Examining nineteenth century British colonial-built ships, HMS Buffalo and Edwin Fox: two case studies from New Zealand

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Contextualizing Maritime Archaeology in Australasia" , at the 2021 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

This paper explores changes in design and construction technologies relating to British colonial-built ships in the nineteenth century. HMS Buffalo and Edwin Fox were built on the banks of the River Hooghly, India, with teams of local and foreign labour. HMS Buffalo was constructed in 1813 and served the British Navy before transporting immigrants to Australia. The ship became a total loss in 1840. Edwin Fox launched from dry dock in 1853 and served several roles over its career before being preserved as a museum exhibit in Picton.

Constructed forty years apart, these two vessels offer an opportunity to investigate and examine shifting British domestic attitudes towards foreign shipbuilding practices. Results from a three-year study are presented here to discuss similarities and differences in vessel design and construction. Further, this paper highlights significant maritime heritage in New Zealand that contributes globally to the discipline of nautical archaeology.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Contextualizing Maritime Archaeology in Australasia   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2021

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology