Maryport Sailing Ships

The Allerby was an iron barque built at Maryport by R.Ritson & Sons, launched in May 1878. Her first master was Captain M'Kenzie (see Source 1). She was owned by Ritson & Co. in her early years, but by 1890 had been sold to Greek owners.

Name: Allerby
Year Built: 1878
Gross Tons: 388
Length (feet): 180.6
Breadth (feet): 26.5
Depth (feet): 17.1
Masts: 3

The Auchencairn was built in October 1891 by Ritson & Co. at Maryport. She was a four-masted steel barque rigged with royal sails over double top- and topgallant sails. She was initially owned by her builders and was registered at Maryport. Her first commander was Capt.William Nelson, an experienced master who had previously commanded the William Ritson, and was later to command Acamas and Ladas, all built at the Ritson shipyard. The vessel survived a gale when under tow from her builders to Cardiff, and she made her maiden voyage from Cardiff to San Francisco, departing on the 24th Nov.1891 and arriving after a passage of 118 days. Unfortunately British vessels were unable to compete with subsidised foreign ships at this time, so the Auchencairn remained at the American port for 18 months. It was only in August 1893 that she could load a grain cargo and sail for Stockton-on-Tees. Subsequent voyages in 1893-4 were from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Port Pirie, Australia with coal, then Newcastle, NSW, to San Francisco, also with coal. The vessel remained under the command of Capt.Nelson until May, 1897, when she discharged a grain cargo at Limerick from San Francisco. The Auchencairn was then sold out of British ownership. The painting shows the Auchencairn rounding Cape Horn in 1893, returning from San Francisco after her enforced stay there following her maiden voyage - photo submitted by Ray Lloyd.

Name: Auchencairn
Year Built: 1891
Gross Tons: 2040
Length (feet): 287.7
Breadth (feet): 40.2
Depth (feet): 23.4
Masts: 4

The Brunswick was a brigantine built at Maryport in 1818 by Thomas Asbridge. She was registered at Carlisle in 1825 and Whitehaven in 1827, then Maryport. In 1840 she was still registered at Maryport and was described as a brig, owned by Capt.Joseph Fearon, her master, and others. The Brunswick, master Fearon, was reported to be ashore at Whitehaven on the 27th December 1852, when the whole coast was "strewed with wreck". She must have been salvaged as she appears in the 1857 Mercantile Navy List and the Maryport Shipping Register, which reports that she was converted to schooner rig in August 1862.

Name: Brunswick
Year Built: 1818
Gross Tons: 106
Masts: 2

The Castle Holme was an iron ship built at Sunderland in September, 1875 by Bartram, Haswell & Co. She was bought by the Holme Line (Hine Brothers, of Maryport) soon after the Myrtle Holme and before they acquired the Aikshaw. The vessel was used in the trade to Tasmania and New Zealand. In about 1880 the Castle Holme was converted to barque rig (as also was the Myrtle Holme and probably others of the fleet, to save on manning costs). In 1908 the Castle Holme arrived at London from Hobart, and then was sold to Norwegian owners. The vessel weas renamed Ester, then Ternen in 1916 when she was sold to Danish owners. In 1821 she was sold to Swedish owners and the name was changed to Ternan. By 1924 she was registered at Karlskrona. On the 18th December 1924 the barque stranded at Hofs Hallar in fog, whilst bound for Karlskrona from London in ballast. The wreck was broken up where it lay.

Name: Castle Holme
Year Built: 1875
Gross Tons: 1042
Length (feet): 213.9
Breadth (feet): 34.5
Depth (feet): 20.7
Masts: 3

The Charles Jackson was a barque built at Maryport by R.Ritson & Co., and launched on the 8th April 1852. She was 340 tons O.M. and was to be commanded by Capt.Metcalf. In 1865 the vessel was commanded by Capt.E.B.Penrice and was owned by George Metcalfe, registered at Maryport. In 1871 she was still registered at Maryport, and owned by T.H.Ismay & Co. By 1882 she was owned by R.Ritson & Co., her builders. The Charles Jackson was wrecked south of Durban, South Africa, in August 1884 (see Source 6).

Name: Charles Jackson
Year Built: 1852
Gross Tons: 340
Length (feet): 119.6
Breadth (feet): 24.5
Depth (feet): 17.5
Masts: 3

The Dan Glaister was a schooner built by William Wood & Sons at Maryport in 1851. Her first master was Capt.Dan Glaister, succeeded by his nephew Joseph Glaister in 1853. By 1857 the schooner's registration had been transferred to Banff, Scotland. In 1857 a Whitehaven newspaper reported that on the 20th January the Dan Glaister, Capt.Wilson, from Liverpool with salt, was ashore 2 miles N of Montrose. The crew had been taken off by lifeboat but the master had refused to leave. The schooner's name appeared in shipping news later in the year, so presumably she was got off without undue damage. In 1865 the Dan Glaister was still registered at Banff, noted as being owned by Jas.Wilson, shipbroker of Macduff, and under the command of Capt.Ritchie. The Dan Glaister, belonging to the port of Macduff, was wrecked whilst carrying a cargo of fish in the week ending 12th May, 1877. All the crew were saved.

Name: Dan Glaister
Year Built: 1851
Gross Tons: 77
Masts: 2

The Ellenbank was an iron ship launched in September 1885 from the Maryport shipyard of R.Ritson & Co. Ltd. She was the first iron vessel built at this shipyard, and was sister ship to the Netherby, launched the following year. Like the Netherby, the Ellenbank was initially managed by her builders. Her maiden voyage was from Maryport to Cardiff, from where she sailed, with a coal cargo, on the 25th November, reaching San Francisco after a passage of 163 days. Her master on this first voyage was Capt.Hugh McKenzie. He was succeeded for the second voyage by Capt.John Briscoe, and then the Ellenbank was sold to Liverpool owners in 1888. The Ellenbank was wrecked at Cape Roda on the 12th November 1891.

Name: Ellenbank
Year Built: 1885
Gross Tons: 1426
Length (feet): 242.5
Breadth (feet): 37.5
Depth (feet): 21.6
Masts: 3

The Francis Watson was built by Kelsick Wood at Maryport and was launched on the 4th February 1825. She was a full-rigged ship built for Watson & Co., and she was registered at Liverpool. She was wrecked on the 13th January 1830 at Algoa Bay, after serving in the trade to India.

Name: Francis Watson
Year Built: 1825
Gross Tons: 334
Masts: 3

The Gipsey was built at Maryport, in 1813, and was described as a brigantine (see Source 1). In 1840 she was owned by Joseph Cockton, who was also her master, and others. The registry of the Gipsey at Maryport was closed in 1883, it being anotated "vessel dismasted and sold to be converted into a hulk".

Name: Gipsey
Year Built: 1813
Gross Tons: 93
Masts: 2

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 Hugh Matthie 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 (see Source 4) that the hull of the vessel had been sold for 1,500 dollars.

Name: Hugh Matthie
Year Built: 1843
Gross Tons: 538
Length (feet): 116.3
Breadth (feet): 25.9
Depth (feet): 19.4
Masts: 3
Figurehead: Man
Stern: Square