MARIA lost Red Wharf Bay 26 October 1859?

Description

The brig MARIA may have been one of the shipping losses during the Royal Charter Gale, 25-26 October 1859.

A brief reference to a large ship going ashore in Red Wharf during the gale in a contemporary newspaper and in a well- respected by book by Ivor Wynne Jones called Shipwrecks of North Wales begins the shipwreck detective trail...

The reference suggests that the brig belonged to the port of Barrow-in-Furness. But Barrow did not become a port of Registry until 1864? Problem....

A check of the Mercantile Navy List 1858 finds eighty-five MARIAs registered at various ports all around the UK. Another problem....

However, presuming that the brig was registered in the northwest of England, then Lancaster is the most likely port for vessels working in and out of Barrow.

The Port of Lancaster has three MARIAs relevant to the period - one built at Ulverstion in 1801, another built at Chester in 1826, and another at Liverpool in 1793. Which one might have a connection to Barrow and Anglesey?

The possible answer lies in the MARIA built in 1793. At the time of the Royal Charter Gale she was owned by Thomas Fisher of Barrow, shipowner (16); Humphrey Bissetts of Barrow, gentleman (16); William Ashburner of Barrow, shipbuilder (16); and Richard Ashburner of Barrow, shipbuilder (16). She had been bought from John Hughes of Tynddndai, Amwlch, gentleman, and Mary Roberts of Amlwch Port, widow, in February 1853.

So, the link to Anglesey is there through past ownership.

And possibly through the ship's master, Owen Parry, who continued in command...

The port of Lancaster registration entry shown above provides a technical description:

Official number 9291. 1 deck, 2 masts, that her length from the inner part of the Main Stem to the fore part of the Stern aloft is 74ft, her breadth in midships is 19/3ft, her depth in hold at midships is 12ft, that she is a brigantine, rigged with a standing bowsprit, square stern, carvel built, a female bust figurehead, that her framework and planking is wood and that she is a sailing vessel.
Brig? Brigantine? The technical details appear to be a close match.

But if you move your mouse over this image, you'll find there's a problem at the bottom of the page.

This MARIA was re-registered at Maryport in 1861 and so she cannot have been lost at Red Wharf Bay in October 1859.

The Ashburner family are believed to have been the first shipbuilders at Barrow-in-Furness. The two brothers, William and Richard, started at Greenodd near Ulveston. In 1847, William moved to Barrow where he was joined by his brother Richard in 1852. Together, between 1852-1878, they built 21 vessels, as well as managing many others. The sons of William continued the business. Thomas became the business manager, Richard the naval architect, and William was in charge of the cabinet making department. So it was well within their resources to have put the MARIA back into tip top condition after she went ashore.

But do we have the right MARIA?

Over you to continue the search and finally solve the problematic identity of MARIA...

Sources include:
Latham, T, 2001, The Ashburner Schooners: The story of the first shipbuilders of Barrow
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


What is the difference between the sail plan of a brig and a schooner?

What number do you need to multiply the old imperial feet and inches measurements for the length and breadth to modern metres?

The ROYAL CHARTER and the MARIA were driven ashore on the same stretch of coast. But what vital difference between the two locations contributed to the MARIA surviving and the ROYAL CHARTER being smashed to pieces?