Arthur D. Edwardes : SUMMARY RECORD [PRG 1373] • Photograph
The 'Underley' moored in the Thames at Greenwich
The iron ship 'Underley', 1292 tons, moored in the Thames at Greenwich. The main skysail yard has been sent down and a long poop deck to provide additional accommodation [iron ship, 1292 tons, ON54549, 225.0 x 37.1 x 23.0. Built 1866 (10) Lune Shipbuilding Co., Lancaster. Owners: Lancaster Shipowners Co., registered Lancaster. Lost on a voyage to Melbourne in 1871 at the Isle of Wight].
The 'Mermerus' at Port Adelaide
The iron ship 'Mermerus', 1671 tons, at Port Adelaide. The ship was built for the Australian wool trade. The masts have been reduced in height and main skysail has been discarded [iron ship, 1750 tons, ON67904. 264.2 x 39.8 x 23.7. Built 1872 (5) Barclay, Curle and Co. Glasgow. Owners: A & J Carmichael and Co., Golden Fleece Line, registered Glasgow. 1898 sold to Russian owners. Wrecked 29 Nov 1909 outward for Melbourne with timber in a heavy fog near Christiansand, refloated but not found worth repairing and broken up in 1910. One of the best known clippers in the Australian wool trade. Lubbock gives considerable attention to the ship, including original sail plan].
The 'Kelat' in an unidentified harbour
The iron ship 'Kelat', 1894 tons, in an unidentified harbour. This is a handsome example of the later iron ships [see 'Hovding'] [iron ship, 1894 tons, ON84103, 261.0 x 41.0 x 23.5. Built 1881 (3) Richardson, Duck and Co. Stockton on Tees, Owners: Ed. Bates and Sons, registered Liverpool. Sold in 1904 and renamed 'Hovding' by Norwegian owners. Dismasted off the coast of NSW c.1914 and not considered worth repairing. Acquired by McIlwraith, McEacharn and Co., and converted into a coal hulk and subsequently stationed at Albany WA. In WW2 was taken over by RAN for use as a storeship and was converted at Fremantle in 1941, then towed to Darwin by the tug 'Uco' in November 1941. Bombed and sunk by the Japanese during the air raid of 19 February 1942. Hull subsquently salvaged by Japanese scrap merchants and cut up and taken to Japan].
The 'Timandra' under sail
The iron ship 'Timandra', 1561 tons, under sail. This is one of the later iron ships with a main skysail [iron ship, 1561 tons, ON90076, 245.6 x 38.8 x 22.4. Built 1885 (8) R Duncan and Co., Port Glasgow. Owners: GF Smith, registered Glasgow, thence other owners in Glasgow].
The 'Ganymede' under sail
The iron barque 'Ganymede', 569 tons, under sail. This is a typical example of the numerous small iron barques built in the 1860s and early 1870s [iron barque, 586 tons, ON60041. 167.6 x 28.7 x 17.8. Built 1868 (1) W Doxford and Sons, Sunderland. Owners: (and Captain) Thomas Thompson, registered Liverpool: Feb. 1880 acquired by Port Adelaide owners: (H Cruickshank); Nov. 1881 to New Zealand owners, registered at Lyttelton and then to Invercargill in June 1893. Converted to a hulk in New Zealand in 1912].
The 'Palestine' moored in a English harbour
The iron barque 'Palestine', 598 tons, moored at either Gravesend or Greenwich, U.K. This is a stately iron barque with skysails on both the fore and mainmasts [iron barque, 623 tons, ON45489. 184.3 x 27.6 x 17.0 Built 1863 (10) Harland and Wolff, Belfast. Owners: WH Tindall, registered Scarborough, later JG Lund, registered at Hamburg].
The 'Charlwood' just after completion
The iron barque 'Charlwood', 837 tons, just after completion. [iron barque 866 tons, ON76526, 197.7 x 32.2 x 19.6. Built 1877 (7) W. Doxford and Sons, Sunderland. Owners GH Fletcher and Co. registered Liverpool. Sunk after collision in the English Channel Oct 26, 1891 on a voyage from Antwerp-Valparaiso with coal.]
The 'Mallsgate' at Port Adelaide
The iron barque 'Mallsgate', 1043 tons at Port Adelaide. This is a lofty fine-lined clipper-barque. The main skysail yard has been sent down [iron barque, 1073 gross tons. ON63889, 215.3 x 34.1 x 21.0. Built 1877 (5) R Williamson and Son, Harrington. Owners: John Sprott, registered Workington, later Fisher and Sprott. Wrecked on Middleton Reef, off the coast of Australia, 21 July 1889. Thought to have been designed by Captain James sprott, longtime master of the vessel and brother of the first owners, however this is quoted by Lubbock without supporting references. He also makes a series of other statements such as that the vessel was built regardless of cost; was the finest iron barque rigged ship built; carried little cargo, all apparently unsupported. She was wrecked when laden with coal and bound from Newcastle, NSW to San Francisco. 'Last of the Windjammers' Vol. 11 gives a lengthy report on the escape and open boat voyage of the crew].
The 'Gogoburn' in an unidentified port
The iron barque 'Gogoburn', 1098 tons, in an unidentified port. This is an example of a later, larger barque. ['Alfredo' registered in Montevideo, c. 1910. See 'Gogoburn'] [iron barque, 1098 tons. ON86722, 217.0 x 34.2 x 20.0. Built 1882 (11) Birrell, Stenhouse and Co. Dumbarton. Owners: M Carswell, registered Glasgow c.1910 became 'Alfredo' registered in Montevideo. Ref.5 (Vol 1) gives a description of heavy weather and the captain being washed overboard].
The 'Loch Torridon' at Port Adelaide
The four masted iron barque 'Loch Torridon', 2081 tons, at Port Adelaide. She is one of the finest and fastest vessels of her type [iron 4 mast ship, later barque, 2081 tons. ON85876. 287.4 x 42.6 x 24.0. Built 1881 (11) Barclay, Curle and Co., Glasgow. Owners: Aitken and Lilburn. (The Loch Line) registered Glasgow. Sold to Russian owners in 1912 and foundered near the entrance to the English Channel January 1915. Well known in the Australian trades but also visited India frequently. Lubbock gives great attention to the activities of this ship].
The 'Fort George' at San Francisco
The four masted iron barque (ex ship) 'Fort George', 1756 tons, at San Francisco. This vessel retains the bowsprit and jib-boom, and was built with masts of conventional design--each except the jigger-mast in three sections. After a serious dismasting late in her career, she was remasted with pole-type lower masts which appear as an anachronism. [iron 4 mast ship (later barque) 1756 tons, ON87748, 260.0 x 40.0 x 23.1. Built 1884 (2) Workman, Clark and Co. Belfast. Owners: Clark and Service, registered Glasgow. Later owned in San Francisco, and in 1907 or thereabouts, went missing on a voyage round Cape Horn] See 'The Downeasters' B. Lubbock. p.216.
The 'Brownrigg' in an unidentified port
The four masted iron ship 'Brownrigg', 2279 tons, in an unidentified port. The large topgallant sails have been divided to make double topgallant sails--a rig which came to be widely adopted. Skysails are set on the fore and mainmasts. The spike bowsprit, which replaces the bowsprit and jib-boom is another innovation. [iron 4 mast ship, 2375 tons, ON87976, 301.1 x 42.0 x 24.3. Built 1884 (4) Russell and Co. Greenock. Owneers: John Houston, reg. Liverpool. Wrecked near Hull, c. 1888. Reputed to be a very fast sailing ship].
The 'Jerfalcon' docked at Port Chalmers
The iron barquentine 'Jerfalcon', 298 tons, docked at Port Chalmers.
The 'Bristow' at Kings Lynn
The composite barque 'Bristow', 351 tons, at Kings Lynn. She was built in 1854. [Composite three mast barque, 351 tons. ON4308, 133.3 x 25.0 x 15.3. Built 1854 Jones Getty and Co. Liverpool. Owners Wright Bros, reg. London then to owners in Hull].
The 'Thermopylae' at anchor in Sydney Harbour
The composite ship 'Thermopylae', 948 tons, at anchor in Sydney Harbour. She was built in 1868 [composite ship, 948 tons, ON60688, 212.0 x 36.0 x 21.0. Built 1868 (8) Walter Hood and Co. Aberdeen. Owners: George Thompson and Co. (Aberdeen White Star Line) registered Aberdeen. Sold to Portugese in 1896 and employed as a Naval Training ship. Built as a China Tea Clipper and then moved into the Australian trades where she became very famous and said to have been one of the fastest clippers in the trade]. The 'Thermopylae' is at Johnston's Bay, with the hill of Prymont behind the ship. At the far right are the buildings of Sydney University, and closer to the ship is the Glebe Island Bridge and part of the premises of Brown Iron Foundry [information provided by a researcher].
The 'Cutty Sark' at anchor at Falmouth, U.K.
The compsite ship 'Cutty Sark', 921 tons, at anchor at Falmouth, U.K. The ship was built in 1869 [composite ship, 963 gross tons. ON63557. 212.5 x 36.0 x 21.6. Built 1869 (11) Scott and Linton, Dumbarton. Owners John Willis and Son, registered London. (The shipbuilders went bankrupt in the course of constructing the ship and it was completed by Denny Bros) Sold 1895 to Portuguese and renamed Ferreira. Bought in 1922 by Captain Dowman of Falmouth, named and restored and re-rigged to her original sail plan. Presented to the Thames Nautical Training College in 1938. Subsequently installed in a dry dock at Greenwich on permanent display. This vessel has probably had more written about her than any other sailing ship, including 'The Log of the Cutty Sark' by Lubbock, see for full details up to 1938. The name is taken from a poem by Burns - Tam O'Shanter and the best translation appears to be 'short chemise'. Built for the China trades and considered to be among the world's fastest sailing ships. she was transferred to the Australian trades in 1885-6, trading mainly to Sydney, until she made a few voyages to Brisbane in the 1890's prior to being withdrawn and sold foreign. See 'The Log of the cutty Sark', 'Colonial Clippers', 'China Clippers'].
The 'Lufra' anchored in an unidentified port
The composite barque 'Lufra', 672 tons, anchored in an unidentified port. The ship was built in 1870 [iron ship, altered to barque c.1875. 705 tons. ON62437. 179.7 x 31.7 x 17.9. Built 1870 (1) A Hall and Co. Aberdeen. Owners: William Anderson and Co. registered Banff; by 1875 AG Webster and Co., registered Hobart; c.1877 Alex. McGregor, registered Hobart, and later AE Risby of Hobart. About the turn of the century sold to Scandinavia and drops from the register c.1909. Lubbock claims the vessel was built as a China Clipper but was too late for the trade. She spent most of her life in the England-Australia trade, and when enrolled at Hobart was a regular trader to England].
The 'Inverness' moored at Gravesend, U.K.
The composite ship 'Inverness', 725 tons, moored at Gravesend, U.K. A beautiful example of a composite built ship with main skysail [composite ship, 744 tons, ON63519, 177.6 x 32.0 x 18.9. Built 1869 (9) Hall, Russell and Co. Aberdeen. Owners: J&R Grant, registered London, passed to owners in Swansea and reduced to a barque c.1880. In 1896 sold to Amazon Telegraph Co. registered Swansea (Wales). Wrecked 20 Dec. 1896 on the Japarica Bank between Caste and Salinas laden with cable, coal and general on a voyage from London to Para].
The 'Sobraon' moored at Gravesend, U.K.
The composite ship 'Sobraon', 2131 tons, moored at Gravesend, U.K. This is the largest composite ship built. It has iron frames and lower masts. The lower yards of made of steel [composite ship, 2131 tons, ON54680. 272.0 x 40.0 x 27.0. Built 1866 (4) Hall, Russell and Co., Aberdeen [per Ron Parsons, however a researcher advises that it was built by the neighbouring yard of Alexander Hall & Co., Aberdeen]. Owners: Lowther, Maxton and Co., registered London. c.1870 Devitt and Moore: 1892 NSW Government; 1911 Federal Government for Naval Training ship and renamed 'HMAS Tingira'. Sold out of the service in 1928, it was reported she was to be broken up, but in 1934 she was reported to be in use as a 'rest home for out of work boys'. In 1937 sold for conversion to a museum but the buyer went bankrupt and the vessel passed to Mr. W Ford, Berry's Bay, North Sydney and was finally demolished in WW2. There seems to be no foundation for the story that the vessel was laid down as a auxiliary steamer for the Black Ball Line. Even before she was purchased by Devitt and Moore whenever she loaded on the Australian berth she was under charter to that firm. Her first owners were in the China tea trade. claimed to have been the largest composite ship built. The ship was named after a decisive battle in the Sutlij war of 1846. Accommodation was for 90 first and 40 second class passengers. Her first trip to Australia was in 1866 when she made the trip to Sydney in 75 days. For a description of a passage made in 1882 see SB Vol. XVII (New Series) Jan. 1954 page 4 et seq.] [Tingira = native term for The Open Sea. While under this name was employed as a training ship for boy entries to RAN and was moored usually in Rose Bay, Sydney. 1914-1928].
The 'Fortuna' at Port Adelaide
The wooden barque 'Fortuna', 1366 tons, at Port Adelaide. She is one of the great fleet of Norwegian wooden vessels which brought timber to Australia. 'Fortuna' was one of the few to set skysails on the fore and mainmasts. In this photograph she is carrying a heavy deckload of timber [wooden barque 1366 tons, no official number, 208.8 x 42.4 x 21.9. Built 1892 CC Framnaes, Sandefjord. Owners: Actie Selsk. 'Fortuna' Johan Bryde, registered Sandefjord, Norway].
The 'Smart' in the Danish port, Marstal
The Danish schooner 'Smart', 241 tons, in the Danish port of Marstal. This is an unusual looking schooner with a convex stem. Many such vessels were built in Denmark to serve as Baltic Traders [wooden 3 mast schooner, 241 tons, 119.4 x 26.9 x 12.0. Built 1901 Chr. Christensen, Kolding. Owners: RJ Albertsen, registered Marstal]. According to a researcher, "'Smart' sank on 11 November 1912, on a journey from Rabat to Lisbon in ballast. Rammed by Portuguese steam ship SS 'Elite' off Lisbon and sunk, near Cape Espichel, with the pilot on board. The steamship, which did not look out, rammed 'Smart' with great force, and 'Smart' got a significant leak. The crew ran aboard the SS 'Elite' while 'Smart' sank." Hundreds of this type of schooner were built in Denmark between 1880 and 1930. They were built for the triangle trading route between Denmark - Newfoundland - Mediterranean - Denmark. The trade stopped at the outbreak of World War II in 1939.
The 'Loire' under sail
The French wooden barque 'Loire', tonnage unknown, under sail [steel 4 mast barque, 3094 gross, 2453 net tons. Later 2969 gross, 2685 net tons. 321.2 x 45.1 x 25.5. Built 1897 At. & Chant de la Loire, Nantes. Owners: AD Bordes and Fils, registered Dunkirk].
The 'Ignatz Breum' in an unidentified port
The Danish barquentine 'Ignatz Breum', 237 tons, in an unidentified port. The stunsail booms provide and unusual feature of this handsome little vessel [wooden 3 mast schooner, 237 tons, 114.3 x 22.9 x 11.3. Built 1884. JR Anderson, Svendborg, Owners: Ignatz Breum, registered Odense, Denmark].
The 'Chrysolite' under sail
The British wooden schooner 'Chrysolite', 167 tons, under sail. A typical sailing coaster of the closing years of sail. [wooden three mast schooner. 167 tons. ON58190. 95.6 x 21.6 x 12.0. Built 1869 (6). Shepherd, Whitehaven. Probably owned in Penzance when the photograph was taken.]
The 'Erin's Isle' under sail
The Nova Scotian wooden ship 'Erin's Isle', 1778 tons, under sail. A great many beautiful wooden ships were built in Nova Scotia. Many of them passed into the hands of British and foreign owners [wooden ship, 1799 tons. ON72311. 221.5 x 40.2 x 25.3. Built 1877 (8) M'Fee, St. John. Owners: JM McFee, registered Liverpool].
The 'Victoria' at anchor
The Nova Scotian built barque 'Victoria', 760 tons, at anchor.
The 'Sea Flower' at Port Adelaide
The typical South Australian wooden ketch 'Sea Flower', 66 tons, at Port Adelaide. This photograph was taken by Francis Wear, a travelling photographer who had a business under the name of "F.E. Wear" at Rann Street, Port Adelaide from 1896-1907. According to a researcher, the Le Messurier family bought the ship from Tasmania and registered it in Port Adelaide in 1899. It was sold to Fremantle in aproximately 1913 and wrecked there in 1923. (Sources - "Le Messuriers of Port Adelaide" , John Tregenza, 1991 and "Ketches of South Australia", Ronald Parsons).
The 'Hudson' moored in an unidentified port
The United States wooden ship 'Hudson', 1801 tons, moored in an unidentified port (but probably Greenwich, U.K.). This is an extremely lofty vessel with three fidded royal masts.
The 'Hesper' anchored near a tree-lined coast
The United States wooden barque 'Hesper', 695 tons, anchored near a tree-lined coast. One of the few wooden barques to set fore and main skysails. She is also notable for her fine figurehead [wooden 3 mast barque, 695 tons. ON(US)95717, 163.0 x 38.0 x 15.0. Built 1882 Hall Bros. Port Blakely, Washington, USA owned in USA].
The 'Independence' under sail
The United States wooden ship 'Independence', 952 tons, under sail. A fine example of a 'Down Easter' as such Californian traders were called.