Parkfield

 Official Number
14714

The Parkfield was a 500 ton East Indiaman built at the Bath shipyard at Douglas, Isle of Man, in January 1833.

The Caledonian Mercury, Monday, 18th February 1833;

" The splendid new vessel Parkfield, whose launch at Douglas, Isle of Man, we announced about three weeks ago, has had a very short career - she has, in fact, already become a wreck. She sailed from Douglas last week, in ballast, for Liverpool; soon after she had gone to sea, she was found to be so light as to be scarcely manageable; a dispute arose betwwen the captain and the pilot, and ultimately she was put back to Douglas, and at the entrance to that port was driven upon the rocks, where she became a perfect wreck. Such is the substance of the story related to us by a Manxman, an eye-witness to the disaster. The Parkfield was 500 tons burthen and was launched on the 8th of January- Cumberland Pacquet."

Whilst the substance of this story is correct, the Parkfield only filled with water after grounding in Douglas bay. Though considerably damaged, she was got off and repaired. She departed Greenock for Bombay on the 5th July 1833, under Capt.McAulay.

Four years after her launch a Manx newspaper reported that the Parkfield had travelled 13,300 miles in 78 days on a passage from Liverpool to Bombay, and that her previous return voyage from India had been the shortest on record.

In the 1840's the Parkfield traded between London and Australia, then was sold to owners at Bridgwater and moved into the South American trade. She disappeared from Lloyd's Register after 1855-6.

The Parkfield, Capt.Ritchie, sailed from Carthagena on the 12th Janury 1858, bound for London. She was lost, with four of the crew drowned.

Name
Year Built
Gross Tons
Length (feet)
Breadth (feet)
Depth (feet)
Masts
Figurehead
Stern
Lloyd's Classn.
Parkfield
1833
496
 
 
 
3
 
 
 

Sources :

  1. Launch problems from Liverpool Mercury, 8th and 15th February 1833.
  2. Departure on maiden voyage in The Morning Chronicle newspaper, Tuesday, 9th July 1833.
  3. Fast passage in 1836 noted in "The Ashburner Schooners", ISBN 0-95-16792-0-1. Also noted in the the Bristol Mercury newspaper, Saturday, 29th October, 1836 (citing from Lloyd's List).
  4. The Essex Standard, Friday, 18th November, 1836: " The ship Parkfield arrived at Liverpool on Monday from Bombay after the short passage of 101 days, having made the voyage out and home in seven months less of two days."
  5. Isle of Man Advertiser, 28th March 1837, reporting from the Bombay Gazette.
  6. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1844-5: Parkfield, ship, 496 tons, registered at London, owned by Cockburn, master Whitsides, voyage London - NSW, 8 years A1.
  7. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1849-50: Parkfield, ship, 496 tons, registered at Bridgwater, owned by Stuckey & Co., master Smith, voyage Cardiff - South America.
  8. 1857 Mercantile Navy List gives port of registry as London, official number 14714 and signal letters LPGV, tonnage 496.
  9. Wreck reported in the Daily News, Tuesday, 26th January 1858.