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                BLACKWALL FRIGATES -
LITHOGRAPHS
                                   BY T.G. DUTTON

                The Blackwall frigates owed their name  and origin to
                the Blackwall shipbuiding yards on the north bank of
                the Thames opposite Greenwich.  These yards had built
                East Indiamen since 1611 and continued to do so in the
                19th Century.   
               


                 

                AGAMEMNON, 1,431t, wood clipper, built
                in 1855 at Blackwall Yards (Thames) for
                Green's Blackwall Line.  In the Indian trade
                until 1870 then in the Australian passenger 
                trade for seven years and after that became 
                a coal hulk.. 

               
               "The 'Agamemnon, East Indiaman,1700 Tons. To
               Captain Charles Hyne & the Officers of the Ship" 
               T.G. Dutton               
               Day & Son
               William Foster
               Hand-coloured lithograph: circa 1855
               Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY9322) 

              ALFRED, 1350t, wood clipper, built in 1845
              at H. Green's Blackwall Yards for his Blackwall 
              Line. In the London-Calcutta trade. Made
              voyages to Australia after 1860.
             

                 "The 'Alfred' East Indiaman"  
                 T.G. Dutton, artist
                 Day & Son
                 William Foster
                 Lithograph: circa 1845-1848
                 Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0590) 

                 

             ALNWICK CASTLE, 1.087t, wood clipper,      
             built in 1856 by W.Pile, Sunderland. for
             Green's  Backwall Line. She began in the
             India trade.  In the early sixties she was
             carrying labourers and cargoes of rice
             from Calcutta to Trinidad and Guyana.
             She was sold in 1878 and twiceagain.  
             She was wrecked in 1881 on the Mexican
             coast on a voyage from Rotterdam. 
             

                T.G. Dutton, artist and engraver
                Day & Son, engravers
                William Foster, publisher
                Lithograph: 1853-1857
                Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0643)

            ANGLESEY, 1018t, wood clipper, built 
            in 1851 at Green's Blackwall Yards for
            his Blackwall LIne.  Lubbock described
            her as one of Green's fastest ships.  She
            appears in the ship arrival records for 
           Melbourne from 1852 and annually after
            that in p[ublished records up to 1860. In
            1871, in a passage to Melbourne she made
            a run of 380miles in one day - a record
            for a Blackwaller- and her passage from 
            Start to Port Philip in 72 days.an return 
            in 78 days  was never equalled by any
            Blackwall frigate.  She was sold in 1874.

           
              "The Clipper Ship Anglesey, 1150 Tons. To
              Captain  J.N. Thorne and the Officers of the Ship"
              T.G. Dutton
              Day & Son
              William Foster
              Hand coloured lithograph: circa 1852
              Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY9338)


 

           BARHAM, 1,149t, wood clipper, built in 
           1846 at Green's Blackwall Yards for his
           Blackwall Line. In London-Madras and 
           Calcutta trade. She was sold in 1867.
           In 1873, she was still in the India trade 
           but disappeared from the Register in the
           following year.
           

             "The 'Barham' East Indiaman, 1200 Tons"
             T.G. Dutton
             A. Hinton
             Foster
             Fry
             Lithograph: circa 1846
             Royal Museuns Greenwich, London (PY9331)


          BLACKWALL, 838t, wood clipper, built    
          in 1850 at Green's Blackwall Yards for
          his Blackwall Line. In the London-Australia
          trade for seventeen years. In records up to
          1860, she is recorded as visiting  Melbourne  
          each year from 1852 to 1860; and in South 
          Australian records up to 1866, as visiting  
          Adelaide in 1860 and 1861.  In 1867, she was 
          repaired and transfered to the India trade 
          where she made three voyages  In 1870 she  
          was sold and put in the Java trade. In 1875, 
          she was converted to Barque rig.  In 1884,  
          she was wrecked at Morecombe Bay on 
          Britaib's South Coast.
         

            "Clipper Ship Blackwall, 1000 Tons, in a squall off New
            Zealand on her homeward passage Decr 18th 1857. To
            Captain J. McKerke & the Officers of the Ship ..."
            T.G. Dutton
            Day & Son
            William Foster
            Lithograph: circa 1857
            Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY9334)

          BLENHEIM, 808t, wood clipper, built
          in 1845 at South Shields for Duncan
          Dunbar. An East Indiaman.
           

              By T.G. Dutton
              Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PAH0607)

              

           CARLISLE CASTLE, 1,458t,  iron clipper, 
           built in 1868 at Green's Blackwall Yard
           for the Blackwall Line.  In the Australian 
           trade. Carried passengers until the steam 
           ships cut into this trade when she became 
           a carrier of wool and grain cargoes.  She
           was not a fast ship and her ouitward 
           passages over ten years averaged 86.5 days
           In 1893, sold and converted to barque rig.  
           In 1899, in a voyage from the Clyde to
           Western Australia, she was lost with all
           hands off Fremantle.
           

               "The 'Carlisle Castle', 1700 Tons, Austin Cooper Commander"
               T.G. Dutton
               William Foster
               Hand-tinted lithograph: circa 1868
               Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PAH0692) 
 

            CLARENCE, 1,104t, wood clipper, built 
            in 1858 at Pile, Sunderland for R.Green's  
            Blackwall Line.  In the London-India trade, 
            then from 1861-1865 carrying Indian 
            labourers to West Indies destinations. She                  
            also carried  troops back to Britain from 
            India in 1865. She was sold in 1873.

               
              T.G. Dutton, artist
              Day & Son
              William Foster, publisher                
              Hand coloured lithograph: No date
              Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0654)

            DUNBAR, 1,167t, wood clipper, built
            in 1853 by Laing, Sunderland, for
            Duncan Dunbar.  In 1857, wrecked 
            near Soth Head, Port Jackson (Sydney)
             
            "The 'Dunbar' 1321 Tons
            T.G. Dutton, artist and engraver
            Day & Son, printers
            William Foster , publisher
            Coloured Lithograph:
            Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PAH0629)


            DUNCAN DUNBAR, 1374t, wood clipper, built
            in 1857 by Laing, Sunderland for Duncan Dunbar.  
            In 1865, wrecked on Las Rocas Shoal (in the 
            Atlantic just below the Equator).
              
             "The Clipper Ship 'Duncan Dunbar' 1600 Tons"
             T.G. Dutton, printer and engraver
             Day & Son (engravers)
             William Foster (publisher)
             Hand-coloured lithograph:
             Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0653)   

             ESSEX, 1042tons, wood clipper, built in 1862 at 
             Wigram's Blackwall Yard for Wigram & Sons.
             Abadoned at sea 1880.
             
             T.G. Dutton, artist and engraver
             Day & Son, printers
             William Foster, publisher
             Coloured lithograph: 1862
             Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0678)

       
             

             GLORIANA, 1,057t, wood clipper, built in
             1843 at Smith's Tyne yard for T&W Smith.  
             In the India trade.
             

                T.G. Dutton , artist
                Lithograph: 1843
                Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0581)

             HIGHFLYER, 1,012t, wood clipper, built 
             in 1861 Green's Blackwall yard for his
             Blakwall Line.  In the China tea races in 
             1861, 1862 and 1863, bot was not a success.  
             She was too slow.  In 1862, from Shanghai
             7 days behind the leader Fiery Cross to
             London. In 1863, from Foochow 33 days
             behind the same leader.
             

               "The Clipper Ship Highflyer, 1111 Tons.  To 
               Richard Green, Esqr., & Captain A. Enright."
               T.G. Dutton
               Day &  Son
               William Foster
               Hand coloured lithograph:  6th December 1861
               Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY9335)

            KENT, 998t, wood clipper, built in 1853 at
            Wigram's Blackwall Yard for Wigram & Sons.  
            In the London-Melbourne trade for many years.
            Popular with passengers and a good passage
            maker.  In 1859,  she beat both MARCO POLO
            and BLUE JACKET in a race to Melnourne.  
            Recorded as arriving in Melbourne every year
            from 1853-1860.

           
              "The Kent (1853), 1000 tons, being towed past Gravesend"                  
              T.G. Dutton, artist and engraver
              William Foster, publisher
              Lithograph: 1853 
              Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0628)

 

             LADY MELVILLE, 966t, wood clipper, built
             in 1859 by Haswell, Sunderland, for Green's
             Blackwall Line.

               
             "Clipper ship Lady Melville passing through
             icebergs on her homeward voyage from
             Melbourne 21st May 181863" 
             T.G Dutton, delineator and lithographer
             Wood engraving
             Published in the Illustrated London News
             Sept. 22, 1863
             National Library of Australia (nla.pic-an9455494)


            

          LINCOLNSHIRE, 1,021t, wood clipper, built
          in 1858 at Wigram's Blackwall Yard for
          Wigram & Sons.  In the London-Australia trade.          
          She made twenty-two voyages with passengers  
          to Melbourne from 1858 to 1879. Condemned in 1881.
           

           T.G. Dutton, artist
           Lithograph: circa 1858
           Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0655)

           LORD WARDEN, 1237t, wood clipper,          
           built in 1862 at Pile, Sunderland, for the  
           Blackwall Line.  She began in the Madras 
           passenger trade but was later transferred 
           to the Melbourne service where she made
           some good outward passages of under 80            
           days.  She was sold  in 1884 to Italian
           owners in Fiume. She foundered in 1889.

           
              "The Clipper Ship Lord Warden, 1350 Tons."
              T.G. Dutton
              William Foster 
              Lithograph: 8 Sep. 1862
              Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0676)


           MADAGASCAR. 951t, wood clipper, built
           in 1837 at Blackwall Yard for the Blackwall
           Line.  In the Indian trade.
           
           " 'Madagascar' , East Indiaman, 1000 Tons"
           T.G. Dutton
           Day & Son
           William Foster
           Aquatint, etching: date unknown
           Royal Museuns Greenwich, London (PT2918)


                                       

           MALABAR, 1,219t, wood clipper, built in 
           1860 by Pile, Sunderland, for Green's 
           Blackwall Line. From 1869 to 1872 she
           made twelve voyages from London to
           Bombay, Cacutta or Madras.  From 1873
           to 1876 she made four voyages to Port
           Phillip.  Sold 1877, she was converted to 
           barque rig,  she made three voyages to
           India.  in1882, she was broken up in Calcutta. 

           
               "The Clipper Ship 'Malabar' , 1350 Tons, to
                Richard Green Esqr & Captain H.H, Consitt"
                T.G. Dutton
                Day & Son
                William Foster                 
                Hand -coloured lithograph: Date unknown
                Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY9310)


             MALBOROUGH, 1,402t, wood clipper, built  
             in 1846 at Smith's Tyne yard for T&W Smith.  
             In India trade
             

              'Malborough' East Indiaman 1050Tons
              By T.G. Dutton  
              Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PAH0594)


             NEWCASTLE,, 1,173t, wood clipper, built 
             in 1859 by Pile, Sunderland, for the R, Green's
             Blacwall Line. In London-India trade.  During              
             the sixties she was carried troops to and from
             Calcutta.  Transferred to the Melbourne
             passemger trade after the 1869 opening of the 
             Suez Canal.

             
              "Clipper Ship 'Newcastle', 1275 Tons,
               R.D. Crawford, Commander"
               T.G. Dutton
               Day & Son
               William Foster                 
               Hand-coloured lithograph:  circa 1857
               Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY9323)

             NORFOLK,  953t,  wood clipper,  built in        
             1857 at Wigram's  Blackwall Yard for 
             Wigram & Sons.  In the Australian trade, 
             she is credited with a 68 days passage to
             Melbourne.  She was one of the last sailing
             ships retained by Wigram when he moved
             to steam auxiliaries.  In 1875, wrecked at    
             Boa Vista.

         

                 "Clipper Ship 'Newcastle'  1275 Tons'
                 R.D. Crawford Commander"
                 T.G. Dutton, artist and engraver
                 Day & Son, engravers
                 William Foster, publisher
                 Lithograph: circa 1857-1860  
                 Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0647)

             ORWELL, 1,220t, wood clipper, built 
             in1854 at Harwich. She was purhased
             by Green in the eighteen sixties. The 
             vessel had been in the Australian
             passenger trade from 1855 .  She had 
             made four voyages with passengers 
             before 1860, and made four more in the
             sixties (1860-61-62-65), and three in
             the seventies (1870-77-78).  She was 
             posted as missing on a voyage to the
             West Indies in 1873.
             

                 "The Clipper Ship 'Orwell' 1109 Tons"
                 T.G. Dutton
                 Day & Son
                 William Foster
                 Hand-coloured lithograph:  no date
                 Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0636)

              OWEN GLENDOWER, 911t, wood clipper,
              built in 1839 at the Blackwall Yard for Green's
              Blackwall Line.  She was put ino the Australia
              trade during the Australian Gold Rush. She
              carried passengers to Melbourne in three                 
              voyages in 1859. 1860 and 1862.
              

                 "The 'Owen Glendower', East Indiaman, 1000 Tons. 
                  (Entering Bombay Harbour.)"
                  T.G. Dutton
                  Day & Son
                  William Foster
                  Lithograph: after 1843
                  Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0566)


              PRINCE OF WALES, 1,244t, armed 
              merchantman, built in 1842 at the
              Blackwall Yard for Green's Blackwall
              Line.  Built for rapid conversion, pierced
              for 50 guns. and fitted to carry troops,  
              she was the equivalent of a 50-gun frigate.  
              Another feature of the vessel was that
              she was flush decked  for the enjoyment
              of passengers. Her sister ship Wigram's
              QUEEN was identical in these respects.
              She was also no mean  performer. In 1860,
              with 120 passengers she reached Melbourne      
              in 77days.Her first recorded arrival in
              Melbourne was in 1859.  She was sold in
              1864.
             

             "The 'Prince of Wales' East Indiaman (1350 Tons)"
                T.G. Dutton
                 Foster
                 Fry
                 William Hinton, publisher
                 Day & Haghe
                 Hand coloured lithpograph: 1843
                 Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY9324)

                    

              QUEEN, 1,224t, armed frigate, built in
              1842 at the Blackwall Yard for Wigram  
              she was identical to the PRINCE OF
              WALES above. Up to 1843, when the 
              partnership between Green and Wigram 
              split up, they were joint owners of the 
              Blackwall Yard on the Thames.  The 
              arrangement as in the case of  the
              PRINCE OF WALES and QUEEN was
              for two identical ships to be built one
              for each partner who were free to
              dispose of the vessels as they wished.
              This came to anend in 1843 when the
              Yard like the partnership was split
              down the middle.

               
                  T.G. Dutton, artist and engraver
                  Day & Haghe, publishers, engravers
                  George Foster, publisher 
                  Coloured lithograph: circa 1839-1844 
                  Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0573) 

              RENOWN, 1,271t, a wood clipper, built 
              in 1860 at Green's Blackwall Yard
              for his Blackwall Line. In the India trade.  
              She survived the cyclone at Calcutta in
              1864 when 200 vessels were cast adrift
              and all but a handfol were put ashore  
              She was sold to German owners in 1882, 
              and was wrecked in 1888.
             

                 "Clipper Ship the "Renown' 1450 Tons"
                 T.G. Dutton
                 Day & Son
                 William Foster
                 Lithograph: No date
                 Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0667)

              SERINGAPATAM, 811 t, wood clipper, built
              in 1837 at the Blakwall Yard for Green's 
              Blackwall Line.  
               

                 "The East Indiaman 'Seringapatam'."
                   T.G. Dutton, artist and engraver
                   Day & Son, engravers
                   William Foster, publisher
                   Coloured lithograph: 19th century
                   Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0562) 

                     

               SHANNON, 1,292t. wood clipper, built 
               in 1862 at Green's Blackwall Yard for 
               the Blackwall Line. In 1888, on a passage
               from Newcastle, N.S.W. to Wellington
               she sprang a leak put into Papeete and
               was condemned there.
               

                  "Clipper Ship 'Shannon', 1450 Tons
                  C.L.F. Daniell Esq. Commander"
                  T.G. Dutton
                  Day & Son
                  William Foster
                  Hand-coloured lithograph: circa 1868
                  Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY9337) 

                    

              SUFFOLK, 976t, wood clipper,
              built in 1857 by Northam for
              Wigram & Sons. In 1890, lost.
             

                 T.G. Dutton, artist and engraver
                 Day & Son, engravers
                 William Foster, publisher
                 Coloured lithograph: cica 1857-1860
                 Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0652)

              SUPERB, 1,451t, iron clipper,  built in
              1866 at Green's Blackwall Yard for the
              Blackwall Line. Green's first iron
              Blackwaller.  From passenger arrival
              records, she carried passengers to
              Melbourne from 1866 to 1888.
             
             "Clipper Ship 'Superb'."
             T.G. Dutton
             William Foster
             Hand -coloured  lithograph: 6 October 1866
             Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PT3040)

             SUTLEJ, 1,150t,  wood clipper, built in 1847
             at Green's Blackwall Yard for the Blackwall
             Line. In the London-Calcutta trade.
             

                "The 'Sutlej' East Indiaman 1200 Tons"
                T.G. Dutton
                Day & Son
                Hand-coloured lithograph: circa 1847
                Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY9332)

             SWIFTSURE (ex-FATHERLAND),  1,326t,
             wood clipper,  built in 1854 in the United States.  
             Purchased by Green in 1856? for the Australian
             Gold Rushtrade.  Passenger records in Victoria 
             show passenger arrivals and departues for this
             ship to and from Melbourne on a regular basis
             from 1857 to 1871. Sold in the seventies.  
             Wrecked at Tripoli in 1888.

             
                 "Clipper Ship 'Swiftsure' 1326 Tons
                 V. Stacpoole, Commander"
                 T,G Dutton
                 William Foster
                 Hand-coloured lithograph: circa 1854
                 Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY9326) 

               

              TRAFALGAR, 1,178t, wood clipper, built 
              in 1848 at Green's Blackwall Yard for the 
              Blackwall Line. In the London-Calcutta trade.
             

                 "The 'Trafalgar' East Indiaman 1250 Tons.                  
                 (Also showing the Owen Glendower.)"
                 T.G. Dutton, artist and engraver
                 Day & Son, 
                 Ackerman & Co.
                 Lithograph: No date
                 Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0606)

                  .  

              TRUE BRITON, 1,046t, wood clipper, built
              in 1861 at Wigram's Blackwall Yard for
              Wigram & Sons.
             

                 T.G. Dtton, artist and engraver
                 Day & Son, printers
                 William Foster, publisher 
                 Coloured lithograph: 1861
                 Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY0671)

             VERNON, 911t, wood clipper,  built in 1839      
             at Green's Blackwall Yard for his Blackwall
             Line. Originally intended as a paddle steamer
             but this was abandoned after a short trial and 
             she converted to sail.  In the London-Calcutta 
             trade.  In 1894, she was sold for breaking up.
             She caught fire while being dismantled and
             was destroyed.
             

               "The 'Vernon' East Indiaman, 1000 Tons. To Captain
               Aug Consett and the Officers of the Ship..."
               T.G. Dutton
               Day & Son
               William Foster 
               Hand-coloured lithograph: after 1843
               Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY9327)

            WALMER CASTLE, 1,064t,  a wood clipper,
            built in 1855 by W.Pile, Sunderland, for Green's
            Blackball Line. After making two voyages to
            Melbourne, she was transferred in 1858 to the 
            London to Madras, Calcutta and China trade.
            in whichshe spent ten years.  In 1869 she again
            sailed to Melbourne and after one voyage went 
            back to the India trade. for three years she 
            traded out of London and Cardiff to Point de
            Galle, Bombay and Rangoon.  In 1874, she was
            sold and converted to barque rig. In 1877, she 
            was destroyed by fire while loading at Samarang.

             
                Coloured lithograph by and after T.G. Dutton, 1862
                Frank C Bowen's  "The Golden Age of Sail".


  

            WINDSOR CASTLE, 1,074t, wood clipper,
            built in 1857 by W.Pile, Sunderland for Green's
            Blackwall Line. She spent her first ten to twelve
            years in the London-India trade and after a
            voyage to China was tranferred to the Australia 
            trade.  In 1879, she went to Newcastle, N.S.W.,
            then to Hong Kong and Manila,and returned to
            Liverpool.  She had an unfortunate voyage in
           1874, with a partial dismasting, a mutiny, her chief
            officer going mad,  and springig leaks which
            forced herto go into Bahia.  In 1880, she returned 
            to London from Melbourne in 80 days. She was  
            sold in 1882.  In 1884 , she foundered to the south
            of Algoa Bay.
             
               "The 'Windsor Castle' 1250 Tons leaving Bombay Harbour"
                T.G. Dutton
                William Foster
                Hand-coloured lithograph: circa  1857.
                Royal Museums Greenwich, London (PY9321)
 

             YORKSHIRE, 1,057t, a wood clipper, built in
             1859 at the Blackwall Yard of Money Wigram
             for his Line.  She was intended for the London-
             Port Phillip service and made twenty-seven 
             voyages on this run   before being sold in 1880 
             to a Norwegian firm.
             
             T.G. Dutton, artist
             Coloured lithograph: circa 1857-1860 
             Royal  Museums Greenwich, London (PY0659)                   

                     

             SOURCES

             1. Green  Blackwall Collection, Royal Museums
                 Greenwich, London  
                 http://collections.rmg.co.uk

             2. Basil Lubbock's "The Blackwall Frigates" 
                 (Brown, Son & Ferguson, Ltd., Glasgow Reprint 1973)

             3. Frank C. Bowen's "The Golden Age of Sail: Indiamen,
                 Packets and Clippers"  (Halton & Truscott Smith, Ltd.,
                 London 1925) 

             4. Lloyds Register of British and Foreign Shipping

                   

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