James Stonard

Official Number
27763

The Cumberland Pacquet, Tuesday, 5th July 1859;

" LAUNCH - A beautiful schooner, 300 tons burthen, built under the superintendence of Mr.Wilson, has been launched from the building-yard of E.J.Schollick, Esq., at Canal Foot (Ulverston). Mrs.Schollick performed the 'christening' duties and named the craft the James Stonard. After the ship was safely docked, the company sat down to an excellent dinner in the large shed at the building-yard, and which had been prepared by Mr.Schollick, of Aldingham Hall."

The James Stonard must have been one of the six vessels launched for the Stonard family, mentioned in the launch report of the Alfred Stonard in 1860 (the others were the Frederick Stonard, the Edward Stonard, the John Stonard and the William Stonard). Unlike the other vessels, she seems to have moved away from Furness, and in Lloyd's Register 1883 she is described as a brigantine and is listed as a Fleetwood vessel. The James Stonard was wrecked on the West Hoyle bank in the Dee River on the evening of 7th November 1890, in a NW Force 9, a bad day there for Furness vessels (see Ellen Harrison , Florence Emily and Bridget Annie). The vessel was carrying a coal cargo from Garston to Donaghadee. The master, cook and one seaman were drowned, but the mate and another seaman were saved by the Point of Ayr lifeboat.

Name
Year Built
Net Tons
Length (feet)
Breadth (feet)
Depth (feet)
Masts
Figurehead
Stern
Lloyd's Classn.
James Stonard
 1859
140 
83.0 
25.0 
11.0 
 2
 
 
 

Sources :

  1. Mercantile Navy List 1867: James Stonard, 146 tons, official number 27763, signal letters PSNT, registered at Lancaster, owned by E.J.Schollick, of Aldingham Hall, Ulverstone, Lancashire.
  2. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1883-4: names the owner as the Wyre Shipping Co. of Fleetwood, master T.Jones.
  3. Wreck info from Vol.5 of "The Shipwreck Index of the British Isles" by Bridget & Richard Larn (pub.2000). Names owner as C.Neill of Bangor, Co.Down, port of registry Belfast) - names master as Capt.J.Eddis and states three of five crew lost.
  4. Wreck reported in the Freeman's Journal (Dublin), 11th November 1890 - describes the vessel as a brigantine, belonging to Belfast; also in the Liverpool Mercury, 11th November 1890.