LAUREL lost Cardigan Bay 26 October 1859

Description

The schooner LAUREL was one of the shipping losses during the Royal Charter Gale, 25-26 October 1859. It was built at Prince Edward Island in 1849. For the early part of its service life, it was registered at Bridport. However, its port of Beaumaris Shipping Register entry which provides us with the last technical description of the vessel:

Official number 10260. 98 2930/3500 tons burthen. 1 deck, 2 mast; length from the inner part of the main stem to the stern post of the Stern Post aloft 71.1ft; her breadth in midships is 17.6ft; her depth in hold at midships is 11ft, that she is a schooner rigged with a standing bowsprit, is square sterned, carvel built, framework and planking of wood and is a sailing vessel.

If you move your mouse over this image, you'll find more information about the schooner's working life and the Welsh people who were associated with it.

For example, the Treweek family of Amlwch are featured. Nicholas Treweek was the son of James Treweek, Mona mine agent between 1811-1847. Nicholas began a ship building venture at Amlwch in 1825. He sold his shares in this vessel in April 1852, possibly as part of the rationalisation of all the family's concerns after the death of his father in 1851. The new owners were John Price of Amlwch, master mariner; Evan Evans of Amlwch, cashier; Griffith Evans of Amlwch, brazier; Owen Jones of Amlwch, carrier; William Jones of Amlwch, merchant; Charles Bunt Dyer of Amlwch, mine agent; and Richard Hughes of Amlwch, iron founder.

A ship's boat painted green with the name 'JOHN PRICE, AMLWCH' was washed ashore at the southern end of Tanybwlch beach, Ceredigion, along with other wreckage on 26 October 1859.

Sources include:
Mercantile Navy List 1858, pg273
Port of Beaumaris Shipping Register 1845 - 1855, Gwynedd Archive Service Caernarfvon XSR 9, 10 in 1854
Troughton, W, 2006, Ceredigion Shipwrecks, pg77


Follow this links to find out more about the Treweek family:
http://www.amlwchhistory.co.uk/ships.html

Use the historic maps provided by the People's Collection Wales to locate the iron foundry owned by Richard Hughes.

What number do you need to multiply the old imperial feet and inches measurements for the length and breadth to metres? How many people of your height would be able to lie head to toe on the deck?

What can the census of 1861 tells us about the people who worked in shipbuilding at Amlwch?