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