HARLAW
Shipbuildervessel built by
Walter Hood & Co.
(Shipbuilder, Footdee, Aberdeen 1839 - 1881)
Date17 February 1866
Object NameCLIPPER
MediumWOOD
ClassificationsShip
Dimensionslength 194' x breadth 34' x depth 21'
Gross Tonnage: 894 ton
Gross Tonnage: 894 ton
Object numberABDSHIP000363
Keywords
Official number: 53248
Fate: “Vessel lost at the mouth of the Yang-tsi-Kiang.” 31 July 1878
Struck on the Tung Sha bank while under the Yangtse pilot, on passage for Shanghai from Sydney with passengers and 1,100 tons of Wollongong coal. 14 crew lost.
Propulsion: Sail
Description: Ship rigged clipper, four decks, viz: main, between break and topgallant forecastle, three masts, round stern, carvel built, no gallery, shield figurehead, timber framework. (Aberdeen Register of Ships Register (Aberdeen City Archives) No. 3 (CE87/11/12) folio 82)
Owners:
24/03/1866: Aberdeen registry opened. No. 18 in 1866.
Original Owners - George Thompson Jr., 8 shares; William Henderson, Cornelius Thompson, George Thompson youngest (all Aberdeen) and Stephen Thompson, London, all shipowners (Jointly 44 shares); James Buyers, shipowner, 4 shares; William Philip, shipmaster, Aberdeen, 4 shares; Isaac Merchant, shipowner, London, 4 shares. [Aberdeen White Star Line.]
29/03/1867: George Thompson Jr. 4 shares to William Edward, Aberdeen, late shipowner.
21/09/1877: On death of Stephen Thompson 26/ July 1877, 44 shares owned by other 3 joint owners.
07/10/1878: Registry closed. Vessel lost at mouth of Yangste - Kiang 31 July 1878.
(Aberdeen Register)
Master:
1868-78: Master Phillips.
Voyages (Lloyd's Register):
1868-70: Australia.
General History:
29/08/1867:
Sydney Water Police Court - Thomas Weller, seaman of British ship HARLAW, convicted of continual neglect of duty, was sentenced to 4 weeks hard labour in gaol and to forfeit 10 days pay. Complained he was suffering from broken rib, but Dr. Shaw on examination reported no apparent injury. It was added that his refusal to do duty was from want of inclination, not from want of ability.
(Sydney Morning Herald)
(various dates):
HARLAW, ship, departed Sydney for Shanghai on 20/09/1866, 19/10/1868, 01/02/1871, 29/04/1872, 05/06/1813. In 1868, Mrs Philip, wife of Master, sailed as a passenger. In 1872, Master Philip did the same.
(Sydney Empire)
16/10/1867:
At sea on 23 July lost overboard from the ship "HARLAW" on her voyage from London to Sydney, James, aged 16 years, oldest son of William Daniel, Aberdeen.
(Aberdeen Journal)
21/11/1872:
St. Catherine's Point (Isle of Wight), HARLAW, ship of Aberdeen, Nov. 20 from Foo Chow.
(Glasgow Herald)
20/04/1872:
HARLAW, ship; Philip as Master; arrived from England on 20/3/1872, 77 days from the downs.
(Sydney Morning Herald)
11/07/1874:
Ship HARLAW, from London to Melbourne, has been spoken on the line [Equator] dismasted. The captain declined to accept any assistance.
(Bendigo Advertiser)
04/08/1875:
Ship HARLAW, Captain Stephens, which arrived in Sydney from London on 28 July 1875, reported that on 3 May in "49.11 N, 8.50 W" (in Western Approaches), she was in collision with Norwegian brig Prosperite. Harlaw was close hauled on starboard tack head Southwest. Brig was heading about East by South and heading apparently for the ship's waist. Suddenly, the brig put her helm up for purpose of crossing Harlaw's bows, instead of going under her stern - result was that the ship struck the brig on port quarter, carrying away upper portion of stern frame. The ship's jib-boom and head gear were carried away. The wore ship, thinking assistance might be required, found the brig had lowered her boat and crew and were leaving her. The captain of the brig reported his crew refused to stay by the ship because wheel chains and stauncheons had been carried away. The crew of Prosperite delayed Harlaw by four days. It would appear Prosperite had no lookout and only a lad at the wheel.
(Melbourne Argus)
5/7/1878:
HARLAW, ship, Captain Stephens; 894 tonnes, departed Sydney 23 June, with 1100 tonnes coal for Shanghai.
(Sydney Morning Herald)
17/9/1878:
Advices from Shanghai State; there is little chance of stranded ship HARLAW being saved.
(Melbourne Argus)
25/09/1878:
Particulars from G. Thompson, Jun. and Co. re wreck of ship HARLAW near Shanghai 31st July. At 3am a pilot was taken aboard and ship got underway up the river. About breakfast time she struck heavily, with wind freshening to a gale more sail was spread, but instead of taking the ship off she listed heavily to port and the boats were ordered out. All of the men in the dingy, which was the first to leave, were drowned except 2. 2 of the men in the long boat were washed overboard, the remainder reaching House Island and being taken to Shanghai next day by a Chinese junk. A court of enquiry has exonerated Captain and officers of all blame, but pilot has been suspended. Names of those drowned are:- George Cowie, Steward, Aberdeen; John Doig, London; A. Dalgairn, ordinary seaman, Aberdeen; George Littlejohn, D.S., Aberdeen; Coppel and Parker, 2 seamen shipped at Sydney; apprentices Mitchell, Crombie and Black, all Aberdeen.
North China Morning Post gives this account of wreck of dingy:-
William Buyers, 2nd Officer, was ordered by Capt. Stephens to take charge of dingy. Only he and able seaman Thomas Lawrie are saved (seven including the 3 apprentices were drowned from dingy). Buyers interviewed by our reported said "about noon we pulled towards the ship, I swam to it and got the jib sheet and a box of Indian corn flour. At sundown we made the lightship, but was unable to fetch her. Between 10 and 11 o'clock at night she shipped a sea filling her to the thwarts and the boat went down. Most of men climbed on the upturned boat and every time she rolled one or two would be missed. I was in the water and gripped by the Steward. My trouser leg tore away and I did not see the Steward again. I came to the surface and found the boat with only one man, able seaman Thomas Lawrie, still there. About 5 in the morning Lawrie was washed off. I swam to him and with difficulty got him back to the boat, which we managed to get upright and get inside. It was very rough. Lawrie was again washed out and again I got him back. About an hour before sundown we attracted the attention of a junk by waving a plank from the bottom of the boat. The junk took us aboard and fed us, we having been away from the ship with nothing to eat or drink since about 9.30 the previous morning".
(Aberdeen Weekly Journal)
See also: History (CS): - http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=56869&vessel=HARLAW
(Basil Lubbock (1948 edn), "The Colonial Clippers" (James Brown & Son, Glasgow), pp. 110, 117, 120, 224.)
“Merchant Fleets, Aberdeen Line”, Savill & Haws. ISBN 0 946378 14 2. Fleet No. 50
Wrecksite: - http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?235719
