VIOLET

Shipbuildervessel built by Alexander HALL & Co. (Footdee, Aberdeen)

Date1836

Object NameBRIG

MediumWOOD, FIR AND CEDAR WITH YELLOW METAL

ClassificationsShip

Dimensionslength 77'2" x breadth 20' x depth 13'8"
gross tonnage 168 & 618/3500 tons

Object numberABDSHIP000960

Keywords

Aberdeen Built Ships

About MeYard: Alexander Hall & Co.
Yard Number: 74

Fate: unknown, last in Lloyd's 1869 (V206)

Propulsion: Sail
Description: Brig rigged, 1 deck, 2 masts and top sail, standing bowsprit, square sterned, carvel built, no galleries and with figurehead.

19/05/1836: Registered at Aberdeen for subscribing owners;
Robert Spring, baker, 16 shares; Charles Murray, shipmaster, 16 shares and George Murray, mason, 4 shares.
Other owners: William Spark, watchmaker, 4 shares; Alexander Murray, merchant, Whitehills, County of Banff 16 shares; John Brand, Stonehaven, 8 shares.
08/06/1848: various sundry owners transferred 64/64 shares to George Clark, shipowner, Hartlepool, County Durham, ship now registered at Hartlepool
(Aberdeen Register of Shipping (Aberdeen City Archives))
1862-69: Owner, G. Brambles (Lloyd's)

Masters:
1839-43: Master Charles Murray
1844-45: Master William Paterson
1846: Master Charles Murray
1847: Master James Petrie
1848: Master Charles Murray
1850-69: Master G. Clark

Voyages (from Lloyd's):
1839: Aberdeen - Riga
1840-41: Aberdeen - Haiti
1843: Aberdeen - Baltic
1844-45: Liverpool - Barbados
1846-48: Bristol
1850-57: Hartlepool - Hamburg
1862-69: Hull coaster

General History:
23/11/1860:
Yarmouth - barque GEORGE ARTLE, while biding off winter ton on 16 Nov. was run into by French brig CHARLEMAGNE. GEORGE ARKLE's cable parted and she collided with brig VIOLET, master Rymer, of Hartlepool, carrying away the bowsprit, etc. VIOLET was bound for Dieppe with deals. One of VIOLET's crew named Wardew, dell overboard and was drowned. Remaining four were landed by the sloop WILLIAM of Yarmouth.
(Newcastle Courant)

15/06/1861:
Action by owners of brig VIOLET against owners of barque GEORGE ARKLE for damage done in collision in November last in Yarmouth roads, alleged on VIOLET's behalf that GEORGE ARKLE had no light exhibited and no spare anchor forward ready for letting go; that she had her 2 topsails set and her foresail partly set. That she had no head sail sheeted home, that several of the crew were intoxicated and that collision was solely her fault. GEORGE ARKLE's representatives claimed she had been at the mercy of the gale and totally unmanageable from the damage she had received, she was driven across VIOLET's bows; that shortly after the collision she was beached; that she carried a bright light in her rigging; that she was not under sail; that her 2 topsails were only partly sheeted home; that her crew were not intoxicated; that he spare anchor was on main deck forward, but there was not sufficient time to get chain up from below and prepare anchor; that her head gear had been all carried away and therefore it was impossible to set head sails and that collision was not her fault and was result of inevitable accident. Court's unanimous verdict was that sole blame attached to GEORGE ARKLE, that she was bound to have carried lights at the time and that want of these lights contributed to occasion the accident.
(Ipswich Journal)

29/11/1861:
Brig VIOLET, of Hartlepool, sold by auction a few days ago as a wreck, has been lifted off the ground. She has since been examined and to the great satisfaction of her purchaser (G. Brambles) it is found that the vessel received only trifling injury and she will at once be refitted to proceed again to sea.
(Newcastle Courant)

Note: Cost of vessel £1385 (Builder's List in Aberdeen Maritime Museum)