BEAUTIFUL STAR
Shipbuildervessel built by
DUTHIE
(Footdee, Aberdeen)
Date1861
Object NameCLIPPER
MediumWOOD
ClassificationsShip
Dimensionslength 165' x breadth 28' x depth 17'
tonnage: 546 ton
tonnage: 546 ton
Object numberABDSHIP000538
Keywords
Fate: unknown, last record is in Genoa in 1886.
Propulsion: Sail
Description: Ship rigged clipper, 2 decks, 3 masts, carvel built, elliptical stern, no galleries, demi female figurehead.
Owners:
1861: Registered at Aberdeen for subscribing owners;
John Cook 40 shares and George Milne 24 shares.
Registration cancelled March 1881, sold to unknown Frenchmen.
(Aberdeen Register of Shipping (Aberdeen City Archives))
Masters:
1862: Master Catto.
1877: Master G. Morgan.
General History:
28/08/1861:
'Named by Miss Cook, daughter of Mr John Cook of Marischal Street, the owner. She is to be commanded by Captain Catto, of Aberdeen.'
(Aberdeen Journal)
First voyage: Aberdeen to London, Hong Kong, Foochow and London. From 22 September 1861 to 17 December 1862.
Second voyage: London to Sydney (Manila for orders) Hong Kong and back to Liverpool. 12 January 1863 till 8 April 1864.
Third voyage: Liverpool, Glasgow, Otago, Callao & Chinchas, Mauritius, Ceylon, Madras, Cocanada (?) and to London. 8 April 1864 till 21 January 1866.
Fourth voyage: London, Sunderland, Hong Kong, Foochow and back to London. 22 January 1866 till 11 February 1867.
Fifth voyage: London to Otago, Newcastle NSW, Otago, Lyttleton and London. 12 February 1867 till 2 June 1868.
Sixth voyage: London to Otago and back to London. 2 June 1868 till 11 May 1869.
7th voyage: London to Sunderland, thence to Bussorah and back to London.
Vessel dry docked in July 1870 for repairs.
8th voyage: London to Nelson and Port Underwood and back to London.
9th voyage: London, Cardiff, River Plate,Ceylon, Cochin, Calicut, Fellichery(?) and back to London.
10th voyage: London to Otago, thence to Canterbury NZ and back to London.
11th voyage: London to Brisbane, Newcastle NSW, Hong Kong and back to London.
12th voyage: London to Adelaide and back to London.
13th voyage: London to Nelson, Invercargill, Sydney, Mauritius and back to Liverpool.
14th voyage: Liverpool to Buenos Ayres, thence to Rosario and back to Plymouth.
15th voyage: Plymouth to Cardiff, thence to Buenos Ayres and back to Le Havre.
16th voyage: Le Havre to New Orleans and back to Rouen.
17th voyage: from Rouen to Baltimore, Queenstown and back to Leith.
18th voyage: Leith to Boston and thence to Queenstown and back to London.
19th voyage: London to Philadelphia and thence to Lisbon.
20th voyage: Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro, San Domingo and back to Le Havre.
(Above information comes from the Intelligence book from the ship Beautiful Star in The John Cook Papers ABDMS003001.2)
Owned by Cook till 1881 then sold to French owners and almost immediately on to Captain G Perchich of Trieste, Austria. Vessel was reduced to a barque rig and employed in the trade to West Africa. In April 1886, after arrival at Genoa, BEAUTIFUL STAR was sold to Italian interests and disappears from all records, probably being dismantled at that time.
03/03/1864:
James Thompson, outfitter, was charged at Liverpool Police Court with having gone aboard the ship BEAUTIFUL STAR, Captain Catto (lately arrived from Hong Kong) without permission contrary to the Merchant Shipping Act. Police Officer saw the prisoner and his runner aboard as vessel was being taken into Albert Dock. Thompson's agent claimed he had boarded ship in the river having been invited by the steward, who was a native of the same place. Magistrate said men like Thompson boarded ships to plunder seamen and imposed fine of £5.
(Liverpool Mercury)
02/05/1864:
Clipper ship BEAUTIFUL STAR, Capt. Catto (one of Patrick Henderson & Co.'s fine line of packets) sailed from Tail of the Bank [Greenock] for Otago, New Zealand, with full cargo of valuable merchandise and several passengers.
(Glasgow Herald)
24/10/1864 (from Otago Daily Times, 18/08/1864):
BEAUTIFUL STAR sailed from Clyde 30 April, but by 18 May was only 10 miles west of Cape Clear. Crossed the line 15 June in 30 degrees west [Mid Atlantic between NW Africa and Brazil] and passed Meridian of the Cape 14 July, making a fine run hence, but with very boisterous weather, during which her mainyard and part of her bulwarks were carried away.
(Glasgow Herald)
30/03/1866:
Deal, 27 March - ship BEAUTIFUL STAR, Lees, of Aberdeen, from Sunderland for Hong Kong, lost mizenmast and split main topsail and foresail during gale and drove from Dungeness into the North Sea.
(Newcastle Courant)
11/02/1867:
Ship BEAUTIFUL STAR, from Foochow to London, spoken 13. Jan, 99 days out, 29.30W, 40.58W [Mid Atlantic between Canary Islands and Gulf of Mexico].
(Pall Mall Gazette).
26/10/1871:
Deaths - Cleminshaw, 10 Aug. at sea, Charles Adair Cleminshaw, Late Captain of ship BEAUTIFUL STAR [native of Edge Hill, Liverpool].
(Liverpool Mercury)
16/05/1879:
BEAUTIFUL STAR, ship, of Aberdeen, left Rouen 13 May for Cardiff.
(Western Mail)
16/07/1879:
BEAUTIFUL STAR, Rouen to Baltimore, spoken 24 June 33N, 45W [Mid Atlantic off Florida].
(Aberdeen Weekly Journal).
19/03/1881:
Full rigged ship BEAUTIFUL STAR, of Aberdeen, formerly owned by Mr. John Cook, has been sold to a French shipping company.
(Aberdeen Weekly Journal)
