“Well-grounded hopes”? Changing fortunes in colonial New Plymouth. Shifts in the financial, cultural and political capital of Amelia Thompson passengers in the settlement of New Plymouth, New Zealand, 1841-1860

This thesis explores the class mobility of the 187 settlers who arrived in New Plymouth on board the Amelia Thompson in September 1841. The Amelia Thompson was the second of six ships commissioned by the Plymouth Company to carry settlers to New Plymouth. The changing fortunes (‘advancement’ or otherwise) of the passengers on board the Amelia Thompson is investigated, from their arrival in the settlement to just before the outbreak of the Taranaki Wars in 1860. ‘Advancement’ is understood in this thesis to mean active progress or ‘improvement’ in people’s financial, cultural and/or political capital. The concept draws on ideas of ‘improvement’ used by Asa Briggs and Sarah Tarlow, and includes class structure as outlined by Susan Dwyer Amussen and Linda Young. Analysis is presented in three main chapters, each addressing one of these three forms of capital. Sources used in this thesis include detailed quantitative records from the Plymouth and New Zealand Companies and the post-war Taranaki Relief Commission, identifying patterns relevant to class mobility, particularly as concerns financial capital.

The acquisition of land, ‘advancement’ of fortunes and building of a settler community were clearly at the expense of Taranaki Māori. These two decades saw the settler demand for more land become increasingly insistent. That, coupled with an increased determination on the part of Māori to resist further loss of land, ultimately resulted in the Taranaki Wars and ongoing trauma to local Māori.

In contrast to the Māori experience, emigration to New Plymouth was largely beneficial for the majority of Amelia Thompson passengers. Their dreams of ‘advancement’ were realised to a great extent, with increased land ownership, quality of abode, and stock ownership for those who remained in the district. With regard to occupational status, colonial rules regarding the practising of professions were laxer than in England, and abundant opportunities existed for building a successful business from the ground up.

The settlers worked hard, but there were many opportunities for socialisation and entertainment. Class divisions in entertainment, clubs and organisations existed. The social life exhibited by Amelia Thompson passengers demonstrated their wish for a well ordered society; they worked hard to maintain structure and position and the strong ties between members of the community. There was a higher degree of kinship connection (resulting from pre-existing community and family ties and the high proportion of Methodists), and less movement in and out of the province than in similar communities in other parts of New Zealand.

Politically, Taranaki offered new opportunities for many. Local politics in New Plymouth were not merely for the richer citizens. By the 1850s, those who had arrived in steerage could not only vote but also had opportunities to stand for election; several steerage passengers successfully ran for provincial council. Part of their success stemmed from the cohesion and Methodist democratic beliefs of the community. Initial expectations by the wealthy, conservative cabin passengers that they would retain all political power did not always eventuate; the first Superintendent of the province was a liberal who appealed to the poorer voters.

It is clear from the data presented in this thesis that the fate of each Amelia Thompson passenger was strongly linked to their own and their neighbours’ cultural views, expectations, and goals. ‘Advancement’ could and did occur; however, the extent to which this was possible was affected by existing financial, cultural and political capital. Moreover, the influences of financial, cultural and political capital on ‘advancement’ were not discrete, each exerting its influence on the other two. However, it appears that of those who remained in the settlement of Taranaki, the settlers’ hopes for ‘advancement’ were mostly realised.