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'British Empire'
arrived in Auckland 7th
July 1875
The following is a transcript from the Daily Southern
Cross Friday 8th October 1875.
Newspaper image from the great NZ site 
ARRIVAL OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE
The British Empire, a magnificent iron ship of 1,499 tons register, arrived in harbour from London last evening, after a fast passage of 87 days - being the best of the season. She brings out nearly 300 immigrants, who appear to be in good health. There were only five deaths, of infants, during the passage, and only four births. The British Empire was built at Sutherland in the year 1869, by Messrs Pile and Co., and is owned in London by Mr George Duncan. She is a fine model of a vessel, and has already made a mark as a clipper for sailing qualities by her performances on previous visits to the Australian Colonies, on each occasion making a first-rate passage. She brings a cargo, the value of which is estimated at over £20,000. The British Empire left Gravesend on Sunday, July 11th, and Start Point on Friday, the 16th . Experienced light winds to the Equator, which was crossed on the 11th August. Making the passage in 83 days.
The following are the births which occurred on the voyage:-
July 29 - Mrs Rushforth of a son;
and on the 17th of the next month, Mrs Bevan, of a boy (Augustine Bevan)
Mrs Proctor was also delivered of a child
Unfortunately, on the 7th of August, Mrs Rushforth's new-born died of atrophy and thrush. On the 17th of the same month, Albert Smith, aged 7 months, died from the consequences of teething upon which diarrhoea supervened. On the 19th a boy, named Joseph Brown, also died from the same illness. On the 25th John Protor, aged 2½ years, and on the 29th Agnes Stewart, a child of 11 months old, died from similar causes.
Testimonials
October 7th 1875. To Captain Mather, commander of the ship British Empire
Sir,
It would ill-become us, the immigrants on board this noble ship, to land from her on the shores of New Zealand without offering you our best thanks for your kind and gentlemanly manner throughout a very pleasant voyage, which is due - under a kind Providence - to your ability and skill as a commander; and we hope that to whatever part of the world you may again sail, that the good old ship British Empire will again bring you safely to your destination. And we pray God - when you again start for your homeward voyage - that you will arrive in safety to the bosom of your family. We will feel grateful if you would thank the officers and crew under your command for the seamanlike manner they discharged their duties and for their uniform civility. - Signed William Freney (chief constable), W. J. McClennen (school-master), and fellow passengers. -
Gentlemen; I thank you very much for your kind address. I can only say, for my own part, that it has always been my wish to make you a comfortable as possible. I wish you every prosperity in your new home - and am &c., James Mather.
To George Goode Esq., B.A. M.B.M.C. Trinity College Dublin -
We the immigrants on board the British Empire, feel it is our bounden duty, ere we leave this vessel for our adopted country, to offer you our grateful thanks for the kind, courteous, able and impartial manner in which you discharged the very arduous and important duties devolving on you as Surgeon-superintendent of this ship. Your eminent skill and capabilities as a medical practitioner, and your unwearied attention and kindness to the sick, call forth our warmest approbation, for we have at all times found you a gentleman of the highest reputation, and we are confident that you spared neither time nor labour to make us comfortable, healthy and happy during our very pleasant voyage from our native country to the land of our future home. We also beg to thank you for your kindness in getting up concerts for our amusement, in which you always took an active part. And as you are now about to part from us we beg of you to accept our best wishes, and to carry with you our highest esteem, and that in whatever country you locate, we sincerely trust that the noble profession to which you belong, through your eminent abilities, will make you prosperous and happy; and we pray Almighty God that he will carefully watch over you in this world, and that in the world to come you will be found numbered with the just. - Signed W. G. McClennen (school-master), William Fresney (chief constable) and fellow passengers. -
Ship British Empire October 7th 1875 - My kind friends, I return you my best thanks for the too flattering address which you have just presented to me. I have always endeavoured to do my duty by those entrusted to my charge by the Government of New Zealand; and although the consciousness of having done so is the most lasting regard one could have, yet at the same time it is very gratifying to me to find my exertions so highly spoken of by you who are the most competent judges. I thank the constables for their assistance and more especially Head-constable William Fresney for the very efficient manner in which he discharged his duties. Wishing you all every temporal and eternal blessing. - I am &c. George Goode
The Southern Cross Saturday 9th October 1875
Auckland, Entered Inwards. British Empire, ship, 1,499 tons, Mather, from London, with a general cargo. - Owen and Graham, agents. The following is a correct list of the saloon and second cabin passengers by the ship British Empire, which arrived on the port on Wednesday evening-
Saloon Colpeck Mr Arthur [Colbeck] Goode Dr. Radford Mr J.W. Saunders Mr C.E. Shoebridge Mr W.D. Smith Mr J.W. Wenhalmann Mr E.P. Wigglesworth Mr William Second Cabin- Green Mr Blake [Mr A. Blake Green] Green Mr A.
The fine ship British Empire, from London, reported at Customs yesterday. She will be berthed at the wharf as soon as possible. The immigrants per British Empire will be landed during the course of today. Owning to bad weather which prevailed throughout yesterday, they were not landed as was intended.
The following is a transcript from the Daily Southern Cross Friday 8th October 1875. [319 passengers plus 10 cabin embarked - 329 souls] [Auckland inward passenger arrivals List 319 names - no cabin passengers listed]
Married couples and children- Armer Henry, Rachael, John, Sophia, Frederick, George Artha John, Christiana and Samuel Bevan William, Eliza, Matilda, William, George and James Bridle Joseph, Jane, Sara and Alfred Beadle William, Eleanor, William, George, John, Dora and Charles Balton Thomas, Bridget and Patrick Berry John, Maria, William Brown William, Margaret, Honora, Patrick, Mary, Johanna, Joseph Brown Maurice, Catherine and Bridget Campbell Alexander, Mary and Isabella Denton Charles, Louisa, Harriett, William, Marry, Ella, James Jacobs Joseph Chataway Thomas and Sarah Clarke John, Matilda, Alfred, Carry and Rose Ellings Edwin, Wanny, Minnie and Elizabeth Fibbs William, Agnes and Mary Fox Robert, Marianne, Robert, Henry Frenchy William, Margaret, Susan, Francis, Sarah, William, Mary, Annie, Matthew Glasgow James, Margaret Green Henry, Anna, John Hicks James, Ellen and Albert Higgins Thomas, Mary, James Holton Henry, Catherine, Edward, Henry Haslett John and Amelia Harland Thomas, Mary, Margaret, Richard, Maria, Fanny, Edward Keane Dennis, Bridget, Ellen, Bridget, Margaret, Joanna Loaker William, Jane, Elizabeth, Isaac, John, Joseph, Anne Leckie Malcolm, Marion, Eliza, Catherine, William Lather John, Matilda, Catherine, Margaret Milner Edward, Mary, William, Eliza, Sarah Murphy Pat, Mary, Minnie McClellan William, Mary Marfleet William, Mary, William, Florence Markey Patrick, Kate, Patrick, Andrew Myers James, Caroline, James, Florence Madden Hugh, Mary Proctor William, Ely, Mary, A, Martha, Eliza, George, John Prior Walter, Mary, James,, Joseph Regan Barbour, Elizabeth Rushford William, Sarah, John, Anne Stewart William, Rachael, Sarah, Mary, Agnes Skeen James, Margaret, Robert, Henry Stewart William, Anne, Charles Shaw John, Ruth, William, Thomas, Richard, Fanny, Eliza, Nicholas, Eliza Shaw William, Margaret Thomas John, Mary Willstead Alfred, Marianne, Minnie Wiltshire Thomas, Elizabeth, Minnie Wall Edwin, Elizabeth
Single men- Ronan Michael Boland Antony Banck Patrick Barry Patrick Bailey Alfred Boyce John Coote James Grey John Connor George Courtney Daniel Casey John Chesire William Cochrane William Collings Patrick Carter H. J. Craige Charles Dunstant R. Duggan Michael Dun James Day J. W. Eagleson Robert Farrell Denis Farrell Robert Farrell John Frowley Phillip Garland Peter Galway John Goodwin Francis Hicks P. C. Hennessey S. Humphries T. G. Haugh A. Henchy P. Ireland M. Jones Charles Kennedy F. McCabe R. Keough T. Kennedy F. Kennedy J. Leary P. Leary J. Lean W. A. Lynch Thomas Mitchell McLennan Minogue Donald Minogue John McPride J. McNamara M. Madden J. Nesbitt J. Natman J O'Neill P. Oats T. O'Brien F. O'Keeffe Michael Phillips Adam Price Joseph Shaw William Reilly E. Roth J. D. Ritchie Samuel Reeves Robert Smith C. Stewart Hugh Simpson Robert Stevens William Stevens Richard Simmins John Willoughby William Wilson John Williams Alfred Williams William Wallace James Warburton William Wiseman J. Casey D. Worwick Henry William Thomas William Horace Milner Hugh Brown Henry Colefield H. Howes Edward Meighan P. Martin H. Drake F. Kernot W. A. Quigley W. J. Keene Thomas Conner Robert Corcoran Frank Single Women- Cardis Margaret Garland Judith Bridgman Fanny Briant Sarah Clements Mary Collins Annie Davis Ellen Daniels Ada Hicks Annie Johnston Frances Johnston Sarah Lee Georgina Minogue Matilda Maclean Annie Warwick Mary Warwick Mary Louisa Milner Mary Milner Margaret McKay Catherine O'Keefe Bridget Quinn Ellen Russell Catherine Slattery Mary Stevens Eliza Mary Thomas Lydia Thomas Eliza Drake Elizabeth
The classification of the immigrants is as follows-
2 Smiths, 14 carpenters, 23 female servants, 2 brickmakers, 1 saw maker, 1
lawyer, 38 labourers, 40 farm labourers, 4 ploughmen, 1 watchmaker, 3 engineers,
3 painters, 2 joiners, 1 cabinetmaker, 1 iron-turner, 2 mechanics, 1 dressmaker,
5 housemaids, 2 cooks, 1 laundress, 1 dairymaid, 1 butcher.