Urania

Official Number
24789

The Urania was a wooden brig built by R.& W.Williamson at Harrington, launched on the 3rd July 1844.

Ware's Whitehaven Advertiser and Cumberland Pacquet, Tuesday, 9th July 1844, page 3;

"A handsome new brig called the Urania, register 205 tons O.M. and 204 tons N.M., was on Wednesday last launched from the building yard of Messrs.R & W.Williamson and Co., at Harrington, built for Captain Martin, of the ship Ursula, and intended for the West India trade. This vessel is coppered and copper-fastened to her wails, stands A1 12 years at Lloyd's, has a full female figure head, with carved stern and taff rail."

The Urania was registered at Workington for her entire career, which was initially spent in foreign trade. The brig spent her final years in the coal trade from Cumberland to Ireland. Bound from Dublin for Whitehaven in ballast, the Urania was wrecked in a severe NW gale at Braystones on the morning of Tuesday, 9th March 1875. Her five crew abandoned the brig in their small boat, excepting the master, Capt.Hayton, who remained on board for two hours. The Whitehaven rocket brigade arrived and threw a line over the vessel, but the master was drowned when he eventually threw himself into the surf.

Name
Year Built
Gross Tons
Length (feet)
Breadth (feet)
Depth (feet)
Masts
Figurehead
Stern
Lloyd's Classn.
Urania
1844
204 on, 205 nm
83.3 
20.2
 15.2
2
Female 
 
 11 years A1

Sources :

  1. "Shipbuilding at Workington - a Checklist" by Harry Fancy, pub.Whitehaven Museum (1985).
  2. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1845-6: Urania, brig, 204 tons old measure, 205 tons new measure, built and coppered at Harrington in 1844, owned by Williamson and belonging to the port of Harrington, master Capt.Martin, voyage Liverpool - St.Martha.
  3. Clayton's Register of Shipping 1865: Urania, brig, 194 tons, built 1844, owned by J.Key, master mariner, of Harrington, vessel registered at Workington, master Capt.S.Martin.
  4. Mercantile Navy List 1867: Urania,194 ton, sofficial number 24789, signal letters PCHN, owned by Joseph Key, of Harrington, vessel registered at Workington.
  5. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1874-5: Urania, 194 tons, brig, built at Harrington in 1844, official number 24789, signal letters PCHN, owned by Key & Co, registered at Workington, masters Capts.W.Dixon & Hayton.
  6. Workington Shipping Register - vessel wrecked at Braystones, to the S of St.Bee's Head, 9th March 1875.
  7. Wreck reported in the Liverpool Mercury, Wednesday, 10th March 1875.