Criffel

Official Number
44390

The Criffel was an iron barque built by Williamson & Son at Harrington, launched in July 1863. She was originally owned and registered at Maryport, and was commanded by Capt.R.L.Armstrong. She was advertised in Glasgow newspapers for her first voyage, which was to be from Glasgow to Valparaiso with goods and passengers. She arrived at that port on the 22nd December 1863.

In May 1868 the Criffel arrived at Adelaide from Newport, still under the command of Capt.Armstrong. The vessel took a return cargo at Wallaroo, then departed for Liverpool via Cape Horn.

The Criffel was sold by her Maryport owners in about 1872. Captain Armstrong subsequently had command of the Alneburgh, and was lost with that vessel in 1880.

The Criffel was renamed Iris. From 1873 to 1898 the barque was registered at Hamburg. In 1900 the owner of the Iris was named Tobias and the vessel was registered at Oldenburg, Germany.

A different Criffel was built at Maryport, by Robert Ritson & Co., in 1891.

Name
Year Built
Gross Tons
Length (feet)
Breadth (feet)
Depth (feet)
Masts
Figurehead
Stern
Lloyd's Classn.
Criffel
1863
 509
 156.6
27.23
 17.4
3
 
 
13 years A1 

Sources :

  1. "Shipbuilding at Workington - a Checklist" by Harry Fancy, pub. Whitehaven Museum (1985).
  2. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1863-4 (Supplement): Criffel, iron barque, 509 tons, built by Williamson at Harrington in July 1863, owned by Hay & Co., registered at Maryport, master Capt.Armstrong, voyage Harrington - South America.
  3. Newspaper reports from the Glasgow Herald.
  4. Australian newspaper reports at the National Library of Australia website.
  5. Clayton's Register of Shipping, 1865: Criffel, barque, 509 tons, built 1863, classed 13 years A1, owned by H.O.Huthwaite, solicitor, of Maryport, registered at Maryport, master Capt.R.Armstrong.
  6. Mystic Seaport Library Ship Register Search has shipping register details from 1871 to 1873 (under the name Criffel) and from 1873 to 1900 for the Iris. From 1891 to 1898 she is described as a tern schooner, then in 1900 is described as a barquentine.
  7. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1872-3 : Criffel, iron barque, 509 tons, built by Williamson at Harrington in July 1863, official no.44390, owned by H.Hthwaite, registered at Maryport, master Capt.Armstrong, voyage London - Port Victoria (annotated "now named Iris").
  8. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1872-3 (Supplement): Iris (late Criffel), owned by M.G.Amanek, vessel registered at Hamburg, voyage Hamburg - Valparaiso.