William Ritson

Official Number
48611

The William Ritson was a wooden barque built by Ritson & Co. at Maryport in January 1864. She was initially owned by Fawcett Johnston & Co., of Maryport, who at the time also owned the Robert Ritson and the Mary Ann Johnston. The William Ritson operated in the trade to India and China. It seems she was under the command of Capt.J.Brough for her early career, until in about 1883 the barque was sold to Hayton & Simpson. In about 1890 the William Ritson was bought by owners in Argentina and was renamed Juan M.Bijardav. She was soon sold to Norwegian owners and was registered at Farsund under the new name of Hiram. She went to the breakers' yard in 1905.

Name
Year Built
Gross Tons
Length (feet)
Breadth (feet)
Depth (feet)
Masts
Figurehead
Stern
Lloyd's Classn.
William Ritson
1864
 680
 164.0
30.7
20.6
3
 
 
13 years A1 

Sources :

  1. Frederik Sandstrom's Sailing Ships site.
  2. Clayton's Register of Shipping 1865: William Ritson, barque, A1 13 years, built 1864, 680 tons, master Capt.J.Brough, owned by Fawcett Johnson, of Maryport.
  3. Lloyd's Register of Shipping, 1865-6: William Ritson, 680 tons, barque, Special Survey, FYM 1864, owned by Johnson & Co., registered at Maryport, master Capt.J.Brough, voyage London - India.
  4. Mercantile Navy List 1867: William Ritson, 680 tons, official number 48611, signal letters VTLP, registered at Maryport, owned by Fawcett Johnson, of Maryport, Cumberland.
  5. Lloyd's Register of Shipping, 1883-4: William Ritson, 680 tons, barque, FYM June 1883, owned by Johnson & Co., then Hayter & Simpson, registered at Maryport, master Capt.J.Brough, then Capt.J.Harry.
  6. Register information for years 1880 and 1887 to 1900 appears on the Mystic Seaport Library website. An example is Record of American and Foreign Shipping, 1889.
  7. Lloyd's Register of Shipping, 1889-90: William Ritson, 680 tons, barque, FYM 1887, owned by E.D.Reynolds (Hayter & Simpson crossed out), registered at Maryport, master Capt.Bruce.
  8. Record of American and Foreign Shipping, 1892: Juan M.Bijardav (ex-William Ritson), barque, registered at Rosario, Argentina, owned by C.Casado.
  9. Record of American and Foreign Shipping, 1893: Hiram, barque, registered at Farsund, Norway, owned by G.Abrahamsen.
  10. Record of American and Foreign Shipping, 1900: Hiram (ex-Juan M.Bijardav), barque, owned by C.J.Gundersen, registered at Farsund, Norway.