Argestes

 Official Number
1763

Argestes, photo from Sheila Cartwright and Shirley Carter Noble The Argestes was a wooden brig built by Williamson at Douglas, Isle of Man, in 1839. In 1840 she was registered as a Whitehaven vessel, and was owned by her commander, Capt. Thomas Hannay. She remained in Whitehaven ownership for her entire career.

In 1847 the master of the Argestes was Capt. W.Carter, and the photo on the right shows the brig leaving Malta in that year. The brig seems to have been engaged in foreign trade in her early years, including transatlantic passages.

The Argestes was berthed at Barrow-in-Furness on Census night in April 1881. Her master was Capt.John Russell, of Whitehaven, and he had his wife, son and daughter aboard, as well as five crew.

The Argestes spent her final years in the coasting trade, which continued until about 1891.


Name
Year Built
Gross Tons
Length (feet)
Breadth (feet)
Depth (feet)
Masts
Figurehead
Stern
Lloyd's Classn.
Argestes
1839
176 om, 171 nm
77.9 
22.6 
13.0 
2
 
 
 7 years A1

Sources :

  1. A List Of The Cumberland Shipping, Corrected To February 1840, by William Sawyers, Comptroller Of Her Majesty's Customs At The Port Of Whitehaven: Argestes, brig, 176 tons om, 171 tons nm, built Douglas, 1839, owned by Capt.Thomas Hannay (her master) and others.
  2. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1847-8: Argestes, brig, 176 tons om, 172 tons nm, built Douglas, 1839, owned by Sherwin & Co., registered at Whitehaven, master Capt.W.Bilton.
  3. Photo of the painting of the Argestes courtesy of Sheila Cartwright and Shirley Carter Noble, g-granddaughter of the Captain.
  4. Clayton's Register of Shipping 1865: Argestes, brig, 154 tons, built 1939, owned by William Sherwin, of Whitehaven, registered at Whitehaven, master Capt.Carter.
  5. Mercantile Navy List 1867: Argestes, 158 tons, official no.1763, signal letters HLJN, registered at Whitehaven, owned by William Carter, of Whitehaven.
  6. 1881 Census details from Bob Sanders' Ships in Port 1881 website.
  7. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1889-90: Argestes, brig, 155 tons gross, 77.9 x 22.6 x 13.0, built at the Isle of Man by Williamson, 1839, owned by J.Kelly, registered at Whitehaven, master Capt.R.Kendall.