The Whitehaven Shipbuilding Co.
 

The Whitehaven Shipbuilding Company was formed in 1869 and took over the shipyard of T & J Brocklebank. Chairman of the company was G.C.Bentinck, who was also the MP for Whitehaven. The Patterdale was the first vessel launched, on the 3rd June 1871. The firm initially employed over 450 men and boys. In total 42 iron vessels had been built by 1879, when the shipyard had to go into voluntary liquidation. However, within a year finance had been raised and the shipyard was operating again, as the Whitehaven Shipbuilding No.2 company. The Isabel was the first vessel launched, in November 1880. A total of 34 vessels were built until, in 1889, problems during the launches of the last two ships, the Engelhorn and the Alice A.Leigh, took the shipyard into bankruptcy.

The sailing vessels built by the Whitehaven Shipbuilding Co. are listed below :

Whitehaven Shipbuilding No.1 Company
 

YEAR LAUNCHED NAME YEAR LAUNCHED NAME
1871 Patterdale, Jasper 1876 Alneburgh, Amethyst, Blengfell, Ellerbank, Ladstock, Parknook, Wastwater
1872 Wasdale (1) 1877 Ardendee, Buttermere, Egremont Castle, Glaramara, Iron Crag, Loweswater (2)
1873 Irton, Bootle, Dunmail, Eskdale, Loweswater (1) 1878 Crummock Water, Edderside, Windermere (1)
1874 Angerona, Blencathra, Candida, Greta, Thirlmere 1879 Avenger
1875 Cassiope, Grasmere, Routenbeck, Rydalmere, Silverhow    

Whitehaven Shipbuilding No.2 Company
 

YEAR LAUNCHED NAME YEAR LAUNCHED NAME
1880 Isabel 1885  
1881 Devock Water, Wasdale (2) 1886 Gilcruix
1882 Ilala, Moresby 1887  
1883 Benicia, Sherwood 1888 Dunboyne, Galgate, Lord Shaftesbury
1884 Hartfield 1889 Windermere (2), Engelhorn, Alice A.Leigh

Sources :

  1. "Merchant Sailing Ships 1850-1875" by David R. McGregor ISBN 0 85177 315 8. This book has photos of the Candida and a sail plan of the Greta.
  2. "Shipbuilding in Whitehaven - a Checklist" by Harry Fancy, published by Whitehaven Museum (1984).
  3. The National Maritime Museum has the following photos in its collections (they are not on-line): Silverhow, Grasmere, Candida, Angerona.
  4. Information from Derek Ellwood.
  5. "Whitehaven - an Illustrated History" by Daniel Hay, published by Michael Moon (1979), ISBN 0-904131-21-1
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