The West Indian Packet Achilles (a detail from a painting), by Robert Salmon
History
Great Britain
NameAchilles
NamesakeAchilles
BuilderThomas Wake, Monkwearmouth
Launched1799
FateFoundered 29 October 1839
General characteristics [1]
Tons burthen
  • 1799: 199,[2][3] or 201,[4] or 202 (bm)
  • 1835: 255 (bm)
Length
  • 1799: 80 ft 0 in (24.4 m)
  • 1835: 92 ft 3 in (28.1 m)
Beam
  • 1799: 24 ft 8 in (7.5 m)
  • 1835: 25 ft 3 in (7.7 m)
Sail planSnow
Armament4 × 4-pounder guns

Achilles was built at Sunderland in 1799. Although early on she made some voyages to the West Indies, she spent most of her mercantile career trading with the Baltic and northern Russia, and as a coaster. However, between about 1810 and 1814, she served as a transport under Transport Board. She suffered three maritime mishaps before 1835 and assisted at a fourth. She was lengthened in 1835. Her crew abandoned her in October 1839 and she subsequently foundered.

Career

In 1799 Achilles, Haddock, master, was already trading with Petersburg. Achilles first appeared in the Register of Shipping (RS) in 1800,[2] and in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1801.[3]

Year Master Owner Trade Source
1800 Haddock Atkinson Newcastle coaster RS
1801 T.Beswick
S.Corney		 T.Atkins London–Demerara LR
1802 S.Corney T.Atkins London–St Kitts LR & RS
1804 Weatherby Captain & Co. Newcastle–Baltic RS
1809 Weatherby Captain & Co. Newcastle–Baltic RS; damage repaired 1803

On 18 December 1808, Brighton Packet, of Deal, was in a sinking state. Achilles took off Brighton Packet's crew and brought them into Torbay. On 20 December, Achilles, Weatherby, master, came into Torbay. She had been sailing from Portsmouth to Newcastle when she had been driven off St Valery.[5]

The complete picture, by Robert Salmon. The protected harbour of Whitehaven in the background.

Achilles re-entered the Register of Shipping with the volume for 1816.[4]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1816 Wedderburn Kirkley Shields–London RS
1818 Wedderburn
Kirkley		 Kirkley Shields–London RS; new tops and sides and good repair 1818

On 24 December 1818, Achilles, of South Shields, was sailing from Newcastle to London with a cargo of coal when Beaver, Lyle, master, ran into her. Beaver was sailing from London to Banff, her crew was not watching out, and Achilles's crew was not able to get their attention. Beaver sank but Achilles rescued the crew.[6]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1820 Kirkley Kirkley Hull coaster RS; new tops and sides and good repair 1818

On 2 October 1823 a storm caught Achilles, Kirkley, master, between the Spurn and the floating light. Achilles lost her foremast and bowsprit. Two smacks came out and towed her into Hull.[7]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1824 Kirkley Kirkley Hull coaster RS; new tops and sides and good repair 1818
1825 Kirkle Kirkle Hull coaster LR; new deck & large repair 1818, new wales 1820, & repairs 1823
1826 Elliot Kirkley "Sw"–London RS; new tops and sides & good repair 1818, & repairs 1823
1827 Scotland Kirkley "Sw"–London RS; new tops and sides & good repair 1818, repairs 1823, & large repair 1826

On 21 April 1829, Achilles, Scotland, master, struck a rock. She was towed into Loch Tarbert in a sinking state.[8]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1832 Kirkley Kirkley Yarmouth coaster RS; repair 1823, & large repair 1826
1834 Dickinson LR
1835 Dickinson
Crawford		 Kell & Son Newcastle–London LR; lengthened & thorough repair 1835

Fate

On 20 October 1839 Achilles, Patten, master, was on a voyage from South Shields to London with a cargo of coal. She anchored off Cromer, having lost her mainmast and foretopmast. Her crew abandoned her, coming ashore in the lifeboats. She foundered on 29 October.[9][10][11]

Her entry in the 1839 volume of Lloyd's Register carried the annotation "Foundered".[12]

Citations

  1. ↑ Wear Built Ships: Achilles.
  2. 1 2 RS (1800), "A" supple. pages.
  3. 1 2 LR (1801), "A" supple. pages Seq. no.A63.
  4. 1 2 RS (1816), "A" supple. pages.
  5. ↑ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4313. 27 December 1808.
  6. ↑ "(untitled)". Caledonian Mercury. No. 15187. 4 January 1819.
  7. ↑ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 5845. 10 October 1823.
  8. ↑ "Multiple News Items". The Standard 1 May 1829, issue 622.
  9. ↑ "Ship News". The Times. No. 17187. London. 31 October 1839. col C, p. 7.
  10. ↑ "Shipping Intelligence". The Morning Chronicle. No. 21820. London. 31 October 1839.
  11. ↑ "Shipping Intelligence". Caledonian Mercury. No. 18692. Edinburgh. 31 October 1839.
  12. ↑ LR (1839), Seq.no.A35.
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