Albion Packet (1800 ship)

Albion Packet was a schooner launched at Berwick by Gowan. She sailed primarily along Britain's coasts, and later to the Baltic. She disappeared from the registers between 1816 and 1822, when she reappeared as Albion. Circa 1827 she became Albion Packet again. She underwent two maritime mishaps, one in August 1802 and one circa December 1827, before being wrecked on 17 November 1832 near Orford High Light.

History
Great Britain
OwnerOld Ship Company[a]
BuilderGowan, Berwick
Launched1800
FateWrecked 11 November 1832
General characteristics
Tons burthen127 (bm)
Sail planSchooner
Armament6 × 18-pounder carronades

Career

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Albion Packet first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1800.[2]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1800 J.Ramsay Old Shipping Co. Leith–London LR

On 31 August 1802, Lloyd's List reported that Albion Packet struck on a rock at the entrance of the Tweed as she was sailing from London to Leith. Albion Packet put into Berwick with five feet of water in her hold and would be obliged to unload her cargo to repair.[3]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1803 J[ohn] Ramsay
W. Cooper
Old Shipping Company Leith–London LR
1806 W[illiam] Cooper
[William] Halliburton
Old Shipping Company Leith–London LR

In August 1809 Albion Packet sailed from London to Leith in 37 hours, the quickest such voyage known.[4]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1810 Halliburton
Creighton
Old Shipping Company Leith–London LR

In February 1814 Albion Packet, May, master, returned leaky to Leith from Gothenburg. She had been delivering mail but was unable to get into the port because of the ice. She transferred her mails to another packet.[5]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1815 Creighton Old Shipping Company Leith–London LR
1816 Creighton Old Shipping Company Leith–London LR

Neither LR nor RS published in 1817. Albion Packet was no longer listed in 1818. There was a report in 1819 that Albion Packet, of Leith, had been lost on the coast of Holland. On 16 or 17 October, Albion, Parker, master, was on her way from Leith to Hambro when she was driven ashore at Ameland. Most of her cargo was saved, but 43 casks of sugar were lost.[6] It is not possible from the LR or SR volumes for 1819 to determine which vessel this was.

In 1822 Albion, of 125 tons (bm) launched at Berwick in 1800, reappeared in LR.[7] The Berwick shipping Company had been established in 1820.[b]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1822 Wm. Ord Berwick Shipping Company Leith coaster LR
1824 W. Ord
M.Brown
Berwick Shipping Company Leith coaster LR; large repair 1815, & repairs 1824
1826 M.Brown Berwick Shipping Company Hull coaster LR; thorough repair 1815

Then in 1827, LR listed two vessels: Albion, with the same information as in 1826, and Albion Packet, of 126 tons (bm), built in Berwick, and launched in 1806.[9] This was the first listing of an Albion Packet since 1816. She had a new owner, master, and homeport, suggesting that some confusion may have developed as a consequence of the change.

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1827 J.Hunter C.Jackson Hull-Shields LR

In 1827, Albion Packet, Hunter, master, was sailing from Hambro to Newcastle upon Tyne when she went shore near Cuxhaven. She was gotten off the sand and went into port in a leaky state to discharge her cargo and effect repairs. She came into port on 4 December.[10] She arrived at Newcastle from Hamburg in January 1828 with a cargo of hides.

In 1828 LR no longer listed a Berwick-built Albion, only Albion Packet.

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1828 J.Hunter
W.Harrison
C.Jackson Hull-Shields LR

From 1828 on, all the advertisements for Albion Packet's sailings gave her master's name as William Morrison, and her destinations as ports in Northern Germany or the Baltic.

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1830 W.Harrison
W.Morrison
C.Jackson Cork–Havre LR
1831 W.Morrison C.Jackson Hull–Newcastle LR
1831 W.Morrison
s.Forster
C.Jackson
Marwood
Newcastle–Humber Register of Shipping; repairs 1824 & good repairs 1828

Fate

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Albion Packet, Marwood, master was driven ashore near Orford Haven on 11 November 1832. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Maldon, Essex to Sunderland, County Durham.[11] The entry for Albion Packet in the Register of Shipping (RS) for 1832 carried the annotation "LOST".[12]

Notes

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  1. ^ The London and Leith Old Ship Company had been founded in Berwick but transferred to Leith early in the 19th century.[1]
  2. ^ The Berwick Shipping Company had been formed in 1820. It replaced earlier and smaller companies in the ice trade.[8]

Citations

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  1. ^ Martine (1888), pp. 2–3.
  2. ^ LR (1800), "A" supple. pages.
  3. ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4286. 31 August 1802. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735020.
  4. ^ "PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE". (26 August 1809) Caledonian Mercury (Edinburgh, Scotland), Issue: 13679.
  5. ^ "SHIP NEWS". Hull Packet, Hull, England, 22 February 1814, issue 1423.
  6. ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 5424. 29 October 1819. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735029.
  7. ^ LR (1822), Supple. pages "A", Seq.No.A84.
  8. ^ McCord (1979), p. 34.
  9. ^ LR (1827), Seq.No.A379.
  10. ^ "Shipping Intelligence". The Hull Packet and Humber Mercury. No. 2248. 18 December 1827.
  11. ^ "Ship News". The Morning Chronicle. No. 19729. 20 November 1832.
  12. ^ RS (1833), Seq.No.A379.

References

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  • Martine, John (1888). Reminiscences of Port and Town of Leith.
  • McCord, Norman (1979). North East England: An Economic and Social History. Batsford Academic.