FY-CHOW
Shipbuildervessel built by
Alexander HALL & Co.
(Footdee, Aberdeen)
DateOctober 1863
Object NameCLIPPER
MediumWOOD; Oak and Teak
ClassificationsShip
Dimensionslength 180.3' x breadth 31.6' x depth 19.3'
gross tonnage 710 tons
gross tonnage 710 tons
Object numberABDSHIP001120
Keywords
Yard Number: 232
Fate: missing in the North Atlantic, March/April 1867.
Propulsion: Sail
Description: Ship rigged clipper, 3 masts, iron beams.
Owner:
1863-67: Dunbar & Co., registered at London.
Master:
1865-67: Master J. Mathers
Voyages (Lloyd's):
1865-67: London - China
General History:
This wooden full-rigged ship was built by Alexander Hall and Sons to the order of Duncan Dunbar, London, but as she died in the year before she was launched, Gellatly, Hankey & Sewell, London, became the owners.
In 1867 she went missing in North Atlantic on passage from New York to London with a crew of twenty, loaded with barley.
David R. MacGregor (1983), "The Tea Clippers: Their History and Development 1833-1875" (Conway Maritime, London), p. 145 (picture p. 144))
Tea Season 1865-66 Hankow - London 120 days, Master Mathers. (ibid., p. 235)
28/10/1863:
Launched yesterday from building yard of Alexander Hall & Co. a fine ship, the FY-CHOW of London, to order of Dunbar & Co. She is of fine proportions and designed for carrying heavy cargoes as well as for swift sailing, frame is entirely of square British oak, planking of teak, bindings of copper, beams, stringers, knees, masts and yards of iron. A steam engine is fitted on deck for heaving up the anchors and loading and and discharging cargo. Attached to engine is the cooking apparatus, which at same time distils sea water. No expense has been spared to render the FY-CHOW as complete a merchant ship as can be built and she accordingly class A1 on Lloyd's Register for 14 years.
(Aberdeen Journal)
24/11/1863:
Shanghai Direct - Messrs. Dunbar and Co.'s new Aberdeen-built clipper FY-CHOW, loading in East India Docks. This splendid high-class ship, just launched by Messrs. A. Hall & Co. expressly for this trade, is confidently recommended to shippers. Has very superior cabin accommodation.
(Daily News)
13/01/1864:
FY-CHOW, Mather. Cleared out of London for Shanghai 5th Jan., off Portsmouth 8th Jan.
(Aberdeen Journal)
21/01/1865:
FY-CHOW, Mather, passed, from London for Shanghai.
(Hampshire Telegraph, (Portsmouth))
27/12/1865:
FY-CHOW at St. Helena 21 November, 82 days from Hankow [near Shanghai].
(Aberdeen Journal)
23/04/1867:
Sixty guineas premium were paid to-day to effect insurances on the ship FI CHOW, which sailed from New York for London on the 11th of March. She has on board 41,142 bushels of barley in bulk.
(Morning Herald (London))
10/10/1867:
DEATHS. Daniels—Lost, with all on board the ship FY CHOW, which sailed from New York on the 16th March last, aged 20, Stanley Herbert, second son of Arthur Daniels, Esq, of Fellows-road. Eton-park.
(London and China Express)
Notes: Contract cost £15,784 - £18.10.0 per ton (Builder's list held in the Lloyd's Library of the Aberdeen Maritime Museum).
FY CHOW continues to be in Lloyd's until 1873 (F358), Lloyd's does not reflect the change of owner mentioned by MacGregor.
