WING, THOMAS (1810-88) came to New Zealand first in 1835 as chief officer of the Independence, built at New Bedford in 1811 and commanded by Captain Clendon. He lived at Bay of Islands for some years, and when Clendon received an official post he took command of the vessel on her return to England. In 1837 she was cast away at Vavau (Tonga) but, being salvaged, was renamed the Tokerau. He came back in 1839 and surveyed Manukau and Kaipara harbours in the schooner Fanny, and was at Cloudy Bay with Guard in Nov. He again went to England, where he purchased the brigantine Deborah, 220 tons, in which he returned to New Zealand and made many trading voyages to coastal ports, Sydney and Tasmania. He was a skilful and competent navigator, so well acquainted with all the southern ports that Colonel Wakefield and Tuckett engaged his vessel for their explorations as far south as Stewart Island, and to carry stores for the New Edinburgh settlement (1844). He was harbourmaster at Launceston (Tasmania) 1852-56; was on the harbour staff at Melbourne and then, returning to New Zealand, was for 30 years in charge of the pilot service at Manukau and harbourmaster at Auckland. He witnessed the wreck of H.M.S. Orpheus (1863). Wing retired in 1887 and died on 19 Aug 1888.

N.Z. Archives, Br. and N.Z.C. reports; Carleton; Hocken; Sherrin and Wallace; N.Z. Herald, 3, 10 Jul 1880, 20 Aug 1888, 5 Aug 1929; Nelson Examiner, 20 Jul 1844

Reference: Volume 2, page 266

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