National Lamb Day

New Zealand is known for its sheep. We’ve all heard the statistics that there is more
sheep than people.
We are also known for our lamb exports.
Thursday was National Lamb Day. But the frozen meat trade was nearly over
before it had begun and was rescued by one quick thinking man.
We’ve told the story of the Dunedin before, the ship that carried the first lot of frozen meat to Britain. Weirdly, the Dunedin and its sister ship the Marlborough, disappeared during their sailings never to be seen again.
But that first voyage was on February 15, 1882 the Dunedin sailed with 4331 mutton, 598 lamb and 22 pig carcasses, 250 kegs of butter, hare, pheasant, turkey, chicken and 2226 sheep tongues.
It was under the command of Captain John Whitson. He had captained the Dunedin since it was an immigrant ship and had also overseen its conversion to carry frozen meat.
The journey started well enough but once in the tropics the ship was becalmed, delaying its progress.
It was then the crew noticed that the freezing air, necessary to keep the meat at a cold enough temperature, was not circulating properly.
Like many at the time, Whitson was a jack of all trades. Immediately he rolled up his sleeves and went to work. He went into the freezing hold and began drilling holes to allow the air to move more freely.
He nearly froze to death to keep his historic cargo from spoiling. He had to be pulled out by the crew and resuscitated.
The Dunedin arrived in London 98 days after leaving New Zealand with it’s cargo intact, kicking off the frozen meat trade.
Whitson had been born in Perthshire, Scotland to John and Charlottee and become a master mariner. He had married Elizabeth Hall Illingworth who died in 1877 leaving him with two daughters.
Whitson captained the ship during several other voyages but before its last one he was taken ill and when the ship arrived at Port Chalmers on March 1, 1886, he was so ill he had to relinquish command and seek medical aid. Yet he was at the Oamaru wharf in May to wave farewell to his former command but he died within 24 hours of her leaving port, on 4 May, 1886 at age 45. His body was sent by train to Dunedin and his burial on 8 May was attended by some 200 mourners.
He is buried in Dunedin’s Northern Cemetery.
Picture by Judith Prins​