Heaphy, Charles 1820-1881 :Thorndon Flat and part of the city of Wellington. [April, 1841]

View from Clay Point (the bank above the junction of modern Willis Street and Lambton Quay), with the New Zealand Company flag flying, looking north along the beachline (Lambton Quay) towards a sandspit (Midland Park), past the low hill with the house of Colonel William Wakefield (the site of The Beehive today) to Thorndon, with Pipitea Pa close to the point of land on the waterfront in the distance. There are several ships in the harbour, the largest being the "London". The clearings in the bush on Tinakori Hill are Maori potato plantations. On the beach are a cart being drawn by four bullocks, other carts, small boats and several men.

The original for the lithograph "Part of Lambton Harbour in Port Nicholson, New Zealand, comprehending about one third of the waterfront of the town of Wellington." (C-026-001). A key published to the lithograph identifies the names of several of the ships and the names of most of the owners of the properties along the beachline. The names supplied on the key (from the nearest point in Lambton Quay to the more distant northern part of the view) were Messrs Willis Storehouses, Mess.rs Wade's storehouses. Losack's Store. Durie & Co's store. Mr Grace's Academy. Mess.rs Waters & Smith's stores. Allen's store. Taine's store. Residence of Captain Cole. Residence of L. Nattrass Esq., Residence of Dr Johnstone. Mess.rs Cook's Storehouse. Residence of Col. Wakefield. Residence of Dr Evans. Residence of Mr St Hill Esq. J. P. Residence of R. Stokes Esq. Temporary Exchange and Library. Barrett's Hotel. Houses belonging to F. A. Molesworth Esq. Residence of Dr Fitzgerald. Hornbrooke's Store. Mess.rs Hay & McHattie's storehouses. Residence of Dr Dorset. [New Zealand] Company's Immigration Depot. Court House. Residence of Michael Murphy Esq. Residence of Michael Harrison Esq. Jail. Residence of Captain Chaffers. Riddiford & Co.'s storehouses. Residence of K. D. Harrison Esq. Path to Ohario [Ohariu]. Southern Road to the Porirua Valley. Belsize [Pipitea] Point. The ships in the harbour are listed as Schooner Jane. Schooner Elizabeth. Cutter Harriet. Brig Patriot. N.Z. Co's Barque Cuba. Ship London. American Brig Emigrant. Chilean ship Morley. Chilean brig Heron. N.Z. Co's Barque Brougham. Schooner Kate. Ship Martha Ridgeway. Extra topographical details listed on the hills are Kumototo Point. Town Acre no. 512. Native potatoe [potato] plantations.

Although the view was completed in April 1841, a number of the ships shown in the harbour were no longer present by April 1841. The view is therefore a progressive one, showing Wellington from December 1840 to April 1841.

Inscriptions: Recto - beneath image - title in the hand of Charles Heaphy. Signature lower right

Quantity: 1 watercolour(s).

Physical Description: Watercolour 419 x 612 mm

Provenance: Purchased from Francis Edwards & Co., London, as part of the New Zealand Company collection, by Alexander Horsburgh Turnbull in London, 1915.