In 1883 Cyanus left Taganrog at about 9am on 30 October with a cargo of about 2,000 tons of rape seed & barley, a crew of 22 & a passenger, Mr Peterson. When near to Petchany lighthouse the master steered south for, according to his chart, the deepest water. The vessel grounded & stuck fast. Two tugs offered to tow her off but they hassled over the price. The passenger, Peterson, told the master he had tugs & lighters & would do the work cheaper. Peterson then took one of the ship’s boats to go to Taganrog. He managed to get a steam tug’s master to arrange for a schooner to come & take the cargo off. When about 160 tons was offloaded Cyanus began to lift & the tug was able to pull her free. The cargo was then reloaded & Cyanus continued her journey. There was no damage to the cargo or the vessel.

In 1897 Cyanus was bound from Bilbao for the Clyde with a cargo of iron-ore & a crew of 21, mainly from Glasgow. In dull conditions & heavy fog she was wrecked on rocks near Ile de Sein, Ushant at about 10pm on 9 February 1897. The vessel had recently been extensively overhauled. One survivor was found clinging to an upturned boat. He later stated that the vessel struck the rocks with a violent shock & everyone was thrown overboard. Most of the bodies were later found near Ile de Sein & were interred there.

Lives lost February 1897:

Blair, John, fireman

Crichton, H, seaman

Forbes, John, 2^nd engineer

Fox, T, cook

Hamilton, John, fireman

Jamieson, N, 3^rd engineer

Jeromson, C, seaman

Johnson, Roderick, seaman

MacPherson, W, mate, Glasgow

Malley, T, fireman

Mann, donkeyman

McKenzie, John, steward, Glasgow

McMillan, John, fireman

Munneth, W, ass steward

Nisbet, P, 2^nd mate, Glasgow

Owens, B, fireman

Rice, James, master, Glasgow

Sanderson, D, seaman

Stewart, John, boatswain

Thomson, John, 1st engineer, Kirkcaldy

Survivors February 1897:

Nicholson, Lawrence R

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Steel Young & Co.

Robert Livingston and George Steel traded as managers and shipbrokers under the title of G. Steel & Co. The partnership was dissolved in April 1889 with George continuing to trade under G. Steel & Co.

In 1873 he formed a partnership with William Young establishing Steel, Young & Co. They eventually moved the company to London. Almost all the ships they owned were built in Hartlepool. George purchased the Para built by Withy in 1875. This was the first steel steamer to be built at Hartlepool.

Included in their fleet at different times were two ships named Para, two named Kennett and three named Blenheim.

Family History:

George Steel was born at Annan, Dumfriesshire in April 1828. In 1856 he set up business in West Hartlepool as an ironmonger. By the 1881 census he was an ironmonger, shipowner and farmer of 366 acres at Owton Manor. He lived at Owton Manor House with his wife Margaret, two of their sons George Carlyle and Henry Foster and their daughter Jesse.

George died on 11 October 1899 at the age of 71 leaving assets of £83,842.

William Young was born in April 1827 at Chatton, Northumberland. By 1861 he was living at Stranton, West Hartlepool with his wife Mary. By 1891 he was living at Foxgrove Road, Beckenham, Kent and managing the ships from offices at Fenchurch Street, London.

William died on 25 November 1916 leaving effects of £208,376.

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