Staffordshire

A clipper packet ship built in 1851 by Donald McKay, East Boston, MA. Dimensions 230'×41'×29' and 1817 tons old measurement. A likeness of a witch was carried as figurehead.

1851 June 17

Launched at the shipyard of Donald McKay, East Boston, MA, for Enoch Train & Co.'s White Diamond Line of Boston and Liverpool Packets. Captain Albert H. Brown.

1851

Sailed from Boston to Liverpool in 14 days, 18 hours. The abstract log was printed the Boston Daily Atlas, January 13, 1852.

1852

Command of the ship was given to Captain Josiah Richardson previously of the Stag Hound.

1852 May 3 - August 13

Sailed from Boston to San Francisco in 102 days. The clipper ship Shooting Star, 903 tons, which left Boston on the same day arrived at San Francisco after passage of 105 days.

1852

Sailed from San Francisco to Singapore in 51 days.

1852

Sailed from Singapore to Calcutta in 21 days.

1853 January 25 - April 20

Sailed from Sands Head, Calcutta, to Boston in 84 days which was the record for the passage at the time.

1853 December 9

Left Liverpool for Boston with 214 persons onboard including the crew.

1853 December 24

The rudderhead was sprung in a heavy gale and the bowsprit was carried away the next day and bring down the foremast with it.

1853 December 29

Struck on Blonde Rock at Seal Islands, Cape Sable. Captain Richardson and 169 others lost their life when the ship went down. She was valued at $120.000 at the time of shipwreck.

References:

• Square-rigged ships, general references.
• Duncan MacLean: The New Clipper Packet Ship Staffordshire.
  Boston Daily Atlas, July 21, 1851.
• Abstract of the log of the Staffordshire.
  Boston Daily Atlas, January 13, 1852.
• For San Francisco.
  Boston Daily Atlas, April 23, 1852.
• The Ship Staffordshire.
  Boston Daily Atlas, August 17, 1852.
• Ship Staffordshire.
  Boston Daily Atlas, September 7, 1852.
• Abstract of the Log of the Ship Staffordshire, of Boston, Josiah Richardson, Commander, from Boston to San Francisco.
  Boston Daily Atlas, September 17, 1852.
• The Packet Ship Staffordshire.
  Boston Daily Atlas, July 16, 1853.
• Loss of the Packet Ship Staffordshire, and One Hundred and Eighty Lives.
  Boston Semi-Weekly Atlas, January 4, 1854.
• The Staffordshire.
  Boston Daily Atlas, January 9, 1854.
• The Staffordshire.
  Boston Semi-Weekly Atlas, January 11, 1854.
• The Ship Staffordshire.
  Boston Semi-Weekly Atlas, January 14, 1854.
• The Ship Staffordshire.
  Boston Semi-Weekly Atlas, January 18, 1854.
• Norton, Louis Arthur: Rounding Cape Horn. The Adventures of 19th Century Sea Captain Josiah Richardson.
  Cape Cod Life Online, 1997. <URL:" http://www.capecodlife.com/back/97octnov/roundingcapehorn.html"> [1999-03-09: Missing]

Updated 2006-02-22 by Lars Bruzelius.

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Copyright © 1997 Lars Bruzelius.