Berar
Ship: 902 tons
Captain: Hight
Surgeon Superintendent: Dr P N Newall
Sailed London 17th October 1874 - arrived Wellington 22nd January 1875
Under charter to the Shaw Savill
Company, the ship Berar, 902 tons, made three trips to New Zealand, two to Wellington and
one to Auckland. Leaving London on February 5, 1865, she reached Wellington on May 10, a
passage of 93 days. Her next voyage was to Auckland. She left London on May 22, 1873, and
reached Auckland after a passage of 103 days on September 3. On this occasion she brought
out 308 immigrants, who arrived well, in spite of the fact that it was a large number for
a ship of her size. There were 108 children on board, and of that number three died on the
voyage - two babies and one little boy of five. Dr C L Cunningham was the ships medical
officer. Mr Henry Shepherd, of Herne Bay, who came out in the ship on this trip, tells me
that she brought out some, if not all, of the iron fluming for the Thames water-race.
Amoing the passengers were also the Mills family, several members of which became so well
known in cricketing circles, namely Messrs. George Mills, Isaac Mills, and William Mills.
The third trip of the Berar was to Wellington. She left London on October 18, 1874, and
made Wellington on January 22, 1875, a passage of 96 days. On this occasion there were
twenty-one deaths from scarlet fever. Captain Hall commanded the Berar in 1865, and
Captain Highho (sic) on the other two trips.
White Wings - Sir Henry Brett.
Her name is probably taken from the BERAR (also spelt BIRAR) district east-central Maharashtra state, western India which is famous for its cotton-growing. Following this voyage a Royal Commission of Enquiry was convened into the outbreak of disease & subsequent deaths on board.
Arrival
of the Berar
Diary of the voyage of the Berar
(kindly provided by Nick Perrin)
Voyage of the ship Berar 1874/75
(written by Suzanne Perrin)
Evidence given at the Royal Commission
(kindly provided by Nick Perrin)
List of Passengers in
hospital on Somes Island
Name | Age | County | Occupation | |
Families and Children | ||||
Bassett | J | 28 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Henrietta | 28 | |||
Elizabeth | 10 | |||
Benge | James B | Kent | Labourer | |
Emma | ||||
Mary A | ||||
Frederic | ||||
Clara | ||||
Minnie | ||||
Benson | George | 34 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Mary A | 30 | |||
George | 13 | T/F to s/m | ||
William | 8 | |||
Harry | 7 | |||
Peter | 5 | |||
Frederick | 2 | Died on board 06/12/1874 Scarlatina |
||
Female child | Born on board 09/12/1874 (stillborn) | |||
Blanch | Thomas | 28 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Mary A | 26 | |||
John | 3 | |||
Breach | Levi | 45 | Berkshire | Coachman |
Eliza | 42 | |||
William | 22 | T/F to s/m | ||
Elizabeth | 18 | T/F to s/w | ||
Samson | 11 | |||
Lydia | 9 | |||
Jane | 7 | |||
Carmody | John | 32 | Kerry | Labourer |
Johanna | 28 | |||
Cogger | William | 35 | Kent | Shepherd |
Mary A | 33 | |||
Alice S | 3 | Died on board 06/11/1874 Scarlatina |
||
Debank | Mark | 35 | Oxfordshire | Farm Labourer |
Anne | 33 | |||
Mary A | 6 | |||
Dixon | Charles | 32 | Lincolnshire | Farm Labourer |
Mary A | 26 | |||
George | 4 | |||
John | 2 | |||
Charles | 1 | |||
Fielding | Alfred | Jersey | Painter | |
Eliza | ||||
Eliza | ||||
Forster | John | 25 | Kent | Coach Painter |
Eliza | 23 | |||
Fanny E | 14 months | Died on board 22/11/1874 Scarlatina |
||
Alice J | 1 month | |||
Frigaux-Lebire | Leon P | 38 | France | Tinman |
Marie M | 36 | |||
Ernest A | 22 | T/F to s/m | ||
William | 15 | T/F to s/m | ||
Mathilda | 14 | T/F to s/w | ||
Louisa | 9 | |||
Gainor | John | 32 | Kerry | Farm Labourer |
Rebecca | 28 | |||
Martha | 11 | |||
George | Samuel | 29 | Jersey | Cabinet Maker |
Annie | 27 | |||
Minnie | 8 | |||
Beatrice | 6 | |||
William | 2 | |||
Emma | 3 months | |||
Harvey | Henry | 34 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Mary A | 33 | |||
Mary J | 9 | |||
John | 7 | |||
Sarah A | 6 | |||
Henry W | 2 | |||
Charles T | 9 months | |||
Heighton | William | 37 | Wiltshire | Gardener |
Mary A | 25 | |||
Mary A | 8 | |||
J William | 4 | |||
J H | 9 months | Died on board 09/11/1874 Tabes mesenterica |
||
Henley | Thomas | 39 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Catherine | 37 | |||
John | 14 | T/F to s/m | ||
William | 12 | T/F to s/m | ||
Albert | 7 | |||
Thomas | 4 | |||
Mary | 1 | |||
Hickslept | Thomas | 26 | Kent | Labourer |
Emily | 28 | |||
Henry | 4 | |||
Charles | 20 months | |||
Jarrett | Richard | 32 | Sussex | Farm Labourer |
Ann | 22 | |||
Owen | 5 | |||
Richard O | 4 | |||
James E | 3 | |||
Kearnay | Patrick | 35 | Kerry | Farm Labourer |
Hannah | 27 | |||
James | 12 | T/F to s/m | ||
Richard | 4� | |||
Mant | George | 39 | Surrey | Farm Labourer |
Emma | 39 | |||
Fanny L | 15 | T/F to s/w | ||
William | 13 | T/F to s/m | ||
Thomas | 12 | T/F to s/m | ||
Ellen | 8 | |||
Mary | 6 | |||
Elsie | 2 | |||
Mercer | Henry | 27 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Amelia | 27 | |||
Mary A | 6 | |||
William | 4 | |||
Ada | 2 | |||
Alice | 10 months | |||
Mercer | Edward | 45 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Mary A | 42 | |||
Arthur | 11 | |||
Ernest | 9 | |||
Sarah A | 7 | |||
Mitchell | Thomas | 25 | Cornwall | Farm Labourer |
Elizabeth A | 24 | |||
Harriet A | 1 | |||
Perrin | Charles Thomas | 38 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Sophia | 39 | |||
Mary A | 17 | T/F to s/w | ||
Charles | 15 | T/F to s/m | ||
Fred | 12 | T/F to s/m | ||
Alfred | 8 | |||
Sophia | 5 | |||
Henry | 3 | |||
Stephen | 10 months | |||
Pettett | James William | 28 | Sussex | Carpenter |
Mary A | 24 | |||
George | 4 months | |||
Price | William | 31 | Surrey | Cloth Cap Maker |
Mary | 47 | |||
Charlotte | 15 | T/F to s/w | ||
Maria | 13 | T/F to s/w | ||
Clara | 4 | |||
Presswood | Housley | 29 | Nottinghamshire | Watchmaker |
Ellen | 23 | |||
William Housley | 1� | |||
Riorden | David | 28 | Kerry | Farm Labourer |
Catherine | 23 | |||
Sepper | H J | 39 | Kent | Tailor |
Mary | 37 | |||
Minnie | 2 | |||
Shand | W | 35 | Kent | Labourer |
E | 35 | |||
H W | 10 | |||
C | 8 | |||
S | 6 | |||
A E | 1 | |||
Sharman | Jonathan | 45 | Farm Labourer | |
Ann | 35 | |||
Elizabeth | 13 | T/F to s/w | ||
Julia | 2 | Died on board 09/11/1874 Scarlatina |
||
Henry | 4 months | |||
Simmons | Thomas | 30 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Pemby | 25 | |||
Arthur T | 4 | |||
Alfred E | 2 | Died on board 17/01/1874 Scarlatina |
||
|
Agnes A | 7 months |
|
|
Trezise | James | 30 | Cornwall | Farm Labourer |
Ann | 30 | Died on board 11/01/1875 Rheumatic Fever |
||
Margery | 6 | |||
Emily | 4 | |||
Edith | 2 | |||
Willism | 6 months | |||
Webb | John | 38 | Warwickshire | Gardener |
Elizabeth | 35 | |||
Frederick | 15 | T/F to s/m | ||
Elizabeth | 13 | T/F to s/w | ||
John | 7 | |||
Elizabeth E | 5 | |||
Whibley | Daniel | 29 | Kent | Brickmaker |
Sarah | 28 | |||
Ruth A | 3 | |||
Wright | Helier | 28 | Jersey | Wine Cooper |
Jane | 28 | |||
Elie | 4 | |||
Florence | 2 | |||
Thomas | 3 months | |||
Selected by Emigrant and Colonists Aid Corporation | ||||
Alderson | Anthony | 50 | Durham | Labourer |
Cicely | 38 | |||
Ann | 20 | T/F to s/w | ||
Sarah | 18 | T/F to s/w | ||
William | 17 | T/F to s/m | ||
Mary A | 16 | T/F to s/w | ||
Catherine | 15 | T/F to s/w | ||
John | 14 | T/F to s/m | ||
Phoebe | 10 | |||
Martin | 7 | |||
James | 4 | |||
Dorothy | 2 | |||
Artha | Richard A | 26 | Hamptonshire | Labourer |
May S | 23 | |||
Ashworth | George | 33 | Hertfordshire | Labourer |
Jane | 28 | |||
Jane E | 4 | |||
Georgina A E | 20 months | Died on board 25/11/1874 Scarlatina |
||
Bacon | George | 28 | Leicestershire | Carpenter |
Martha | 22 | |||
Clayton | William | 37 | Nottinghamshire | Carpenter Died on board 14/01/1875 Dysentry |
Mary A | 33 | |||
Annie | 4 | |||
Julia | 4 | |||
Frederick | 6 months | |||
Farreday | Simeon | 30 | Staffordshire | Blacksmith |
Sarah | 31 | |||
Lawton | Amos | 23 | Staffordshire | Labourer |
Kitty | 21 | |||
Ann | 10 months | Died on board 02/01/1875 Scarlatina |
||
Meacham | John | 28 | Buckinghamshire | Farm Labourer |
Rosa | 26 | |||
Lilly M | 17 months | Died on board 04/11/1874 Scarlatina |
||
Male child | Born on board 07/12/1874 | |||
Neale | Henry | 25 | Northamptonshire | Labourer |
Jane | 26 | |||
Sarah A | 1 | Died on board 14/11/1874 | ||
Parkes | Thomas | 43 | Sussex | Farm Labourer |
Eliza | 42 | |||
Thomas | 20 | T/F to s/m | ||
Ellen | 11 | |||
Alfred | 9 | |||
Saville | Stephen | 38 | Yorkshire | Labourer |
Isabella | 38 | |||
John | 14 | T/F to s/m | ||
Elizabeth | 13 | T/F to s/w | ||
James | 11 | |||
Benjamin | 10 | |||
Mary | 9 | Died on board 01/11/1874 Scarlatina |
||
Smith | John | 27 | Staffordshire | Labourer |
Annie J | 27 | |||
Female child | Born on board 26/12/1874 (stillborn) | |||
White | Richard | 24 | Devonshire | Farm Labourer Died on board 24/11/1874 Scarlatina |
Anne | 25 | |||
Charles | 1 | |||
Colonial Nominated | ||||
Batchin | Alfred | 39 | Surrey | Painter |
Elizabeth | 48 |
|
|
|
Blake | William | 34 | Middlesex | Smith |
Esther A | 32 | |||
Mary J | 12 | T/F to s/w | ||
Esther A | 10 | |||
William Albert | 7 | |||
Emily A | 4 | |||
Elizabeth M | 10 months | Died on board 01/11/1874 Diphtheria |
||
Browne | James | 34 | Derry | Painter |
Letitia | 32 | |||
Robert G | 13 | T/F to s/m | ||
Andrew J | 11 | |||
Jane | 7 | |||
Henry G | 5 | |||
Elizabeth J | 3 | |||
James | 1 | Died on board 04/12/1874 Scarlatina |
||
Male child | Born on board 16/11/1874 | |||
Lord | William | 42 | Wiltshire | Time Keeper Died on board 19/01/1875 Dysentry |
Emma S | 34 | |||
Emma M A | 16 | T/F to s/w | ||
Frances E | 13 | T/F to s/w | ||
Ann M | 10 | |||
Susannah J | 9 | |||
John J | 7 | |||
Alfred A | 5 | |||
Ada B | 4 | Died on board 25/12/1874 Scarlatina |
||
Florence S | 2 months | Died on board 25/11/1874 Effects of sea voyage |
||
Shewbridge | James | 39 | Kent | Bricklayer |
Mary | 35 | |||
Sarah | 15 | T/F to s/w | ||
George | 11 | |||
Annie | 9 | |||
Ada | 7 | |||
Dora | 5 | |||
Lilly | 1 | |||
Single Men | ||||
Abard | Walter | 28 | Sussex | Labourer |
Alderson | William | 17 | Durham | Labourer |
John | 14 | Durham | ||
Barnes | James | 26 | Kent | General Labourer |
Batchelor | Thomas | 17 | Sussex | General Labourer |
Berry | Walter | 20 | Surrey | Fitter |
Benson | George | 13 | Kent | |
Billings | George | 18 | Kent | Labourer |
Boyes | Frederick | 21 | Surrey | Slaughterman |
Breach | William | 22 | Berkshire | Gardener |
Cleghorn | Arthur | 22 | Middlesex | Carpenter |
Collins | William | 19 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Colyer | James | 17 | Kent | Labourer |
Conaghan | Thomas | 24 | Derry | Mason |
Cunneen | Thomas | 17 | Kent | Labourer |
Michael | 14 | Kent | ||
Daniel | 12 | Kent | ||
Dafter | Richard | 21 | Surrey | Gardener |
Day | William | 23 | Cambridgeshire | Farm Labourer |
Dickin | Thomas | 20 | Warwickshire | Labourer |
English | John | 20 | Guernsey | Farm Labourer |
Frigaux-Lebire | Ernest A | 22 | France | Tinman |
William | 15 | France | ||
Gileson | William | 32 | Kent | Labourer |
Henley | John | 14 | Kent | |
William | 12 | Kent | ||
Holland | George | 20 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Hopkins | Henry Herbert | 20 | Sussex | Labourer |
Johnstone | Andrew | 19 | Shetland | Farm Labourer |
Kearnay | James | 12 | Kerry | |
Kearns | James | 24 | Fermanagh | Labourer |
Kingsworth | Charles J | 23 | Kent | General Labourer |
Lavender | Edward | 23 | Sussex | Farm Labourer |
Lepper | John J | 19 | Kent | Ironmoulder & Labourer |
|
Charles W | 16 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Lepper | William R | 14 | Hertfordshire | Labourer |
Mager | Charles | 18 | Hertfordshire | Farm Labourer |
Mant | William | 13 | Surrey | |
Thomas | 12 | Surrey | ||
Manwaring | John C | 13 | Kent | |
Martin | James | 25 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Mercer | George | 17 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
John | 14 | Kent | ||
James | 21 | Kent | Farm Labourer | |
Navin | Alexander | 29 | Kincaird | Farm Labourer |
Ogston | George | 27 | Aberdeen | Saddler |
Perrin | Charles | 15 | Kent | |
Frederick | 12 | Kent | ||
Parkes | Thomas | 20 | Sussex | Labourer |
Peck | John | 25 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Percival | William | 30 | Kent | Labourer |
Percival | Robert | 54 | Kent | Labourer |
Aubrey | 14 | Kent | ||
Potter | Humphrey | 20 | Huntingdon | Labourer |
Rawley | Walter H | 20 | Warwickshire | Labourer |
Roswell | Samuel | 22 | Guernsey | Farm Labourer |
Saville | John | 14 | Yorkshire | |
Scrivens | Alfred | 20 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Sharman | Charles E | 15 | Suffolk | Labourer |
Sharman | J R | 18 | Essex | Labourer |
Shoobridge | Harry | Kent | Labourer | |
Smith | William | 16 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Smith | Richard | 37 | Kent | Labourer |
Startup | Joseph | 19 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Stock | Frederic | 21 | Cambridgeshire | Fram Labourer |
Webb | Frederick | 15 | Warwickshire | |
Wenham | John | 20 | Kent | Labourer |
Williamson | Frederick | 24 | Oxfordshire | Carpenter |
Wisdom | William C | 20 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Henry | 18 | Kent | Farm Labourer | |
Young | John | 17 | Kent | Farm Labourer |
Young | William | 21 | Shetland | Farm Labourer |
Colonial Nominated Single Men | ||||
Browne | Robert G | 13 | Derry | |
Cloak | William Henry | 13 | Middlesex | |
Dillon | John | 24 | Hartfordshire | Bricklayer |
Enright | John | 21 | Kerry | Labourer |
Ellen | 17 | T/F to s/w | ||
Fowler | William | 64 | Norfolk | Game Keeper |
Henry | Nicholas | 20 | Galway | Bootmaker |
Roadley | Cecil | 21 | Lincolnshire | Printer |
Selfe | George W | 28 | Surrey | Joiner |
Single Women | ||||
Alderson | Anne | 20 | Durham | Servant |
Sarah | 18 | Durham | Servant | |
Mary A | 16 | Durham | Servant | |
Catherine | 15 | Durham | Servant | |
Barham | Esther | 15 | Kent | Servant |
Bassett | Kate | 25 | Kent | Servant |
Breach | Elizabeth | 18 | Berkshire | Housemaid |
Carman | Sophia | 18 | Kent | Servant |
Carroll | Agnes | 17 | Kent | Servant |
Cunneen | Mary | 41 | ||
Thomas | 17 | T/F to s/m | ||
Michael | 14 | T/F to s/m | ||
Daniel | 12 | T/F to s/m | ||
Margaret | 7 | |||
Tom | 4 | |||
William | 1 | |||
Devine | Mary C | 18 | Tipperary | Servant |
Falle | Louisa | 16 | Jersey | Housemaid |
Fricker | Fanny | 23 | Germany | Cook |
Frigaux-Lebire | Matilda | 14 | France | |
Harvey | Susannah | 16 | Kent | Servant |
Henley | Ann | 16 | Kent | Servant |
Holliday | Amy | 23 | Inverness | Housemaid |
Holloway | Sarah J | 17 | Dorsetshire | Housemaid |
Kerrins | Mary Susan | 18 | India | Housemaid |
Manning | Mary A | 21 | Warwickshire | Housemaid |
Manwaring | Charlotte | 34 | Kent | Servant SUB-MATRON |
Mant | Fanny S | 15 | Surrey | Nurse |
McLaughlan | Bridget | 25 | Derry | Servant |
Nash | Mary | 44 | Kent | Servant MATRON |
Fanny | 17 | Kent | Servant | |
Eliza | 20 | Kent | Servant | |
Percival | Harriet | 21 | Kent | Servant |
Perrin | Mary A | 17 | Kent | Servant |
Price | Charlotte | 15 | Surrey | |
Maria | 13 | Surrey | ||
Ray | Jane | 19 | Jersey | Housemaid |
Saville | Elizabeth | 13 | Yorkshire | |
Sharman | Elizabeth | 13 | Suffolk | |
Swain | Mary M | 18 | Surrey | Servant |
Webb | Elizabeth | 13 | Warwickshire | |
Weigandt | Celestine | 24 | Germany | Servant |
Colonial Nominated Single Women | ||||
Blake | Mary J | 12 | Middlesex | |
Cloak | Eliza | 18 | Middlesex | Servant |
William Henry | 13 | T/F to s/m | ||
Enright | Ellen | 17 | Kerry | Dairymaid |
Lord | Emma M A | 16 | Wiltshire | Servant |
Frances E | 13 | Wiltshire | ||
Quartly | Amy | 25 | Middlesex | Dressmaker |
Walter E | 5 | Middlesex | ||
Edith A | 3� | Middlesex | ||
Percy Charles | 1� | Middlesex | ||
Shewbridge | Sarah | 15 | Kent | |
Weaver | Susan | 70 | Devonshire | |
White | Sarah | 28 | Buckinghamshire | Servant |
William | 3 | Buckinghamshire | ||
|
||||
PERRIN family: Charles Thomas PERRIN and his family lived in Rotherhithe, Surrey just south of the river Thames. Here he was listed in the 1851 census as a British Pitch Maker working in the Surrey Dockyards. In 1874 Charles his wife Sophia and their seven children Mary, Charles, Fred, Alfred, Sophia, Henry and Stephen emigrated to New Zealand on board this sailing of Berar to Wellington. All were lucky to arrive safewly on a ship in which disease was rife. There were 19 deaths, most from Scarlatina, and mostly amongst the younger children. Following their arrival, the Perrin's moved to Nelson where Charles Thomas became a grocer. If you have a connection to this family or are interested in learning more please contact Nick Perrin. |
||||
|
||||
Mary Susan KERRINS: Mary Susan Kearins, the daughter of William and Suzie Kearins, was born on board the ship Polmaise. Her mother had been on her way to join her husband, William, who was serving with the British Army in India. Her birth was therefore registered in that British teritory. After several years in India Susan returned to England and in 1875 arrived in Wellington on boar the Berar. Hers, in 1877, she married Giles Francis Lapham. They were to have four children William (1877), Ellen (1879), Arthur (1881) and Frank (1883) before Giles (known as Frank) left with another woman and was never heard from again. If you have a connection with this family, are interested in learning more or can shed some light on what happened to Frank Lapham Snr please contact Craig Gunn. |
||||
Copyright Denise & Peter 2000 - 2006
Reference:
Archives New Zealand IM15/176