ABERDEEN BUILT SHIPS


Name
 SOPHOCLES
Construction
 IRON
Type
 SHIP
Date
 1879
Official Number
 77455
Description
 Rig: SHIP (BARQUE 1910)

Launched in August 1879
Registered at Aberdeen

Master 1882-83 W. Faulkner

Aberdeen Register of Ships (Aberdeen City Archives):
Registered 5 September 1879.
2 decks, 3 masts, shield figurehead.
Original owners: William Henderson, Cornelius Thompson (both Aberdeen), Stephen Thompson, George Thompson Henderson (both City of London), all Shipowners and joint owners (48 shares); George Thompson Youngest, Shipowner, Binghill (8); James Buyers, Shipowner, Aberdeen (4); Isaac Merchant, Shipowner, City of London (4). [William Henderson Managing Owner 15/8/1884].
30 June 1882: Isaac Merchant 4 shares - Alexander Smith, Shipmaster ['Her best known Commander Smith' - Lubbock, 'The Colonial Clippers'].
19 May 1894: On death of Cornelius Thompson 18/5/1894 the 48 shares to William Henderson, Stephen Thompson and George Thompson Henderson jointly.

Lubbock, 'The Colonial Clippers':
Was a pretty little ship though given a fuller body than Thompson's earlier ships as she was meant to be an economical carrier rather than a record breaker (114 days Sydney-London as member of Wool Fleet, 1888-9).

Lloyd's Register:
1880-81: Master J. Faulkener.
1883-84, 1884-85: Master R. Kemball.
1898-99: Master A. Smith.
1899-1900: Owners G. B. Olivare; Port of Registry Genoa; Master A. Olivare.
1910-11: Barque; Master P. Antola.
1914-15: Master E. Olivare.
1918-19, 1921-22: Owners Fili Dufour; Port of Registry Genoa.
1925-26: No reference.

Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 17/09/1879:
SOPHOCLES, new ship, at London from Aberdeen, 14 Sept.

Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 22/07/1887:
Capt. Alexander Smith, ship SOPHOCLES, donated one guinea to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary extension fund.

Hampshire Telegraph, 12/01/1899:
Drowned in Sydney Harbour, N.S.W. whilst boating on 24 Nov. last, William Henry Riley of ship SOPHOCLES, from Gosport, aged 16 years.

Glasgow Herald, 27/03/1894:
SOPHOCLES, ship, Sydney for London, March 2, 23N., 45W. [off N. W. Africa].

Leeds Mercury, 20/04/1895:
Very full account of death aboard SOPHOCLES of natural causes 1 Feb. 1895 of Lawrence Gain, Leeds M.P. and representative of Irish Home Rule Party. He was on his way home from Sydney.

Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 13/12/1895:
SOPHOCLES, ship, Smith, left Sydney for London previous to 12th Dec.

Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 17/03/1897:
Ship SOPHOCLES, arrived in Thames for Sydney, reports having come through some very bad weather on last portion of voyage... when in Lat. 44.50N [Bay of Biscay] on 2 March a severe hurricane from W to NW with high seas. Lower topsails were blown away and much damage done on deck to boats. Another gale of equal force was experienced 2 days later.

Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 27/07/1897:
SOPHOCLES, ship, Smith, passed Prawle Point, London for Melbourne, 12 July.

Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 11/01/1898:
SOPHOCLES, ship, Smith, left Melbourne for London previous to 18 Dec.

Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 30/05/1898:
SOPHOCLES, ship, Smith, at London 6 April from Melbourne.

Glasgow Herald, 07/06/1898:
Following clipper ship just sold... iron ship SOPHOCLES, 1120 tons register, owned by Messrs. George Thompson & Co., Aberdeen, for £3,300.
Shipbuilder
 Walter Hood and Co
Shipowner
 Aberdeen White Star Line (George Thompson & Co)
Dimensions
 length 223' 4" x breadth 34' 7" x depth 21' 7"
gross tonnage 1176 ton
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