Isabella (1825 ship)

History
United Kingdom
NameIsabella
Operator
Launched1825 at Shoreham, Sussex, England
FateWrecked 1830
General characteristics [1]
Tons burthen195[2] (bm)
Length90 ft (27 m)
Beam26 ft (7.9 m)
Sail planSnow
Complement15
NotesSingle deck

Isabella was launched in 1825 at Shoreham. Initially, she traded with Gibraltar and Honduras. The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) purchased her in 1829 and she was wrecked in 1830 on the Columbia River bar off Clatsop County, Oregon. The site of her remains are on the National Register of Historic Places in Clatsop County, Oregon as #89001385 placed on September 21, 1989. The remains are owned by the State of Oregon, Division of State Lands after being found in 1986. She is a wooden ship with copper sheathing.[3]


Career

[edit]

Isabella first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1827.[2]

She was already trading by then. Lloyd's List reported in that Isabella, Cowle, master, had arrived at Omoa from Gibraltar.[4] She was back at Gibraltar from Honduras on 14 July.

Year Master Owner Trade Source
1827 Cowl Gilore & Co. London–Gibraltar LR
1828 R.Cowell Gilmore & Co. London–Gibraltar LR
1829 R.Cowell
W.Ryan
Gilmore & Co. London–Gibraltar LR
1930 W.Ryan Hudson's Bay Company London-Colombia LR

On 10 October 1829 the Hudson's Bay Company purchased Isabella for £2,900. The company purchased her to replace William and Ann, which had wrecked on the Columbia bar in May with the loss of all hands.[1]

Isabella sailed from Blackwall on 30 October for the Colombia via the Sandwich Islands. On 3 May 1830, she wrecked on the Columbia bar. There was no loss of life; the crew arrived at Fort Vancouver.[1] As it turned out, Isabella was stranded but had not sunk. The HBC factor at Fort Vancouver sent Ryan and his men to salvage what of her cargo and stores they could. They finally abandoned her on 24 May 1830.[5] They reached Fort Vancouver again on 4 June.[1] The news was published in England in April 1831.[6]

Post script

[edit]

In 1986, researchers thought fisherman Daryl Hughes of Chinook had discovered the wreck of Isabella.[1] It was later determined that the remains were those of the 1879 wreck SS Great Republic, not Isabella.[7]

Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d e Archives of Manitoba: Hudson’s Bay Company Archives – Ships’ Histories: Isabella.
  2. ^ a b LR (1827), Supple. pages "I", Seq.No.I130.
  3. ^ Isabella, Oregon, nps.gov
  4. ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 5121. 2 June 1826. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735036.
  5. ^ Delgado (1995), pp. 309–320.
  6. ^ "Multiple News Items" (18 April 1831), Standard (London, England), issue: 1225.
  7. ^ BENNETT, TOM (30 November 2004). "Mistaken identity: Shipwreck isn't Isabella after all". Chinook Observer. Retrieved 23 October 2022.

References

[edit]
  • Delgado, James P. (1995). "The Brig Isabella: A Hudson's Bay Company Shipwreck of 1830". American Neptune. 55 (5): 309–320.