Duncan Dunbar

[shipstamps]

It now seems to be fairly well established that the sailing ship on the 115 lira value of the ship stamp set issued by the Republic of San Marino in 1963 depicts the Blackwall frigate Duncan Dunbar. Certainly the stamp seems to have been designed from 'the water colour of that ship in the Macpherson collection and illustrated in Bowen's "From Carrack to Clipper".
The Blackwall frigates were so-called because many of them were built at Blackwall, but the Duncan Dunbar was one of the exceptions, having been built by Laing at Sunderland in 1857 and named after her owner, who died in 1862, leaving a fortune of £1,500,000. At 1,374 tons, she was the largest of Dunbar's fleet, but did not have a very long life, as she was wrecked on the Rockas Reef in 1865.
SG699

[aukepalmhof]

Built as a wooden Blackwall frigate by James Laing, Sunderland for Duncan Dunbar & Comp., London
18 May 1857 launched as the DUNCAN DUNBAR named after the owner, or the father of the owner who carried the same name. She was christened by Mrs W.R. Robinson, Esq. of Silksworth.
Tonnage 1,374 tons, burthen 2,500 tons, dim. 79 x 11.05 x 7.0m. length of keel 69.85m. At that time was she the largest ship which was built at Sunderland. She was built with oak frames and the planking and masts were made of East India teak.
After completing was she used in the passenger and cargo trade between the U.K. and Australia.
After Duncan Dunbar died in 1862 the ship was sold to Gellatly Hankey, Sewell & Co., London she was not renamed.
The last voyage she made was when the ship left London, under Captain Swanson, on 29th August 1965 and Plymouth on 2nd September 1865, with passengers and cargo for Sydney. On the 7th October, 1865 she was wrecked on the reef Las Roccas 33.45 W., 3,52 S., on the coast of Brazil. She struck about 20.30. The Captain went in a ships-boat to take soundings around her but she had gone aground at high tide. There were not enough boats to accommodate all the passengers and crew so he determined to wait until daylight to see if there was any dry land to which survivors could be taken by boat and raft. The passengers where in fear because the vessel was rolling heavily and striking violently with each roll. At daybreak on 8th October, the Captain succeeded in getting through the breakers to a landing place on one of the two sand islets which rose about 7' above ordinary high-water mark. Preparations were at once made to transfer the passengers and crew to the spot, the passengers being lowered in a chair over the stern because it was impossible to keep a boat alongside due to the heavy rolling. By 07:00 all were landed. The islet was covered with pig-weed but there was no water so this was ferried from the wreck. Four of the five water-puncheons were lost, being stove-in by debris or having drifted away. Safely landed there were now 117 persons on the reef. For the first two days they had 4 pints of water each in temperatures of 44.1 degrees. A tent was constructed for shelter. The islet was infested with land-crabs and various vermin. They stayed on the islet for 10 days and during that- period had recovered from the wreck sufficient water and stores to serve a hundred people for a hundred days.
Captain Swanson had left, in the lifeboat, on 11th October, 1865, to sail towards Pernambuco. After making 120 miles he was picked up by the American ship HAYARA and dropped 15 miles from his destination. There, he procured the assistance of the ONEIDA a Royal Steam Packet Co. ship, which came to the island and took all hands safely to Southampton. The Captain remained in Pernambuco.

San Marino 1963 sg699, scott?
Source: The Blackwall Fregates and internet. This account of its wreck is from GGGPa's scrapbook and is dated Dec. 2nd, 1865. (Previously posted to The Ships List)