GAZELLE

OwnerOwned by Aberdeen Steam Navigation Company (Aberdeen, Scotland, 1821 - 1962)

AssociatedAssociated with Walter Hood & Co. (Shipbuilder, Footdee, Aberdeen 1839 - 1881)

Date1846

Object NameSCHOONER

MediumWOOD

ClassificationsShip

Dimensionslength 101' x breadth 20' x depth 13'
tonnage 175 ton

Object numberABDSHIP002805

Keywords

Aberdeen Built Ships

About MeYard: Walter Hood & Co.
Official Number: 40185

Fate: Lost in China Seas in 1860.

Propulsion: Sail
Description: Schooner rigged, 1 deck, 2 masts, square stern, standing bowsprit, carvel built, no galleries, female figurehead, clipper bow.

Owners:
1846: Registered at Aberdeen for subscribing owners;
William Duthie, George Thompson, William Reid, all merchants in Aberdeen.
Other shareholders; Alexander Brown, Robert Catto, Thomas Blakie, all merchants in Aberdeen and trustees of the Aberdeen Steam Navigation Co. of Aberdeen, 64 shares.
1853: Sold for £1,500 to Murdoch McKenzie, Melbourne. Registered at Melbourne. It appears that the vessel was bought by the followers of the Rev. Norman McKenzie.
21/01/1854: Registration cancelled, registered in Melbourne, Australia.
1856: Owners Henderson & Macfarlane, Circular Saw Line, Auckland. Registered at Auckland.
(Source: Aberdeen Register of Shipping (Aberdeen City Archives))

Masters:
1846-52: Master Mark Christopher
18/10/1852: Master William Collier (Aberdeen Register)

General history:
29/04/1846: Launched.
13/05/1846: Sailed from Aberdeen for Hull under Captain Christopher.
15/10/1852: Loading in London for Oporto and Sydney. Christopher, master.
05/09/1853: Sailed from Adelaide with passengers. Murdoch McKenzie, master.
17/09/1853: Arrived at Auckland.
12/04/1860: GAZELLE, schooner, Cunningham master arrived at Shanghai from Auckland.
1860: Lost.

06/05/1846:
LAUNCH. - On Wednesday last, a beautiful clipper-schooner, named the "GAZELLE," of 170 tons burden, was launched from the yard of Messrs Hood & Co., by whom it was built for the Aberdeen and London Steam Navigation Company. The "GAZELLE" is for the Hull trade, and is the admiration of the many hun-dreds who have been able to gaze upon her admirable proportions, and mercantile capabilities. The reputation of the Messrs Hood is too well known to require any praise of ours.
(Aberdeen Journal)

29/11/1858:
Hong Kong - On the first and middle part of the 21st inst. [September] we had light southerly winds and hot sultry weather ; in the afternoon the wind came down from the N.E. and blew fresh for a short time from that quarter. The schooner GAZELLE arrived from Amoy. [...] at 11.30 the wind had increased considerably, blowing in gusts. [...] This has been something more than what is usually called typhoon, and the circle of the cyclone has also been much smaller than usual, which I think will account for the great violence of the wind, [...] on the morning of the 22d there was not vessel out of 21 sail to be seen at her moorings, nor vestige of boat of any description [...] The GAZELLE foundered close alongside the HONGKONG; only the captain and five hands saved from her, the former being on shore the time.
(Evening Mail) [see also Montrose Standard - 03/12/1858]

This is possibly the Aberdeen GAZELLE, the date does not properly line up with that in the register, but it is not unusual to note losses late once they have been confirmed.

Note: Built for the Hull trade at a book value of £2,561.
No listing was found in Lloyds Registers.

See also:
History (CS): - http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=56818&vessel=GAZELLE
“The Aberdeen Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. Graeme Somner, World Ship Society 2000.
Circular SAW Line ownership: - https://partofpastnzhistory.blogspot.com/2014/06/circular-saw-line-shipping-line-out-of.html
Wrecksite (WS): -
https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?152984 – China Sea.
Henderson & Macfarlane's Circular Saw Line, Anthony G. Flude
Waipu Settlers History (Waipu – water in Maori)
History of the Waipu settlers, in which it states that the settlers bought the GAZELLE.
https://www.waipumuseum.com/genealogy/migration-map/
and
https://www.scotsman.com/news/stories-homecoming-incredible-journey-2477572
and
https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Gov15_02Rail-t1-body-d9.html

Passenger list for the voyage in 1853. Settlers led by the Rev. Norman McLeod, who had come from Scotland via Nova Scotia and Australia and finally settled at Waipu. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:Gazelle%2C_sailed_September_5%2C_1853

Model of the GAZELLE in the Waipu museum.
https://www.nzmuseums.co.nz/collections/3050/objects/2334/model-clipperschooner-gazelle

Note the similarity to Hall’s SCOTTISH MAID of 1839 with its ”Aberdeen” bow.