Stornoway

Stornoway was built by Alexander Hall & Co. in 1850. The wooden clipper was intended for the tea trade and made some passages to China. The vessel was wrecked in 1873.

Stornoway was Britain's first purpose-built tea clipper. Designed for speed, Stornoway and its successors carried the new season's China tea back to Britain quickly - to secure the highest prices.

The repeal of Britain's Navigation Laws in 1849 encouraged shipbuilders to design longer, sleeker, faster clipper-type vessels. Stornoway was the first of a generation of wooden British clipper ships, built to compete with the bigger American clippers which dominated the China tea trade.

On its first voyage, Stornoway made the passage from the Downs to Hong Kong in 102 days and from the Chinese port of Whampoa back to London in 103 days. At the time, these were the quickest passages ever made by a British vessel between these ports.

Stornoway was owned by Jardine, Matheson & Co of London and Hong Kong. This company was founded in 1832 and was involved in the China tea trade. The Stornoway made several fast passages, such as Whampoa to London in 104 days.

In 1861, the vessel was sold to MacKay & Co of London who employed her on route to Australia to New Zealand. Stornoway continued on this route until she was wrecked in 1873.

Stornoway was 157.8 feet long, 25.8 feet board and 17.8 feet deep in the hold. She cost £9,949