OLD DAYS OF SAIL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 3, 3 December 1931, Page 12

OLD DAYS OF SAIL.

LAST IMMIGRANT SHIP. Interest in the question: What was the last sailing ship to bring immigrants to New Zealand? has been aroused by discussion on the subject to the London Times. It has been stated that the Lady Jocelyn marked the end of the era of passenger transport by sail. Mr. T. Dawes asserts that the last of tho immigrant sailers was the Jessie Headman, which arrived at Auckland on the morning of November 21, 1885, the Lady Jooelyn being then in port. Captain Gibson was her master, and the mates were Messrs Rogers and Hill. She was an iron ship of 962 tons, built by Messrs Scott and Company, of Glasgow, in 1869, for Patrick Henderson and later she sailed under the Shaw Savill and Albion flag. Sho had accommodation for four first-class, rive second-class and 38 third-class passengers. After going to sea on her dast voyage with passengers, says Mr. Dawes, two stowaways were discovered under the cook’s coal. They were brothers, and were allowed to work their passage. Not long after reaching Auckland they set up in. business as London tailors. When returning to England in 1885 the first mate, Mr Rogers, was washed overboard and lost when tho ship was rounding Cape Horn.

The vessel made voyages to New Zealand on six other occasions, and was on her 23rd return trip to England in January, 1893, when, in. foggy weather she went ashore on the Chathams and became a total wreck, but without loss of life.