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Palmyra - a general history

Palmyra 1851-1869

Built at Sunderland Sunderland: Official No. 2458: Code Letters HPFT: one deck; two masts; wood brig sheathed in yellow metal; 262g; 93.0 x 25.0 x 15.1; 24 February 1862 figurehead removed.

Owners: 1851 Joseph Murray, Seaham Harbour, William Thompson & Thomas Dixon, Sunderland; 1857 Thomas Humble & Ralph W. Herbert, Sunderland; 1860 Andrew Towers (master mariner died 17 January 1864) Andrew Smith (master mariner)& Adam Watt (builder), West Hartlepool; 1864 Mary Alice Towers, Andrew Smith, Adam Watt & Robert Christopher Black (grocer), Hartlepool.

Masters: 1851-56 Chudleigh; 1857-64 R Herbert; 1861-64 Lambert; 1865 Bruce; 1869 Thomas Tait.

On a voyage from Hartlepool for Dieppe she went ashore at Languard Point, Harwich on 17 January 1864 & was assisted off by smacks for a salvage fee of £200.

Andrew Towers aged 44, principle owner of Palmyra, died only hours before the stranding.

On a voyage from Cronstadt for West Hartlepool Palmyra sprang a leak during a hurricane off the coast of Jutland & was abandoned at sea in a sinking condition on 27 October 1869. The crew were taken off by the lifeboats of the Joseph Sommes of Hull & landed at that port on 29 September.

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