Brandon

Official Number
29880

The schooner Brandon was built in 1862 at Portsmouth by White. In 1865 she was registered at Lancaster and was owned by James Fisher of Barrow, her master being Capt.Thomas Mattins. She was owned by this firm until 1878, when she was sold to J.Hunter, also of Barrow. However, Fishers seem to have managed several vessels for Hunter, and the Brandon continued to be managed by them until 1897 at least.

At the time of the 1881 Census (1st April) the Brandon was berthed at Barrow and had four crew aboard, headed by Capt.William Jones, the master, of Flint.

The Brandon was posted missing in June 1917. She had left Portmadoc on the 24th March 1917, bound for Waterford with a crew of four, but had not been heard of since, and was presumed to have been sunk by a submarine. In fact, the Brandon had been sunk by UC-65, commander Oberleutnant zu See Otto Steinbrinck, on the 26th March 1917.

Name
Year Built
Gross Tons
Length (feet)
Breadth (feet)
Depth (feet)
Masts
Figurehead
Stern
Lloyd's Classn.
Brandon
 1862
 135
 
 
 
2
 
 
 A1, 6 years

Sources :

  1. Research by Derek Blackhurst
  2. Clayton's Register of Shipping 1865: Brandon, brigantine, classed A1 for 6 years, 135 tons, built 1862, owned by Jas.Fisher, ship agent, of Barrow, registered at Lancaster, master Capt.Thos.Mattins.
  3. 1881 Census details from Bob Sanders, Ships in Port 1881 website
  4. Mercantile Navy List 1896: Brandon, schooner, 110 tons, built in 1862 at Portsmouth, official number 29880, registered at Barrow, managing owner John Fisher, of Barrow.
  5. Vessel reported "Overdue" in the Times, Thursday 21st June 1917, page 3.
  6. Information from Arie de Lange, citing from "Die UC-Boote der Kaiserliche Marine 1914-1918", German Marine Archive.