Built as a wooden brigantine by John Walsh & William Douglas at St. Peters Bay, Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada
Launched as the TOPSY.
Tonnage 137 grt., dim. 89.2 x 19.1 x 11.4ft.
1853 Registered in Charlottetown, PEI.
Around 1855 the Canadian Registry was closed with the notation, transferred to Hull, U.K.
Lloyds Registry gives that she was owned from then by Earl & Co. at Hull and used as a coaster.
The last time she is named was in Lloyds Registry of 1893/94, where is given that she was stranded. Not given where.
At the time of her loss it is given that she was owned by C. Thompson in Hull, call sign JHGL and under command of Captain Potter.
She was already lost on 15 February 1890 when almost finished discharging her cargo near Buccaneer harbour, northwest Cayman Brac she was caught (by bad weather?) and was unable to heave up her massive anchor in time to set sail around the western point of Cayman Brac to the safety of the south shore.
The main anchor of the TOPSY is in 40ft of water at the very popular dive site known as Buccaneer. Her main anchor is used to tether the mooring buoy for the dive site, with the rest of the stricken ship’s remains scattered along the mini wall and in the shallows. This is perhaps the most popular of the shallow diving and snorkeling sites found around the shores of Cayman Brac.
Cayman Island 2013 25c sg?, scott?
Source: http://www.caymanpost.gov.ky/portal/pag ... ema=PORTAL. Lloyds Registers. Canadian Ship Registration Index.