Pleiades

A fullrigged iron ship built in 1869 by McMillan, Dumbarton. Dimensions 209'6"×33'1"×20'6" and tonnage 1020 GRT, 997 NRT and 935 tons under deck.

1869 September: Launched at the shipyard of McMillan, Dumbarton, for Adamson & Co., London. Assigned the official British Reg. No. 63509 and signal MFKP. Captain Inglis was given command of the ship.
1872: Sold to Shaw, Savill & Co., London. Employed in the New Zealand emmigrant trade.
1872-1874: In command of Captain Roberts.
1872 September 13 - December 28: Sailed from London to Lyttleton in 106 days.
1873 October 4 - January 8: Sailed from London to Lyttleton in 96 days.
1874 August 28 - December 16: Sailed from London to Lyttleton in 110 days.
1875 September 27 - January 12: Sailed from London to Wellington in 107 days under command of Captain Davies.
1876-1888: In command of Captain Setton.
1876 October 25 - January 22: Sailed from London to Port Chalmers in 89 days, or 82 days land to land.
1877 December 12/13 - March 11: Sailed from London to Lyttleton in 88 days, or 77 days from land to land. Was detained in the Channel for eight days.
1878 September 28 - January 1: Sailed from London to Wellington in 95 days.
1879 November 1 - January 26: Sailed from London to Lyttleton in 86 days.
1880 October 14 - January 15: Sailed from London to Lyttleton in 93 days.
1881 July 28 - November 11: Sailed from London to Lyttleton in 106 days.
1881 October 16: Sighted and boarded a waterlogged derelict which proved to be the timberladen ship Ulster of St John's.
1882 July 2 - October 1: Sailed from London to Lyttleton in 91 days.
1883 June 2 - September 6: Sailed from London to Lyttleton in 96 days.
1884 June 25 - October 5: Sailed from London to Port Chalmers in 102 days.
1885 June 24 - September 21: Sailed from London to Lyttleton in 89 days.
1886 October 1 - January 6: Sailed from London to Port Chalmers in 95 days.
1887 November 29 - March 13: Sailed from London to Auckland in 104 days.
1887 December 29 - March 3: Sailed from London to Lyttleton in 92 days.
1888-1897: In command of Captain Moreton.
1889 November 7 - February 13: Sailed from London to Auckland in 98 days.
1890 November 29 - February 27: Sailed from London to Napier in 90 days.
1891 December 1 - March 19: Sailed from London to Wellington in 108 days.
1892 October 18 - March 11: Sailed from London to Lyttleton in 143 days.
1892 November 7 - February 7: Sailed from London to Bluff in 93 days.
1895 July 19 - October 22: Sailed from London to Nelson in 95 days.
1896 June 20 - September 27: Sailed from London to Lyttleton in 100 days.
1897 June 19 - October 5: Sailed from London to Lyttleton in 107 days.
1899 May 28 - September 18: Sailed from London to Port Chalmers in 112 days.
1899 October 31: Wrecked in a heavy gale at Akitio on the East Coast of the North Island on voyage in ballast from Napier to Port Chalmers. When it became obvious that the ship was going to be wrecked, Captain Burton decided to run the ship aground at the most suitable spot. The entire crew was able to get ashore safely and was later taken to Wellington in the steamer Himitangi.

References:

Square-rigged ships, general references.
Brett, Henry: White Wings. Fifty Years of Sail in the New Zealand Trade 1850-1900.
The Brett Printing Company, Auckland, 1924. 8vo, 368 pp, ill.

Updated 1998-10-16 by Lars Bruzelius

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