HEATHER BELL
Shipbuildervessel built by
Walter Hood & Co.
(Shipbuilder, Footdee, Aberdeen 1839 - 1881)
Date1851
Object NameBRIG
MediumWOOD
ClassificationsShip
Dimensionslength 98 3/12' x breadth 19 5/6' x depth 12 9/12
Registered Tonnage: 191ton
Registered Tonnage: 191ton
Object numberABDSHIP000333
Keywords
Fate: sank 4 miles South of Cape Hawke, 1880.
Propulsion: Sail
Description: Brig rigged, 1 and a half poop deck, 2 masts, female figurehead.
Owners:
11/06/1851: Registered at Aberdeen for subscribing owners;
David Millar, shipmaster, 32 shares; Neil Smith Jr., merchant, 8 shares; James Sim, druggist, 8 shares; George Thompson Jr., Alexander Nicol, James Horn, James Buyers, shipowners and Walter Hood, shipbuilder 8 jointly.
05/01/1853: On death of David Millar his share transferred to his executor Mrs Jane Granick or Bell.
03/10/1853: Registered de novo at Sydney, 20/07/1853
(Aberdeen Register of Shipping (Aberdeen City Archives))
Masters:
1853: Master Miller
1857: Master McEachran
Voyages (Lloyd's):
1853: Liverpool - Rio de Janeiro.
1854-56: Liverpool - Rio de Janeiro.
1858-59: London - W. Indies.
1860-66: London - Australia.
General History:
05/10/1854:
4 October, HEATHER BELL, brig, 191 tons, Captain P. Jones, from Auckland.
(Sydney Empire).
27/10/1855:
20 October, HEATHER BELL, brig, Captain Philip Jones, arrived in Sydney from Auckland.
(Sydney Empire).
13/04/1857:
New Zealand (Auckland, 24/01/1857): The brig HEATHER BELL, for London, is nearly a full ship, her cargo will comprise 100 tons knuri gum, 20 hides, 50 tons copper ore, with wool and flax to fill up.
(Daily News).
21/12/1857:
Police Courts - Thames: Robert McEachern, Master of brig HEATHER BELL, was charged with assaulting a boy named John William Norris. The boy's father applied to the court for a warrent against prisoner and his ship was found to have reached the downs on its way to Barbados. Master left his ship and now appeared to answer the charge. A seaman named Stewart confirmed evident of 2nd mate [...] as to Captain's cruel treatment of the boy.
(Daily News)
26/12/1857:
Robert McEachern, owner and Master of brig HEATHER BELL, appeared for 2nd time to answer charge of committing a series of assaults on John William Norris, a boy apprenticed to him by the Marine Society. 3 seamen were called who spoke to various acts of cruelty by Captain against the boy, and as to the boy being thrown overboard. But it appeared he was blown from the rigging during a gale of wind and that there was no ground for assertion he commited suicide. Captain committed for jury trial and bailed.
(Freeman's Journal).
06/10/1859:
Left London 16 June, arriving at the wharf yesterday. Passage 110 days.
(Launceston Examiner)
14/1/1860:
Imports, brig HEATHER BELL, McEachern, with 280 tons of coal from Newcastle, New South Wales.
(Launceston Examiner).
09/02/1860:
Brig HEATHER BELL, Captain McEachern, arrived Newcastle 27 January, having made fine run of 80 hours from Tamar Heads (Tasmania).
(Launceston Examiner).
14/03/1860:
Newcastle, 12 March - HEATHER BELL, brig, McEachern, sailed for Launceston with 236 tons of coal.
(Sydney Morning Herald).
22/2/1862:
Arrived Newcastle, New South Wales, 18 February, 188 tons from Otago, New Zealand.
(Maitland Mercury).
16/12/1862:
December 13, Hobart Town, Tasmania, departed for Lyttleton (New Zealand).
(Launceston Examiner).
03/11/1863:
Lyttleton, 12 October, HEATHER BELL, 187 tons, woods, cleared out for Sydney with 200 bags of salt, 50 water casks, 7 casks tallon, 310 hides, 13 bales of cork.
(Sydney Empire).
25/08/1864:
Hobart Town, arrivals, passenger per brig HEATHER BELL from Lyttleton, Mr. Moriarty.
(Launceston Examiner).
06/09/1864:
Hobart Town, 3 September, sailed for Launceston.
(Launceston Examiner).
26/10/1868:
HEATHER BELL, brig, 188 tons, brown, arrived in Newcastle from Auckland.
(Sydney Morning Herald).
10/12/1872:
Port Melbourne, arrived 7 December. HEATHER BELL, brig, 188 tons, lusher master, from Newcastle.
(Wallaroo Times).
1880: HEATHER BELL, (Thomas Kehoe) was on voyage from Newcastle to Cooktown with a cargo of coal and a crew of 7, when she was lost due to a leakage off 4 miles South of Cape Hawke.
