Christopher (1809 ship)

Christopher was launched in Lancaster in 1809. She sailed as a West Indiaman until 1816 when she sailed to India under a licence from the British East India Company. On her return she returned to the West Indies trade. Later she started trading between London and Quebec. She was wrecked at sea on 5 December 1836.

For other ships with the same name, see Christopher (ship).

History
United Kingdom
NameChristopher
BuilderBrockbank, Lancaster
Launched21 November 1809
FateWrecked 5 December 1836
General characteristics
Tons burthen395, or 400,[1] or 425,[2] or 42526⁄94[3] (bm)
Length112 ft 0 in (34.1 m)
Beam29 ft 3 in (8.9 m)
Armament
  • 1810:20 × 12-pounder carronades
  • 1813: 8 × 12-pounder guns
  • 1814: 8 × 12-pounder carronades

Career

Christopher first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in the volume for 1810.[1]

Year Master Owner Trade Source
1810 P.Jackson Bradshaw & Co. Lancaster–Martinique LR
1811 P.Jackson
LaCoque
Smith		 Bradshaw & Co. Lancaster–Martinique LR
1813 Smith G.Dennison & Co. Cork–St Croix LR
1814 H.Smith G.Dennison Greenock–St Croix LR
1816 H.Smith G.Dennison Greenock–Barbados
London–India

In 1813 the EIC had lost its monopoly on the trade between India and Britain. British ships were then free to sail to India or the Indian Ocean under a licence from the EIC.[4]

On 3 January 1816 Christopher, Smith, master, sailed for India under a licence from the EIC.[5]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1818 H.Smith
Snell		 G.Dennison London–India
London–Jamaica		 LR
1822 S.Snell
J.Knight		 G.Dennison London–Jamaica
London–Quebec		 LR
1830 J.Knight Captain & Co. London–Quebec LR
1831 J.Knight Oliver & Co. London LR
1832 J.Knight Oliver & Co. London-Quebec LR

In December 1835 Christopher arrived off Portland having sustained damage.

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1836 G.Kay Oliver London–Quebec LR; large repair 1836

Fate

Christopher sailed from Quebec on 17 November 1836 bound for London with a cargo of timber. She was wrecked on 5 December 1836 in the Atlantic Ocean with the loss of all but one of her seventeen crew. The survivor, the carpenter, was rescued by George Gordon, Moorman, master. Four men were still alive when George Gordon arrived on the scene, but one man died in the rescue attempt and the seas prevented the rescue of the two other survivors.[6][7]

On 23 December 1836 Christopher was found as a floating wreck in the Atlantic, after being abandoned.[3]

Christopher's entry in the 1836 issue of LR carried the annotation "LOST".[2]

Citations
  1. LR (1810), Supple. pages, Seq.No.C7.
  2. LR (1836), Seq.No.C502.
  3. Hackman (2001), p. 261.
  4. Hackman (2001), p. 247.
  5. LR (1816), "Licensed and Country Ships".
  6. "Ship News". The Morning Post. No. 20605. London. 23 December 1836.
  7. "Dreadful shipwreck - Sixteen lives lost". The Morning Post. No. 20610. London. 29 December 1836.

References
  • Hackman, Rowan (2001). Ships of the East India Company. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-96-7.
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