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Blair | Official Number
32287 |
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Blair | Official Number
32287 |
The Blair was a barque built at Maryport in 1838 by Huddleston,
Ritson & Co. She was registered at Maryport in that year, her builder's
certificate dated 22nd December 1838. Her first master and part-owner was
Capt.William Newby.
The Cumberland Pacquet & Ware's Whitehaven Advertiser, Tuesday, 6th November 1838, page 3;
" A beautiful new barque of 325 tons register was launched from the
building yard of Messrs.Huddleston, Ritson & Co., at Maryport, on
Saturday last, named the Blair, after a descendant of one of the
Covenanters, who figured so prominently in the stirring times of
Charles the Second. This vessel, which is intended for the West India
trade, was built for Captain Newby, and under his immediate inspection;
she is considered by connoisseurs in the art of ship-building to be a
splendid specimen of naval architecture. Her figure head and taffrail
are cut in a most beautiful style, and reflect great credit on
Mr.J.Brookman as an artist. The scene was enlivened in no small degree
by the presence of the Maryport Band, which favoured the assembled
crowd by playing several popular airs. As soon as the ceremony of
launching was concluded, a select party of Captain Newby's friends sat
down to an excellent dinner at the Golden Lion inn, where they spent
the evening in the utmost hilarity and enjoyment. Both the dinner and
the wines were of the first order, and highly creditable to Mr.and
Mrs.Bowell, the worthy host and hostess of the establishment."
The Shipping and Mercantile Gazette, Thursday, 24th
January, 1839;
"The two new vessels lately launched at Maryport, namely, the
Blair,
Newby; and the Martha, Martin; sailed
from that port on the 17th instant, the former for Liverpool, and the latter
for Barbadoes."
The Blair departed Liverpool on the 21st February 1839,
bound for Rio de Janiero under the command of Capt.Newby. She returned
to Liverpool from Calcutta on the 16th February 1840 with 1650 bags of
sugar, 2046 bags of rice, 265 bales of cotton, 50 bales of hides, 24
bales of hide cuttings and 9300 buffalo horns. She made a subsequent
voyage to Barbadoes, then in September 1840 was loading at Liverpool
for Batavia and Singapore. On her arrival at Singapore a local
newspaper listed her general cargo.
The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 22nd April 1841, page 4;
" Imported per Blair from Liverpool - 400 pcs cambrics, 5376 pcs long
cloth, 500 pcs grey domestics, 2347 pcs shirtings, 100 coi. chindies,
200 pcs coloured hair cords, 2100 silk handkerchiefs, 500 pcs prints,
2720 yds nd 48 pcs woolens, 80 pcs camlets, 60 pcs flannel, 168 pls
twist, 2000 lbs sewing cotton, 22 dzs shirts 4200 gingham umbrellas,
505 bolts sail cloth, 57 3/4 cwt cordage, 500 fuzils, 575 ornamented
fowling pieces, 1,500,000 copper tokens, 200 tons coals, 3 cases and 3
casks hardware, 1 case knives, forks, screws &c., 2 cases assorted
smallware, 50 puncheons bread and biscuit, 231 dozs sherry, 975 gals
brandy, 500 cases gin, 8640 corks, 191 gals vinegar, 43 pack glassware,
1 pack confectionery, 1 case stationery.
The Blair continued in the trade to the Far East until 1846, when she was sold to Grayson & Co. and was re-registered at Workington. From 1854 the Blair was operating entirely in the Pacific, between Australia, Hong Kong, Calcutta and Bombay, Java and Guam, amongst other ports.
The Shipping Gazette and Sydney General Trade List, Monday, 23rd
July 1855;
" The Blair, Captain Patrick, arrived on Tuesday from
Calcutta, after a protracted passage, having sailed on 23rd April. She
has experienced a succession of easterly gales, since leaving the Trades,
which will account for it.
ARRIVALS: July 17.- Blair, barque, 360 tons, Captain Patrick,
from Calcutta 23rd April. Passengers - Miss L.Wardley, Captain Wm.Arnold,
Lieutenant Hart, M.N.I., Lieutenant Coomb, M.N.I., M.W.W.Burt, Mr.J.Curnin,
and five in the steerage. A.and M. Moses, agents.
IMPORTS: July 17, Blair, from Calcutta, 10 bags rice, 3 packages,
39 cases boots, 1400 bundles rattans, 286 bags rice, 15 bundles oakum,
94 robbins dates, 8052 bales gunny bags, 14 cases hats, 33 cases curry
powder, 201 cases castor oil, 125 packages ropes, 82 bags sugar, 10 kegs
tamarinds, 28 bags linseed, 90 hogsheads rum, 1 hogsheads varnish, 27 bags
grain, 18 packages, order. "
The Blair was probably owned in Australia and by 1857 had been registered at Sydney. The Blair did
not appear in Lloyd's Register after 1857 and was not listed in
the 1860 Mercantile Navy List. The last newspaper report I can find for
her was in January 1857, when she cleared from Sydney for Guam in
ballast. She must subsequently have either been wrecked, condemned or
sold to
foreign owners.
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