ASCALON
Shipbuildervessel built by
Walter Hood & Co.
(Shipbuilder, Footdee, Aberdeen 1839 - 1881)
DateApril 1868
Object NameCLIPPER
MediumWOOD
ClassificationsShip
Dimensionslength 210 11/12' x breadth 34 5/12' x depth 20 7/12'
Gross Tonnage: 998 tons (938 tons according to Lloyd's)
Gross Tonnage: 998 tons (938 tons according to Lloyd's)
Object numberABDSHIP000369
Keywords
Fate: Wrecked at Annalong when bound from Runcorn to Moss, 7 February 1907.
Propulsion: Sail
Description: Ship rigged clipper, 2 decks with a poop deck and a top gallant forecastle, 3 masts, ship rigged, altered to barque Sept. 1877, round stern, carvel built, no galleries, male figurehead.
(Source: Aberdeen Register of Shipping (Aberdeen City Archives))
Owners:
1868: Registered at Aberdeen for subscribing owners;
William Henderson, Cornelius Thompson, and Stephen Thompson, 44 shares (jointly); James Buyers, 4 shares; and 3 others
(Builder's List in the Lloyd's Library of the Aberdeen Maritime Museum)
1881-84: Owner Trinder, Anderson & Co.
1890: Sold to Norwegians
Masters:
1871-72: Master Scott
1873-74: Master Bates
1876-77: Master D. Bain
1882-84: Master W. H. Duguid
Voyages (Lloyd's):
1870-71: London - Australia
General History:
ASCALON was launched from Walter Hood’s yard on 24 April 1868. The Dundee Advertiser reported that a large number of ladies and gentlemen watched what was ‘a most beautiful launch’. It described the vessel as ‘a splendid clipper ship’. It was built for the London-Australia trade of Thompson’s Aberdeen White Star Line. Most of its voyages were to Australia, to a variety of ports – Melbourne, Sydney, Lyttleton, Brisbane and Port Augusta (Tasmania). However, it was at Hong Kong in 1876, Shanghai in 1880 and Adelaide, New Zealand, in 1881 and 1889. Its speed appears to have been average. For example, in February 1870 it was at Falmouth 92 days from Melbourne, which suggests an arrival in the Thames at least 100 days out.
On their return voyage from Australia to the UK these vessels were sometimes described as wool clippers, but in fact often carried a wide range of mainly primary products. For example, ASCALON sailed from Sydney to London in June 1873 with 1,106 bales wool, 598 bales cotton, 186 bales leather, 628 casks tallow, 1037 slabs tin, 3,451 ingots copper and 17,284 (cow’s) horns. On the outward voyage it occasionally carried pedigree stock for Australian farms. In October 1870 four shorthorn bulls were landed at Lyttleton. They were reported as being in admirable condition, great care having been taken of them on the voyage.
The fire in the Victoria Docks, London, in early February 1881 caused serious damage to ASCALON. All the sails and many of the yards were burned. The stern on the port side was burned out and cabins gutted. The cargo stowed aft (cotton and silk from China) was burned, but some was got away in time by lighter. It was feared the flames from the shed would engulf the whole ship, but the dock fire engine pumped a very large quantity of water through the ventilator. Subsequently 1087 bales of textiles, smoke and water damaged, were sold as salvage.
By 1883 ASCALON, like other Aberdeen clippers trading to Australia, was suffering from growing competition from steamships, which with more efficient engines were becoming increasingly viable for long ocean voyages. In April 1881 Thompsons sold the vessel, possibly also not considering it worthwhile to repair the fire damage. ASCALON appears to have been later than other ship-rigged clippers in being converted to a barque to reduce the size of the crew. It was in 1900, when it was again put on the market, that it was described as having been reclassed (and the hull also re-metalled to deter boring insects).
Sources (from British Newspaper Archive)
Aberdeen Evening Express, 10/02/1881; Australian and New Zealand Gazette, 01/09/1873; Banffshire Journal, 03/05/1881; Dundee Advertiser, 27/04/1868; Evening Standard, 26/02/1870; Lloyd’s List, 29/09/1900. London Daily Chronicle, 10/02/1881; Public Ledger, 12/03/1881.
Newspaper extracts:
31/10/1871:
ASCALON sailed from Sydney for London 21 Oct. and cleared the heads with a fine north east breeze.
(Clarence & Richmond Examiner (NSW))
03/05/1878:
Wilson's promontory 2 May - ASCALON, barque, London-Sydney, 83 days out.
(Gippland Times)
21/01/1879:
London 17 Jan. - arrived ASCALON, barque, from Sydney 14 Oct.
(Sydney Morning Herald)
14/03/1879:
Steamer CONSUL ashore at Coalhouse Point, Thames, with hole in side, having collided with barque ASCALON for Melbourne. Latter lost bowsprit and jib boom.
(Glasgow Herald)
03/01/1880:
London 23 Dec. - arrived ASCALON, from Melbourne 2 Oct.
(S. Australian Chronicle (Adelaide))
10/02/1881:
Great fire in Victoria Docks [London] - (in one of tobacco warehouses and fanned by high wind). Barque ASCALON and cargo seriously damaged by fire and water.
(Leeds Mercury)
04/03/1882:
London 25 Feb. - arrived ASCALON, from Port Adelaide 14 Nov. (at Calais)
(Adelaide Observer)
17/02/1883:
London, 13 Feb. - ASCALON, from Port Augusta 1 Nov.
(S. Australian Advertiser)
28/01/1885:
ASCALON passed east of Dungeness in tow for London from Adelaide on 26 Jan.
(Aberdeen Weekly Journal)
15/08/1885:
ASCALON, 986 tons, W. H. Duguid master, cleared Adelaide 14 Aug. for London via Port Augusta.
(S. Australian Advertiser)
12/10/1885:
Port Augusta, 10 Oct - ASCALON sailed for London, taking 4799 bales wool valued at £51,022; also 5134 cakes copper and 825 bags copper ore from Wallaroo.
(S. Australian Advertiser)
10/01/1888:
ASCALON, Adelaide for London, arrived at Stanley, Falklands Islands, with Master sick. ASCALON went ashore on entering Stanley, but afterwards refloated. Divers report forefoot knocked aft, false keel gone and copper chafed.
(Aberdeen Weekly Journal)
05/10/1889:
Barque, ASCALON, the first vessel laden with wool from the colony this season, has sailed for London.
(Sydney Mail)
03/03/1890:
ASCALON passed Dungeness 1 March in tow (Adelaide - London).
(Liverpool Mercury)
10/07/1891:
ASCALON arrived 9 July from Frederick - Stadt with cargo of planed boards. Although sailing under Norwegian flag, was one of the crack sailing clippers of George Thomson & Co., well known in Melbourne & Sydney. Her Aberdeen build cannot easily be disguised, but wear and tear incidental to 23 years of close and constant work has not been without effect on her appearance. Sailed from Frederick Stadt 10 March and arrived Adelaide 30 June. Left Adelaide 2 July for Melbourne. Moderate winds to Cape Otway, the strong W & NW winds until arrival at the heads, where detained by strong northerly winds.
(Melbourne Argus)
24/08/1891:
The wooden barque ASCALON arrived from Melbourne yesterday. She reports being 20 miles off Sydney heads on last Sunday week, having made a splendid run round the coast. Then the wind shifted suddenly to WSW and to W and blew squalls driving her almost half way over to New Zealand. Terrific westerly squalls, heavy thunder and lightning and high seas made it impossible to head up for port.
(Sydney Morning Herald)
1841
22 June 1872
