THE SINKING OF THE SS TARARUA
FOVEAUX STRAIT
FRIDAY 29 APRIL 1881.

On the 29 April 1881, the SS Tararua was wrecked on the Otara Reef off Waipapa Point at the north-east end of Foveaux Strait at the bottom the South Island, New Zealand.

There were 131 passengers (12 women and 14 children) and a crew of 40, onboard. Of this twenty were saved. The following list, made from newspaper reports of the day has a total of 120 names.

I also received an email from Margaret Walton (see Guest Book) - My Great Grandfather Joseph Hardie was one of the unnamed passengers who drowned in 1881. His body was identified by the gold watch he was wearing, which I now have, and he was buried in the Tararua Acre.

Here is more information on Joseph Hardie as his will was contested. Information on the sinking is included. Thanks to Paul Taylor for this.

For further information see SS TARARUA - Linked.
also - Shipwreck - Tales of Survival, Courage and Calamity at Sea by Louise Callan (2000 HodderMoaBeckett)

ADAMS W Crew Perished
AITKEN Miss Crew Stewardess Perished
ALLEN (ELLEN) Charles Crew Chief Steward Perished
ANDERSON - Dunedin - Melbourne Steerage Perished
ANDERSON P Dunedin - Melbourne Steerage Perished
ANDREW H N G Dunedin - Melbourne Steerage Perished
ARMITAGE John Rev Lyttelton - Melbourne Saloon Perished
ARMSTEAD A Crew Perished
ARMSTEAD S Crew Perished
ASHWORTH J Lyttelton - Melbourne Steerage Perished
BAILEY Mr Dunedin - Bluff Saloon Perished
BAINBRIDGE J Dunedin - Melbourne Steerage Perished
BARRY John Dunedin - Melbourne Steerage Perished
BASSETT W Lyttelton - Melbourne Steerage Perished
BELL William Auckland - Melbourne Saloon Perished
BOYLE Mr Lyttelton - Bluff Steerage Perished
BRENNAN Child Tauranga - Hobart Saloon Perished
BRENNAN Child Tauranga - Hobart Saloon Perished
BRENNAN Child Tauranga - Hobart Saloon Perished
BRENNAN Mrs Tauranga - Hobart Saloon Perished
BRIEN William Crew Perished
BROWN Robert Dunedin - Melbourne Steerage Perished
BRYANT Mr Dunedin - Hobart Steerage Perished
BRYANT Mrs Dunedin - Hobart Steerage Perished
BURGE (?) C Wellington - Melbourne Saloon Perished
BURNETT James Crew AB Saved
BURWOOD Robert Crew Perished
CAMPBELL Child Lyttelton - Melb - London Saloon Perished
CAMPBELL Child Lyttelton - Melb - London Saloon Perished
CAMPBELL Child Lyttelton - Melb - London Saloon Perished
CAMPBELL Child Lyttelton - Melb - London Saloon Perished
CAMPBELL Child Lyttelton - Melb - London Saloon Perished
CAMPBELL Donald Dr Lyttelton - Melb - London Saloon Perished
CAMPBELL Mrs Lyttelton - Melb - London Saloon Perished
CAMPBELL unamed female servant with Dr CAMPBELL and family Lyttelton - Melb - London Saloon Perished
CHATTERTON (CATTERTON) John Auckland - Melbourne Steerage Saved
COCK (COOK) Mary A Dunedin - Melbourne Steerage Perished
COLBERG (CARLBERG) Carl Lyttelton - Melb - London Steerage Perished
COLLINS W Crew Perished
CONNAL (CONNOLLY) Ebenezer Lyttelton - Melbourne Saloon Perished
CORBET D Crew Perished
CRAWFORD Mr Lyttelton - Melbourne Saloon Perished
DALY Henry (J) Napier - Melbourne Steerage Saved
DAVIDSON W Crew Perished
DAVIES Daniel Lyttelton - Melbourne Steerage Perished
DAVIS (DAVIES) Thomas Wellington - Melbourne Steerage Saved
DEAN John M Lyttelton - Melb - London Steerage Perished
DENZ Child Auckland - Melbourne Steerage Perished
DENZ Franz (Frank) Crew AB Saved
DENZ Mrs Auckland - Melbourne Steerage Perished
DICKSON (DIXON) Thomas Crew AB Saved
DOBSON J Dunedin - Melbourne Steerage Perished
DOBSON William Dunedin - Melbourne Steerage Perished
DOWDALL M Dunedin - Melbourne Steerage Perished
DOWNES E W Wellington - Melbourne Saloon Perished
DOWNES E W Mrs Wellington - Melbourne Saloon Perished
ENGLISH Dennis Port Chalmers - Perished
ENGLISH William Port Chalmers - Perished
EVA J O Dunedin - Melbourne Saloon Perished
GARRARD Frances George Crew Captain Perished
GIBBS J Crew Perished
GILLINGHAM (GELLINGHAM) Mr Lyttelton - Melb - London Saloon Perished
GORDON John Lyttelton - Melb - London Saloon Perished
GOUGH Charles Lyttelton - Melbourne Saloon Perished
GOUGH Neil Lyttelton - Melbourne Steerage Perished
GREEN William Lyttelton - Melbourne Steerage Perished
GREY George Dunedin - Melbourne Steerage Perished
HANSON Benjamin Lyttelton - Melb - London Steerage Perished
HILL Child of William Lyttelton - Melb - London Steerage Perished
HILL William Lyttelton - Melb - London Steerage Saved
HILL William Mrs Lyttelton - Melb - London Steerage Perished
HOLT Charles Wellington - Melbourne Steerage Perished
HORAN G Crew Perished
JOHNSON Edward Crew AB Saved
JONES Thomas Lyttelton - Melb - London Steerage Perished
JONES W B Crew Purser Perished
JONES W B Mrs Lyttelton - Melbourne Saloon (Pursers wife) Perished
KELLY Mary Miss Auckland - Hobart Steerage Perished
LAWRENCE George (G H) Lyttelton - Bluff Steerage Saved
LINDSAY Robert Crew Chief Officer Saved
LIVINGSTONE Alexander Crew Second Engineer Perished
MABER (MABEY)(MAHER) James Crew Engineers Storekeeper Saved
MALONEY (MAHONEY) Peter * Crew Second Officer Saved
MARSH S T E Mrs Wellington - Melbourne Saloon Perished
MARTIN George Dunedin - Melbourne Steerage Perished
McDAVITT E Crew Perished
McKENZIE Alexander Port Chalmers - Perished
MICHELEIFF(MICKALINEY) (McCALLET) (MICALLET) Antonio Crew Chief Cook Saved
MITCHELL E Rev Lyttelton - Melbourne Saloon Perished
MORRISON John Crew Carpenter Perished
MUNRO Alexander Crew Chief Engineer Perished
NICHOLSON Torqual? Crew AB Saved
O'SULLIVAN T Wellington - Melbourne Steerage Perished
PENMAN Mr Wellington - Bluff Steerage Perished
POLSON H Crew Perished
RAE A Dunedin - Melbourne Steerage Perished
RAMSAY W O Dunedin - Melbourne Saloon Perished
RICHARDSON J B Rev Lyttelton - Melbourne Saloon Perished
ROBINS (ROBIN) George Dunedin - Melbourne Steerage Saved
ROHL Franz (Frank) Crew Fireman Saved
SARAH Mr Auckland - Melbourne Steerage Perished
SCOWN (SCOON) J Lyttelton - Melb - London Steerage Perished
SHARP Mr Lyttelton - Bluff Steerage Perished
SILVIA Charles Crew Perished
SMITH William Crew Perished
STEWART Charles Crew AB Saved
STREVAR (SHREAVER) C Dunedin - Melbourne Steerage Perished
SUTHERLAND Andrew Crew Third Engineer Perished
THOLIU (TALLIES) Gustave Wellington - Melbourne Steerage Saved
WALLACE Joseph Lyttelton - Melb - London Steerage Perished
WARREN Crew Crew Perished
WATERHOUSE J Lyttelton - Melbourne Saloon Perished
WATERHOUSE Joseph Rev Lyttelton - Melbourne Saloon Perished
WAYNES T Crew Perished
WESTON John Crew AB Saved
WHITE William Lyttelton - Melb - London Steerage Perished
WILLIAMS John Wellington - Melbourne Steerage Saved
WILTSHIRE G Wellington - Perished
WRIGHT Robert Dunedin - Melbourne Steerage Perished
YOUNG James Dunedin - Melbourne Steerage Perished
YOUNG William Lyttelton - Melb - London Steerage Perished

* Also documented as Edward MALONEY.


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