John R. Worcester

A composite ship built in 1865 by Marine Investment Co. Ltd. (Patterson), Port Glasgow. Dimensions 191'5"×32'4"×19'9" and tonnage 844 GRT, 844 NRT and 781 tons under deck.

Originally rigged with double main and fore top-sails and a main sky-sail. Judging from paintings the single mizzen top-sail was later replaced by a double. Reduced to barque rig before 1889.

1865 December: Launched at the shipyard of Marine Investment Co. Ltd. (Patterson), Port Glasgow, for John R. Worcester, London. Assigned the official British Reg. No. 54596 and signal KWJQ. Employed in the tea trade.
1866 July 9 - October 31: Sailed from Shanghai to London in 114 days with a cargo of tea. In command of Captain W. Brown.
1867: Sold to John Patton Jr, London, at the bankruptcy of the previous owner.
1867-1868: In command of Captain Wawn late of the Pak Wan.
1867 June 10 - October 12: Sailed from Shanghai to London in 124 days with a cargo of tea.
1868 July 10 - November 2: Sailed from Foochow to London in 115 days with a cargo of tea.
1868-1875: In command of Captain Thomas Cawse.
1869 February 3: Sailed from London to Shanghai in 115 days. The Cutty Sark which left London 13 days later for her maiden voyage did the passage in 104 days.
1869 August 5 - December 13: Sailed from Shanghai to London in 130 days with a cargo of tea.
1870 July 5 - November 8: Sailed from Shanghai to London in 126 days with a cargo of 1.102.691 lbs of tea. The freight was £3 a ton.
1871 August 18 - December 23: Sailed from Shanghai to London in 127 days with a cargo of tea.
1872 December 19 - March 18: Sailed from Amoy to New York in 90 days with a cargo of tea.
1873 September 30 - January 8: Sailed from Shanghai to New York in 100 days with a cargo of tea.
1874 September 22 - January 14: Sailed from Shanghai to New York in 114 days with a cargo of tea.
1875: In command of Captain James Cawse.
1877 June 4 - October 24: Sailed from Shanghai to London in 142 days with a cargo of tea.
1884: Sold to John Stewart and Co., London.
1887: In command of Captain W.C. Smith.
1889: Sold to F. Lubrano, Castellamare, and was renamed L'Immacolata.
1889: In command of Captain N. Siano.
1896: Grounded when owned in Naples and subsequently dismantled.
1902: Hulked at Montevideo.

References:

Square-rigged ships, general references.
Holmes, R.C.: John Stewart's Ships. Sea Breezes Vol. 7, Liverpool, 1949. pp 254-257.

Updated 2003-04-28 by Lars Bruzelius

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