SS Ellan Vannin (1854)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

SS (RMS) ''Ellan Vannin'' was an iron-built
packet steamer Packet boats were medium-sized boats designed mainly for domestic mail and freight transport in European countries and in North American rivers and canals. Eventually including basic passenger accommodation, they were used extensively during t ...
which was operated out of
Castletown, Isle of Man Castletown (, pronounced ) is a town in the Isle of Man, geographically within the historical parish of Malew but administered separately. Lying at the south of the island, it was the Manx capital until 1869. The centre of town is dominated by ...
for the
Castletown Steam Navigation Company The Castletown Steam Navigation Company or Castletown (Isle of Man) Steam Navigation Company - also referred to as the Castletown Steam Packet Company - was a privately owned maritime transportation company incorporated in the Isle of Man. Its r ...
(also referred to as the Castletown Steam Packet Company) to
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
and
Whitehaven Whitehaven is a town and civil parish in the Cumberland (unitary authority), Cumberland district of Cumbria, England. It is a port on the north-west coast, and lies outside the Lake District National parks of England and Wales, National Park. ...
.''The Manx Sun.'' Saturday, 1 July 1854 Her name, Ellan Vannin, came from the Gaelic term by which the
Isle of Man The Isle of Man ( , also ), or Mann ( ), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. As head of state, Charles III holds the title Lord of Mann and is represented by a Lieutenant Govern ...
is known.


Construction & dimensions

''Ellan Vannin'' was built by John Laird and Co. Ltd,
Wallasey Pool Wallasey Pool was a natural tidal inlet of water that separated the towns of Wallasey and Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Originally flowing directly into the River Mersey, it was converted into the sophisticated Birkenhead Dock syst ...
,
Birkenhead Birkenhead () is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England. The town is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite Liverpool. It lies within the Historic counties of England, historic co ...
and was launched by Mrs. H. Houldsworth at 13:00hrs on Saturday 24 June 1854. Length 170'; beam 21' (exclusive of the paddle boxes) 39' overall. ''Ellan Vannin'' was powered by two oscillating marine engines with tubular boilers, built by Messrs. Fawcett, Preston & Co. (similar to those installed in the ''Countess of Ellesmere'') which developed , driving two paddle wheels of 16' diameter which were fitted with feathered floats. The paddle floats were "feathered" so as to help to reduce vibration which could be common in early marine steam engines. She was divided into five water tight compartments had accommodation for 100 tons of cargo and a bunker capacity for 40 tons of coal.''Mona's Herald.'' Wednesday 10 March 1858. ''Ellan Vannin'' was said to be a remarkably handsome vessel, having a smart rakish appearance, her general exterior being similar to the ''Countess of Ellesmere.'' In fact she was built very much after the model of that vessel, but with the additional requirements to adapt her for sea-going purposes in the challenging conditions around the
Isle of Man The Isle of Man ( , also ), or Mann ( ), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. As head of state, Charles III holds the title Lord of Mann and is represented by a Lieutenant Govern ...
. Clinker built, ''Ellan Vannin'' was rigged as a two mast steamer with two white painted funnels and with a full-length female
figurehead In politics, a figurehead is a practice of who ''de jure'' (in name or by law) appears to hold an important and often supremely powerful title or office, yet '' de facto'' (in reality) exercises little to no actual power. This usually means that ...
sitting on a rock adorned with a castellated crown. ''Ellan Vannin'' was well appointed for the carriage of passengers with accommodation for 91 First Class and 195 Second Class. Her after saloon was in length and high. The walls were panelled and decorated with sketches of Castletown and
Birkenhead Birkenhead () is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England. The town is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite Liverpool. It lies within the Historic counties of England, historic co ...
. The ends of the saloon were finished with fretwork panels in oak and in the ceiling two handsome sky lights constructed of East India
Teak Teak (''Tectona grandis'') is a tropical hardwood tree species in the family Lamiaceae. It is a large, deciduous tree that occurs in mixed hardwood forests. ''Tectona grandis'' has small, fragrant white flowers arranged in dense clusters (panic ...
allowed ample light to be directed inwards. Off the main saloon was the ladies' cabin which also enjoyed a similar level of comfort to the main saloon. The Captain's room, stewards
pantry A pantry is a room or cupboard where beverages, food, (sometimes) dishes, household cleaning products, linens or provisions are stored within a home or office. Food and beverage pantries serve in an ancillary capacity to the kitchen. Etymol ...
and the washrooms were situated at the foot of the main staircase. There was a
forward Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward. Forward may also refer to: People *Forward (surname) Sports * Forward (association football) * Forward (basketball), including: ** Point forward ** Power forward (basketball) ** Smal ...
saloon for the use of second class passengers, and around the deck were situated seats which could be removed in order to accommodate general cargo or livestock. A Tyzak and Dobson patent
windlass The windlass is an apparatus for moving heavy weights. Typically, a windlass consists of a horizontal cylinder (barrel), which is rotated by the turn of a crank or belt. A winch is affixed to one or both ends, and a cable or rope is wound arou ...
was installed on the deck so as to aid the loading and unloading of cargo. ''Ellan Vannin'' underwent her sea trials on Saturday 29 July 1854,''Manx Sun.'' Saturday 5 August 1854 prior to which she was involved in a race against the ''Countess of Ellesmere'' (said by contemporary reports to be the fastest steamer on smooth water in the whole of England). Several representatives of her owners were present accompanied by a band, and were taken to the ''Ellan Vannin'', which was lying mid-stream by the steam tug ''Sampson''. Once aboard the party witnessed the launch of the steamer ''Ethiope'', the ''Ellan Vannin'' then steamed up the
river A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...
as far as the Ince Lighthouse to meet the ''Countess of Ellesmere''. The ''Countess'' operating under the command of
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
Street, was brought up alongside the ''Ellan Vannin'', at that point full steam was given and both vessels raced away towards Garston. For a short time the ''Countess'' gained on the ''Ellan Vannin'' but soon both vessels came exactly abreast of each other. The race took twelve minutes to cover the 5
nautical mile A nautical mile is a unit of length used in air, marine, and space navigation, and for the definition of territorial waters. Historically, it was defined as the meridian arc length corresponding to one minute ( of a degree) of latitude at t ...
s to Garston, the result being a dead heat. Subsequently, the ''Ellan Vannin'' sailed down the channel as far as the Bell Buoy and back, during the course of which her speed was gauged by
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
Ponsonby on board the ''Mobile''. A two
knot A knot is an intentional complication in Rope, cordage which may be practical or decorative, or both. Practical knots are classified by function, including List of hitch knots, hitches, List of bend knots, bends, List of loop knots, loop knots, ...
tide was running against her, however the ''Ellan Vannin'' covered the distance from the Northwest Lightship to the Rock Lighthouse in 1 hour 12 minutes.
Luncheon Lunch is a meal typically consumed around the middle of the day, following breakfast and preceding dinner. It varies in form, size, and significance across cultures and historical periods. In some societies, lunch constitutes the main mea ...
was then served, the directors being joined by John Laird who had been on deck observing the trial. The ''Ellan Vannin'' made her maiden voyage from
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
to Castletown on Tuesday 1 August, with several directors of the
Castletown Steam Navigation Company The Castletown Steam Navigation Company or Castletown (Isle of Man) Steam Navigation Company - also referred to as the Castletown Steam Packet Company - was a privately owned maritime transportation company incorporated in the Isle of Man. Its r ...
being onboard after accepting the vessel from John Laird & Co. For the town of Castletown it was described as a joyous occasion. Shops in the town were closed, numerous flags were flown and ships in the harbour were adorned with bunting. One flag at the company's offices displayed the ancient armorial symbol of the
Isle of Man The Isle of Man ( , also ), or Mann ( ), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. As head of state, Charles III holds the title Lord of Mann and is represented by a Lieutenant Govern ...
, with the motto "We are Progressing" and on the reverse side "Success to our Steamer". To signal the ''Ellan Vannin’s'' arrival small cannon were placed at different points – one at the stack of Scarlett, another at the old pier-head and a third on the quay. Work had also been undertaken by the Commissioners of Harbours in order to deepen the harbour so as to accommodate the new vessel. The ''Ellan Vannin'' departed
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
at 08:00hrs and made good time during the passage. Just after 14:00hrs she rounded Langness Point and entered Castletown Bay, amidst the booming of the cannon and the cheering of the crowd, arriving off the pier at 14:20hrs having made passage in 6 hours 20 minutes. After landing her passengers and the directors who had been on board, the ''Ellan Vannin'' proceeded across to the new pier where she was opened to the general public. The ''Ben-my-Chree'', which was returning to
Douglas Douglas may refer to: People * Douglas (given name) * Douglas (surname) Animals * Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking * Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil ...
following a pleasure cruise around the
Island An island or isle is a piece of land, distinct from a continent, completely surrounded by water. There are continental islands, which were formed by being split from a continent by plate tectonics, and oceanic islands, which have never been ...
passed close by and greeted the ''Ellan Vannin'' by firing two guns.


Service life

The ''Ellan Vannin'' entered service under the command of
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
Joseph Skillicorn, an experienced mariner who prior to his appointment had been in the employ of the
Isle of Man Steam Packet Company The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Limited (abbreviated to IoMSPCo or, locally, The Steam Packet ()) is the oldest continuously operating passenger shipping company in the world, having been founded in 1830. The company provides freight, p ...
serving on the ''Mona's Queen'' with the rank of First Officer. Mainly the ''Ellan Vannin'' would ply between
Castletown, Isle of Man Castletown (, pronounced ) is a town in the Isle of Man, geographically within the historical parish of Malew but administered separately. Lying at the south of the island, it was the Manx capital until 1869. The centre of town is dominated by ...
and
Whitehaven Whitehaven is a town and civil parish in the Cumberland (unitary authority), Cumberland district of Cumbria, England. It is a port on the north-west coast, and lies outside the Lake District National parks of England and Wales, National Park. ...
,
Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is an area of North West England which was historically a county. The county was bordered by Northumberland to the north-east, County Durham to the east, Westmorland to the south-east, Lancashire to the south, and the Scottish ...
and also between Castletown and
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
. During passage in order to maximise revenue she would invariably call at
Douglas Douglas may refer to: People * Douglas (given name) * Douglas (surname) Animals * Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking * Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil ...
en route. In March 1856 she commenced a service from
Douglas Douglas may refer to: People * Douglas (given name) * Douglas (surname) Animals * Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking * Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil ...
via Castletown to
Kingstown Kingstown is the capital and largest city of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The city, located on the main island of Saint Vincent, has the main port and the biggest commercial center of the islands. With a population of 12,909 (2012), K ...
, and also served
Holyhead Holyhead (; , "Cybi's fort") is a historic port town, and is the list of Anglesey towns by population, largest town and a Community (Wales), community in the county of Isle of Anglesey, Wales. Holyhead is on Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island ...
from Castletown. ''Ellan Vannin'' also operated an excursion from Castletown via
Peel Peel or Peeling may refer to: Places Australia * Peel (Western Australia) * Peel, New South Wales * Peel River (New South Wales) Canada * Peel Parish, New Brunswick * Peel, New Brunswick, an unincorporated community in Peel Parish * Pee ...
to
Strangford Lough Strangford Lough () is a large sea lough or inlet in County Down, in the east of Northern Ireland. It is the largest inlet in Ireland and the wider British Isles, covering . The lough is almost fully enclosed by the Ards Peninsula and is linke ...
in the summer of 1856 so as her passengers could attend the
Ardglass Ardglass () is a coastal fishing village, townland (of 321 acres) and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland, in the historic barony of Lecale Lower. It is still a relatively important fishing harbour. It is situated on the B1 Ardglas ...
Regatta. At a meeting held at the Union Hotel, Castletown, on Monday 11 August 1856, a gift in the form of a gold chronometer was presented to Capt. Skillicorn in recognition of his efficient management of the ''Ellan Vannin'' and for his part in the establishment of the company. However, by the end of 1856 the
Castletown Steam Navigation Company The Castletown Steam Navigation Company or Castletown (Isle of Man) Steam Navigation Company - also referred to as the Castletown Steam Packet Company - was a privately owned maritime transportation company incorporated in the Isle of Man. Its r ...
were starting to make a loss.''Mona's Herald.'' Wednesday 24 September 1856 At their third Annual General Meeting held at the town hall, Castletown on Wednesday 17 December 1856, it was disclosed that for the previous two months the company had sustained a weekly loss of £12 (equivalent to £ in ) resulting in a total loss of £100 (equivalent to £ in ). One of the directors reported that they had received several offers from a company in
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
to charter the ''Ellan Vannin'' for the winter months of 1856–57. The rate for the charter was to be £50 per week (equivalent to £ in ) with a further payment of £28 per week (equivalent to £ in ) towards the wages of the crew. The charterer was to be also responsible for the costs of coal, oil and port charges. As terms of this potential charter, the directors had undertaken measures to enable the direct link between Castletown and
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
to be maintained. An agreement had been reached with the Ramsey Steam Company who would employ their vessel the ''Manx Fairy'' on the route. This was seen as a sensible course of action as opposed to sustaining a weekly loss of £12 over the winter months. It can be assumed that the offer of the winter charter was accepted as there is no published schedule in the Manx Press for the ''Ellan Vannin'' from 10 December 1856 until mid-May 1857. The question was also raised at the meeting as to whether the Board had received an offer for the sale of the ''Ellan Vannin''. One shareholder understood that the company had been offered £14,000 (equivalent to £ in ) for the vessel. This was explained by a director who stated that "should" they be interested in the vessel's sale, then the former proprietor of the ''Countess of Ellesmere'' "could" be willing to pay that sum. However, there is no evidence of any offer having been made and no proposal for any sale is recorded as having been presented to the shareholders by the board of directors. In the summer of 1857 the ''Ellan Vannin's'' regular sailings were augmented by summer cruises from
Douglas Douglas may refer to: People * Douglas (given name) * Douglas (surname) Animals * Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking * Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil ...
via Castletown and on to the Calf of Mann. Also further pleasure cruises were added via
Peel Peel or Peeling may refer to: Places Australia * Peel (Western Australia) * Peel, New South Wales * Peel River (New South Wales) Canada * Peel Parish, New Brunswick * Peel, New Brunswick, an unincorporated community in Peel Parish * Pee ...
and onwards to the north of Ireland. It would appear that the vessel was being utilised to her maximum. Sailings to
Whitehaven Whitehaven is a town and civil parish in the Cumberland (unitary authority), Cumberland district of Cumbria, England. It is a port on the north-west coast, and lies outside the Lake District National parks of England and Wales, National Park. ...
and
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
were maintained whilst sailings to Glasgow and from Liverpool to Dundrum via the
Isle of Man The Isle of Man ( , also ), or Mann ( ), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. As head of state, Charles III holds the title Lord of Mann and is represented by a Lieutenant Govern ...
were introduced. However it would seem that the company continued to sustain losses over the winter of 1857–58, and by March 1858 it had been decided to put the ''Ellan Vannin'' up for sale by public auction.''Mona's Herald.'' Wednesday 10 March 1858 She was sailed to
Trafalgar Dock Trafalgar Dock is a dock on the River Mersey, in England, and part of the Port of Liverpool. It is situated in the northern dock system in Vauxhall and connected to Salisbury Dock to the north. The sites of two former docks are located in the ...
,
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
on 6 March, where she was laid up awaiting sale. She was offered for sale at the Broker's saleroom, 5, York Buildings, Dale Street,
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
on 18 March 1858. Either no sale could be agreed or no interest was expressed, and the ''Ellan Vannin'' resumed trading whilst a further public auction was scheduled for 20 May. She was advertised for sale with inspections being offered at Liverpool or Castletown. The sale commenced at the Quay, Castletown, at 12:00hrs on Thursday 20 May 1858, and it was reported that there was a good attendance. The bidding proceeded very slowly with the highest offer being £4,200 (equivalent to £ in ) (a long way short of the £14,000 reputed to have been available in 1856) a sum which the directors and shareholders present would not accept. Again the ''Ellan Vannin'' resumed revenue service whilst further attempts were made to find a buyer. The ''Ellan Vannin's'' final excursion took her across to the coast lines of
County Louth County Louth ( ; ) is a coastal Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Louth is bordered by the counties of County Meath, Meath to the ...
and
County Down County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 552,261. It borders County Antrim to the ...
via
Carlingford Lough Carlingford Lough (, Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster Scots: ''Carlinford Loch'') is a glacial fjord or sea inlet in northeastern Ireland, forming part of Republic of Ireland – United Kingdom border, the border between Northern Ireland to the nor ...
on 25 June, before she left the Isle of Man for good. Finally the Directors of the Castletown Steam Navigation Company (by now in serious financial difficulties) managed to find a buyer. ''Ellan Vannin'' was sold to Cunard & Wilson who were acting as agents for the Sardinian Government for £4,070 (equivalent to £ in ). Upon purchase ''Ellan Vannin's'' name was changed to ''Archimedes''. The
Castletown Steam Navigation Company The Castletown Steam Navigation Company or Castletown (Isle of Man) Steam Navigation Company - also referred to as the Castletown Steam Packet Company - was a privately owned maritime transportation company incorporated in the Isle of Man. Its r ...
subsequently went into liquidation. A further call on the shareholders of 10 shillings per share was made in order to finally clear the liabilities incurred by the ''Ellan Vannin'' for final claims of £600 (equivalent to £ in ).


Incidents

On the night of Tuesday 2 September 1856, whilst under the command of Capt. Skillicorn, the ''Ellan Vannin'' was involved in an incident in Douglas Bay with a small fishing boat which resulted in the loss of life of one of the boat's occupants, Patrick Featherstone. Visibility on the night was said to be good.''Mona's Herald.'' Wednesday 17 September 1856 Four people had sailed in the boat in order to go fishing; Featherstone, two of his sons and another man, Daniel Cannon. Having anchored in the bay at approximately 19:30hrs they then moved to a position just off Port Skillion,
Douglas Head Douglas Head (Manx: ''Kione Ghoolish'') is a rocky point on the Isle of Man overlooking Douglas Harbour, Douglas Bay and harbour. Views extend to include Snaefell Mountain and Laxey. General Until 1870, the headland was owned by The Nunnery, ...
, in order to be more protected should any steamer be making an approach to
Douglas Harbour Douglas Harbour () is located near Douglas Head at the southern end of Douglas, Isle of Man, Douglas, the capital of the Isle of Man. It is the island's main commercial shipping port. The Port of Douglas was the first in the world to be equipp ...
. At 22:00hrs the boat's occupants saw the ''Ellan Vannin'' steaming round
Douglas Head Douglas Head (Manx: ''Kione Ghoolish'') is a rocky point on the Isle of Man overlooking Douglas Harbour, Douglas Bay and harbour. Views extend to include Snaefell Mountain and Laxey. General Until 1870, the headland was owned by The Nunnery, ...
and began to haul their anchor and get their oars ready so as to move out of the way; but before they could the ''Ellan Vannin'' ran them down. Cannon managed to jump clear just before the ''Ellan Vannin'' struck but he was then struck by one of her paddle floats, which pushed him under water. On coming back to the surface Cannon said he could see one of Featherstone's sons clinging to part of the wreckage and the other son nearby. Cannon managed to get the boy who was adrift and they proceeded to the wreckage. It was then they saw Featherstone but after calling to him he began to sink beneath the surface. An inquest was held into the death of Patrick Featherstone on Tuesday 9 September 1856, presided over by the High Bailiff Wilson. Capt. Skillicorn together with various members of his crew, numerous passengers and Daniel Cannon gave evidence. The Court found a verdict of accidental death. In summing up, High Bailiff Wilson stated that he could find no wrongdoing on behalf of Capt. Skillicorn or the crew of the ''Ellan Vannin.'' Patrick Featherstone left a widow and six children.''Mona's Herald''. Wednesday 10 October 1856. A charity was set up for his widow so as she may buy a small shop and various donations were made. At their Annual General Meeting of 17 December 1856, it was passed that the Castletown Steam Navigation Company should donate £10 to this cause. (equivalent to £ in )


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ellan Vannin 1854 ships Steamships Steamships of the United Kingdom Ferries of the Isle of Man Merchant ships of the United Kingdom Ships built on the River Mersey Maritime incidents in September 1856 Paddle steamers of the United Kingdom