c. 1878, Photograph, PRG 1373/2/69
The iron ship 'Marlborough', 1124 tons, docked near a rocky outcropping at Port Chalmers, New Zealand [iron ship, 1191 gross tons. (1124 net tons) ON73858, 228.0 x 35.0 x 21.0. Built 1876 (6) R Duncan and Co. Port Glasgow. Owners James Galbraith (Albion Line) registered Glasgow, c. 1880 John Leslie. Missing - sailed from Lyttelton January 11, 1890 with cargo and one passenger, was spoken two days later and was never seen again. Another regular trader to New Zealand, ususally operating under charter to Shaw, Savill, which has led to statements being made that they owned the ship. She made 14 voyages to New Zealand visiting Wellington, Lyttelton, Dunedin and Bluff, but her greatest claim to fame is the mystery of her loss which has been subject to all sorts of solutions but nothing conclusive has ever been established. Magazine items; shipwreck books, and other publications continue to produce solutions to the mystery. See 'White Wings' Vol. 1 - apart from list of trips also gives a solution to the mystery. 'New Zealand Ships' p.241 for loss - with another solution to mystery. 'Colonial Clippers' which gives the wrong date for loss. NB: All above references claim she was owned by Shaw Savill which is incorrect. These notes are from Ron Parsons].