Help required

[David Fells]

Hello,

I have never worked at sea so apologies in advance if I use some incorrect terms.

I am researching a gentleman who was in the merchant navy from 1854 to 1896. He lived in Ayrshire in Scotland and eventually became a master mariner in 1874.

The ships (barques) he skippered were:

Laura & Isabel (28150)
Aurora (46038)
Martha Jackson (45902)
Bellona (76753)
Enterkin (96042)
Aldergrove (70318)
Dunreggan (99862)

I think these were all steel or iron 3 masted barques.

Where can I get pictures of these ships?

The Bellona sank in Mauritius harbour in November 1887 and there was an Inquiry No. 3452 - is there any way of reading this report?

Thanks

Dave

[Richard Quartermaine]

Dave, is it a biography, a relative or maybe both?
Richard

[David Fells]

Hi Richard,

He is actually the father of a man I am 'really' researching - but a very interesting character who I cannot stop reading about.

[Richard Quartermaine]

Thanks David. As you're now a member here and hopefully will get some assistance I look forward to your progress.
Richard

[wightspirit]

Try here for Aurora, Aldergrove and Dunreggan. They may be the right ships or earlier or later ones of the same name. Quick Search — State Library of South Australia

Dave W

[wightspirit]

Bellona capsized and sank on 18 October 1887. She was subsequently raised and returned to service. If an enquiry was held it does not appear to have been reported in the papers I've looked at. There are a number of newspaper reports about the incident and raising of the vessel in local newspapers.

Dave W

[David Fells]

Thanks for the reply wightspirit - I was amazed that ships like that could be raised at all - it must have been quite an operation. An article I saw quoted the cost of raising the ship of being Rs 5,250 - any idea what currency that is and what it translates to in UK pounds?

Sorry forgot about the inquiry - are there an official merchant navy sites worth contacting where the report might be stored?

[David Fells]

Thanks for this tip wightspirit - I now have pics of Aldergrove and Dunreggan - thanks. The Aurora I think is not the one I am after as all the other vessels are three masted barques while the photo I have just looked at appears to have a 'chimney' so I guess is a steamer (please excuse my ignorance of the subject).

Thanks again

Dave

[wightspirit]

Possibly your best chance is to contact Southampton City Central Library and speak to someone in the Special Collections (Maritime) section. In the collections are volumes, by year, of shipping casualties and wreck reports. As far as I can see there is nothing listed/indexed under the year 1887 for the Bellona, but that doesn't mean there was no enquiry. Included in the volumes are reports of enquiries which are not indexed, and that's probably where the Bellona report is. If you enquire with the Library you'll have to make it clear that the report might be in the 1887 volume but not indexed, otherwise they'll merely refer to the indexed enquiries and you'll be told there's nothing.

Dave W

[Captain Kong]

Bellona driven ashore at Newcastle 14 Nov 1835; wrecked with loss of life in Dundrum Bay



BELLONA 29549 GBR

Year built

Date launched

Date completed

1862 31/07/1862

Vessel type

Vessel description

Passenger / Cargo Iron Screw Steamer

Builder

Yard

Yard no

Smith & Rodger, Govan Middleton Yard 83





Tonnage

Length

Breadth

Depth

Draft

1914 grt / 1587 nrt / 300.3 ft 34.2 ft 24.1 ft

Engine builder
,

Engine detail

1-screw




First owner

First port of register

Registration date

William Malcomson - mng Malcomson Brothers, Portlaw, Waterford Waterford 04/09/1872

Other names

1880 BENBRACK

Subsequent owner and registration history

1870 Thomas Harrison (T & J Harrison), Liverpool
1875 Horatio N Hughes, Liverpool
1879 Joseph Moult (J Moult & Co), Liverpool
1882 Steam Ship 'Benbrack' Co Ltd - mng Joseph Moult, Liverpool
1887 mng Arthur C Hay, Liverpool

Vessel history

by1870 1914grt 1430nrt; by1875 1914grt 1226nrt; c1884 1944grt 1251nrt
14/12/1881 aground at end of Low Water Pier, Cardiff; later refloated


Remarks



End year

Fate / Status

1889 24/01/1889

Disposal Detail

24/1/1889 ashore off Texel - some cargo offloaded to barges.
26/1/1889 crew landed safely at Nieuwediep; became wreck
5/1889 wreck auctioned








No photos available for this vessel