Avenger
 Official Number
81558

"Cumberland Pacquet and Ware's Whitehaven Advertiser", Tuesday, 22nd July 1879, page 4.

"THE AVENGER.- The handsome vessel which has been lying in the wet dock since her launch from the shipbuilding yard, took her departure on Tuesday night, in charge of one of the Liverpool Steam Towage Company's boats. Captain Ferguson, who has superintended the vessel from her commencement to her completion, takes command of the Avenger in the meantime. She will take a general cargo from Liverpool to Melbourne."
The Avenger was a ship launched on the 23rd March 1879 by the Whitehaven Ship Building Company. She was registered in London and was sunk by an enemy raider on the South African coast on the 4th December 1917.

NOTE : I believe she went aground on the US East coast, was recovered and renamed, and was under the US flag when she was sunk, possibly the John H.Kirby, of New Orleans, sunk by the raider Wolf.
 

Name
Year Built
Gross Tons
Length (feet)
Breadth (feet)
Depth (feet)
Masts
Figurehead
Stern
Lloyd's Classn.
Avenger
1879
1360
 240
36 
 22
3 
 
 
 

Sources :

  1. "Shipbuilding in Whitehaven - A Checklist" by Harry Fancy, Whitehaven Museum (1984)
  2. Website www.old-kirkcudbight.net  : From a family gravestone : Captain James C.Ferguson died aboard his ship, Avenger, and was buried at sea 21st June 1890, aged 61 years.
  3. American Lloyd's Register of American and Foreign Shipping, 1880 - registered London, owned by W.Grice & Co.
  4. Photograph of John H.Kirby ex. Avenger in the State Library of Victoria Picture Catalogue.
  5. There is a painting of the Avenger at the Beacon museum, Whitehaven.
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