Windsor Castle (1857 ship)

Windsor Castle was a wooden-hulled, three-masted sailing ship that was built in England in 1857 and wrecked off the coast of Cape Colony in 1884.

Windsor Castle under way
History
United Kingdom
NameWindsor Castle
NamesakeWindsor Castle
Owner
  • 1857: Richard Green
  • 1882: Elias Cox
Port of registryLondon
BuilderWilliam Pile, Sunderland
Launched12 March 1857
CompletedMay 1857
Identification
FateWrecked 1884
General characteristics
Typewooden-hulled sailing ship
Tonnage1,075 GRT, 1,075 NRT
Length195.5 ft (59.6 m)
Beam36.2 ft (11.0 m)
Depth22.5 ft (6.9 m)
Sail planfull-rigged ship
Complement21

Building edit

William Pile built Windsor Castle in his North Shore shipyard in Sunderland, launching her on 12 March 1857 and completing her that May.[1] Her registered length was 195.5 feet (59.6 m), her beam was 36.2 feet (11.0 m) and her depth was 22.5 feet (6.9 m). Her tonnages were 1,075 GRT and 1,075 NRT.[2]

The ship was built for Richard Green, who registered her in London. Her United Kingdom official number was 15822 and her code letters were LTVQ.[3]

Career edit

 
Windsor Castle in port

Windsor Castle sailed between England and Australia. The Queensland Migrant Shipping records show her carrying passengers between 1877 and 1881.[citation needed]

In 1876 Captain N Harrison was Windsor Castle's Master.[4]

After she was extensively overhauled in July 1882, the government[clarification needed] sometimes chartered the ship to transport troops to Zanzibar and Sydney.[citation needed]

In 1882 Elias Cox of Bridport, Dorset bought Windsor Castle.[1] According to Lloyd's Register she remained registered in London, but according to the Mercantile Navy List she was re-registered in Bridport.[5][6]

In 1884 Windsor Castle was sailing from Cochin to London when a cyclone on 27–28 June washed the third officer overboard and swept away her rudder. She drifted for the next 12 days. Her remaining crew of 21 men then set her afire, abandoned her 35 nautical miles (65 km) off the coast of Algoa Bay, Cape Colony. The Norwegian barque Ophir rescued the crew.[1][7]

 
A Royal Navy service record showing time served on the transport Windsor Castle

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Windsor Castle". Wear Built Ships. Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  2. ^ Lloyd's Register of British and Foreign Shipping. Lloyd's Register. 1857. W. Retrieved 28 May 2022 – via Internet Archive.
  3. ^ Mercantile Navy List. 1871. p. 374. Retrieved 28 May 2022 – via Crew List Index Project.
  4. ^ "Vessels to arrive". The Courier. Brisbane. 20 May 1876. p. 4. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
  5. ^ Lloyd's Register of British and Foreign Shipping. Lloyd's Register. 1884. WIN. Retrieved 28 May 2022 – via Internet Archive.
  6. ^ Mercantile Navy List. 1883. p. 593. Retrieved 28 May 2022 – via Crew List Index Project.
  7. ^ Chipchase, Nick; Lettens, Jan (10 August 2015). "SV Windsor Castle (+1884)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 28 May 2022.