Thomas Stephens

An iron fullrigged ship built in 1869 by William H. Potter & Co., Liverpool. Dimensions 263'0"×38'2"×23'1" and 1528 GRT, 1469 NRT and 1371 tons under deck.

The figurehead was a likeness of the owner dressed in top-hat. The hull was painted in a grey colour which according to Lubbock was rather ugly.

Originally rigged with double topsails, single topgallant sails and three skysails, which was later changed to double top-gallant sails and a main skysail.

1869 July: Launched at the shipyard of William H. Potter & Co., Liverpool, for the Black Ball Line. Thomas Stephens & Sons, London, origially owned one third of the shares and lent the rest to Baines & Mackay against security in the company. Assigned the official British Reg. No. 63199 and signal JNGB.
1869-1875: Captain R. Richards late of the clippers Donald McKay and Great Victoria.
1869 September 24 - December 15: Sailed from Liverpool to Melbourne in 82 days.
1870 February 1 - May 15: Sailed from Melbourne to London in 103 days.
1870 September 9 [2?] - November 21: Sailed from Liverpool with 94 passengers to Melbourne (Hobson's Bay) in 73 days.
1871: Chartered to the London Line of Australian Packets (Taylor, Bethell, Roberts & Co.).
1871 October 26 - January 2: Sailed from London to Melbourne in 68 days or 66 days pilot to pilot.
1872 March 15: Sold to T. Stephens, London.
1872 December 4 - February 11: Sailed from Lizard to Hobson in 69 days. Beat the Duke of Abercorn which left London on November 15, the Blackadder which left on the 21st and the Cutty Sark which left on the 26th. The Cutty Sark arrived 11 hours after the Thomas Stephens.
1873 April 5 - June 26: Sailed from Melbourne to London with a cargo of wool.
1873 September 3 - November 8: Sailed from Ushant to Hobson in 66 days.
1874-1875: Captain Harry L. Bloomfield.
1874 November 22 - January 31: Sailed from Lizard to Hobson in 70 days.
1875: Re-painted black with pained ports.
1875: Sailed from Melbourne with a cargo of wool to Falmouth f.o. in 96 days.
1876: Captain R. Richards.
1876 August 7 - October 24: Sailed from Lizard to Hobson in 78 days.
1877 February 21 - June 14: Sailed from Rangoon to Liverpool in 113 days.
1877 August 12 - October 27: Sailed from Tuskar to Hobson in 76 days.
1878 June 15 - August 31: Sailed from Plymouth to Hobson in 77 days.
1879: Captain W.I. Davey replaced Captain W. Osborne.
1879 November 8 - Feb 18: Sailed from San Francisco to Queenstown in 99 days.
1880 Apr. 29 - July 21: Sailed from Liverpool to Rangoon in 83 days.
1881 January 12 - May 16: Sailed from Holyhead to San Francisco in 124 days.
1882 June 7 - September 13: Sailed from San Francisco to Falmouth in 98 days.
1882 November 8 - January 22: Sailed from London to Sydney in 75 days.
1885 July 25 - October 20: Sailed from Antwerp to Sydney in 87 days.
1886 May 29 - August 16: Sailed from London to Sydney in 79 days.
1894 December 27: Sailed from Barry for Esquimalt under command of Captain Belding. Was dismasted off Cape Horn and had to seek refugee at the Falkland Islands. Sailed under jury rig to Cape Town to avoid expensive repairs at Port Stanley. Arrived at Cape Town on May 14 1895.
1895 June 22 - September 24: Sailed from Table Bay to Esquimalt where she arrived 271 days out from Barry.
1896: Sold to the Portuguese Government and was renamed Pero d'Alemguer. Caught fire during the delivery voyage. At the arrival Captain Belding was asked to remain in command.
1914: Was laid up in the Tagus.
1915: Fitted out and sent to America.
1916 January: Posted missing on voyage from North America to Lisbon.

References:

Square-rigged ships, general references.
Lubbock, Basil: The Colonial Clippers.
Brown, Ferguson & Son, Glasgow, 1948 (2nd).
Lubbock, Basil: The Romance of the Clipper Ships.
Hennel Locke, London, 1948.

Updated 1998-06-18 by Lars Bruzelius

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