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Built in Nova Scotia

The Inconstant was built in 1847 by George Old and launched on 3January 1848 at the Bras D'Or shipyards in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia [now Canada]. The vast ship building industry in Canada reached a peak in the 1860's when nearly one third of British ships were Canadian built. The Inconstant its maiden voyage to London, where it was surveyed and registered by Lloyds and given an A1 rating.

The Voyage

On 15 February 1849 the Inconstant commanded by Captain Patrick Culliton, sailed from Plymouth for Adelaide in South Australia. On board were 209 Irish female migrants, leaving Ireland after the potato famines. The Inconstant reached Adelaide on 7 June, and while in port 11 of the crew were "confined for disobedience" which occurred on the voyage.

After repairs the ship left Australia on 11 September 1849 for Callao, Peru, via Wellington, with four passengers and a cargo of "29 cases Cavendish tobacco (a fine sample), 20 skins Brazillian, and 6 cases Alum". This was a very light cargo, so the ship was carrying large stones in its hull for ballast.

It was common for vessels making this long Southern voyage to call in at Wellington to replenish their water supplies.

Over 220 people on board

When the Inconstant left the U.K. there were 209 Irish female migrants on board, possibly leaving Ireland after the potato famines.

There were possibly 33 in the crew.

• Captain Patrick Culliton
• 2 mates
• Surgeon
• Bosun
• 2 watches of 8 able seamen, ordinary
• seamen and boys
• Cook and 2 assistants
• Cooper
• Carpenter
• Sail maker
• Matron and assistant
• Butcher
• Purser

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The names of many of the 209 Irish female migrants who sailed on the Inconstant from Plymouth to Adelaide are available from shipping records of the times. These women left the poverty of Ireland in an assisted emigration programme, to settle in the "new" land of Australia. Many of them found work in the new settlements as servants or seamstresses, as teachers or nannies, and many married settlers.

Hit Rocks

The ship failed to catch the wind and drifted astern on to the rocks by Pencarrow.

The newspaper account of the accident suggested some of the crew were refusing to work. Fortunately the Royal Navy steam survey vessel HMS Acheron was completing the first hydrographic survey of the harbour. The Acheron went to the stranded vessel's help. During the night it hauled the Inconstant off the rocks and towed it to Te Aro beach.

Captain Culliton stayed at Barrett's Hotel for some months, firstly trying to get the Inconstant repaired, and then selling the ship which had been deemed no longer seaworthy.

The ship, with it's fittings, stores and cargo was put up for auction on 23 November 1849.

Shipwright William McKenzie bought the vessel at auction and later sold it to John Plimmer for 80 pound. The Inconstant lay at Te Aro for nearly a year until Plimmer moved the vessel across the harbour to its new site at Clay Point.

(Approach to Wellington harbour)