Boating New Zealand Boat Reviews
Reviews
Boating New Zealand News
News
Boating New Zealand Sports
Sport
Boating New Zealand Lifestyle
Lifestyle
Home2021August 2021Catch the Fox

Catch the Fox

Bookmark post
Bookmarked
Bookmark post
Bookmarked

Picton’s 168-year-old Edwin Fox is an extraordinary maritime time capsule that spans the Crimean War, Australian convicts, New Zealand’s early settlers and our economic evolution. The ship’s salvation – thanks largely to one dogged gentleman – is a remarkable tale of resilience. Lawrence Schaffler meets the Fox and its saviour.

For my money the Edwin Fox Museum is one of Picton’s best attractions – but I have a nagging suspicion most people driving off the Cook Strait ferry are blissfully unaware of it. Which is a great pity – considering that in her 34 circumnavigations the 836-ton, 48m vessel has amassed a treasure-trove of history – all splendidly presented in her graving dock only a few hundred metres from the ferry terminal.


She embodies an integral part of New Zealand’s DNA – helping its fledging economy to expand trading and engage with the rest of the world at the dawn of the 20th century. She is, in fact, the world’s oldest surviving merchant ship – older than Britain’s fabled Cutty Sark. So, before you dismiss her as another old wreck of interest only to fusty, cob-webbed historians, read on.
For a vessel with so diverse a career, she had an indifferent start. She was built in 1853 near the Indian city of Kolkata (previously Calcutta) by Britain’s William Henry Foster – designed as a workhorse to ply the East Indies-UK trade route. Predating the age of the streamlined clippers, she wasn’t exactly a sleek beauty – her teak hull was often described as ‘stubby’ or ‘tubby’ – and she was noted for her stolid, ponderous pace.
But her merchant career was derailed even before it began. She was sold soon after arriving in London in 1854 and commandeered to carry troops/cargo to and from the Anglo-Russian Crimean War. There are suggestions that the skirmish’s legendary ‘Lady of the Lamp’ – the nurse Florence Nightingale – sailed on board the Edwin Fox, though this has never been corroborated.

- Advertisement -


In 1856 – following her war duties – she was re-fitted to carry general cargo and passengers and switched to a much more sombre role. She was chartered to transport some of Britain’s ‘ne’er-do-wells’ to a new life in Australia.
Among the convicts were William Tester and James Burgess, two of the four men convicted of the Great Gold Train Robbery in 1855. They’d helped themselves to £12,000 sterling in gold (nearly $2 million in today’s money). Author Michael Crichton wrote a novel about it – The Great Train Robbery. It was later adapted into a movie starring Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland.
The British penal system of the time was brutal – consider the lot of 14-year-old William Messenger. He was sentenced to serve 14 years after being caught peeing on a gravestone. Busting to go, he was busted.
Mercifully, voyages with happier passengers soon beckoned for the Edwin Fox.

Settlers 
From the early 1870s she began a series of annual voyages to New Zealand (mainly to South Island ports), ferrying British immigrants keen to shake off the shackles of the home country’s rigid class system and start a new life. They received assisted migration through the Vogel scheme – geared to adventurous and pioneering settlers able to farm the land. Tens of thousands took up the offer.


These ‘slow-bucket’ voyages typically took three months in what were often trying conditions. A one-way fare was £16 (about $2,700). Passenger diaries from the voyages make for fascinating reading. The cabins were tiny (especially in steerage) and, while most trips recorded a few fatalities, there were also, remarkably, quite a few births.
One passenger – William Manning – described his experience as “one-hundred and twenty-two days of misery, anxiety, discomfort and semi-starvation”. He hoped he would “never again fall to the lot of an unfortunate emigrant in a slow but sure emigrant ship.” Today, scores of New Zealand families can trace their ancestry to the pioneers on the Edwin Fox.

Cramped conditions for steerage passengers.

Inevitably, steam engines marked the end of her sailing career – her last voyage was in June 1885. But like many redoubtable ladies, she was made of stern stuff and was easily able to reinvent herself.

Freezing works
Wool was one of New Zealand’s prime exports in the late 1800s – but in 1882 the successful delivery of a cargo of frozen meat to Britain on the Dunedin dramatically changed the landscape. The meat export industry was born, adding another string to the country’s economic bow. Edwin Fox was quickly repurposed.
In the late 80s, with her rigging removed, she was retrofitted with boilers and refrigerating equipment and towed to ports all around the country, serving as a mobile freezing hulk. Some 12 years later she was towed to Picton where once again her life took off on a different arc.


Her refrigeration equipment was moved ashore to power a new, bigger land-based freezing works. She first became a bunkhouse for the freezing work crews, and thereafter a grimy coal hulk, storing the fuel for the boilers ashore, a role she filled until 1953.
Eventually, at more than 100 years old, she was towed to the nearby Shakespeare Bay and lay beached for the next 20 years, her valuable teak plundered by souvenir hunters. It seemed – finally – that this was the end of the line for the old ship.


Fortunately, wise heads prevailed. Appreciative of her cultural and historical significance a group of individuals established the Edwin Fox Restoration Society to save her. In 1965 it bought the hulk from the owner – NZ Refrigerating Company – for one shilling. But the road ahead would be difficult.
After much procrastination by the city fathers she was refloated in 1986 and towed to a new berth near the current ferry terminal. And 13 years later – in 1999 – the Edwin Fox moved to her final resting place, the graving dock where she lies today.
Fittingly, the former Historic Places Trust awarded the ship a Category I status in 2000.
Next time you’re in Picton, I urge you to catch the Fox.

Saving the Fox

A pivotal player in Edwin Fox’s salvation, Chris Brown knows the ship’s history intimately. He also knows how close we came to losing her completely. Today he is still involved with the ship’s preservation and the museum.
“The real degradation began in the late 1960s when she was abandoned in Shakespeare Bay – beached in the mud and vandalised for her teak. She’d been in Picton for decades and no one knew what to do with her. Many thought she was just an eyesore – something to be removed and cut up.
“The Navy came up with the bright idea of refloating her and towing her out to sea for use as target practice. Fortunately, the divers who inspected the hull decided this wasn’t feasible because her back was broken. They were wrong – it was twisted, but not broken.
“Over the years there were discussions with all sorts of people – one group planned to tow her to Auckland for a full restoration. That fell over. Then the British began negotiations – they wanted the hulk returned home, as part of their maritime heritage. Luckily, that also fell over.

Chris Brown.

“I’ve always believed the ship was worth saving – she was significant for New Zealand. So I decided to see if she could be saved. I was a commercial paua diver and after inspecting her hull I reckoned she could be refloated. But we had to find the political will – and the money – to do it. I didn’t want to go to the trouble of refloating her without a permanent plan in place.”
Predictably, local opinion was divided. Many people wanted to save her – but others thought she was just an embarrassing derelict. There were endless discussions at the local council – most doubted she could be refloated – but even if she could, what were they to do with her? Doggedly, Chris prevailed through it all.

Refloated and being towed.

Sealing the hull for refloating took four months and many, many hours of diving. Volunteers helped to remove plenty of rubbish to lighten the hull – including coal and 400 tonnes of sand. “We refloated her on a king tide,” says Chris, “aided by a big diesel generator and pumps to keep the water at bay. It was a marathon – I went 60 hours non-stop without sleep.”
But having refloated her, the dithering continued. The authorities couldn’t agree about what to do with her, or where to berth her. “I kept her afloat for another 14 years, patching the leaks. Eventually, I pointed out that if we didn’t come up with a plan to build a dock, she would sink.”
Thankfully, the dock was built in 2000 – and it now has a roof to keep the rain at bay. Today the museum attracts around 10,000 visitors a year.

SHARE:

Related Articles

Previous article
Next article

Comments

This conversation is moderated by Boating New Zealand. Subscribe to view comments and join the conversation. Choose your plan →

This conversation is moderated by Boating New Zealand.

Boating New Zealand
Boating New Zealandhttps://www.boatingnz.co.nz
Boating NZ is New Zealand’s premier marine title devoted to putting its readers behind the wheel of the latest trailerboats, yachts and launches to hit the market. It inspires with practical content and cruising adventures, leads the fleet with its racing coverage and is on the pulse of the latest maritime news and innovation.

More from Boating New Zealand

Superman Wins! It All Came Dow...

The annual Bridge2Bridge ski race on the Waikato River delivers pure adrena...

Rising Star Leo Takahashi Join...

The Black Foils, New Zealand’s cutting-edge SailGP team, has confirmed that...

Vendée Globe: Whole Fleet Upda...

A Calm Start, But the Real Race Begins On MACSF, Isabelle refl...

Vendée Global Update 2: Could ...

It's day 2 of the Vendée Global: Round The World Race - and Conrad Colman, ...

The pleasure of living on boar...

Since its debut in 2019, Excess has swiftly risen as a sought-after brand i...

Simplicity Private Equity Fund...

Stabicraft Marine, a household name in New Zealand known for its high-quali...

Follow Us

Weekly Newsletter

Stay up to date with the latest developments shaping New Zealand's Boating world.

Social Media

Follow us on social media to stay in the loop with the latest trends and news shaping New Zealand's boating scene!

Events Worth Adding to Your Calendar

Have an event you'd like to list on Boating New Zealand. Contact us with the details.

Catch all the action of the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup, happening from 22 Aug to 27 Oct 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. Follow along with excitement at Boating New Zealand.

FISHING

Extreme Boats Fishing Tournament, 29 & 30 Nov 2024 in Whitianga

Stabicraft Te Anau Manapouri Fishing Classic, 25 - 27 Oct 2025 TBC in Te Anau Manapouri

REGATTAS

NZ Match Racing Championships, 14 - 17 Nov 2024 in Auckland

Beneteau Owners Rally, 23 Nov 2024, Auckland to Kawau

Sir Peter Blake Torbay Regatta, 30 Nov - 1 Dec 2024 at Torbay Sailing Club

Rolex Sydney to Hobart, 26 Dec 2024 starts in Sydney, Australia

New Zealand Sail Grand Prix, 18 & 19 Jan 2025 in Auckland

NZ Millenium Cup, 1 - 4 Feb 2025 at Waitemata Harbour

Toyota Youth International Match Racing Cup, 26 Feb - 4 Mar 2025 in Auckland

PIC Insurance Brokers Coastal Classic, 24 Oct 2025 TBC from Auckland to Russell

JET BOAT RACING

UIM World Jetsprint Championships, 25 Jan -2 Feb 2025 at Wanaka (25 & 26 Jan) and Wanganui (1 & 2 Feb)

2024 Golden Homes NZ Jet Boat Marathon, 2025 dates TBC on Southland Rivers (Oreti, Waiau and Mataura)

National Jet Boat Rally 2024, 2025 date TBC at Oliver Road, Bendigo (near Cromwell)

WATERSPORTS

Yamaha Rollo's Marine Bridge 2 Bridge, 8 - 10 Nov 2024 Staged on the Waikato River between Cambridge & Taupiri, based in Hamilton, New Zealand

NON-MOTORISED SPORT

Waka Ama - 2025 National Sprint Championships, 12 - 18 Jan 2025 at Lake Karapiro, Cambridge

Waka Ama - 2025 Secondary School Nationals, 24 - 28 Mar 2025 at Lake Tikitapu, Rotorua

COMMUNITY

NZ Retro Boats Lake Tarawera Gathering, 16 Nov 2024 at Hot Water Beach, Lake Tarawera, Rotorua

Bay of Islands Cruiser's Festival, 20 - 23 Nov 2024 at Bay of Islands Marina, Opua

The New Zealand Sailing Trust 5 Day Sail, 13 - 17 Jan 2025 starting in Auckland

Auckland Boat Show, 6 - 9 March 2025 at Viaduct Events Centre and Jellicoe Harbour, Auckland

The Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show, 15 - 18 May 2025 at Auckland Showgrounds, Auckland

Whangārei Maritime Festival, TBC Oct 2025 at the Whangārei Town Basin

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Superman Wins! It All Came Down To Team Work and Absolute Sheer Determination.

The annual Bridge2Bridge ski race on the Waikato River delivers pure adrenaline, with competitors ra...

Rising Star Leo Takahashi Joins New Zealand’s Black Foils as Flight Controller

The Black Foils, New Zealand’s cutting-edge SailGP team, has confirmed that Takahashi will play a pi...

Vendée Globe: Whole Fleet Update As The Wind Arrives!

A Calm Start, But the Real Race Begins On MACSF, Isabelle reflects on the emotional fir...

Vendée Global Update 2: Could This Be The Last Land Conrad Sees Before The Bottom Of Africa?

It's day 2 of the Vendée Global: Round The World Race - and Conrad Colman, the lone kiwi captian in ...

The pleasure of living on board: A closer look at the Excess 13 catamaran

Since its debut in 2019, Excess has swiftly risen as a sought-after brand in the world of catamarans...

International Boat Shows

COMING EVENTS

METSTRADE 19 - 21 Nov 2024 to be held at the Rai, Amsterdam

Antigua Charter Yacht Show 4 - 9 Dec 2024 to be held at the Nelson's Dockyard UNESCO World Heritage Site, Antigua

Boot Düsseldorf 18 - 26 Jan 2025 to be held in Düsseldorf, Germany

New York Boat Show, 22 - 26 Jan 2025 to be held at the Javits Center, New York

Bahamas Charter Yacht Show, 29 Jan - 2 Feb 2025 to be held at Nassau, Bahamas

Houston Boat Show, 29 Jan - 2 Feb 2025 to be held at the NRG Center, Houston, Texas

Dubai International Boat Show, 19 - 23 Feb 2025 to be held at the Dubai Harbour

Miami International Boat Show, 12 - 16 Feb 2025 to be held in Miami

Auckland Boat Show, 6 - 9 Mar 2025 to be held at the Viaduct Events Centre and Jellicoe Harbour, Auckland

Palm Beach International Boat Show, 19 - 23 Mar 2025 to be held along Flagler Drive in downtown West Palm Beach

International Multihull Show, 23 - 27 Apr 2025 to be held in Terre-plein Ouest du port La Grande-Motte (34), France

Palma International Boat Show, 30 Apr - 3 May 2025 to be held at the Superyacht Village, Palma, Spain

Barcaly's Jersey Boat Show, 3 - 5 May 2025 to be held in the Channel Islands

South Coast & Green Tech Boat Show, 9 - 11 May 2025 to be held in Ocean Village Marina, Southampton, Hampshire

The British Motor Yacht Show, 15 - 18 May 2025 to be held at the Swanwick Marina, Southampton, Hampshire

The Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show, 15 - 18 May 2025 at Auckland Showgrounds, Auckland

Sanctuary Cove International Boat show, 22 - 25 May 2025 to be held in Sanctuary Cove, Queensland

Sydney International Boat show, 31 July - 3 Aug 2025 to be held at ICC Sydney & Cockle Bay, Darling Harbour

Hiswa Te Water, 3 - 7 Nov 2025 to be held in Bataviahaven Lelystad, The Netherlands

Southampton International Boat Show, 19 - 28 Sep 2025 to be held in Southampton, UK

International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX), 7 - 9 Oct 2025 to be held in Tampa, Florida

Annapolis Sail Boat Show, 9 - 13 Oct 2025 to be held at City Dock, Annapolis, Maryland

Newport International Boat Show, 20 - 23 Nov 2025 to be held in Newport, Rhode Island

Cannes Yachting Festival, 9 - 14 Sep 2025 at Cannes – Vieux Port & Port Canto

Genoa Boat Show, 18 - 23 Sep 2025 to be held in Genoa, Italy

Melbourne International Boat Show, Oct 2025, TBC to be held at New Quay Promenade Harbour Esplanade Seven Marinas

Biograd Boat Show, Oct 2025, TBC to be held in the City of Biograd, Croatia

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 29 Oct – 2 Nov 2025 to be held at several locations in Fort Lauderdale

Monaco Yacht Show, 24 - 27 Sep 2025 on Monacco

BOATS FOR SALE