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Astrea (1812 ship)

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History
United Kingdom
BuilderStockton
Launched1812
FateWrecked 8 May 1834
General characteristics [1]
Tons burthen2727494, or 273 (bm)
Length94 ft 0 in (28.7 m)
Beam25 ft 8 in (7.8 m)
Depth16 ft 1 in (4.9 m)

Astrea was launched at Stockton in 1812. She served as a transport for the British government until about 1819. Thereafter she traded with the Baltic, the Caribbean, and Quebec. She was wrecked, with great loss of life, on 8 May 1834 while carrying migrants to Quebec.

Career

[edit]

Astrea first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1812.[2]

Although Astrea is listed among vessels sailing east of the Cape of Good Hope under a licence from the British East India Company,[1] there is no evidence that she ever did so. Also the same source has her being lost near the Cape of Good Hope, which is incorrect.

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1812 Grayham Grayham London LR
1818 J.Wilson Grayham London transport
London–CGH
LR
1819 J.Wilson Grayham London–CGH
London–Jamaica
LR
1821 J.Wilson Grayham London–Virginia LR
1822 J.Wilson
Sanderson
Grayham London–Petersburg LR; damages repaired 1822
1824 Sanderson T.Old London–Petersburg
London–Quebec
LR; damages repaired 1822
1826 Sanderson T.Old London–Riga LR; damages repaired 1822
1827 Sanderson T.Old London–Bermuda LR; damages repaired 1822
1828 Sanderson
Head
T.Old London–Bermuda LR; damages repaired 1822
1829 Head T.Old London–Saint Lucia LR; damages repaired 1822
1830 Head
Ridley
T.Old Belfast–Saint Lucia LR; damages repaired 1822
1831 Ridley Ridley London–Elsinor LR; damages repaired 1822 and small repair 1831
1832 W.Ridley Ridley London–Quebec LR; damages repaired 1822 and small repair 1831
1833 Kidley
Ridley
Ridley & Co. London–Bermuda
London–Quebec
Register of Shipping; large repair 1831

Fate

[edit]

On 8 May 1834 Astrea, Ridley, master, was wrecked 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) east of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia. Astrea was on a voyage from Limerick to Quebec City.[3][4]

She was carrying 13 crew members and 211 passengers, consisting on 104 adult males, mostly farmers and agricultural labourers from Limerick, Clare, and Tipperary, and their wives and children. The three survivors consisted of her surgeon, who was emigrating to Canada, and two crew members.[5]

Not all the bodies were recovered, and the people on shore were to few to bury properly all that they found. The loss of Astrea, and a few days later, of Fidelity, a few days later, resulted in 1834 in assistance being provided for ship-wrecked marinners, and the construction in 1839 of lighthouses at St. Paul's Island and Scatari.[6]

Citations

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  1. ^ a b Hackman (2001), p. 251.
  2. ^ LR (1812), Supple. pages "A", Seq.No.A65.
  3. ^ "Passenger List of the Astrea Ship, 1834 • Chronicles".
  4. ^ "Shipping Intelligence". Caledonian Mercury. No. 17625. 28 June 1834.
  5. ^ "LOSS OF THE ASTREA, W. RIDLEY, MASTER", 14 June 1834,Standard (London, England), Issue: 2213.
  6. ^ Harvey (1941), p. 13.

References

[edit]
  • Hackman, Rowan (2001). Ships of the East India Company. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-96-7.
  • Harvey, J.C. (1941). "The wreck of the Astrea". Dalhousie Review. 21 (1): 7–14.