Olivebank

A four-masted steel barque built in 1892 by Mackie & Thompson, Glasgow. Her dimensions were: 326'0×43'1×24'5 and tonnage: 2647 NRT and 2824 GRT.

1892: Launched at the shipyard of Mackie & Thompson, Glasgow, for Andrew Weir & Co., Glasgow.
1911 February 25: The coal cargo caught fire in the harbour of Santa Rosalia. The fire was eventually put out but the Olivebank grounded due the amount of water being pumped in. Captain David George was in command.
1911 June 29: After having been re-floated and repaired the ship was thrown against a breakwater by a hurricane and sustained minor damage to the stern and rudder. One man of the crew was killed in the accident.
1913 August: Sold to A/S Olivebank (E. Monsen & Co.), Tvedestrand, Norway.
1916 September: Sold to Tvedestrands Rederi A/S (Johs. A. Henschien), Tvedestrand, for kr 935 000.
1918: Sold to Christianssands Shipping Co. Ltd., Kristiansand.
1920 September: Sold to Skibs A/S Otra (Lars Jørgensen), Kristiansand.
1922 August: Sold to A/S Caledonia (Johs. J. Lorentzen), Kristiania (now Oslo), Norway, and was renamed Caledonia.
1923: Sailed from Campbellton to Adelaide in 122 days.
1924: Sailed from Melbourne to Queenstown f.o. in 113 days.
1924 October: Sold to Gustav Erikson, Mariehamn, and given back her orginal name Olivebank. Her first Finnish master was Captain K. Troberg.
1924: Sailed from Cardiff in ballast to Port Lincoln in 93 days.
1925: Sailed from Port Victoria to Falmouth f.o. in 147 days. Posted overdue by Lloyd's.
1926: Sailed from Campbellton in ballast to Port Lincoln in 93 days.
1927: Sailed from Port Lincoln to Queenstown f.o. in c146 days.
1928: Sailed from Swansea with a cargo of coal to Lüderitz Bay in 72 days.
1928: Sailed from St Pierre with a cargo of guano to Auckland in 109 days. Posted overdue by Lloyd's.
1929: Sailed from Port Lincoln to Queenstown f.o. in 119 days.
1929-1931: In command of Captain K.F. Lindgren.
1930: Sailed from Hudiksvall to Melbourne in 158 days. Posted overdue by Lloyd's.
1931: Sailed from Melbourne to Queenstown f.o. in 122 days.
1931-1933: In command of Captain J.M. Mattsson.
1931: Sailed from Horten, Norway, to Port Lincoln in 105 days.
1932: Sailed from Port Lincoln to Falmouth f.o. in 108 days.
1932: Sailed from London in ballast to Port Lincoln in 95 days.
1933: Sailed from Port Victoria to Falmouth f.o. in 92 days.
1933-1937: In command of Captain A.L. Lindvall.
1933: Sailed from København to Port Victoria in 92 days.
1934: Sailed from Port Victoria to Falmouth f.o. in 115 days.
1934: Sailed from København to Port Lincoln in 84 days.
1935: Sailed from Port Lincoln to Falmouth f.o. in 118 days.
1935: Sailed from København to Port Lincoln in 100 days.
1936: Sailed from Port Lincoln to Falmouth [?] f.o. in 108 days.
1936: Sailed from Göteborg to Port Lincoln in 99 days.
1937: In command of Captain U. Mörn.
1937: Sailed from Port Lincoln to Falmouth f.o. in 106 days.
1937-1939: In command of Captain Carl Granith.
1937: Sailed from København to Port Natal in 91 days.
1938: Sailed from Port Victoria to Falmouth f.o. in 105 days.
1939: Sailed from Port Victoria to Queenstown f.o. in 119 days.
1939 September 8: Struck a mine in the North Sea at 55°53'N, 5°07'E and sank on voyage from Barry Docks to Mariehamn. Fourteen men lost their lives including Captain Carl Granith. Seven others who had climbed the rigging were rescued after 48 hours by the Danish fishing cutter Talona of Esbjerg.

References:

Four- and five masted ships, general references.
anon.: Fyrmastade barkskeppet Olivebank minsprängt.
Svenska Segelfartyg årg. 3, Malmö, 1939. p 86.
anon.: Photo Album: No. 1 Olivebank.
Model Shipwright Vol. 1, London, 1972. pp 84-85, ill.
Alvåker, Torsten: En sjömans öde.
Longitude 18, Stockholm, 1982. pp 80-86, ill. About Carl Gunnarsson (1874-1896).
Blomqvist, Evert: En av de sju från Olivebank.
Longitude 14, Stockholm, 1978. pp 12-15.
Boyd, Harry: The Four-masted Barque Olivebank.
Model Shipwright Vol. 4, Greenwich, 1977. pp 246-254, 361-369 5:70-79, 155-170, ill.
Casson, Frank: The Unlucky Olivebank.
Sea Breezes Vol. XVIII (1934), pp 236-237, ill.
Dahl, Tor: Albumbilder från en resa i Olivebank.
Longitude 12, Stockholm, 1977. pp 75-79, ill.
Davidsson, Jan: Olivebank seglar än.
Longitude 11, Stockholm, 1976. pp 44-51, ill.
Grönstrand, Lars: Åländska skeppsporträtt i ord och bild.
Ålands Tidnings-tryckeri, Mariehamn, 1978.
Hamnström, Henry: Berberi i Olivebank.
Longitude 26, Stockholm, 1990. pp 92-93.
Tandberg, Arne: (Personal communication).
Bergen, 1997.

Updated 2001-12-02 by Lars Bruzelius.

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