Victoria HMVS (Ship: 1855-1920)
A 580-ton combined steam/sail sloop-of-war built in England in1855 for the colony of Victoria, Australia. She arrived in Hobsons Bay in 1856. The main duties were to protect the colony, conduct hydrological surveys, recover passengers and crew from stricken ships, and serve as a lighthouse tender. She was sent to New Zealand in 1860 to support British colonists in the first Taranaki war. On 19 April 1860, Victoria sailed to Hobart, embarked 134 troops from the 40th Regiment of Foot, and transported them to Auckland. She also performed other tasks such as shore bombardments, supply route maintenance, transporting military staff to Australia, and transporting women and children from New Plymouth following attacks by Māori on the town. She returned to Australia in 1861.
The ship was also employed in rescue missions such as the search for explorers Burke and Wills 1861-1862; the search for the ship 'Netherby' 1866; and the search for shipwrecked sailors of the 'Grafton' on the Auckland Islands 1866.
The ship ended naval service in 1882. Purchased by Western Australia in 1894, and laid up in 1897. Scrapped in Sydney in 1920.
Also known as HMCSS (Her Majesty's Colonial Steam Sloop) 'Victoria'.
Image
Date:
[1863-1930s?]
From:
Cowan family: Collection
By:
W D & H O Wills (N.Z.) Ltd
Reference:
PAColl-10460-12
Description:
Photographic prints mainly of ships and landscapes, taken by various photographers, circa 1863-1930s, and greeting cards and ephemera.
Includes images of Māori people, a waka huia, waka, rūrū (owls), landscapes and photographs of models and paintings of ships. Many of the ships are named.
Includes a greeting card from Mr & Mrs Lindsay Buick, which includes an image on the front of Māori weavers dressed in Māori kākahu, sitting in front of a whare.
Also includes four small cards from the 'New Zealand early scenes & Māori life' series (numbers 2, 3, 9, and 35). One photograph is incomplete and is ripped into three pieces, and the top right hand corner of the photograph is missing. It shows Māori men and women dressed in Māori kākahu (clothing) performing traditional games.
Title supplied by Library.
Quantity: 58 b&w original photographic print(s). 1 item(s) of photographic ephemera annotated envelopes. 6 Other printed ephemera item(s).
Transfers: An ink drawing of the "Three Bees" cutter has been separated for storage reasons. See A-472-024..
Processing information: Record updated on 17 October 2023 to remove incorrect reference to Victoria HMS (Ship : 1859-1893).
Manuscript
Date:
1865-1890
By:
Macpherson, John, active 1865-1890; Musgrave, Thomas (Capt), 1832-1891; Victoria HMVS (Ship: 1855-1920)
Reference:
MSX-4936
Description:
Musgrave's book, `Castaway on the Auckland isles' (1865) was dedicated to Macpherson. Macpherson has added letters, clippings, and other material. This includes letters from various people including Musgrave (persons entered under Name), clippings from newspapers of the time and up to 1897, `The Journals of the voyages and proceedings of HMCS "Victoria" in search of shipwrecked people at the Auckland and other islands', compiled by W H Norman and T Musgrave (1866), other notes and papers.
Source of title - Supplied
Quantity: 1 volume(s). 0.03 Linear Metres.
Physical Description: Printed matter with holograph annotations Grey phase box
Transfers: From Book Collections -.
Processing information: Volume transferred from the Printed collection.
Record updated on 17 October 2023 to remove incorrect reference to Victoria HMS (Ship : 1859-1893).
Manuscript
Date:
1860-1864
From:
Webster, Kenneth Athol, 1906-1967 : The Webster collection and papers / of Kenneth Athol Webster
Reference:
MS-Papers-9615-21
Description:
Quantity: 1 folder(s).
Physical Description: Printed matter
Processing information: Record updated on 17 October 2023 to remove incorrect reference to Victoria HMS (Ship : 1859-1893).
![[Harris, Edwin] ca 1810-1895 :[New Plymouth, 3 August 1860. Troops of the 40th Regiment being ferried ashore by lighters from H. M. S. Victoria, early evening, with H. M. S. Airedale, Paddle steamer Tasmanian Maid, brigantine George Henderson and a schooner]](https://thumbnailer.digitalnz.org/?resize=150%3E&src=https%3A%2F%2Fndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz%2FNLNZStreamGate%2Fget%3Fdps_pid%3DIE70482)
Online
Image
Date:
1860
By:
Harris, Edwin, 1810?-1895
Reference:
C-030-013
Description:
Shows arrival of 40th Regiment (from Australia) on the Victoria with, from left the Airedale (steam sloop), Tasmanian Maid (Paddle steamer), George Henderson (Brigantine), a Schooner (Emily Allison, Tyne, or Travellers Bride), the Victoria (H. M. Colonial steam sloop) a schooner. (This information conflicts with that on the original backing board identifying left to right: HMS Cordelia, HMS Niger, Packet ship Tasmanian Maid). The buoy in the left foreground is the New Zealand Company buoy. New Plymouth is shown in the distance with Mt Taranaki. Troops are being ferried ashore in two small lighters in the immediate foreground with others visible in the distance. (See AT 3/1/1, 13 June 1986)
Taranaki Museum has a very similar signed watercolour. Attribution and title based on this work.
McArthur's catalogue for 10 May 1985 suggests scene as Feb 1861, but Taranaki' Museum suggest arrival of 40th Regiment on board 'Victoria', 3 August 1860. See TL 3/1/1, 13 June 1986.
Exhibited in 'Wide-Eyed: Early Images of New Zealand' exhibition of works by settler artists, held at the National Library of New Zealand Gallery, 18 July - 9 November 1997.
Inscriptions: Backing board recto - Identification of ships & N.Z. Company buoy
Quantity: 1 watercolour(s).
Physical Description: Watercolour on card image 305 x 495 mm on card 400 x 590 mm
Provenance: Purchased by Lawford at McArthur's auction, Auckland, May 1985, lot 100.
Processing information: Record updated on 17 October 2023 to remove incorrect reference to Victoria HMS (Ship : 1859-1893).
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