Wastwater

Official Number 74528

The Wastwater was a barque launched on the 8th May 1876 by the Whitehaven Ship Building Company. She was owned by Jackson & Metcalf and was registered at Liverpool. In 1879 the Whitehaven newspaper reported a court case between Capt.William Cowman and the owners of the vessel, who were disputing the ownership of shares given to Capt.Cowman as part of his agreement to take the command. Capt.Cowman had commanded the vessel on her second voyage, from Glasgow to Brisbane and Portland, Oregon. He was replaced by Capt.White for the next voyage, it being alleged by the owners that Capt.Cowman's disbursements for running the ship were excessive and had been the cause of the vessel losing money on the voyage.

Source 2 reports that the Wastwater was was burnt at sea in 1880. Source 4 provides more detail, reporting that the Wastwater, still owned by Jackson & Metcalf, had departed Samarang on the 17th March 1880, bound for Holland. On the 9th August 1880 the steamer Gillinos, Demerara for Plymouth, encountered the burnt and abandoned hull of the Wastwater at lat.27.15 N, long.43 W, still smoking and with masts, decks and all woodwork gone except the jibboom and bowsprit.
 

Sources :

1. Lloyds Register of Shipping 1877 (names owner as Jackson & Metcalf,  master as W.Cowman, signal code flags PRTV).
2. "Shipbuilding in Whitehaven - A Checklist" by Harry Fancy, Whitehaven Museum (1984)
3. "Cumberland Pacquet and Ware's Whitehaven Advertiser", 5th August 1879, page 3.
4. "The Times" newspaper, Wednesday, 25th August, 1880, page 11.