. The stories of Premier Julius VogelÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs immigrants from 1870 to 1885 are largely untouched by professional historians but Hastings reveals a real treasure trove of personal histories. If history is indeed made by the collected stories of individuals, then this is an important addition to our knowledge of the origins of Pakeha society. . . . Hastings has done a fine job in researching his material and retelling this social history - Steve Walker, Herald on Sunday