PHANTOM

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PHANTOM

Post by shipstamps » Mon Sep 15, 2008 4:41 pm


The 30-cent stamp of Kiribati issued in 1989 depicts the PHANTOM, the only information I did have on her, that she traded in the Southsea around 1854.

I found a PHANTOM a wooden two-mast brig and I think most probably she is depict on the stamp.
She was built in 1841 by Wm. Whitehead at Buckhaven, Fife, for J.Miller, I think the master was also the owner.
Launched under the name PHANTOM. Register no. 32285
05 Nov. 1841 she sailed under command of Capt. John Miller from Leith, Scotland and via Cape of Good Hope arrived Launceston on 05 March 1842. She is given as a brig with a tonnage of 142 tons.
09 July 1842 she sailed from Launceston loaded with 400 sheep, bound for Singapore, during the voyage most of the sheep died, after discharging sailed to Penang, Calcutta and Madras, before returning to Launceston on 07 Feb. 1843, with on board 2 passengers and 4 native servants. Miller was still the captain.
Tonnage 157½ tons, dim. 85.4 x 22.5 x 11.0ft.

1845 Sold to Frederick Bigger Chilcott.
29 Oct. 1845 sailed for Calcutta under command of Capt. Chilcott. Arrived Ceylon 16 Nov.
08 Jan. 1846 arrived Hobart Town, master Chilcott.
15 Jan. arrived Sydney.
12 Feb. sailed Sydney in ballast, and 1 passenger under Capt. Chilcott for Calcutta.
23 August sailed from Calcutta.
08 Sept. sailed from Madras.
29 Sept. sailed from Trincomalee.
15 Nov. arrived Hobart Town.
21 Nov. arrived Sydney, master Chilcott, 8 passengers.
16 Dec. sailed Sydney for Adelaide, under Capt. Chilcott, on board 35 passengers.
26 Dec. 1846 sold to Henry Thomas Fox.

03 Jan. 1847 sailed Adelaide.
12 Jan. arrived Sydney, master Chilcott and 8 passengers.
28 Jan. Sailed Sydney for Adelaide, master H.T.Fox, 11 passengers and general cargo.

1848 Used in the Sydney-Adelaide trade.
22 January 1847 sold to Thos. Woolley at Sydney, Australia, for £2800 Australian register No. ON32285.
23 January, mortgaged to F.B. Chilcott.
Dec. 1851 Sold to M.Featherstone, Sydney.
May 1852 Sold to J.B.Morris, Sydney.
29 June 1852, sailed Newcastle, master Parker.
02 July arrived Sydney.
August 1852 Sold to Melbourne, not a name given.
28 March 1853 sailed Melbourne under Capt. J.T.Rolls, in ballast with 6 cabin and 50 steerage passengers.
05 April arrived Sydney.
1853 Returns to Sydney bought by Charles Smith.
December, half of the shares sold to S.K. Salting.
25 Sept. 1854 sailed Spiritus Sanctus, New Hebrides under Capt. Dalmaine and 2 passengers.
14 Oct. arrived Sydney.

10 July 1855, sailed from Sydney for the Woodlark Islands under Capt. Dalmagne, with 5 passengers and general cargo.
23 August arrived Sydney.
10 Dec. Sailed Sydney for the South Sea Islands under Capt. Dolettie, with 2 passengers. (The year on the stamp is correct, she sailed between 1854/1855 in the South Sea and must have called Kiribati)

On 12 July 1860 a strong gale sprang up, and reached its full intensity on 13 July, forcing several vessel to look for shelter at Newcastle, NSW. On of this was the brig PHANTOM, when she was attempting to return to harbour, and when she was on her starboard tack, she collided with the schooner MARGARET which was also returning but on the port tack. In the collision the PHANTOM lost both masts, and she became unmanageable. She dropped both anchors but the anchors dragged and she drifted on the Oyster Bank. One man of the PHANTOM was drowned.
The PHANTOM was loaded with coal and underway to Sydney, under command of Capt. W. Hayward.
The MARGARET was also lost on the same bank with also one man drowned.

Kiribati 1989 30c sg 296.

Source: Australian Shipowners and their Fleets, by Ronald Parsons. Australian Shipwrecks Vol. 2 by Jack Loney.

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