The Lady Jocelyn, 2138 tons, was built in 1852 by J Mare & Co (London) for the General Screw Steamship Company who intended this vessel for the East India Trade. She was fitted with auxiliary steam engines but when the Suez Canal was opened these were dispensed with. When the company collapsed she was renamed Brazil. She was then taken over by Shaw, Savill, Albion & Co and used on the New Zealand trade and immigration route from 1869 to 1883.

On October 8th 1863 the Lady Jocelyn left the port of Calcutta with the headquarters of the 43rd Regiment Light Infantry commanded by Colonel Henry Booth who was bringing his troops to fight in the Maori wars. Her passengers included 21 officers, 646 rank and file, 48 women, 93 children and a band numbering 25.

She dropped anchor in the Waitemata Harbour on December 10th 1863 under the command of Captain Robert W Kerr and at the time was the largest vessel to have visited New Zealand's shores.

She sailed under her original name to Melbourne, Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton and Port Chalmers and up to 1878 was the biggest immigrant ship voyaging to New Zealand and to be seen on the Waitemata

The Lady Jocelyn was also the first immigrant ship to arrive in Tauranga Harbour on January 2nd 1882 after sailing 95 days out of Gravesend. One of her captains, Hugh Stewart, built Athenree homestead in KatiKati which is being restored by the Athenree Homestead Trust.

Lady Jocelyn in 1878, brought out the second group of immigrants who formed the planned Irish/Ulster settlement in New Zealand. Some of the 4000 settlers in all, were said to be men and women in prosperous circumstances and their arrival was regarded as a distinct forward step in the settlement of the colony. Mr Vesey Stewart, brother of Captain Hugh Stewart is credited with organising the passage of some 4000 immigrants who settled in KatiKati and Te Puke.

Lady Jocelyn is credited with having made some of the fastest runs to Melbourne and New Zealand. In 1889 she took only 67 days from the English Channel to Melbourne - quite a feat under sail in those days.

This fine vessel finished her days as refrigerated storage on the banks of the Thames East India Docks, and was used as floating barracks during WWI. She was scrapped in Holland after the First World War.

Sailings London to Auckland:
May 1878 / Sept 1880 / Sept 1884 / Nov 1885 / Nov 1886 / Apr 1889

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