Ant

Official Number 9371

Ant was a relatively common name for sailing ships (26 listed in Source 2) so the following history is a bit tentative - it needs to be confirmed from the Workington Shipping Register (held at Cumbria Record Office, Whitehaven).

The Ant was built at Workington in 1838 by Jonathon Fell. In 1840 she was registered at Workington, owned by her commander, Capt.Milliam Matches, and others. She was stated to be a brig, 151 tons old measurement, 129 tons new measurement (from Source 1).

In 1857 there was one vessel named Ant registered at Workington, described as 129 tons (see Source 2). Newspaper reports in that year indicated that the brigantine Ant of Workington was found abandoned in the North Atlantic.

From "The Brooklyn Eagle", Thursday, 13th August, 1857, page 3.

SYRACUSE, Aug.12.- The French war steamer Ardent, on the 7th instant, fell in with and towed into St.Pieree, a brigantine, timber laden, having the British flag at half-mast. She had no boats, and no papers were found in her. Her name appeared to be "Workington".

SYDNEY, N.S., Aug.12.- The French war-steamer Ardent, on the 7th instant, west of Miquelon, fell in with an abandoned brigantine, having a British flag displayed at half-mast. No boats were found with her. Her name appeared to be Ant, of Workington, and she was laden with timber. No papers were discovered on board. The wreck was towed to St.Pierre by the Ardent.

Sources :

1. "A List Of The Cumberland Shipping, Corrected To February 1840, by William Sawyers, Comptroller Of Her Majesty's Customs At The Port Of Whitehaven" - this reference does not differentiate between brigs and brigantines.
2. Mercantile Navy List 1857 - gives port of registry, official number and tonnage, but does not give rig or year/place of build.
3. "Shipbuilding at Workington - a Checklist" by Harry Fancy, pub. Whitehaven Museum (1985).