Mary Ann Johnston

Official Number
361

The Mary Ann Johnston was a barque built at Maryport by Ritson & Co., launched on the 14th February 1848.

The Cumberland Pacquet and Ware's Whitehaven Advertiser, Tuesday, 15th February 1848, page 3;

" A splendid new vessel of 423 tons register measurement was yesterday launched from the building yard of Messrs.Ritson & Co., at Maryport, in presence of a large concourse of spectators. The vessel is called the Mary Ann Johnstone, in compliment to the sister of Capt.Johnstone, for whom she was built and is to be commanded; is coppered over the bends, copper-fastened throughout, and will stand A1 at Lloyd's for 12 years. Her model is much admired, and in all respects the new ship does great credit to her spirited builders."

The Mary Ann Johnston was stranded on a reef at the South Point of Barbadoes early in March, 1878. She had carried a cargo of 618 tons of coal, shipped by the Ebbw Vale Coal Company, from Newport, bound for Barbadoes. It was dusk at the time of the accident, which occurred through one lighthouse being mistaken for another. The vessel became a total wreck, but all hands were saved.

Name
Year Built
Gross Tons
Length (feet)
Breadth (feet)
Depth (feet)
Masts
Figurehead
Stern
Lloyd's Classn.
Mary Ann Johnston
1848
413
 108.7
  23.7
 18.5
3 
 
 
12 years, A1 

Sources :

  1. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1848-9: Mary Ann Johnstone, barque, 361 tons om, 413 tons nm, owned and commanded by Johnstone, voyage Maryport - Calcutta.
  2. Mercantile Navy List 1857 gives official number and signal code HCNB, vessel registered at Maryport, 413 tons.
  3. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1860-1: Mary Ann Johnstone, barque, yellow-metalled 1857, 361 tons om, 413 tons nm, owned by Johnstone, commanded by Capt.W.Colgin, voyage Swansea - South America.
  4. Clayton's Register of Shipping, 1865 - vessel registered at Maryport, names master as W.Colquin, owner as Fawcett Johnston (NB. Fawcett Johnston was also listed as the owner of the Robert Ritson and William Ritson).
  5. Mercantile Navy List 1867: Mary Ann Johnston, official number 361, signal code HCNB, 413 tons, registered Maryport, owned by Samuel Johnston, of Maryport.
  6. American Lloyd's Register of American and Foreign Shipping, 1870:  Mary Ann Johnson, bark, 377 tons, owned by Johnson, commanded by Capt.Leder.
  7. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1874-5: Mary Ann Johnston, barque, 357 net tons, owned by R.Ritson & Co., commanded by Capt.R.Glaister.
  8. American Lloyd's Register of American and Foreign Shipping, 1878:  Mary Ann Johnston, bark, 357 tons, owned by Ritson & Co., commanded by Capt.R.Glaister.
  9. Wreck reported in the Times, Saturday, 13th April, 1878, page 11; the Daily News, Wednesday, 6th March, 1878.