Conishead

Official Number 95402

The Conishead was a steel four-masted barque built in October 1892 by Richard Williamson & Son at Workington. She was one of six Workington four-masted barques known as the "Six Sisters" (the others were Andelana, Vortigern, Pendragon Castle, Caradoc and Eusemere). Her first owners were Bourke & Huntrods of Workington. In 1894 she made the passage from Barrow-in-Furness to Cape Horn in only 42 days, commanded by Capt.J.A.Bromley.

In August 1898 she followed the Eusemere and was sold to Hamburg shipowners Reederei B. Wencke & Söhne, by whom she was renamed Athene. Eight years later both Workington vessels were bought by Rhederei Akt. Gesellschaft von 1896, also a Hamburg shipping firm. At the start of the First World war the Athene was interned by the Australian Government, and then was chartered to a London firm who renamed her Cooroy. The barque was lost on passage to Liverpool from Tocopilla, sunk on the 29th August 1917 by UC-75 ten miles South of Hook Point.

Sources :

1. Maritime History Virtual Archives
2. The National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, has one photo of this vessel (catalog. no. P2270 ).
3. Record of American and Foreign Shipping 1895 - names master as Capt.J.A.Bromley
4. Photo available at the San Francisco Public Library.