Alpha

Official Number 14603

The Alpha was a brig of 156 tons, built at Workington in 1851.

From the Liverpool Mercury newspaper, 21st September 1891:

" ATTEMPTED MURDER AT WHITEHAVEN - On Saturday morning an Austrian seaman named Angelo Lazerio, belonging to the schooner Alpha, of Whitehaven, was found lying in a pool of blood in that town, stabbed in the neck, and his head battered in with an iron bar. A negro on the same vessel, named Prince Lord Thomson, belonging to Texas, is accused of the deed. He sprang overboard and escaped for a time, but was captured in the evening, after an exciting chase. Lazerio was taken to the infirmary, and lies there in a critical condition."

Sources :

1. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1866-7: brig, registered at Workington, owned by J.Peile, master T.Riley.
2. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1881-2: registered at Whitehaven, owned by W.R.Kelly, master named as J.Fisher.
3. In the Times report of the attempted murder, the Alpha is described as a brigantine (The Times, 29th Sept.1891, page 4).