The Belyea Connection
#44 Charles A Belyea - Part 1
#44 Charles A Belyea - Part 1
Charles A Belyea and at least three of his ships have an interesting connection to Samuel Scott. Scott may have known the Belyea family in Saint John and he may have sailed on the Kelvin, there is that reference letter in the scrapbook mentioning Captain Belyea’s praise for Scott while he was mate on a unidentified schooner in 1872. The Kelvin, captained and owned by Belyea, was built by John Owens of Saint John, NB who left some of his fortune to establish the Owens Art Institute, now housed at Mount Allison University.
Charles Allan Belyea was born in Saint John in 1821, went to sea and gained a Master’s Certificate #72.980, married and had three children, then relocated to Liverpool England. The family is on the 1871 census there, with wife Murray Ann, children George [age 20], Adelaide 12 and Clara 10, all born in Saint John, New Brunswick. Belyea is listed as a ‘general merchant; by 1881 he is listed as a ‘ship broker’. Correspondence with Scott is on letterhead from Belyea and Co., Liverpool and Fleetwood, 29 Red Cross St., Liverpool.
Then things get confusing. Lloyd’s Register never list him as a captain of the Kelvin. The Seafarers of the Atlantic Provinces does, Dec 1862 – Aug 1867 ship Kelvin # J851097, Captain’s certificate # B25373; The Naval Marine Archive lists him as Master 1862-1868, ship Kelvin #24086, Captain’s certificate #25373. The BAC-LAC have the Kelvin reregistered three times, always #24086, [The ‘J’ in 1851 identifies Saint John as Port of Registry, that was updated when changed in 1857, but unfortunately Lloyds does not list a ‘Belonging to Port’ between 1858 – 1865, when the Kelvin built by Owens in 1851 is listed in Registry.] The change is registration number happened after 1855 when the British system changed and all ‘British’ ships including those from the ‘colonies’ were reregistered with an official number.
Lloyd’s Index to List of Captains list him as #C25373 in Liverpool 1862. However Crew List has four voyage listings, and three different certificate number: 1854/5 #72.980; then 1856/57 #73.649; 1859/1860 #71.264; The last,1861, uses #71264 but also notes #CC25,373.
Charles Allan Belyea was born in Saint John in 1821, went to sea and gained a Master’s Certificate #72.980, married and had three children, then relocated to Liverpool England. The family is on the 1871 census there, with wife Murray Ann, children George [age 20], Adelaide 12 and Clara 10, all born in Saint John, New Brunswick. Belyea is listed as a ‘general merchant; by 1881 he is listed as a ‘ship broker’. Correspondence with Scott is on letterhead from Belyea and Co., Liverpool and Fleetwood, 29 Red Cross St., Liverpool.
Then things get confusing. Lloyd’s Register never list him as a captain of the Kelvin. The Seafarers of the Atlantic Provinces does, Dec 1862 – Aug 1867 ship Kelvin # J851097, Captain’s certificate # B25373; The Naval Marine Archive lists him as Master 1862-1868, ship Kelvin #24086, Captain’s certificate #25373. The BAC-LAC have the Kelvin reregistered three times, always #24086, [The ‘J’ in 1851 identifies Saint John as Port of Registry, that was updated when changed in 1857, but unfortunately Lloyds does not list a ‘Belonging to Port’ between 1858 – 1865, when the Kelvin built by Owens in 1851 is listed in Registry.] The change is registration number happened after 1855 when the British system changed and all ‘British’ ships including those from the ‘colonies’ were reregistered with an official number.
Lloyd’s Index to List of Captains list him as #C25373 in Liverpool 1862. However Crew List has four voyage listings, and three different certificate number: 1854/5 #72.980; then 1856/57 #73.649; 1859/1860 #71.264; The last,1861, uses #71264 but also notes #CC25,373.
# 46 Charles A Belyea - part 2
These notes refer to Charles Allen Belyea, listed on the 1871 and 1881 English census as a merchant and ship broker with a business address of 29 Redcross St., Liverpool which matches the documents in Captain Scott’s Scrapbook. Belyea’s eldest child, a son, also Charles Allen, lives apart from the family and this, plus no census record from New Brunswick and a misspelling of his marriage record (Allan with an A rather than Allen with an E) lead to some confusion; however, Electoral Records confirm there is Charles Allen, the younger/junior, who is active in his father’s company.
The Dickey Family Tree on Ancestry Library Edition, lists the Belyeas as having seven children, all born in Canada: Charles Allen, Charles Murray (died one year old), George Albert, Thomas William (died age twenty, 1873, not sure why he is not listed on 1871 census) Annie Amelia, (also not on 1871 census, born 1855, no death date), Adelaide Lousia and Clara Hamilton. The family moved to Liverpool, maybe as early as 1866, by 1869 they were living at #90 Berkley, with a business address of #34 Redcross St. In 1871 #29 Redcross Street was added to the business address, and by 1874 #34 had been dropped from the address.
In 1870 the family moved to #14 Marmaduke St., Edge Hill, Liverpool; today a short street between Wavertree Rd and Edge Ln. While the street is not named on the 1878 Globe Map, the Victoria Tunnel is, and the Williamson Tunnels Heritage Centre is in a similar location, close to Marmaduke St., on today’s Google map. No doubt a convenient home for a business man with an office in the city centre.
In 1871 Charles Allen junior married Eliza Wilkinson, the couple lived at #60 Orlando, moving to #23 Liverpool Rd, Birkdale in 1880.
By 1881 the family had moved to Acrefield. Today Acrefield Rd is a continuation of Speke Rd. At the intersection of Acrefield Rd, Woolton Mount, and Hillside - look it up on Google Street view - there is a listed heritage home with a plaque ‘ACREFIELD’ in the stone wall. A clear indication of Belyea’s success.
On June 2, 1885 The Saint John Daily Telegraph published an obituary notice: d. Acrefield, Broad Green, near Liverpool, England, Sunday 17th ult., 70th year, Murray Ann Elizabeth Belyea, wife of Charles Allen Belyea, formerly of Saint John, NB. Charles died at the age of 81, in Ormskirk, Lancashire in September 1903.
Charles was Master and at times owner/manager of the ship Kelvin between 1853 and 1872. Scott might have sailed with him, gaining experience as mate. The 1872 reference letter in the scrapbook lists Capt Bulyea (a possible miss spelling of Belyea), with no names or initial. Between 1856-58 his captain’s records show the Kelvin, two (illegible) ships and a third in 1857: the Acadia. Unfortunately there are many ships with that name and I have not found one with a reference to Belyea.
Belyea owned or had shares in several other ships, including two connected to Captain Scott: the Enchanter and the Kate Irving.
These notes refer to Charles Allen Belyea, listed on the 1871 and 1881 English census as a merchant and ship broker with a business address of 29 Redcross St., Liverpool which matches the documents in Captain Scott’s Scrapbook. Belyea’s eldest child, a son, also Charles Allen, lives apart from the family and this, plus no census record from New Brunswick and a misspelling of his marriage record (Allan with an A rather than Allen with an E) lead to some confusion; however, Electoral Records confirm there is Charles Allen, the younger/junior, who is active in his father’s company.
The Dickey Family Tree on Ancestry Library Edition, lists the Belyeas as having seven children, all born in Canada: Charles Allen, Charles Murray (died one year old), George Albert, Thomas William (died age twenty, 1873, not sure why he is not listed on 1871 census) Annie Amelia, (also not on 1871 census, born 1855, no death date), Adelaide Lousia and Clara Hamilton. The family moved to Liverpool, maybe as early as 1866, by 1869 they were living at #90 Berkley, with a business address of #34 Redcross St. In 1871 #29 Redcross Street was added to the business address, and by 1874 #34 had been dropped from the address.
In 1870 the family moved to #14 Marmaduke St., Edge Hill, Liverpool; today a short street between Wavertree Rd and Edge Ln. While the street is not named on the 1878 Globe Map, the Victoria Tunnel is, and the Williamson Tunnels Heritage Centre is in a similar location, close to Marmaduke St., on today’s Google map. No doubt a convenient home for a business man with an office in the city centre.
In 1871 Charles Allen junior married Eliza Wilkinson, the couple lived at #60 Orlando, moving to #23 Liverpool Rd, Birkdale in 1880.
By 1881 the family had moved to Acrefield. Today Acrefield Rd is a continuation of Speke Rd. At the intersection of Acrefield Rd, Woolton Mount, and Hillside - look it up on Google Street view - there is a listed heritage home with a plaque ‘ACREFIELD’ in the stone wall. A clear indication of Belyea’s success.
On June 2, 1885 The Saint John Daily Telegraph published an obituary notice: d. Acrefield, Broad Green, near Liverpool, England, Sunday 17th ult., 70th year, Murray Ann Elizabeth Belyea, wife of Charles Allen Belyea, formerly of Saint John, NB. Charles died at the age of 81, in Ormskirk, Lancashire in September 1903.
Charles was Master and at times owner/manager of the ship Kelvin between 1853 and 1872. Scott might have sailed with him, gaining experience as mate. The 1872 reference letter in the scrapbook lists Capt Bulyea (a possible miss spelling of Belyea), with no names or initial. Between 1856-58 his captain’s records show the Kelvin, two (illegible) ships and a third in 1857: the Acadia. Unfortunately there are many ships with that name and I have not found one with a reference to Belyea.
Belyea owned or had shares in several other ships, including two connected to Captain Scott: the Enchanter and the Kate Irving.
#48 Charles A Belyea - part 3
Previous research into the Enchanter was focused on Captain Scott, the Instrument of Protest over his detainment in Sydney and the subsequent loss of the ship in the Pacific. The story of the 1888/89 voyage, posted in March-April 2025, seems complicated enough, but there is much more to the ship’s story.
The BAC-LAC Ship Registrations does not give a ‘built’ date, just the registration in 1868 with a transfer to Liverpool in 1870. The Caledonian Maritime Research Trust, Lloyds, and the Naval Marine Archive fill in more detail. The Enchanter was built by the Tay Shipbuilding Co. in 1851, a three masted barque for general cargo, her first owner William Duthie of Aberdeen, and used in the Australian trade routes. In 1859 she was moved to South American trade. In 1865 she was purchased by James Donaldson of Perth. While Lloyd’s show her continuing in voyages to Callao, she was actually stranded in Trinity Bay, Newfoundland in 1867, purchased by George Taylor Davie, refloated and towed to Quebec for repairs. Unfortunately I could not find any history from Trinity Bay on line and do not know the cause of the stranding, nor why the ship would be there if travelling to Callao.
Eileen Reid Marcil, who wrote the article on Davie in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography, mentions his shipbuilding family, his apprenticeship, and that he achieved his greatest success in ‘salvage’. While the Enchanter is not mentioned, listings from Lloyd’s and the BAC-LAC seem to confirm that the ship was salvaged by Davie, reregistered in his name between 1868-1870, then sold to Patrick George Carvell [64 shares] then he sold 16 shares to Charles Allen Belyea in 1869. [Name misspelt in Naval Marine Archive records as Allan].
A merry chase across the owners listed in the Caledonian Maritime Research Trust : Patrick Cargil, F Carvill, both of Liverpool; then J Hatfield and W J Warrener, both of Grimsby; did not yield any information. According to Lloyd’s S W Winchester purchased the ship in 1887 and sold it to Scott in 1889. Allowing for a delay in collecting and publishing, this works with the dates in Scott’s scrapbook that he purchased the ship in 1888, and was sailing to Panama when it was lost in April 1889.
All of this has left me wondering: did Scott know that Belyea was previous owner? Were they in touch when he was in Liverpool? Did they discuss the ship? And, of course, there is another Australian connection to follow up: There are several entries in Trove, Captain William Duthie played an important role in the transportation of cargo to Australia and returning with gold to England in the 1850’s.
Previous research into the Enchanter was focused on Captain Scott, the Instrument of Protest over his detainment in Sydney and the subsequent loss of the ship in the Pacific. The story of the 1888/89 voyage, posted in March-April 2025, seems complicated enough, but there is much more to the ship’s story.
The BAC-LAC Ship Registrations does not give a ‘built’ date, just the registration in 1868 with a transfer to Liverpool in 1870. The Caledonian Maritime Research Trust, Lloyds, and the Naval Marine Archive fill in more detail. The Enchanter was built by the Tay Shipbuilding Co. in 1851, a three masted barque for general cargo, her first owner William Duthie of Aberdeen, and used in the Australian trade routes. In 1859 she was moved to South American trade. In 1865 she was purchased by James Donaldson of Perth. While Lloyd’s show her continuing in voyages to Callao, she was actually stranded in Trinity Bay, Newfoundland in 1867, purchased by George Taylor Davie, refloated and towed to Quebec for repairs. Unfortunately I could not find any history from Trinity Bay on line and do not know the cause of the stranding, nor why the ship would be there if travelling to Callao.
Eileen Reid Marcil, who wrote the article on Davie in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography, mentions his shipbuilding family, his apprenticeship, and that he achieved his greatest success in ‘salvage’. While the Enchanter is not mentioned, listings from Lloyd’s and the BAC-LAC seem to confirm that the ship was salvaged by Davie, reregistered in his name between 1868-1870, then sold to Patrick George Carvell [64 shares] then he sold 16 shares to Charles Allen Belyea in 1869. [Name misspelt in Naval Marine Archive records as Allan].
A merry chase across the owners listed in the Caledonian Maritime Research Trust : Patrick Cargil, F Carvill, both of Liverpool; then J Hatfield and W J Warrener, both of Grimsby; did not yield any information. According to Lloyd’s S W Winchester purchased the ship in 1887 and sold it to Scott in 1889. Allowing for a delay in collecting and publishing, this works with the dates in Scott’s scrapbook that he purchased the ship in 1888, and was sailing to Panama when it was lost in April 1889.
All of this has left me wondering: did Scott know that Belyea was previous owner? Were they in touch when he was in Liverpool? Did they discuss the ship? And, of course, there is another Australian connection to follow up: There are several entries in Trove, Captain William Duthie played an important role in the transportation of cargo to Australia and returning with gold to England in the 1850’s.
#49 Charles A Belyea part 4
Charles A Belyea & Co had interest in several ships. The stories of the Kelvin, Enchanter, and Kate Irving are covered in Captain Scott’s Scrapbook mutinies, mining and mysteries and in other postings on this website. Several other ships had complicated and/or tragic histories, with little known and/or published.
C A Belyea :
Registered as #73123, built in Truro, NS by W R Huntly (Wallace), in 1877, owned by Belyea from 1877-1882 (Lloyds), wrecked at Volunteer Point, East Falkland, Sept 16, 1882.
From the nationalarchives.gov.uk : JOHNSON’S HARBOUR OR BERKELEY SOUND FARM, COW BAY, CAPE CARYSFORT,
EAGLE POINT AND VOLUNTEER POINT STATIONS
“The British barque C A Belyea from Rio in ballast under Captain HAMILTON was wrecked on the Uranie Rocks on the night of 16 September 1882 and washed ashore in Berkeley Sound. The ss Ranee under A J WINTHERS went to the wreck 18 September 1882. The vessel was sold at auction for £5-10-0. The master and fourteen of the crew were sent to Punta Arenas to be forwarded on to England. [SHI-REG-2: B20; pg 268: D19; pg 47, 51: FIC/D6; pg 89]”
The Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust adds that the crew was transported on a German Mail steamship of the Kosmos Company.
J T Smith :
Registered as #59414, The BAC-LAC lists two, both built in Parrsboro NS, both #59414, one registered in 1870, one in 1880. An appropriation book listing on CrewList records a sailing ship of that number registered in Parrsboro on July 27, 1870. It is not listed in Lloyd’s. CrewList also shows a Mercantile Navy List 1880: built in Parrsboro in 1870, owned by C A Belyea of Liverpool, Lancashire. The Naval Marine Archive remarks: transferred to Liverpool August 21,1882, and Lloyds records the ship in 1882 and 1883, owned by CA Belyea.
On Facebook: A Maritime Shipwreck on this Date July 5 2023:
"A Nova Scotia barque, built and registered in Parrsboro, carrying a cargo of heavy, rough-cut lumber from Parrsboro to England, stranded and wrecked on Mud Island (see map) in dense fog on July 5, 1873:
The barque "J. T. Smith" (396 tons) was built at Parrsboro in 1870. She was registered in Parrsboro (ON 59414) and was owned by John T. Smith and Captain D. S. Howard (her master). In 1873, under the command of Captain Howard, while bound from Parrsboro for Liverpool with a cargo of deals, she went ashore on Mud Island in dense fog on July 5. She was refloated on July 7, towed to Yarmouth July 8 by the tug "G. W. Johnson". Her deck load and ‘tween deck loads were landed, leaving the cargo in the lower hold when she was placed on the marine railway. She had sustained $3,000 damage: keel all gone, stem split, bottom planks badly chafed, rudder braces broken, etc. She was insured in Saint John and was repaired. Her registry was transferred to Liverpool, England, on August 21, 1882.
References - Yarmouth Herald - July 10, 24, 1873
- St. John Daily News - July 26, 1873
- Lloyd's List - July 23, 25, Aug 13, 1873
- Sessional Papers - (No.4), A.1873, p.228
- Lawson, J. M. - Yarmouth Reminiscences, p.238
- Spicer, S. T. - Sails of Fundy, p.102
- Collections Canada - Ship Registration Index (item 33536)
- EA File - G.5"
Mary W Pipes :
Registered as #77546, built in Nappan, Nova Scotia, registered in Amherst, 1878. There are two versions of the Mary W Pipes story. Both agree that it was built in Nappan, Nova Scotia by Jonathan Richard Pipes in 1878.
According to Pipes family history [http://www.pipesfamily.com/pipes%20family.htm] Jonathan amassed a fortune, invested in building the ship, the last to be built in Nappan. It was loaded with lumber, apples and cider, sailed to the West Indies with the expectation that it would return with molasses and rum. The crew and the ship were never heard of again.
The BAC-LAC record it as registered in Amherst in 1878, #77546, transferred to the port of Liverpool and the Canadian registry closed August 16, 1882. Lloyd’s lists the ship from 1883-86 as owned by C A Belyea, no captain is listed. Also, in 1886 renamed the Santa Rosa, owned by Castellano, Port of Castellamare, Captain M de Rosa. The 1887 Universal Register records it as owned by A Castellano, and registered in Port Castellamare. The 1888 edition lists three A Castellano’s, the Santa Rosa’s owner with an address as Cardiff. In 1891/2 it was purchased by M De Rosa of Castellamare di Stabbia.
A mystery remains: why did the Pipes family not know that the ship was transferred to Liverpool, that it was renamed and had a life under the flag of Italy?
Charles A Belyea & Co had interest in several ships. The stories of the Kelvin, Enchanter, and Kate Irving are covered in Captain Scott’s Scrapbook mutinies, mining and mysteries and in other postings on this website. Several other ships had complicated and/or tragic histories, with little known and/or published.
C A Belyea :
Registered as #73123, built in Truro, NS by W R Huntly (Wallace), in 1877, owned by Belyea from 1877-1882 (Lloyds), wrecked at Volunteer Point, East Falkland, Sept 16, 1882.
From the nationalarchives.gov.uk : JOHNSON’S HARBOUR OR BERKELEY SOUND FARM, COW BAY, CAPE CARYSFORT,
EAGLE POINT AND VOLUNTEER POINT STATIONS
“The British barque C A Belyea from Rio in ballast under Captain HAMILTON was wrecked on the Uranie Rocks on the night of 16 September 1882 and washed ashore in Berkeley Sound. The ss Ranee under A J WINTHERS went to the wreck 18 September 1882. The vessel was sold at auction for £5-10-0. The master and fourteen of the crew were sent to Punta Arenas to be forwarded on to England. [SHI-REG-2: B20; pg 268: D19; pg 47, 51: FIC/D6; pg 89]”
The Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust adds that the crew was transported on a German Mail steamship of the Kosmos Company.
J T Smith :
Registered as #59414, The BAC-LAC lists two, both built in Parrsboro NS, both #59414, one registered in 1870, one in 1880. An appropriation book listing on CrewList records a sailing ship of that number registered in Parrsboro on July 27, 1870. It is not listed in Lloyd’s. CrewList also shows a Mercantile Navy List 1880: built in Parrsboro in 1870, owned by C A Belyea of Liverpool, Lancashire. The Naval Marine Archive remarks: transferred to Liverpool August 21,1882, and Lloyds records the ship in 1882 and 1883, owned by CA Belyea.
On Facebook: A Maritime Shipwreck on this Date July 5 2023:
"A Nova Scotia barque, built and registered in Parrsboro, carrying a cargo of heavy, rough-cut lumber from Parrsboro to England, stranded and wrecked on Mud Island (see map) in dense fog on July 5, 1873:
The barque "J. T. Smith" (396 tons) was built at Parrsboro in 1870. She was registered in Parrsboro (ON 59414) and was owned by John T. Smith and Captain D. S. Howard (her master). In 1873, under the command of Captain Howard, while bound from Parrsboro for Liverpool with a cargo of deals, she went ashore on Mud Island in dense fog on July 5. She was refloated on July 7, towed to Yarmouth July 8 by the tug "G. W. Johnson". Her deck load and ‘tween deck loads were landed, leaving the cargo in the lower hold when she was placed on the marine railway. She had sustained $3,000 damage: keel all gone, stem split, bottom planks badly chafed, rudder braces broken, etc. She was insured in Saint John and was repaired. Her registry was transferred to Liverpool, England, on August 21, 1882.
References - Yarmouth Herald - July 10, 24, 1873
- St. John Daily News - July 26, 1873
- Lloyd's List - July 23, 25, Aug 13, 1873
- Sessional Papers - (No.4), A.1873, p.228
- Lawson, J. M. - Yarmouth Reminiscences, p.238
- Spicer, S. T. - Sails of Fundy, p.102
- Collections Canada - Ship Registration Index (item 33536)
- EA File - G.5"
Mary W Pipes :
Registered as #77546, built in Nappan, Nova Scotia, registered in Amherst, 1878. There are two versions of the Mary W Pipes story. Both agree that it was built in Nappan, Nova Scotia by Jonathan Richard Pipes in 1878.
According to Pipes family history [http://www.pipesfamily.com/pipes%20family.htm] Jonathan amassed a fortune, invested in building the ship, the last to be built in Nappan. It was loaded with lumber, apples and cider, sailed to the West Indies with the expectation that it would return with molasses and rum. The crew and the ship were never heard of again.
The BAC-LAC record it as registered in Amherst in 1878, #77546, transferred to the port of Liverpool and the Canadian registry closed August 16, 1882. Lloyd’s lists the ship from 1883-86 as owned by C A Belyea, no captain is listed. Also, in 1886 renamed the Santa Rosa, owned by Castellano, Port of Castellamare, Captain M de Rosa. The 1887 Universal Register records it as owned by A Castellano, and registered in Port Castellamare. The 1888 edition lists three A Castellano’s, the Santa Rosa’s owner with an address as Cardiff. In 1891/2 it was purchased by M De Rosa of Castellamare di Stabbia.
A mystery remains: why did the Pipes family not know that the ship was transferred to Liverpool, that it was renamed and had a life under the flag of Italy?
#50 Charles A Belyea part 5
This may be the last post about the Scott/Belyea Connection - I seem to have exhausted all the online sources about Charles A Belyea and his shipping interests.
In a reference letter dated June 12, 1885, Belyea & Co wrote “that we have always found him [Captain Scott] energetic, willing, sober and scrupulously honest” and that having sold the Kate Irving and “in consequence of selling off our other shipping property, we have no vacancy“ in which to place him “otherwise he should have it”. However Lloyd’s lists two ships owned by Belyea after that date: The Mary W. Pipes, written up in last month’s posting, and the Effort.
Effort :
The BAC-LAC, Naval Marine Archive and Crew List all have the Effort as # 77547, built in Parrsboro and registered in Amherst, NS in 1878. On Crew List, in the Mercantile Navy List Appropriation Book, 1880, Belyea is listed as owner. The ship was not found in the Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, but oddly is listed in three volumes 1886/87, 1887/88, 1888/89, entitled the Universal Register. There it is listed as built by W Moore and owned by Belyea.
In 1888 she was sold to a Danish firm, H Iversen, renamed Havfruem, and registered to Port Svendborg.
Pretty Jemima :
Another ship, with limited on line information that raises several questions, is # 71324, the Pretty Jemima. Built 1876, owned by John T Smith of Amherst, NS, abandoned at sea March 6, 1878. Is this the same J T Smith of the ship J T Smith written up in last month’s posting? It seems likely, but is undocumented.
Wreck Site references Parliamentary Papers 1873 -1880 SV Foundered “On March 6th, 1878, the Canadian barque PRETTY JEMIMA, built in 1876 at Nappan, N. S., on voyage from Bull River, S.C. to London with 1,359 tons of phosphate rock, sprang a leak in a NE wind and was abandoned by her crew in the North Atlantic”.
Chronicling America [https://www.loc.gov/collections/chronicling-america] has several newspaper reports about the incident, one of the most complete is from the New York Herald, March 15, 1878:
“The bark Henry Norwell arrived yesterday morning from Trieste, after a voyage of sixty days, and had on board the crew of the bark Pretty Jemima, which had been abandoned at sea. The bark Henry Norwell sighted the bark Pretty Jemima on the morning of the 6th of March, and, as she was evidently in distress, bore up toward her in order to render what assistance they could. It had been blowing gale on the previous day and had now moderated considerably, although there was still a very heavy sea running. The Norwell hove to about seven in the morning within speaking distance, and then learned that she had sprung a leak and was making water very fast. Captain Chapman, of the Jemima, did not like to leave his vessel until all hope was gone, and kept his men working the pumps until after noon. It then became apparent that nothing could be done to save her, as then water was gaining rapidly every minute, and consequently Captain Chapman determined to abandon the Jemima, and came on board the Norwell with his chief officer and a crew of thirteen men shortly after two o’clock the same afternoon.
The captain of the Norwell made them as comfortable as he could, and said yesterday morning that the was fortunate that they were now in port, as they had eaten up everything that there was on board. The bark Henry Norwell was towed up the East River yesterday afternoon and is now moored to a dock at Hunter’s Point, [Queen’s New York].
Captain Chapman, of the Pretty Jemima, states that he was bound from Bull River, S.C., for London. His vessel hails from Amherst, N.S. For the first few days after they left port they had pretty fair weather, but on the morning of March 4, while in latitude 28 deg. and longitude 67 deg., they were caught by a heavy gale from the southeast that hauled round steadily to the southwest. For twenty-four or thirty hours it blew great guns and a heavy sea was running. The men were kept at the pumps pretty steadily, but on the morning of March 6 they discovered eight feet of water in the hold. The vessel was rapidly becoming totally disabled, so they were not sorry to see the Norwell bearing up to their assistance. Everything was done that they possibly could to save the vessel, and as it turned out they were fortunate in saving their lives. When the Norwell hove in sight they abandoned the Jemima in latitude 28 deg. and longitude 57 deg. 58 min.
Immediately after his arrival Captain Chapman retired to the office of the British Consul and reported the disaster. Measures will be taken to return the crew to their homes.”
An item in the Daily Kennebec journal of Augusta, Maine, added a financial detail:
“The bark was owned by Capt. Chapman and others of Amherst, N.S.; was 877 tons, valued at $50,000, loaded with 1,350 tons of phosphate for London; cargo valued at $10,000.”
The ship was the subject of a legal insurance case, dating from the 1880’s and heard in the Supreme Court of Canada in 1891. I cannot determine all the ins and outs of the case, however Belyea & Co are mentioned in the accounts of Chapman, as is Francis Carvill. You can read the full case at :
https://www.canlii.org/en/ca/scc/doc/1891/1891canlii74/1891canlii74.html
Another twist: in 1869 Belyea shared ownership of the Enchanter with Francis Carvell’s son, Patrick George.
Acadia and Kelso :
These two ships are mentioned with Belyea’s name, but there is little available on line.
The Acadia is listed on Belyea’s captain certificate 1856 in Crew List with one voyage, There are several Acadia ships listed in Lloyd’s, the most probable seems to be one built in 1855 in Quebec, # 32955, by Andrew & William Parke, sold in October to a 5 member group in the UK. Belyea’s name is not mentioned.
There are two Kelso’s, both listed in Lloyds’s. The first, #2136, built in Sunderland in 1855, owner J R Kelso of North Shields, in 1861 Piles shipyard is added.
https://www.searlecanada.org/sunderland/sunderland075.html#kelso records that the first Kelso ship was lost in a storm in 1861. It must have been replaced by #28595, but the official number is only added to Lloyd’s listing in 1872. It is listed continuously until 1881.
Lloyd’s lists J R Kelso as owner of the new Kelso, #28595 until 1978 & ’79, then list W H Ross & Co., with no owner in 1880 and ’81. However, the 1867 and 1870 Mercantile Navy List on Crew List have Chas. A Belyea, North Shields, as owner. Lloyd’s show it belonging to Denmark in 1881.
This may be the last post about the Scott/Belyea Connection - I seem to have exhausted all the online sources about Charles A Belyea and his shipping interests.
In a reference letter dated June 12, 1885, Belyea & Co wrote “that we have always found him [Captain Scott] energetic, willing, sober and scrupulously honest” and that having sold the Kate Irving and “in consequence of selling off our other shipping property, we have no vacancy“ in which to place him “otherwise he should have it”. However Lloyd’s lists two ships owned by Belyea after that date: The Mary W. Pipes, written up in last month’s posting, and the Effort.
Effort :
The BAC-LAC, Naval Marine Archive and Crew List all have the Effort as # 77547, built in Parrsboro and registered in Amherst, NS in 1878. On Crew List, in the Mercantile Navy List Appropriation Book, 1880, Belyea is listed as owner. The ship was not found in the Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, but oddly is listed in three volumes 1886/87, 1887/88, 1888/89, entitled the Universal Register. There it is listed as built by W Moore and owned by Belyea.
In 1888 she was sold to a Danish firm, H Iversen, renamed Havfruem, and registered to Port Svendborg.
Pretty Jemima :
Another ship, with limited on line information that raises several questions, is # 71324, the Pretty Jemima. Built 1876, owned by John T Smith of Amherst, NS, abandoned at sea March 6, 1878. Is this the same J T Smith of the ship J T Smith written up in last month’s posting? It seems likely, but is undocumented.
Wreck Site references Parliamentary Papers 1873 -1880 SV Foundered “On March 6th, 1878, the Canadian barque PRETTY JEMIMA, built in 1876 at Nappan, N. S., on voyage from Bull River, S.C. to London with 1,359 tons of phosphate rock, sprang a leak in a NE wind and was abandoned by her crew in the North Atlantic”.
Chronicling America [https://www.loc.gov/collections/chronicling-america] has several newspaper reports about the incident, one of the most complete is from the New York Herald, March 15, 1878:
“The bark Henry Norwell arrived yesterday morning from Trieste, after a voyage of sixty days, and had on board the crew of the bark Pretty Jemima, which had been abandoned at sea. The bark Henry Norwell sighted the bark Pretty Jemima on the morning of the 6th of March, and, as she was evidently in distress, bore up toward her in order to render what assistance they could. It had been blowing gale on the previous day and had now moderated considerably, although there was still a very heavy sea running. The Norwell hove to about seven in the morning within speaking distance, and then learned that she had sprung a leak and was making water very fast. Captain Chapman, of the Jemima, did not like to leave his vessel until all hope was gone, and kept his men working the pumps until after noon. It then became apparent that nothing could be done to save her, as then water was gaining rapidly every minute, and consequently Captain Chapman determined to abandon the Jemima, and came on board the Norwell with his chief officer and a crew of thirteen men shortly after two o’clock the same afternoon.
The captain of the Norwell made them as comfortable as he could, and said yesterday morning that the was fortunate that they were now in port, as they had eaten up everything that there was on board. The bark Henry Norwell was towed up the East River yesterday afternoon and is now moored to a dock at Hunter’s Point, [Queen’s New York].
Captain Chapman, of the Pretty Jemima, states that he was bound from Bull River, S.C., for London. His vessel hails from Amherst, N.S. For the first few days after they left port they had pretty fair weather, but on the morning of March 4, while in latitude 28 deg. and longitude 67 deg., they were caught by a heavy gale from the southeast that hauled round steadily to the southwest. For twenty-four or thirty hours it blew great guns and a heavy sea was running. The men were kept at the pumps pretty steadily, but on the morning of March 6 they discovered eight feet of water in the hold. The vessel was rapidly becoming totally disabled, so they were not sorry to see the Norwell bearing up to their assistance. Everything was done that they possibly could to save the vessel, and as it turned out they were fortunate in saving their lives. When the Norwell hove in sight they abandoned the Jemima in latitude 28 deg. and longitude 57 deg. 58 min.
Immediately after his arrival Captain Chapman retired to the office of the British Consul and reported the disaster. Measures will be taken to return the crew to their homes.”
An item in the Daily Kennebec journal of Augusta, Maine, added a financial detail:
“The bark was owned by Capt. Chapman and others of Amherst, N.S.; was 877 tons, valued at $50,000, loaded with 1,350 tons of phosphate for London; cargo valued at $10,000.”
The ship was the subject of a legal insurance case, dating from the 1880’s and heard in the Supreme Court of Canada in 1891. I cannot determine all the ins and outs of the case, however Belyea & Co are mentioned in the accounts of Chapman, as is Francis Carvill. You can read the full case at :
https://www.canlii.org/en/ca/scc/doc/1891/1891canlii74/1891canlii74.html
Another twist: in 1869 Belyea shared ownership of the Enchanter with Francis Carvell’s son, Patrick George.
Acadia and Kelso :
These two ships are mentioned with Belyea’s name, but there is little available on line.
The Acadia is listed on Belyea’s captain certificate 1856 in Crew List with one voyage, There are several Acadia ships listed in Lloyd’s, the most probable seems to be one built in 1855 in Quebec, # 32955, by Andrew & William Parke, sold in October to a 5 member group in the UK. Belyea’s name is not mentioned.
There are two Kelso’s, both listed in Lloyds’s. The first, #2136, built in Sunderland in 1855, owner J R Kelso of North Shields, in 1861 Piles shipyard is added.
https://www.searlecanada.org/sunderland/sunderland075.html#kelso records that the first Kelso ship was lost in a storm in 1861. It must have been replaced by #28595, but the official number is only added to Lloyd’s listing in 1872. It is listed continuously until 1881.
Lloyd’s lists J R Kelso as owner of the new Kelso, #28595 until 1978 & ’79, then list W H Ross & Co., with no owner in 1880 and ’81. However, the 1867 and 1870 Mercantile Navy List on Crew List have Chas. A Belyea, North Shields, as owner. Lloyd’s show it belonging to Denmark in 1881.
