Lady Jocelyn
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 1881 after sailing 95 days out
of Gravesend. See the passenger
list here. One of her passengers, Captain
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
If you have notes on the Lady Jocelyn and would like to be considered for inclusion in this website, please e-mail.