DUNROBIN CASTLE
Shipbuildervessel built by
Alexander HALL & Co.
(Footdee, Aberdeen)
Date1851
Object NameCLIPPER
MediumWOOD
ClassificationsShip
Dimensionslength 131' 1" x breadth 25' 9" x depth 18' 7"
tonnage 545 tons
tonnage 545 tons
Object numberABDSHIP001067
Keywords
Yard Number: 179
Official Number: 17960
Fate: marked as wrecked October 1891 in Lloyd's 1892 (D625)
Propulsion: Sail
Description: ship rigged clipper, 1 deck and a round house, round stern, carvel built, male figurehead.
Owners:
1851: Registered at Aberdeen for owners;
Donaldson Rose, William Rose, James Rose, Alexander Rose, Charles Rose, all Aberdeen, 64 shares jointly.
(Source: Aberdeen Register of Shipping (Aberdeen City Archives))
1883-91: G. Milne & Co., registered at Aberdeen
1891: A. P. Andersson, registered at Sundsvall, Sweden
Masters:
1852-53: Master Morrison
1854-60: Master Cobban
1861-62: Master A. Fernie
1863-73: Master W. Campbell
1874: Master MacKay
1875-85: Master George Jackson
1885-91: Master Crombie
Voyages (Lloyd's):
1852-53: Aberdeen - Calcutta
1854-56: London - Australia
1857-58: London - Newcastle [NSW?]
1859-60: London - Sydney
1861-62: Leith - Coquimbo, Chile
1863: London - Hobart, Tasmania
1864-65: Aberdeen - Callao, Peru
1867: Sheilds - Valparaiso, Chile
1868-73: Swansea - South America
General History:
Although owned jointly by several members of the Rose family, DUNROBIN CASTLE does not seem to have been engaged initially in Donaldson Rose’s timber trade from Canada. An early voyage was to India, arriving back at Gravesend from Calcutta in November 1853. However, for several years thereafter it was engaged in the highly profitable guano trade, carrying bird droppings from the West Coast of South America to Europe for use as fertiliser. Typically it sailed first for Callao, the chief seaport of Peru, presumably with cargos of British manufactured goods. Usually it then sailed the short distance to the Chincas Islands off the South West Coast of Peru for a cargo of guano, often returning to Callao before sailing for the UK. For example in October 1854 it was at Chincas waiting to depart for Callao. Possibly its last voyage in the Peruvian guano trade was in 1862. In June it was at Callao from the Chincas and left on 7 June for Isle de France. Soon afterwards political developments probably ended DUNROBIN CASTLE’s association with Callao. In 1864 Spain, the former colonial power, attacked Peru in the hope of winning a share of the guano trade. In July 1865 the vessel sailed from the Thames to Valparaiso, a major port in Chile, possibly seeking an alternative source of guano.
Unusually on 31 August 1859 DUNROBIN CASTLE was at Callao from Sydney and sailed on 5 September for the Chincas. This was, therefore, a round the world voyage, remarkable for such a small clipper. Although it was not a regular route, the vessel made several voyages between the UK and Australia. The first appears to have been on 23 February 1854 from Gravesend to Melbourne, reported as an emigrant voyage. By 1862 it was seeking a more select clientele, the agents Devitt and Moore advertising in November of that year that it offered first rate cabin accommodation on its intended voyage to Hobart, Tasmania, and claiming that it was known for fast passages. This voyage was eventually started in late January 1863. It was at Hobart on 26 May. By the late 1860s DUNROBIN CASTLE appears to have been at last employed on the owners’ timber trade from Canada to Aberdeen. In September 1869 Donaldson Rose advertised a sale of timber at Footdee which had been brought by the vessel from Quebec. In the summer of 1872 also it made a voyage from Quebec to Aberdeen. Capt. Jackson’s conviction at Aberdeen in 1876 for smuggling tobacco from America suggests it was still in the timber trade. No information has been found on its movements in its later years.
Sources (from British Newspaper Archive):-Aberdeen Herald 20/10/1859 and 19/07/1862; Aberdeen Journal, 13/12/1854, 28/10/1859, 21/08/1865, 15/09/1869; Banffshire Journal 25/8/1863; British Standard, 14/11/1862 and 16/01/1863; Public Ledger, 25/11/1853; Shipping and Maritime Gazette, 12/07/1872; Weekly Chronicle, 25/02/1854.
Newspaper extracts:
16/05/1859:
DUNROBIN CASTLE, ship, from London for Sydney, 52 days out, March 26, 18.40S, 20.53W (Mid Atlantic off Brazil).
(Belfast Newsletter)
02/07/1859:
DUNROBIN CASTLE, ship, 545 tons, Capt. Sim, cleared for Callao [Peru] in ballast.
(Sydney Morning Herald)
29/06/1859:
Ernest Duncan, a seaman, convicted of having deserted from ship DUNROBIN CASTLE - sentenced 6 weeks hard labour.
(Sydney Morning Herald)
27/05/1863:
DUNROBIN CASTLE arrived after voyage of 104 days from The Downs. In running down her easting on 8 May shipped a heavy sea which carried away her quarter boat. On discharge of her inward cargo (miscellaneous merchandise) she proceeds to Callao.
(Hobart Mercury)
22/06/1863:
DUNROBIN CASTLE, ship, Capt. W. Campbell, cleared out 20 June for Callao.
(Hobart Mercury)
08/08/1866:
Marriage: at 117 Loch St., Aberdeen, John Vigrow, Chief Officer of ship "DUNROBIN CASTLE" of Aberdeen to Jessie, only daughter of late Charles, Mackay, joiner.
(Aberdeen Journal)
01/11/1876:
George Jackson, Master of ship DUNROBIN CASTLE presently in harbour of Aberdeen, brought before Justice of the Peace charged with concealing aboard 16½ lbs of foreign manufactured Cavendish tobacco on which no duty had been paid. He pled guilty, stated he had no intention of smuggling, had brought the tobacco home from America for sole purpose of giving a plug to his many friends. Fine £10.14.6 (double value of tobacco) or 14 days. The Justice remarked law made no provision for shipmasters distributing tobacco amongst their friends duty free.
(Aberdeen Weekly Journal)
06/12/1888:
Medals have been awarded by the Norwegian Government to Captain and three of crew of Aberdeen ship DUNROBIN CASTLE. Owing to their exertions the crew of barque FRANKLIN of Langesund were rescued in October last year.
(Belfast Newsletter)
Notes: contract cost £4736 or £9 per ton (Builder's List held in the Lloyd's Library of the Aberdeen Maritime Museum)
1818
