Hocken Digital Collections

Cameron family : Papers

Details

Reference NumberARC-0610CreatorCameron familyDescriptionThe collection contains the family papers of the Cameron family, mainly those relating to the life and work of Captain Angus Cameron. The collection includes correspondence, diaries, photographs, tapes, many specifications and plans of ships (particularly Union Steam Ship Company ships), and reminiscences.
The collection also includes papers of Dr Percival Douglas Cameron relating to his medical career and training at Edinburgh Medical School, and papers from Angus Frederick Cameron (a grandson of Captain Angus Cameron and son of Dr Percy Cameron) relating to the Oamaru Licensing Trust.
Only a small part of this collection is digitised and available through Digital Collections. Information about other items can be found on the Hākena catalogue, through the Library Catalogues link above.History / BiographyAngus Cameron was born in Appin, Argyll, Scotland, the son of John Cameron and Agnes McGlashen. He was christened on 11 May 1829. He served an apprenticeship in the shipyard of Alexander Stephen and Sons and went to sea in the ship 'Fleetwood'. He came ashore in Australia at the time of the gold rush and later returned to sea to gain his officer certificates, becoming Master of the schooner 'United Brothers'.
Angus Cameron established himself in lighterage work at Port Chalmers, with Captain Daniel McCallum in the mid 1860s, before returning to Scotland where he commissioned the construction of the barque 'Otago'. He was joint owner of the 'Otago' with Duncan McDougall until she was sold in January 1872. The 'Otago' made two visits to Port Chalmers in 1871 and, under later owners, became the first command of Polish shipmaster and writer Joseph Conrad, at Bangkok in 1887.
Captain Cameron returned to Scotland in the early 1870s and arranged with William Denny and Brothers to build a steamer suitable for trading between Australia and New Zealand. While the ship was under construction, he commanded the sailing ships 'Ben Ledi' and 'Loch Lomond'. The steamer 'Wakatipu' was completed in 1876, with Angus Cameron owning four of the 64 shares in the vessel.
Under Union Steam Ship Company management, the 'Wakatipu' inaugurated the Trans Tasman service of the Union Company in October 1876, with Captain Cameron in command until 1878, when the ship was purchased by the Union Company and he became the Chief Marine Superintendent for the Company.
In later years, Captain Cameron spent much of his time in Glasgow, supervising the construction of new ships for the company and his archives contain a considerable amount of material relating to the new vessels. He returned to Dunedin in 1906 and died in the city on 12 April 1909. He had married Jean (Jeanie) Noble in 1856, and she died in chidbirth in 1865. He had married his second wife, Annie Cameron, in 1882 and she died on 25 February 1949. Angus Cameron had four sons, John and Angus in Australia, Alexander (a master mariner) and Percival, a doctor.
The other main contributer to the archive, Dr Percival Douglas Cameron, was born in Dunedin on 31 January 1883 and gained his MB ChB in Edinburgh in 1907, later studying at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and working in hospitals in Edinburgh, Dunedin and Wellington, before entering private practice. Percy Cameron died in Wellington on 19 July 1971.

Photograph

Maheno

Maheno on the stocks

Tenasserim and Maheno at the Castle Rock

Maheno rudder

Maheno on the stocks

Maheno passing Dumbarton Rock

Plan of saloon and cabins, Rotomahana

Appin House, Leith Street, Dunedin, home of the Cameron family

Launch of the Manuka

Maheno lying alongside, Denny's yard

Maheno music room

Maheno smoking room

Maheno dining room saloon

Group ashore during 'Second Sounds Trip', West Coast

Picnic group, West Coast Sounds

Passengers and crew on Waikare during cruise to the West Coast Sounds

Archival Text

Ross and Wilson billhead

R.W. Forsyth billhead

Brown Ewing and Company billhead

Passengers and crew on Waikare during cruise to the West Coast Sounds

Depicts Or Relates To

SubjectsShippingShipbuildingMarine engineeringNavigationOcean travelSeamenFamily life

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Cameron family : Papers

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