COULNAKYLE

Shipbuildervessel built by Alexander HALL & Co. (Footdee, Aberdeen)

Date1862

Object NameCLIPPER

MediumWOOD

ClassificationsShip

Dimensionslength 168' x breadth 30' 5" x depth 18' 8"
tonnage 611 tons

Object numberABDSHIP001118

Keywords

Aberdeen Built Ships

About MeYard: Alexander Hall & Co.
Yard Number: 228
Official Number: 44439
Subsequent Names: SPLENDIDEZZA (1890)

Fate: Broken up July 1897.

Propulsion: Sail
Description: Ship rigged clipper, highlander figurehead

Owners:
1862-80: John Jamieson, registered at Aberdeen
1881-82: J. F. Gibb, registered at Aberdeen
1883-87: C. M. Bowden, registered at Umea, Sweden
1887-90: E. C. Elliott, registered Launceston, Tasmania, then at Sydney
1890-97: L. Schiaffino, registered at Genoa

Masters:
1862-70: Master Morison
1871-73: Master J. Japp
1874: Master Jones
1877-80: Master W. Gordon
1881-82: Master A. Morison
1883-87: Master O. Bergstrom
1888-90: Master Carmichael
1891-92: Master L. Schiaffino
1894: Master Revello
1894-97: Master G. Asti

Voyages:
1863-66: Aberdeen - China
1867-68: London - China
1869: London - New Zealand
1871-73: London - Japan

General History:
The Aberdeen Journal report of the launch of COULNAKYLE in 1862 intimated that it was intended for the China trade, in other words to participate in the tea races from the China coast to London. Basil Lubbock described it as being in 1866 ‘among the best known and finest clippers assembled at the Pagoda Anchorage’ (Foochow) for the tea race. However, it was not one of the fastest. On its first race in 1863 it left Shanghai on 20 June and arrived at London on 27 October, 131 days on passage. The winner took 104 days. In the 1866 race referred to above the vessel was slow to get away. AERIAL was first on 28 May and COULNAKYLE among the later ships which left after 6 June.
Most years early in its career COULNAKYLE sailed from London for Shanghai, sometimes also to Foochow or Amoy, in December or January. The 1868 advertisement described it as a ‘magnificent vessel built under special survey in Aberdeen’. Passenger passages were also offered. Mid-winter was not a good time to sail down the English Channel. In 1867 it had to put back from Deal on 10 January and did not get away from London for Shanghai till 7 February. It is not in Lubbock’s list for the tea race of that year. Perhaps because it was not among the leading contenders in the tea race it was not in the China trade every year. In 1865 Sydney was its destination and in 1869 Auckland. Perhaps for this reason also its voyages in the 1870s were mainly to Japan. In August 1870 it was spoken on a voyage from London to Yokohama. On 29 September the 2nd officer had his thigh broken by a big sea breaking over the deck.
Thereafter for several years COULNAKYLE sailed usually to Yokohama, with sometimes extensions to Hiago and Nagasaki. In 1873 the return passage was via San Francisco for a cargo of wheat from there for Cork, and in 1875 it made a now unusual voyage to Shanghai. A peril of voyages in the Far East was to be becalmed in very hot weather. In 1878 Capt. Gordon died in 4 August while the vessel was becalmed for 3 days, ‘the weather being exceedingly warm’ on passage from Kobe to Iloila in the Philippines. The report in the Overland China Mail described COULNAKYLE as ‘an old trader between England and these waters’ and Capt. Gordon as ‘well and deservedly respected’.
The vessel’s sale after almost 20 years of Aberdeen ownership in the Far East trade was precipitated by the death in 1880 of the principal shareholder, William Jamieson. The advertisement stated that in 1876 it was fitted with a new deck and other expensive repairs, and that it was now in excellent order and lying at Greenock. Under the subsequent owners in the 1880s it continued to trade mainly to the Far East, now usually to the Philippines. Immediately after sale, it sailed from Glasow to Manilla. In 1881 it left Iloilo (Philippines) on 5 May and did not reach Liverpool till 25 September, concern having understandably been felt for its safety. In 1882 the vessel sailed to Valparaiso and Iquique (Chile), the latter port probably for a return cargo of guano fertiliser. By 1888 COULNAKYLE was showing its age. On 29 April it put into Auckland leaky and afterwards sailed, but in July was back there, leaky and requiring to discharge its cargo and be docked. This occurred on a voyage from the Friendly Isles to Marseilles, which seems to have become its regular route at this time. In June1890 it was at Levaka from Wallis Island, a French territory north east of Fiji, from which it sailed to Marseilles.
Sources: - Basil Lubbock, The China Clippers (Glasgow, 1914); Dundee Advertiser, 12/01/1867; Dundee Courier, 17/08/1865, 07/06/1890; Greenock Telegraph, 20/07/1888; Liverpool and China Telegraph, 01/10/1881; Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 19/08/1880, 11/04/1882, 24/07/1890; Liverpool Shipping Telegraph, 09/02/1871; London and China Times, 11/01/1868; London and China Telegraph, 19/08/1873; Lyttleton Times, 17/12/1873; Montrose Review, 17/05/1867; Morning Herald, 13/04/1863; Overland China Mail, 07/11/1878; Shields Daily Gazette, 19/07/1888; Shipping and Maritime Gazette, 15/07/1871; Western Morning News, 13/03/1869. (Newspaper references from British Newspaper Archive).

Newspaper extracts:
06/08/1862:
"Launch of the "COULNAKYLE" - On Wednesday the "COULNAKYLE", a fine Clipper ship, was launched from the building-yard of Messrs. A. Hall & Co. The vessel has been built for Mr. John Jamieson, shipowner, Marishal Street. She is 732 tons builders' measurement, and 611 tons per register. The principal dimensions are - length 168ft, breadth of beam 35ft; and depth of hold 18ft.
The "COULNAKYLE" is classed 13 years A1 at Lloyds; and it is enough to say she is of the best materials, and one of the finest models the Messrs Hall have yet turned out. The figure-head, it may be stated, is a brawny Highlander, executed with remarkable spirit, in the picturesque "Garb of old Gaul". The "COULNAKYLE" is intended for the China trade, and will be commanded by a townsman, Captain Morrison, formerly of the "AURORA". The ceremony of christening was gracefully performed by Miss Jamieson, daughter of the owner, and the vessel glided into the water beautifully, amid the hearty and repeated cheers of a large assemblage. After the launch, a party of sixty to seventy ladies and gentlemen, friends of the builders and owner sat down in one of the large lofts over the Messrs Hall's workshops, to an elegantly laid out champage banquet. Mr. Jamieson occupied the chair, and Mr. Hall was Croupier. Without attempting to report the speeches, which were brief, seldom witty, and always very much to the point, we may enumerate the leading toasts. "Success to the COULNAKYLE". Proposed by the Croupier, was drunk to with enthusiasm, as was the health of the builders, and the health of Captain Morrison, which followed, called forth a very hearty response. Captain Morrison, in reply, expressed his firm belief that the"COULNAKYLE" would add another laurel to the well earned fame of her builders, and would prove one of the finest and fastest ships afloat (Cheers). He gave the "Owners", which was drunk to amid loud cheers, and acknowledged by the Chairman. After several other toasts the Croupier next gave "Mr. Wallis, Lloyds Surveyor". Mr. Wallis in reply, said, since his presence at the pleasing entertainment had been discovered, he might just say he had witnessed the proceedings of the launch with very great pleasure. There had been a good head said to-day about the "COULNAKYLE" being a splendid ship. He had little to say in addition, but simply that the ship, while not better than a ship ought to be, was as good as she ought to be - which just meant that better she could not be. (Loud cheers) As Lloyds surveyor of British and foreign shipping, he had a very great pleasure in testifying to the highly satisfactory way in which the Messrs Hall's work was done. The vessel had been built under his special survey from the very day that her keel was laid down, and everything had gone on in a way which he was satisfied would do credit to the Messrs Hall, and no less give satisfaction to the owners (Cheers).
After a cup of "Bon-Accord" the party an exceedingly pleasant one, broke up. We may add that Messrs Hall & Co have present upon the stocks three new wooden vessels of high class, representing a tonnage of about 1700; besides another vessel with iron frame and wooden planking - the first of this description built in Aberdeen - the tonnage of which will be from 900 to 1,000 tons, which will be classed for 15 years A1 at Lloyds".
(Aberdeen Journal)

03/06/1865:
Arrived 2 June - COULNAKYLE, ship 597 tons, Morrison, from the downs 1 March.
(Sydney Empire)

30/06/1865:
Water police court - Aaron Fraser, Henry Williams, Peter Swarrey, Christian Petersen, Edward Edwards, Andrew Morrison and William Clarke, seamen on British ship Coulnakyle, were convicted of disobedience of lawful commands, it seems they had refused to turn to work on ground there were not sufficient hands on the vessel. Hard labour for 4 weeks.
(Sydney Morning Herald)

07/07/1865:
COULNAKYLE sailed 6 July for Shanghai.
(Sydney Empire)

24/01/1930:
Re Famous tea race. 1866 - spreading acres of canvas, the ARIEL, FIERY CROSS, TAIPING, FALCON, BLACK PRINCE, FLYING SPUR, ADA, CHINAMAN and COULNAKYLE swept out of Pagoda anchorage off Foo Chow on their epic race across four oceans. ARIEL and TAIPING led fleet all the way.
(Rockhampton Morning Bulletin)

20/02/1867:
Reporting Thames Police court - Captain A Morrison, Master of ship COULNAKYLE (owned by Messers Johnson & Co, Aberdeen) appeared to answer 2 summonses.
Albert Tyler - shipped in Sydney for 2.10.0 per month, which was reduced to 7 shillings per month for incompetency. He had been reduce to ordinary Seaman two days after sailing on the grounds he could not steer well. Magistrate ruled Master cound have known little of seaman's abilities in two days and it looked like an unjustified attempt to reduce a seaman's wages to please the owners.
Tom Cherir - shipped as Able Seaman at 3.10.0 a month, but reduced to 2.10.0. Captain and mate gave evidence that he did not know the mark and deeps on the lead line in Shanghai river and could only take the helm in fine weather.
(Sydney Morning Herald)

13/05/1868:
COULNAKYLE, from London for Amoy, Spoken to, 11 March 33S, 24W (Mid Atlantic on latitude of Montevideo and Cape Town).
(Aberdeen Journal)

29/11/1873:
San Francisco 27 August - Sailor went to shipping office on Battery Street and stated that he desired a ship, but only an English one. COULNAKYLE was lying in the stream awaiting a crew and the man, proving on examination to be a good seaman, was at once shipped. His strange conduct attracted officer's attention - sullen, melancholy and continually muttering to himself, when Captain Japp was ashore to clear the vessel at Custom House, the sailor told 2nd mate that six years ago he and two others have killed a man in New York. Captain Japp reported this at the Police office and officers boarded the ship and took him ashore.
(Hobart Mercury)

19/01/1888:
Barque COULNAKYLE, with part cargo of copra and tallow for Marseilles and a quantity of timber and general cargo for the friendly islands, cleared Sydney heads yesterday. Will complete loading copra in the islands.
(Sydney Morning Herald)

18/07/1889:
Barque COULNAKYLE is to be berthed at Russel's Wharf, Sydney, with cargo from Marseilles.
(Sydney Morning Herald)

14/12/1889:
Fiji 3 December. Barque COULNAKYLE discharged cargo of 457 tons coal and 959 packages general stores at Lt Nala Bay.
(Sydney Morning Herald)

In 1864 she left Shanghai on 1 July in company with the brand-new clipper TAEPING and both ships were partially dismasted in a Typhoon ten days later [...] In 1883 she was sold to C. M. Boden of Umea, Sweden, for £1100. In either 1886 or 1888 she got ashore in the river Tamar near Launceston, Tasmania, but it was found that repairs would cost £4000 ans so she was sold by aution in Sydney for £300. In 1890 Schiaffino of Genoa bought her and renamed her SPLENDIDEZZA. She was condemned seven years later in July
(David R. MacGregor (1983) "The Tea Clippers their history and development, 1833-1875" (Conway Maritime, london) pp. 130-31)

Notes: Contract cost, £11,712 or £18 per ton (Builder's List held in Lloyd's Library of Aberdeen Maritime Museum)
Re-rigged as a barque 1871