INVERURIE

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

Shipownervessel built for George Milne & Co (Aberdeen, Scotland)

Date1889

Object NameBARQUE

MediumSTEEL

ClassificationsShip

Dimensionslength 242' 2" x breadth 37' 1" x depth 21' 6"
tonnage 1374 tons

Object numberABDSHIP001219

Keywords

Aberdeen Built Ships

About MeYard: Alexander Hall & Co.
Yard Number: 332
Official Number: 94530

Fate: wrecked near Bally Ferris Point, Co Antrim, on the east coast of Ireland, 15 November 1914.

Propulsion: Sail
Description: Barque rigged, 2 decks, 3 masts, three-quarter female figurehead.

Owners:
30/04/1889: Registered at Aberdeen for owners;
James Milne of Kinaldie, Aberdeenshire, shipowner, 64 shares.
02/05/1890: 16 shares to Charles Cook, Dorsell, Alford, shipowner.
03/05/1890: 2 shares to Melvin Rattray, 6 Beechgrove Terrace, Aberdeen, agent.
08/05/1890: 3 shares to John Williamson Jr. 29 Union Place, Aberdeen, flesher.
Milne holds remaining 43 shares as managing owner.
(Aberdeen Register of Shipping (Aberdeen City Archives))

Masters:
1890: Master J. Symmers
1898: Master J. Charleston
1910: Master J. Holmes

General History:
30/03/1889:
Sea apprentices wanted - 2 apprentices for new steel barque INVERURIE, premium £50, apply George Milne & Co., Aberdeen.
(Aberdeen Weekly Journal)

03/05/1889:
Yesterday the splendibly equipped barque INVERURIE left Aberdeen for Shields en route for Samatra. This being only sailing vessel built at Aberdeen for a number of years, considerable interest in it and yesterday a large crowd assembled. There are spacious berths for the officers, Captain Symmers' apartments being especially commodious. Tug GRANITE CITY (Captain Newton), which was to tow her to Shields, made tow rope secure. The barque glided away through the gates amidst cheers of crowd. Decision to tow her to Shields due to weather.
(Aberdeen Weekly Journal)

15/01/1892:
Auctland 8 Jan - Barque, INVERURIE arrived in Napier from Santos, Brazil. Reports Captain died and 4 men suffered from supposed jungle fever after leaving Santos. Vessel is quarantined.
(S. Australian Chronicle)

15/08/1893:
London, 14 August - The wheat shipped by Barque, INVERURIE from Melbourne on 25th March has been sold at 28s.6d per quarter
(The Advertiser (Adelaide))

22/12/1894:
Action, Aberdeen Sheriff Court, by John Willox, sometime Master of barque INVERURIE, against George Milne & Co. for £130 in wages. Pursuer states that in April 1894 the INVERURIE sailed from Newcastle (Australia) for San Francisco. Pursuer had on several occasions to complain of conduct of First Mate for neglect of duty - e.g. neglecting to tally the cargo and wilfully destroying ship's stores. First Mate was continually in company of passenger Mrs. Armitage, even when on duty. About a month after leaving Newcastle he instructed officers not to engage in conversations while on duty on deck and asked them to sign log, which First Mate refused to do. Claims that during his wife's illlness in childbirth (from which she died) he was drugged, confined and subsequently put in strait-jacket. Owners claimed Master drank heavily during voyage, that there were constant dissensions between him and officers and crew, that he threatened crew with revolver and dagger and as result was confined in strait jacket.
(Aberdeen Weekly Journal)

08/07/1895:
During voyage of Barque, INVERURIE, which has arrived from London, an apprentice named A. Ritchie, aged 16 years, native of Roseharty in worth of Scotland, fell from aloft onto fore hatch and sustained injuries from which he succumbed in about 15 minutes. At the time (21 June) the vessel was riding out a heavy North West gale, deceased being engaged in making fast upper fore topsail. Buried at sea.
(Melbourne Argus)

03/01/1896:
Sheriff Brown found for ship - owners, George Milne & Co., in case brought by James Willox for alleged non-payment of wages.
(Aberdeen Weekly Journal)

08/12/1897:
Barque, INVERURIE has arrived New York from Java.
(Aberdeen Weekly Journal)

20/10/1900:
Barque INVERURIE in quarantine San Francisco after voyage from Swansea, three deaths (cause not specified) having occurred during voyage.
(Belfast Newsletter)

18/11/1901:
At stages of voyage from Drammen (Norway), Barque, INVERURIE encountered heavy weather and sustained loss of some of her sails. Captain Charlson reports they left Drammen on 30th July and had normal weather to the equator (14th Sept). Variable weather in South East trades. Passed Meridan of Cape on 19th October and had very strong gales across to Cape Leeuwin (Western Australia) which passed 7th November.
(Melbourne Argus)

23/09/1903:
Barque, INVERURIE departed for Dunedin
(Brisbane Courier)

23/08/1904, 19/09/1904:
After voyage from Wellington (Left 18th April), fire broke out on Barque, INVERURIE while alongside North quay, London docks. Content of main hold, jute, wood and timber were damaged by fire.
(Brisbane Courier, Sydney Morning Herald)

21/06/1905:
Barque, INVERURIE, IREDALE and ESTE, which all left Melbourne on 11th March for Queenstown were signalled off Queenstown almost immediately (Inverurie third)
(Brisbane Courier)

INVERURIE struck during a gale on the rocks. She was wrecked near Bally Ferris Point, Co Antrim, on the east coast of Ireland, 15 November 1914. She was on voyage from Belfast for Newcastle & Sydney with a cargo of salt. The crew were rescued by Donaghadee lifeboat.
(Source: www.wrecksite.eu)

Note: Contract cost £12,370 (Builder's List in the Lloyd's Library of the Aberdeen Maritime Museum)

See also: History (CS) - http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=52421&vessel=INVERURIE

Wrecksite (WS) - http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?10488