 Baron of Renfrew, lithograph from the Peter Winkworth Collection of Canadiana,Library and Archives Canada | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Baron of Renfrew |
| Builder | Charles Wood, Anse du Fort,Quebec,Canada |
| Launched | 1825 |
| Fate | Lost |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Disposable ship |
| Tonnage | 5,294 GRT |
| Length | 304 ft (93 m) |
| Beam | 61 ft (19 m) |
| Draught | 34 ft (10 m) |
| Sail plan | Four-mastedbarque |
| Complement | Crew of 25 |
Baron of Renfrew was a four-mastedbarque of 5,294gross register tonnage (GRT), built of wood in 1825 by Charles Wood inQuebec,Canada. She was one of thelargest wooden ships ever built, although she was adisposable ship built for a one-way voyage to transport timber to England and did not complete a single voyage before breaking up.
Baron of Renfrew was built to transport timber from theNew World toEurope and to be disassembled after discharging the timber cargo to sell the tax-free ship-timber, because the timber used to build the ship was exempt from the hightaxes on imported timber. She was built by Charles Wood, Anse du Fort,Quebec,Canada, on his own account. She followed the construction of a similar disposable ship, the barqueColumbus built the year before.
On August 23, 1825 under the command of captain Matthew Walker, the ship left Quebec with a crew of 25 men and a cargo of 9,000 tons timber (probably ship and cargo weight, both timber) bound forLondon, England. On October 21 of the same year the ship appeared in theEnglish Channel but stranded the day after on theGoodwin Sands nearLong Sound Head in the Channel already under tow of two tugs and a pilot on board. It is reported[by whom?] that parts of the ship and her timber cargo were found on theFrench coast nearDunkirk andGravelines, according to other sources[who?] the ship, broken in three parts, were found nearCalais.
The huge ship had alength overall of 92.65 metres withbowsprit andjibboom: 110.8 metres (363 feet), 18.59 metres wide and 10.36 metres tall (304 feet × 61 feet × 34 feet). She was rigged as a four-mastedbarque, with the square-rigged masts fitted with just three square sails (course, top, and topgallant sails) and the spanker mast with aspanker sail and a spanker topsail. Three foresails were fitted to the stays to the jibboom making 14 sails all in all. Instead of a bobstay the end of the bowsprit was supported by an extra spar (bar) resting on the cutwater above the waterline.
21st: Octr: 1825, at the time the Captain, Officers & remaining 22 of her crew left her, off Gravelines. - She left Quebec Augt. 23rd & filled with water 650 Miles from land, drew 33 ft. & had 31 ft. water in her Hold, was waterlogged & went ashore in 3 pieces 24th Octr: near Calais. Her 4 Anchors wd. 192 cwt. Chain 2 1/4 In. diamr: 130 fathoms long, wt. 14 Tons Hemp cable 26 In. Circume: got on the Long sands off Margate 16th & off 18th Octr: Cargo consisted of 9000 Tons of Timber.[1]
Baron of Renfrew is classified as adisposable ship, or timber ship (timber drogher). She was not particularly seaworthy:
She left Quebec Augt. 23rd & filled with water 650 Miles from land, drew 33 ft. & had 31 ft. water in her Hold, was waterlogged & went ashore in 3 pieces 24th Octr: nearCalais.[2]
and had to be towed fromQuebec toCalais.
Due to a later change in the timber tax census disposable or timber ships lost their tax advantage and ceased to be built.Baron of Renfrew was slightly larger thanColumbus built the year before; although as both vessels weredisposable ships, they were not considered true ships by some.[3] TheNova Scotia shipWilliam D. Lawrence remains the largestsailing ship built in Canada.
Media related toBaron of Renfrew (ship, 1825) at Wikimedia Commons| Shipwrecks |
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