About two years ago I became the custodian of a presentation brandy barrel.
It is engraved as a retirement present to an NZSCo Chief Engineer called W.R.Sneddon. Mr Sneddon, we don’t know his family names, was from Christchurch NZ. Born 6th September 1870. He joined NZSCo in 1894 as 2nd Refrig Engineer. He was shipwrecked in January 1898 while 4th Engineer on Mataura which struck an uncharted rock & sank in Sealer's Cove, Desolation Island, near Cape Horn ,where she became a total loss. He and the rest of the ship’s company were rescued and brought to Punta Arenas. They returned to the UK in one of Pacific Steam Navigation Co’s steamers. Mr Sneddon did not get back to sea with NZSCo until January 1901. Eventually he was appointed as Chief Engineer in April 1911 We have records that show that he was Chief Engineer on Remuera in 1922 (Voyage 24) He served continuously in Remuera apart from Voyages 25 and 44. He suffered from a heart condition and was pensioned from June 1930. He retired to live in the UK and the brandy barrel, which had been held in the Auckland office ever since, never caught up with him.
We would like to get the brandy barrel into the hands of his grandchildren or great grandchildren but we don’t know who or where they are.
There is a Sneddon family living in Dunedin, who had ancestors (12-14 siblings!) of the right generation. They were brought up on Saddle Hill, out of Dunedin. Many in the family were involved in mining/engineering. I have passed the details on to the current generation and it is bouncing around them at the moment. Those that remember Maureen Ball may know that she was a Sneddon and it is a cousin of hers that is in touch, via Maureen's sister in Alice Springs.