[Source: https://marlboroughnz.com/listings/edwin-fox-ship-and-visitor-center/]
Discover the fascinating history of the Edwin Fox, the worlds 9th oldest ship. Find Us on Facebook :Edwin Fox Maritime Museum PictonNow on permanent display in Picton, New Zealand. Learn all about her fascinating round the world adventures and her checkered history from troop carrier to immigrant ship, even convict transporter.
Edwin Fox is the world's second oldest surviving merchant sailing ship [2] and the only surviving ship that transported convicts to Australia. She is unique in that she is the "only intact hull of a wooden deepwater sailing ship built to British specifications surviving in the world outside the Falkland Islands".[3] Edwin Fox carried settlers to both Australia and New Zealand and carried troops in the Crimean War. The ship is dry-docked at The Edwin Fox Maritime Centre at Picton in New Zealand.
Using 3D modelling for maritime heritage
A team from Auckland, New Zealand has embarked on a mission to create a 3D digital model of the Edwin Fox, one of the oldest ships in the world. For them, it represents a chance to retell the story of vessels from a bygone era.
358 Ebenezer BROWN invalided to England 28 August 1855.
1126 William EVANS invalided to England 26 of September 1855
[PB, July 2017: I chanced upon some email correspondence about the Edwin Fox in the CrimeanWar Yahoo Group, in which John Barham made significant contributions. There is probably a lot more. Follow up.]
23 Dec 2000
At Picton close to where the Cook Strait interislander ferry docks, we found the Edwin Fox, reputedly the only surviving wooden troopship from the Crimean War. She was built in India in 1853, sailed to London on her maiden voyage with a cargo of tea, and was bought by Duncan Dunbar in 1854, who chartered her to the British Government as a troopship at the rate of £1 per ton (836) per month. Her first task was to carry 15 officers and 481 men of the 51st Infanterie de Ligne from Calais to the Baltic as part of the Bomarsund expedition. After returning the Regiment to Cherbourg, she started employment as a transport between England and the Crimea until October 1855. She went on to transport convicts to Australia in the late 50s and 60s and immigrants to New Zealand in the 70s.
The subsequent history and story of how she came to be currently in dry dock at Picton is fascinating and is described on the website of the Edwin Fox Society at http://members.xoom.com/edwin_fox/ The aim of the society is to raise enough money to provide adequate covered docking facilities to ensure the preservation of the Edwin Fox. We visited the hull, and the timbers are in amazingly magnificent nick. In the course of the morning we were there, a chap working on cleaning between the inner and outer hull came upon a beer bottle and wine bottle at least predating 1900.
The driving force behind all this is John Robertson, the Secretary of the society. He was excited to hear about our group, as there is a shortage of information about the ship's detailed movements during the War. Apparently he has exhausted both Greenwich and Lloyds as potential sources- records were lost in a fire in World War Two. So I did tell him that we have members who are incredibly knowledgeable on such matters and promised to air the matter on return.
If anyway can help John his e mail address is: edwinfoxsoc@...
[John Barham, email to CrimeanWar Yahoo Group, 23 December 2000. ]
Edwin Fox is not in Nelson - at least not the full size genuine article. She is actually berthed at Picton. If you come from the North on the Cook Strait Ferry the wharf is on the left close to the exit immediately after the line of rental car offices. You check in in the exhibition hut and walk down a few metres to the dry dock. The hull is intact but that is all there is apart from a roof which I believe they had funding for to keep out the weather and was added since my visit some years ago. Nevertheless a great experience.
Where the confusion arose I suspect is that there is a a very fine one metre long scale model of the Fox in her prime on display at the Founders Historic Park Museum in Nelson. If you are in the area it's well worth doing both - a leisurely two hour drive and some splendid scenery including very desirable seaside sections owned by those to whom a bach equates to five bedrooms and a swimming pool!
Her main active service in the War was for the Bomarsund operation in July 1854 - she was the transport for the 51e Infanterie de Ligne from Calais to the battle area and back. Mainly afterwards she did transport duties in the Malta - Constantinople - Balaklava triangle. Google 'Edwin Fox' and open the link to the NZ Naval Archives - there is a pretty comprehensive history including the name of the Captain - Ferguson I think - and the fact that the all up crew number was 38. No clue as whether the names may still be on record - if anyone could help you there it would be the splendid enthusiasts at the Picton site.
Mark Davidson wrote a fine article in the War Correspondent in 2012? after his visit there during his NZ visit.
[John Barham, email to CrimeanWar Yahoo Group, 24 May 2017. ]