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ELISSA

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

Date1877

Object NameBARQUE

MediumIRON

ClassificationsShip

Dimensionslength 149 5/6' x breadth 28 1/12' x depth 14 5/12'
Gross Tonnage: 430 ton

Object numberABDSHIP001182

Keywords

Aberdeen Built Ships

About MeYard: Alexander Hall & Co.
Yard Number: 294
Official Number: 78726
Subsequent Names: FJELD (1897); GUSTAF (1912); CHRISTOPHEROS (1960); ACHEOS (c.1969).

Fate: still extant as a museum ship.

Propulsion: Sail
Description: Barque rigged, 3 masts, raised quarter deck 34', forecastle

Owners:
1877-96: Henry F. Watt, registered at Liverpool
1897-09: Actieskelskabet "Fjeld" (Bugge & Olsen), registered at Laurvig, Norway
1912: O. Rasmussen, registered at Larvik
1913-17: Carl Johansson, registered at Kalmar, Sweden
1918: Nils Österman, registered at Sockholm, Sweden
1920-22: S. Salen, registered at Gotheburg, Sweden
1923-29: William Millar, registered at Gotheburg
1930-45: Erik Nylund, registered at Mariehamn, Åland, Finland
1947-52: P. C. Molander, registered at Pori, Finland
1953-55: O/Y Thelmita, registered at Kristinstad, Finland
1956-59: Partrederibolaget Gustaf, Hugo Boström, registered at Helsingfors, Finland.
1959-67: A. Kavadas & D. Vassilatos, registered at Piraeus, Greece
1968?-1970: M. Christidou, P. Konidaris & Co., registered at Piraeus, Greece
1970 onward: Galveston Historical Foundation, Texas.

Masters:
1878-83: Master G. Wheaton
1883-85: Master H. Pomroy
1885-88: Master Chaddock
1889-95: Master J. Williams
1895-96: Master H. F. Watt
1897-1909: Master H. Andersen
1912-17: Master G. W. Nilsson
1918-20: Master C. W. Eliasson
1922: Master G. Barthley

General History:
21/03/1885:
ELISSA has arrived in Brisbane with a full cargo of kerosive from New York.
(Queenslander)

02/04/1885:
Report of the Marine Board of Queensland on grounding of Barque ELISSA in Brisbane River, 18 March 1885. In the evening, the ELISSA, with Herbert Pomoroy as Master, was being towed up Brisbane River by tug OTTER. While stopped off for health inspection, she appeared to have drifted up river and to south side of channel. Tug was now alongside and when tug's starboard engines only were started, ELISSA refused to come to and shortly after took the ground. It took the tug over one hour to pull the ELISSA off and to other side of channel, warp was then let go to allow tug to turn, but it took so long to do this that the barque drifted up river and took the bank above Lytton. The tug eventually pulled her off, causing slight damage to both vessels. Board blamed pilot and tug.
(Brisbane Courier)

09/05/1885:
ELISSA sailed from Brisbane for Rangoon, 7 May 1885.
(South Australian Register)

27/02/1886:
The Council of the Mercantile Marine Service Association have awarded an illuminated vote of thanks to Mr. Thomas Culver (formerly cadet on board the schoolship Conway), in recognition of the cool judgment and presence of mind shown by him on the night of the 2nd of January last, at Bordeaux, in effecting the rescue of his captain—G. A. Chaddock, of the Liverpool barque ELISSA—from drowning, he having fallen into the river beneath a pile of pitwood, which capsized when he attempted to get on board his vessel.
(Liverpool Shipping Telegraph and Daily Commercial Advertiser)

17/11/1888:
ELlSSA.—Boston, Nov. 1.—British barque ELISSA, from Rangoon, encountered a heavy gale Oct. 29, in which [she] shipped much water, washing tarpaulins from hatches and, all movables from [the] deck.
(Lloyd's List)

22/01/1896:
The British barque ElLISSA, from Workington, at Rio Grande, is reported to have struck the ground. She has been surveyed by a diver, who reports no injury
(Morning Post)

23/02/1897:
British barque ELISSA, from Laguna (Brazil) to Queenstown with mahogany, has been towed into Ventry Dingle with sails, rigging etc. damaged.
(Glasgow Herald)

14/10/1897:
Iron barque ELISSA, built in Aberdeen in 1877 at cost of £8000, has just been sold for £1800. She carries 620 tonnes dead weight on 14ft draft.
(Belfast Newsletter)

Galveston Historical Foundation brought ELISSA, an 1877 square-rigged iron barque, from a scrapyard in Piraeus Harbor, Greece to Galveston to begin restoration work in 1978. By 1982, Galveston Historical Foundation staff and volunteers completed restoration and transformed this rare, historic vessel into a floating museum that would actively sail. Today, the 1877 Tall Ship ELISSA is one of only three ships of her kind in the world to still actively sail and welcomes over 40,000 visitors annually. She also serves as the Official Tall Ship of Texas, a National Historic Landmark, and a symbol of the Gulf Coast’s historic beginnings as a seaport and active waterfront. The 1877 ELISSA, a Tall Ship for Texas, welcomes visitors at the Galveston Historic Seaport. Experience Galveston’s maritime history daily.
(Galveston History: https://www.galvestonhistory.org/sites/1877-tall-ship-elissa-at-the-galveston-historic-seaport )

Notes: Contract cost, £7,046 (Builder's List in the Lloyd's Library of the Aberdeen Maritime Museum)