Cathaya

Official Number
25850

The Cathaya was the second vessel built at Workington for the Lamport & Holt shipping line, the first being the Christabel, and the first of five built by Charles Lamport himself, the other four being the Blencathra, Coniston, Glaramara and Chalgrove. Charles Lamport was the brother of James Lamport, founder of the Lamport and Holt line. Charles leased a shipyard at Workington in 1849, and built 27 large vessels there in the years upto 1866. 

The Cathaya was a full-rigged ship of 407 tons, registered at Liverpool with a builder's certificate dated 30th May 1850. Her shares were owned by William James Lamport and George Holt. The Cathaya was rebuilt in 1852 to 503 tons.

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".

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

Name
Year Built
Gross Tons
Length (feet)
Breadth (feet)
Depth (feet)
Masts
Figurehead
Stern
Lloyd's Classn.
Cathaya
1850
 407
 118.6
 24.4
 18.4
 3
 Female
 Square
13 years A1 

Sources :

  1. 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".
  2. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1852-3: Cathaya, ship, 407 tons, built at Workington in 1850, owned by Lamport, registered at Liverpool, master Capt.J.Baillie, voyage Workington - China.
  3. The Ships List Fleet History - Lamport & Holt Line
  4. Mercantile Navy List 1857: Cathaya, 454 tons, official number 25850, registered at Liverpool.
  5. Wreck reported in the Morning Chronicle, Monday, 14th December 1857.