Abigail

Official Number
14997

The Abigail was a brig built in 1843 at Sackville, New Brunswick. She was owned first in Glasgow, then Newport, and was bought by a Maryport master mariner, Capt.J.A.Melmore, in the 1860's. She was owned by her master, Capt.M.Dickinson, of Arklow, when she was lost in 1883, though she was still registered at Maryport.

The Glasgow Herald, Thursday, 25th January 1883;

" FOUNDERING OF A BRIG

The steamer Dunara Castle, which arrived at Greenock last night, landed the crew (six in number) of the brig Abigail, of Maryport (Dickenson, master), bound from Liverpool to Dublin with coal. The Abigail foundered off the Kintyre coast yesterday afternoon. This is the vessel reported as having been seen flying signals of distress the same morning by the steamer Rockabill. Captain Smith, of the Dunara Castle, states that he saw the brig about one o'clock riding with both anchors down. Having approached the vessel the crew requested him to attempt their rescue. The sea was running very high, but eventually the Abigail's crew got into their small boat, and after great peril they managed to reach the steamer, when they were got on board. The brig foundered five minutes after the crew left her. The crew lost all their effects. Last night the men proceeded by steamer to Dublin. Captain Dickenson reported that he was driven up Channel by the force of the gale; and all his sails being blown away, the brig became unmanageable. On nearing the Kintyre coast both anchors were got out, the sea for hours thereafter making a clean breach over the vessel. The Abigail was a brig of about 160 tons."

Name
Year Built
Gross Tons
Length (feet)
Breadth (feet)
Depth (feet)
Masts
Figurehead
Stern
Lloyd's Classn.
Abigail
1843
150 
 
 
 
 2
 
 
 

Sources :

  1. Clayton's Register of Shipping 1865: Abigail, brig, 150 tons, built in 1843, owned by J.A.Melmore, master mariner, of Maryport, vessel registered at Maryport, master Capt.J.Melmore.
  2. Mercantile Navy List 1868: Abigail, 134 tons, built at Sackville, N.B., in 1843, official number 14997, signal letters LQKS, owned by T.A.Melmore, of Maryport, vessel registered at Maryport (same information in MNL 1875 and 1880).
  3. The wreck is listed on the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland website. There are several newspaper reports, and a discussion on the location of the wreck, it being concluded that the Abigail foundered off Sanda and possibly then stranded at Arranman's Barrels.