An oil painting of HMS Buffalo as she appeared during her timber carrying visits to New Zealand in the 1830s. Painting: Paul Deacon

As people take active measures to self-isolate at home, with some going above and beyond with well-stocked pantries and towering toilet paper forts, consider other quarantine measures that were in place during historic pandemics.

HMS Buffalo, a 19th-century shipwreck on the east coast of the Coromandel, serves as a historic reminder of strict measures to stop the spread of infection. In the second wave of cholera which hit Britain in the 1830s, the British Admiralty ordered ships into temporary quarantine service at Stangate Creek, near Sheerness, England.

HMS Buffalo, originally named Hindostan and constructed in 1813 in Sulkea (opposite Calcutta), India, served several duties over its life. The Admiralty used the vessel as a storeship during the Napoleonic Wars and after which, it traded between North America, the Caribbean and Britain. Then between 1831 and 1832, HMS Buffalo operated as a quarantine ship.

KURT BENNETT A photo of the memorial at the beach taken in November 2017.

In 1833, the British Admiralty recommissioned the vessel for use in the country's expansion into Australia and New Zealand. The ship transported convicts to New South Wales, the first European 'free-settlers' to South Australia and exported timber from New Zealand.

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After the first wave of cholera (1817–1824) spread through Asia, the second wave reached the United Kingdom in 1832. HMS Buffalo was repurposed for quarantine, mostly for incoming goods to air out before distributing among the wider population—an active measure thought to stop or slow the spread. The hold and decks of the ship would have been dark and damp with limited ventilation.

However, it was later discovered the spread of cholera was caused by the ingestion of food or water carrying the bacteria. The pandemic lasted until around 1837 although this date is debated. Further cholera outbreaks continued in 1848, 1853 and 1866 with the global death toll estimated around 15 million.

Wayne Timmo HMS Buffalo flies her ensign upside down as a distress signal as she drifts toward the shore in this painting by Paul Deacon.

On 28 July 1840, while loading timber spars near Whitianga, a storm drove the ship ashore on what is now known as Buffalo Beach and it became a total loss. Two crew lost their lives during the event.

Today, the Mercury Bay Museum in Whitianga has a fantastic HMS Buffalo display among other local historical displays. When the time is right, it is well worth a visit or for the more adventurous, take a swim and see the ship for yourself. The shipwreck still lies approximately 200 metres off Buffalo Beach. The significant historic timber hull remains of HMS Buffalo is a timely reminder of our human past and our ability to adapt and to be resilient in a time of need.

Dominic951 via Wikimedia Commons The wreck of the HMS Buffalo

The shipwreck is a protected archaeological site under the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014 and removal of items is a criminal offence.

Note: with reference to this article there is a vaccine for cholera.

Kurt Bennett is a maritime archaeologist who is currently studying historic ships in New Zealand for his PhD.