Cathaya

Official Number 25850

Six vessels were built at Workington for the Lamport & Holt line. Their first vessel was the Christabel, built by James Alexander in 1845, and then five others were built by Charles Lamport himself, namely the Cathaya, Blencathra, Coniston, Glaramara and Chalgrove. Charles Lamport was the brother of James Lamport, founder of the Lamport and Holt shipping line. Charles leased a shipyard at Workington in 1849, and built 27 large vessels there in the years upto 1866. The Cathaya was the first vessel built for his brother.

The Cathaya was a full-rigged ship of 407 tons, registered at Liverpool with a builder's certificate dated 30th May 1850 (probably her launch date). Her shares were owned by William James Lamport and George Holt.

Source 3 states that the Cathaya was rebuilt in 1852 to 503 tons, and was lost in 1857.

On the 14th October 1857 the Cathaya left Hong Kong bound for Foochow. She was wrecked on the Prata shoal on the 20th October, the captain and crew abandoning the vessel in the ship's boat and arriving at Hong Kong, and carrying $10,000 dollars of "treasure" (see Source 6).

Charles Lamport built a second ship named Cathaya (ON 47623) in 1863.

Sources :

1. " American Lloyd's Register of American and Foreign Shipping, 1859 " describes the Cathaya as a barque, names master as Capt.Wender.  Gives tonnage as 403 tons.
2. " New York Marine Register, 1858 " describes the Cathaya as a ship, names master as Thompson and gives tonnage as 493 tons.
3. The Ships List Fleet History - Lamport & Holt Line
4. Mercantile Navy List 1857 gives official number for the Cathaya of Liverpool, 454 tons.
5. BoT Transcripts of Liverpool Shipping Register (No.159 for 1850 and No.366 for 1852) at Merseyside Maritime Museum - states that the vessel was "lost in the China Seas 21st October 1857".
6. Wreck reported in the Morning Chronicle, Monday, 14th December 1857.