Introduction
This book tells of life on a ship in the 1920s, from the wealthy to the poor, who were travelling to make a new home for themselves in New Zealand, or taking long and expensive touring holidays, as they experienced the steamship Remuera, the highs and lows, from excitement to boredom. From a baby, born to the Twin family, James Arthur Pitcairn Twin, named after both the ship’s Captain and Doctor, and the Island that the ship had recently visited, to the very sad accident which brought a sudden halt to the fun of a fancy dress party on board ship.
With over 100 rare photographs, large extracts from diaries written by holidaying passengers, and contemporary newspaper reports of voyages, it will be possible to imagine yourself on board the ship amongst this diverse collection of people from all walks of life. I have not edited their stories, so you may find that their language or point of view is not acceptable by today’s standards, but history needs to be shown as it was, and not sanitised, so that we can learn from it, and not let ourselves slip back into the old ways when white assumed they were better than black and the rich considered themselves superior to the poor. We still have a long way to go, but I think we are getting there, and the Black Lives Matter movement must surely help.
On each long voyage there were two major points of interest to break up the sometimes tediously long journey – the Panama Canal, and the short stop at Pitcairn Island, home of the descendants of the mutineers from HMAV Bounty. The Remuera had been the first New Zealand Shipping Company vessel to transit the Canal, back in 1916, and this amazing feat of engineering is well described by my two diarists in these pages, together with the many photographs taken by passengers and also the ship’s barber who printed up his images with postcard backs and sold them from his hairdressing saloon on the Remuera’s main deck.
Pitcairn Island has always fascinated me. It is still a very difficult place to visit today, and there are many people in the UK who do not realise where it is, or even that it is a British territory with Islanders who hold British passports. There are not many Pitcairners today, something in the region of 40 to 50 people live on the Island. In the 1920s the population was higher, rising from 163 in 1920 to 190 by 1930. In the 1920s Pitcairn was extremely isolated, and the population relied greatly on the visits of the New Zealand Shipping Company’s vessels to bring much needed supplies and correspondence. Today the Pitcairners have the internet, but there is no air strip, and only two places where small ships can berth. Large cruise ships still have to drop anchor out at sea.
The Pitcairners are presented in this book with widely differing opinions. I have never been to the Island myself, but I know people who have. I’ve met Pitcairners who have visited the UK in recent years and they have invariably been nice, friendly people. I find some of the opinions of them that were printed in 1920s newspapers to be offensive, but again, I have not sanitised the original text in any way. Today, life on Pitcairn is hard. If you were to suffer a serious injury or illness, you would face a difficult evacuation by sea. One Islander died in recent years because he could not reach help in time. There are fairly regular supply ships, but there is only one shop, one small school, one teacher and a doctor or nurse from New Zealand. An Islander has been trained in dentistry, but it is not his full time job. The Islanders still rely on sales of fruit and curios to passengers on visiting cruise ships to supplement their income.
David Ransom
With over 100 rare photographs, large extracts from diaries written by holidaying passengers, and contemporary newspaper reports of voyages, it will be possible to imagine yourself on board the ship amongst this diverse collection of people from all walks of life. I have not edited their stories, so you may find that their language or point of view is not acceptable by today’s standards, but history needs to be shown as it was, and not sanitised, so that we can learn from it, and not let ourselves slip back into the old ways when white assumed they were better than black and the rich considered themselves superior to the poor. We still have a long way to go, but I think we are getting there, and the Black Lives Matter movement must surely help.
On each long voyage there were two major points of interest to break up the sometimes tediously long journey – the Panama Canal, and the short stop at Pitcairn Island, home of the descendants of the mutineers from HMAV Bounty. The Remuera had been the first New Zealand Shipping Company vessel to transit the Canal, back in 1916, and this amazing feat of engineering is well described by my two diarists in these pages, together with the many photographs taken by passengers and also the ship’s barber who printed up his images with postcard backs and sold them from his hairdressing saloon on the Remuera’s main deck.
Pitcairn Island has always fascinated me. It is still a very difficult place to visit today, and there are many people in the UK who do not realise where it is, or even that it is a British territory with Islanders who hold British passports. There are not many Pitcairners today, something in the region of 40 to 50 people live on the Island. In the 1920s the population was higher, rising from 163 in 1920 to 190 by 1930. In the 1920s Pitcairn was extremely isolated, and the population relied greatly on the visits of the New Zealand Shipping Company’s vessels to bring much needed supplies and correspondence. Today the Pitcairners have the internet, but there is no air strip, and only two places where small ships can berth. Large cruise ships still have to drop anchor out at sea.
The Pitcairners are presented in this book with widely differing opinions. I have never been to the Island myself, but I know people who have. I’ve met Pitcairners who have visited the UK in recent years and they have invariably been nice, friendly people. I find some of the opinions of them that were printed in 1920s newspapers to be offensive, but again, I have not sanitised the original text in any way. Today, life on Pitcairn is hard. If you were to suffer a serious injury or illness, you would face a difficult evacuation by sea. One Islander died in recent years because he could not reach help in time. There are fairly regular supply ships, but there is only one shop, one small school, one teacher and a doctor or nurse from New Zealand. An Islander has been trained in dentistry, but it is not his full time job. The Islanders still rely on sales of fruit and curios to passengers on visiting cruise ships to supplement their income.
David Ransom
Review from the Pitcairn Log
the magazine of the Pitcairn Islands Study Group, USA
Volume 49, No. 1, January-March 2022, whole number 194
Book on ship visits to Pitcairn in 1920s offers keen insight
A new book by a PISG member offers keen insight into a different way of life in the early 1900s, and also provides numerous anecdotes and antiquarian photographs about Pitcairn during the era.
The book, Pitcairn Island via the Panama Canal in the 1920s by David Ransom, tells the story of the SS Remuera and its visits to the South Pacific island during the second decade of the 1900s.
On the one hand, the book is anecdotal, largely extracted from diaries and letters of a century ago. On the other, it provides glimpses, usually photographic, of a time on Pitcairn when few people visited.
Published in the 5.5 x 8.5 inch format in soft cover, the book also tells the story of life on the SS Remuera, one of many ships which helped to shape the 20th century between 1911 and 1940. It’s a story of the ship’s owners, the New Zealand Shipping Company, the people who worked on it, and the people who sailed on her. And in each instance, the storyline is augmented by photographs likely never seen elsewhere.
The book is divided into 10 segments rather than chapters, and each covers one year from 1920 to 1929. From the beginning, “1920s Steaming By Coal or Oil?” we are shown stunning photographs, in this instance a New Zealand Shipping Company stoker with a coal-blackened face and black clothing. In 1921, the Remuera did not stop at Pitcairn in its first voyage, but there is an interesting account of the journey through the Panama Canal. In October a visit was made at Pitcairn, and there are numerous antiquarian photographs of groups of Pitcairn men and children.
In each chapter, Ransom has focused on the Remuera’s fondness for Pitcairn, but there is a reason: on a long ocean voyage, there were two points of interest or diversion from being on a ship – transit of the Panama Canal and a stop at Pitcairn before traveling on to New Zealand.
With over 100 black and white photographs and extracts from numerous travel diaries, this book will be a wonderful read for anyone interested in Pitcairn … and perhaps offer some new insights.
It will be a wonderful addition to your library.
Book on ship visits to Pitcairn in 1920s offers keen insight
A new book by a PISG member offers keen insight into a different way of life in the early 1900s, and also provides numerous anecdotes and antiquarian photographs about Pitcairn during the era.
The book, Pitcairn Island via the Panama Canal in the 1920s by David Ransom, tells the story of the SS Remuera and its visits to the South Pacific island during the second decade of the 1900s.
On the one hand, the book is anecdotal, largely extracted from diaries and letters of a century ago. On the other, it provides glimpses, usually photographic, of a time on Pitcairn when few people visited.
Published in the 5.5 x 8.5 inch format in soft cover, the book also tells the story of life on the SS Remuera, one of many ships which helped to shape the 20th century between 1911 and 1940. It’s a story of the ship’s owners, the New Zealand Shipping Company, the people who worked on it, and the people who sailed on her. And in each instance, the storyline is augmented by photographs likely never seen elsewhere.
The book is divided into 10 segments rather than chapters, and each covers one year from 1920 to 1929. From the beginning, “1920s Steaming By Coal or Oil?” we are shown stunning photographs, in this instance a New Zealand Shipping Company stoker with a coal-blackened face and black clothing. In 1921, the Remuera did not stop at Pitcairn in its first voyage, but there is an interesting account of the journey through the Panama Canal. In October a visit was made at Pitcairn, and there are numerous antiquarian photographs of groups of Pitcairn men and children.
In each chapter, Ransom has focused on the Remuera’s fondness for Pitcairn, but there is a reason: on a long ocean voyage, there were two points of interest or diversion from being on a ship – transit of the Panama Canal and a stop at Pitcairn before traveling on to New Zealand.
With over 100 black and white photographs and extracts from numerous travel diaries, this book will be a wonderful read for anyone interested in Pitcairn … and perhaps offer some new insights.
It will be a wonderful addition to your library.
Pitcairn Island via the Panama Canal in the 1920s | David Ransom
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“I really enjoyed the daily snippets of diary entries by passengers…”
“Thank you, David, for all the time and patience you expended in producing this excellent book. It is especially interesting for me, as I had a Great Uncle who worked on board the Remuera from 1925 until 1939. Much enjoyed.”
Pitcairners leaving the Remuera in 1923 after trading with passengers and crew
“Highly recommended read. A valuable piece of research”
“A well researched blend of maritime and social history. I very much enjoyed reading this book - a gift. It is well researched, easy to read and full of rare photographs, articles and newspaper reports. The diary excerpts make fascinating reading of life on board The SS Remuera and on daily life on Pitcairn.”
“Fascinating snapshot into the life onboard a steamship. Drawing on first hand accounts and newspaper clippings, I strongly recommend this highly-readable account of the adventures of the steamship Remuera in the 1920s. The book is also very well designed, with some great photos and other images accompanying the text.”
