WELCOME

Shipbuildervessel built by Nicol Reid & Co. (Footdee, Aberdeen, Scotland, founded c.1790)

DateJuly 1822

Object NameBRIGANTINE

MediumWOOD

ClassificationsShip

Dimensionslength 72 5/6' x breadth 21 9/12 x depth 13 1/6'
Registered Tonnage: 142 ton

Object numberABDSHIP001656

Keywords

Aberdeen Built Ships

About MeYard: Nicol Reid & Co.

Fate: Wrecked on the coast of Jutland, 14 September 1837.

Propulsion: Sail
Description: Brig rigged, one deck and two masts, standing bowsprit, square sterned, carvel built, no galleries, no figurehead, admeasured aground (see note).

Owners:
Registered at Aberdeen for subscribing owners;
WIlliam Hodge of Devonport in the County of Devon, merchant 32 shares and Charles Cuming of Plymouth in the same County, merchant 32 shares.

"Summary of Transactions:
On 29 December 1830 Charles Cuming of Plymouth, Merchant, transferred 32/64 to William Chapell Hodge of Devonport, Merchant.
Register Cancelled and Registered de Novo at Plymouth 9 October 1833 No. 47 the Description being altered.
...former certificate... now delivered up and cancelled"
Subscribing Owners - William Hodge of Devonport, merchant 32 shares and William Chapell Hodge of Devonport, merchant 32 shares.
29/11/1837: Register Cancelled 29 November 1837, the vesel having been lost on 14 September 1837 on the Coast of Jutland.
(Aberdeen Register of Shipping (Aberdeen City Archives))
(Note: Lloyd's underwriters gives owners as follows: Brebner & Co until 1826, Cumming & Co until 1828 and Hodge & Co until 1833).

Masters:
1823-25: Master J. Morrice
1827-33: Master J. Hamlyn (Lloyd's)
10/01/1831: Master Christopher May (Customs House Gloucester)
22/10/1832: Master John Hepburn (Customs House Plymouth)
02/11/1835: Master William Arnold (Customs House Plymouth)
10/08/1836: Master William Russell (Customs House Plymouth)

Voyages (Lloyd's underwriters):
1823-25: London - Trieste
1827-28: Plymouth
1830-33: Liverpool - the Straits [of Gibraltar]

General History:
25/12/1824:
The WELCOME was one of the vessels stranded at Plymouth by the great gale of 21/22 November 1824 - The 142 ton brig WELCOME, Morris, from the Canary Islands (Times of 27 November) of Aberdeen, was cast ashore at Wembury, together with the brig JOHN, of Bideford, Thomas Wills, master, from Leghorn to London. "The lookout man on the station at Yealm at day-break discovered the two vessels onshore, the JOHN at this time was almost a perfect wreck, her masts were gone, and a female was perceived clinging to the side of the vessel; but none of the crew were in view. The sea was... breaking over the vessel with great violence [...] James Crags, boatman, of the station at Yealm, being an expert swimmer, watched his opportunity, and on the waves receding, fearless of danger, rushed in, and succeeded in reaching the vessel and rescuing the unfortunate woman, who was the only living creature on board, from her perilous situation... The tide in the meantime having receded, the wreck was surrounded by numbers of the country people, drawn down to the spot with a view to plunder and some of them had gained access to the cabin, and secured and borne off several articles, when they were interrupted in their infamous pursuit by the arrival of Lieutenant J. R. Godfrey and his party from the Yealm station".
The crew of the WELCOME were all saved but the captain's wife was the only survivor from the JOHN. Both the JOHN and the WELCOME survived the winter on the exposed beach, to be advertised for sale by auction on 3 March.
On 22 March, both were sold, the WELCOME was reported purchased by Mr. Cumming for £1,100 but the JOHN, (sold to Mr. Wake shipbuilder of London) only reached £200. Refloated during the week of 21 April both vessels were immediately brought into Plymouth for repair.
(Royal Cornwall Gazette)

25/09/1837:
"Thistead 15 September - The WELCOME, Russell from St. Petersburg for Plymouth was stranded on this coast yesterday. She is full of water and it is feared will be wrecked. Crew and part of the cargo saved".
(Lloyds List, issue 7351.)

30/09/1837:
"The English vessel WELCOME, Captain William Russell, from St. Petersburg bound Plymouth, was wrecked on the coast of Jutland on the 18th inst. The crew and part of the cargo were saved".
(Plymouth Devonport & Stonehouse Herald)

Note: Between 1826/1827 Ship suffered some damage which was repaired.
Register notes "Admeasured Aground" because there were two different formulas for measuring the tonnage of a ship, depending on whether the ship was aground (when the keel could be measured) or afloat (when it could not).