THE NEW ZEALAND MARITIME RECORD

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Iron hulled paddle-steamer
Registered number 46464
Displacement: 43 tons net, 53 tons gross register
Length: 82.5 feet
Beam: 15.5 feet
Draft: 5.3 feet
Type: fore and aft rigged schooner

1863     Built at Sydney, New South Wales by P. N. Russell and Company.

1865     August 19     Charles Marshall issued with Master's Certificate for the ship Novelty.

1865     November     Made four return voyages between Lyttelton and Heathcote.

1866     First registered at Lyttelton.

1866     Stranded on the Sumner Bar and had to be re-launched on a special way, over 300 metres long, to get the vessel back into the Heathcote River.

1866     July 9     Charles Murray examined for Master's Certificate by E. Hamilton, Acting Inspector of Steamers.

1867     August 5     Crossed the Sumner Bar with migrants and luggage from the Shaw Savill vessel Lancashire Witch of 1383 tons, which had departed from London on the second of April.

1868     August 16     A Tsunami (tidal wave) in Lyttelton Harbour caused part of the harbour bottom to be laid bare, then a wave swept in, damaging the staunchions and bulwarks of the Novelty.

1869     April 22     Carried passengers down the harbour to view H.M.S. Galatea, which was opened for inspection for several hours on the two days of her visit.  Aboard was Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh; the twenty four year old second son of Queen Victoria.

1870     Owned by Edward Richardson (Right), an Opawa contractor and chairman of the Lyttelton Harbour Board 1877-82.

1887     The Novelty was wrecked off Quail Island in Lyttelton Harbour.  Today there are no visible signs to show where this vessel met her fate.