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The Nautical
History of Captain Laurence Smith (1807-1856) Great,
Great Grandfather of Philip Liston-Smith 1849 - From
1857 "Mercantile Navy List", Obtained 1st Mate's Certificate,
No.2094, by examination at Bet
1849-1857 - From 1857 "Mercantile Navy List", Obtained Master's
Certificate, No. 8193, by examination at SOURCE. CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SHIPPING REGISTERS. HELD AT N.A.S. These Registers were/are a legal document giving details of the ships
place and date of construction, dimensions, it’s owners, sale and purchase of
shares in the vessel , it’s possible sale and re-registration in another port .
In some cases , from 1850 to
1855, the names of masters and their date of appointment were given . Ships of
the L.H.& H. S.P. Co. commanded by Captain L. Smith as shown in above Registers. MERCATOR. 18th June 1853 to
December 1853. BRILLIANT. 7th January 1854 to 29th June 1854. BRILLIANT. 30th June 1854 to
3rd July 1854. MERCATOR. 20th November 1854 to 10th January 1855. MERCATOR. 20th March 1855 to
July 1855. ROSLIN . October 1856 No further information given. Details of vessels commanded by Captain L.
Smith. Information as shown in above Registers and from Lloyds Register of
Shipping , “Sea Breezes” magazine. SHIPS SERVED ON… SHIPS NAME. MERCATOR
OFFICIAL No. N/A
SHIPBUILDERS. Thos Wingate & Co., Whiteinch, YARD. No. 2 DATE LAUNCHED. 1848 GROSS TONNAGE.
289 OWNERS . Hull & Leith Steam Packet Co., MATERIAL.
Iron PROPULSION . Steamer
propelled by paddle wheels ENGINES & BOILERS
N/K H.P.
N/K ENGINE BUILDERS .
Shipbuilders DIMENSIONS. L. 189.5 ft.
B. 22.8 ft. D. 12.5 ft. SPECIAL FEATURES . One
deck and quarter deck, two masts, schooner rigged NAME AND OWNER CHANGES . 1856. Sold to Wyeborg Steam Navigation Co., Russian flag. SHIPS NAME:
BRILLIANT OFFICIAL No.:
N/K SHIPBUILDERS: Thos. Wingate & Co., Whiteinch, YARD: No. 3 DATE LAUNCHED: 1848 GROSS TONNAGE:
229 OWNERS: Hull & Leith Steam Packet Co, MATERIAL: Iron PROPULSION: Steamer propelled by paddle wheels . ENGINES & BOILERS: N/K H.P: N/K ENGINE BUILDERS: Shipbuilders. DIMENSIONS: L. 170.5
ft. B. 27.8 ft. D.
11.5 ft. SPECIAL FEATURES: One deck and quarter deck, two masts , schooner
rigged. NAME AND OWNER CHANGES . None. HISTORICAL NOTES: 1864. 1st November. Wrecked on
Herwit Rock , nr Inchkeith Island Firth of Forth, while on passage SHIPS NAME: OFFICIAL No.: N/K. SHIPBUILDERS: Robert Barclay & Curle , Stobcross, YARD No.: 9 DATE LAUNCHED: 5th May 1854 GROSS TONNAGE: 226 OWNERS: Leith MATERIAL: Iron. PROPULSION: Steamer propelled by a screw propeller. ENGINES & BOILERS: Compound , two boilers. H.P.: N/K. ENGINE BUILDERS: Shipbuilders. DIMENSIONS: L. 168.1 ft.
B. 20.9 ft. D. 12.8 ft. SPECIAL FEATURES: Two decks, three masts., schooner rigged NAME AND OWNER CHANGES: 1862.
Sold to T. Callender & A. Walker , The vessel had her engines and boilers removed
and was sailed to 1882. Restored to a steam ship and purchased by
Australian Steamships Pty. 1892. Passenger/cargo service , Melbourne/Geelong. HISTORICAL NOTES: 1938 - Hulked as used as a lighter. SHIPS NAME: ROSLIN OFFICIAL No.: N/K SHIPBUILDERS: Robert Barclay & Curle, Stobcross, DATE LAUNCHED: 2nd September 1856. GROSS TONNAGE: 606 OWNERS: Leith Registered Office: MATERIAL: Iron PROPULSION: Steamer propelled by a screw propeller. ENGINES & BOILERS: Compound, Two boilers. H.P.: N/K
ENGINE BUILDERS: Shipbuilders DIMENSIONS: L.
201ft. B. 27ft. D. 16ft. SPECIAL FEATURES: Two decks, three masts, schooner rigged. NAME AND OWNER CHANGES: None. HISTORICAL NOTES . The vessel sailed from Stettin , 8th
November 1856, bound for To whom it may
concern. I John Inkster of
Leith in the County of Edinburgh, shipping agent , and one of the part owners
of the vessel ROSLIN registered at this
port 18th October 1856 as entry No 56 do solemnly and sincerely declare that
the said vessel to the best of my knowledge and belief was lost on a voyage
from Stettin to Leith in the month of November last and that I have every
reason to believe that the Certificate of such registry was on board of her at
the time of such loss and therefore been likewise lost and I make this solemn
declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true. Sig. John Signed and declared
at the Custom House , Before I.H.Manson
Registrar of the Attached is an extract from PRO : BT 98 , Seamen’s Crew List S.E.
Scotland. This is a record of merchant seamen serving on ships registered in S.E.
Scottish ports who do not appear on the 1851 Census because they were simply
not at home to be enumerated: It reads: SMITH Laurence Master Age: 37 Born: SHI Previous Ship: Ariel of Lieth Current Ship: Ariel of Lieth Date Joined: 5th Jan 1851 Place Joined: Ticket No. 47341 BT98/: 2555 Seq No.: 3210 Trade: Home THE SINKING OF THE
ROSLIN… SOURCE. “LLOYDS LIST “ NEWSPAPER . 4th NOVEMBER 1856. ROSLIN. 30th October . Arrived Stettin from 19th NOVEMBER 1856. ROSLIN. 17th November . Passed ,west, Elsinore ,
Stettin for 27th NOVEMBER 1856. SKAGEN . 19th
November. Wreckage has driven
on shore along the coast of Amongst other things
driven on shore there are cabin doors, panels etc., and pieces upon which were
berth numbers up to 46. All were by observation new or nearly new. SKAGEN. 20th
November. The fearfully bad
weather that has prevailed has caused much damage and the strand in this
neighbourhood presents a distressing
appearance. In addition to the
articles mentioned yesterday – a damaged
boat has come on shore , which from its
build and appearance must have belonged to a steamer. She is marked on her
stern ROSLIN, LEITH and on the inside The boat probably
belonged to the steamer alluded to above as she is painted in the same colour. N.B. SKAGEN also known as the SKAW is the Nth extremity of the “SCOTSMAN “ NEWSPAPER SATURDAY
29th NOVEMBER 1856. The above extract from Lloyds List, dated 27th November ,was
reprinted in this edition. SOURCE. “SCOTSMAN “ NEWSPAPER WEDNESDAY 22nd NOVEMBER 1856.
MISSING STEAMER. As stated in our
impression of Saturday a heavy gale had
swept across the When the force of the
storm had been spent these steamers put to sea and reached Leith on Saturday or
Sunday with one exception – the ROSLIN a
fine screw steamer lately built by a celebrated firm at Glasgow. She left that port
towards the end of October and steamed
well to The ROSLIN sailed
thence for Leith on 8th November and was consequently due last Wednesday : her
non arrival, however, created no uneasiness till Sunday, when , the On Monday feelings of
anxiety were manifested in regard to her , and doubts to her safety were
manifested in regard to her safety, were freely circulated. Up till last
night nothing had been heard of the
vessel . Two schooners which
left Elsinore at the same time have arrived at Leith ; and the Captain of one
of them reports that when the ROSLIN passed him she was going very fast
considering the boisterous state of the weather
, and that she was bidding to make an exceedingly prosperous run. Yesterday morning the
steamer ALICE arrived from Cronstadt ; she had frightfully bad weather during
the whole passage ,and, although she was abreast of Elsinore at the same time
as The Captain reports
having encountered heavy snow storms ; he also states that he saw a great
number of wrecks , and, passed a large amount of drifting wreck. There is still some
hope she may be in some port of the coast of Captain Cook was
assisted in the command by Mr L.Smith who has commanded the steamers BRILLIANT
and MERCATOR both belonging to the same
company. Mr Smith, we believe,
was to have command of the ROSLIN and Mr Cook was in charge only for the maiden
voyage. Those in charge were
all married men with families residing in The crew, on the
other hand , are all natives of the West of Last night the
steamer GERTRUDE , the company’s spare boat, was sent in search of the missing
vessel, which we learn, was almost fully insured in two offices. SOURCE. “SCOTSMAN” NEWSPAPER , WEDNESDAY 3rd
DECEMBER 1856.
THE ROSLIN. The following is a
list of the officers and crew on board this unfortunate vessel which there is
now no doubt was wrecked on the coast of LAURENCE SMITH. Master. WILLIAM SCOTT . Mate. LAURENCE GIFFORD Boatswain. ROBERT
ROBERTSON. Steward. WILLIAM
WILLIAMSON. Cook. JAMES NELSON. Seaman . JOHN MAVER. Seaman. ALEX STEPHEN. Seaman. ANDREW TAIT. Seaman. LAURENCE
DAVIDSON. Seaman. WILLIAM LEE. Seaman. BANNANTYNE
McNAUGHTON 1st Engineer GEORGE ARNOTT. 2nd Engineer. DAVID ORR. Fireman. PETER HERON. Fireman. JAMES HUNTER. Fireman. SAMUEL GAULT. Fireman. FRANCIS MUNN. Trimmer. JAMES CAMDAY. Trimmer. As we have already
stated Captain R. Cook was also on
board. SOURCE. “ This publication carried no report of the loss of the ROSLIN. SOURCE. “SCOTSMAN” NEWSPAPER SATURDAY ,
6th DECEMBER 1856. CAPTAIN R. COOK –
ROSLIN STEAMER. There seems no reason
to doubt this fine vessel , particulars of whose loss appeared in a previous
impression, foundered in the late gale , while on her voyage from Stettin to The interest excited
by this melancholy event has been widened and increased by the fact of Captain R. Cook one of the partners of the
Leith, Hull & Hamburg Steam Packet Co., being on board the ill fated
vessel. Captain Cook for many
years sailed one or other of the company’s ships, and proved himself a skilful
and careful commander ; and since his retirement from sea service has equally
proved himself a prudent and efficient man of business. By the mercantile
community of Leith Captain Cook is deeply regretted as by his energy and
perseverance regular steam communication
with Captain Cook
leaves behind a widow and family to
lament his loss and he will long live in the
remembrance of a wide circle of friends to whom he was justly endeared
by his integrity , talent and private worth. |
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