Hugh Matthie

Official Number
none

The Hugh Matthie was a ship built by Kelsick Wood & Sons at Maryport, launched on the 18th March 1843. She was registered at Liverpool and was first commanded by Capt.Joseph Sparks.

The Liverpool Mercury, Friday, 5th May 1843;

"SHIP LAUNCH - On Saturday, the 18th March, was launched from the old building yard of Messrs.K.Woods and Sons, of Maryport, a splendid specimen of naval architecture, called the 'Hugh Matthie', burthen per register 537 tons, new measurement. This fine ship has been built for Captain Joseph Sparks, of Liverpool, and is the twelfth 12 years A1 at Lloyd's that has been built by them, fastened theoughout with Fell's patent binding - Cumberland paper. - The vessel is named after a well-known merchant of Liverpool."

The Hugh Matthie made her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Calcutta. On the return voyage she attempted to land 80 emigrants at Mauritius. She was wrecked upon the reefs at Port Louis, Mauritius, during a hurricane on the 4th January,1844. The vessel remained on the reef until a further storm on the 21st February seems to have put an end to her. It was subsequently reported that the hull of the vessel had been sold for 1,500 dollars.

Name
Year Built
Gross Tons
Length (feet)
Breadth (feet)
Depth (feet)
Masts
Figurehead
Stern
Lloyd's Classn.
Hugh Matthie
1843
 538
 116.3
25.9 
19.4 
 3
Man
 Square
 12 years A1.

Sources :

  1. BoT Transcripts of Liverpool Shipping Register No.100 for 1843 (at Merseyside Maritime Museum).
  2. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1843-4: Hugh Matthie, ship 447 tons om, 538 tons nm, built at Maryport in 1843, owned by Sparks & Co., registered at Meryport, master Capt.M'Neil.
  3. For further details of the wreck see extracts from Le Mauricien newspaper (10th Jan. & 24th Feb.1844) at Paul Benyon's website Mauritius Shipping - The Late Gales.
  4. The Cumberland Pacquet newspaper, 9th April, 1844, page 3 - states that the "fine new ship" Hugh Matthie, Sparks, of Workington, was driven ashore during a hurricane on the 15th January, had her masts cut away, and was straight away got off again.
  5. Full report of the wreck in the Morning Post, Sunday, 29th April 1844, page 7.
  6. The Indian Mail, Vol.1, 1843/4, page 399 (edition of Tuesday, 7th May 1844) - " The Persian reports the total wreck of the British ships Hugh Matthie and Mariam from Calcutta with emigrants."
  7. Sale of wreck in the Times newspaper, Saturday, 4th May 1844, page 6.