Build Specifications

"She is a smart well built ship".

Basic specifications of the ship were written into the Register of Shipping kept by the General Registry and Record Office of Seamen. These were transcripts of the original registries including notes of any subsequent changes of ownership, known as 'transactions', on the reverse. The current owners presumably kept the original registry documentation for their own records.

More detailed construction information can be found in the Lloyd’s Register Survey further down this page.

Official Ship's Registration

Image rights reserved and may only be reproduced under TNA copyright terms and conditions, transcription by J. Canney.

N.469

Register of Shipping Josephine Willis 1854

Register of Shipping  BT 107/112, National Archives (UK).

Port of London dated 24th August 1854

Josephine Willis Burthen 786 23/100 Tons Edward Canney Master.

When and where built or condemned as Prize, referring to Builder’s Certificate, Judge’d Certificate or Last Registry…

Built as Union Dock Poplar in the County of Middlesex in the year 1854 as appears by a certificate dated 8th July 1854 under the hands of Henry Fletcher Son and Fearnall the builders.

Employment of Surveying Officer: Thomas Lesslie Surveying Officer.

NEW FORM

Two decks and poop deck, three masts that her length from the inner part of the Main Stem to the fore part of the stern aloft is 153 feet 5 tenths, her breadth in midships is 29 feet 1 tenth, her depth in hold at midships is 20 feet 9 tenths, that she is ship rigged with a standing bowsprit, elliptic sterned, carvel built, sham galleries, three quarter female figurehead, that the frame and planking is wood and that she is a sailing vessel.

Signed H. Forester procoll And Thos Howard proComptr

Subscribing Owners

John Thompson Fletcher of Union Dock Limehouse in the county of Middlesex, Ship Builder and Arthur Willis of Crosby Square in the City of London, Ship Broker

Other Owners

Thomas Keddey Fletcher of Union Dock, Limehouse in the county of Middlesex, Ship Builder and Henry Hinckley Willis of Crosby Square in the City of London, Ship Broker.

(on the back)

John Thompson Fletcher & James Keddey Fletcher, copartners trading under the firm of Fletcher Brothers 48 shares

Henry Hinckley Willis 8 shares

Arthur Willis 8 shares

[Transcriber note: The form contains an error in that there was no James Keddey Fletcher, this should read Thomas Keddey Fletcher.]

 

Lloyd's Register - Survey Report

To be considered insurable against all losses the ship was inspected by a Surveyor from Lloyd’s Registry of Shipping, both during the building process and up until launch. The final report was filed as paid for by James Martin on the 18th of September 1854. It should be noted that Willis, Gann & Co. also offered their passengers their additional service of acting as insurance agents for their voyage.

The original summary report of the ship survey (LRF-PUN-LON635-0139-R) is still held by Lloyd's Register Foundation and is reproduced here with their kind permission and was transcribed by J. Canney.

Page 1: Vessel Specifications and Construction

#19240

Survey held at London on the Ship Josephine WillisDate x/53 August 11th to Sept 16th 1854
Master Ed Canney
Tonnage Old 758 79/94 New 786When built Launched July /54
By whom built Messrs FletcherOwners Messrs Fletcher & Willis
Port belonging to LondonDestined Voyage New Zealand

If surveyed while Building, Afloat, or in Dry Dock throughout building under Special Survey

 
Length aloft between perpendiculars159 feet0 inches
Extreme Breadth32 feet1 inches
Depth of Hold21 feet0 inches

Scantlings of Timber

 

 Inches Inches (Middle)Inches (Ends)
Room and Space 30½   
Floorssided14Moulded13¾12
1st Foothooksextending to middle line...”11at their ends 13¾”{16¾11½
2nd Ditto”11½”1210¼
3rd Ditto”10½”11½9½
4th Ditto to top height”10”10¼6¾
Top Timbers”10”9½6¾
Deck Beams No 28Average Spaceone over every hold/3”10 109
Hold Beams No 27Average Space4ft 6ins”13½ 13½11½
Keel”14½ 15 
Keelsons”16 16 
Scarphs of Ditto 7ft 3i”    
Length of Lower Deck Beam”30 ft   

Thickness of Plank

Outside (inches)

Garboard Strake6
Keel to Bilge4
Bilge Planks4
Bilge to Wales4 to 5½
Wales5½
Short Hoods / Black Strakes4¾
Topsides4½ & 4¼
Sheer Strakes3 of 4¼
Plank Sheers4
Water-Ways Upper Deck10 x 10
Water-Ways Lower Deck11 x 11
Upper Deck4

Inside (inches)

Limber Strakes4¾
Bilge Planks7 of 4¾
Ceiling in Flat3¼
Ditto Bilge to Clamp3¼
Hold Beam Clamps2 of 4¼
Deck Beam Ditto2 of 3¼
Ceiling ‘twixt Decks3 of 3
Spirketting5
Hold Beam Shelfs12 x 12
Deck Beam Ditto11 x 11
 
 

Size of Bolt in Fastenings, distinguishing whether Copper or Iron

Heel- Knee and Deadwood abaft13⁄8Copper Inches
Scarphs of Keel,,,,,No.11⁄8”
Kelson1¼”
Transoms and throats of Hooks1¼”
Arms of Hooks11⁄8”
Bolts through Bilge7⁄8”
Butt End Bolts through7⁄8”
and Shail[?]¾”
Pintle of the Rudder3¼”
Hold Beam1¼ & 11⁄8”
Deck Beam11⁄8 & 1”

All weather Bolts, the Bolts in heels of Cant Timbers and the nails of the weather Decks are of yellow metal.

Timbering
The Space between the Floor Timbers and Lower Foothooks and Lower Foothooks in this Vessel is 2 ¾ inches.
The Space between the Top-timbers is 5 ¼ inches.
The Stem, Stern Post, Consist of English Oak the Transoms, Aprons, Knight Heads, Hawse Timbers, and Deadwood, of English Oak and are – free from all defects.
The floors consist of English Oak & Canada Rock Elm 17 of the latter amidship.
The First Foothooks of English Oak Timber.
The Second Foofhooks or English Oak.
The Third Foothooks of Baltic Red Pine.
The Top Timbers of Baltic Red Pine.
The shift of the first and second Foothooks are not less that 4 ft 8 ins N.B. When less than prescribed by the rule, state how many.
The rest of the Shifts of the Frame are - not less than do [4 ft 8 ins].
The Frame is well squared from the first Foothook Heads upwards, and well free from sap, and from thence downwards, the frame is do- do- [ditto].
The whole are Frames bolted together to the Gunwale.
The Butts of the Timbers are close together; their thickness not less than 1⁄3 of the entire moulding at that place.
The Frame is part chocked with a Butt at each end of the chock and those not so are square with dowels.
The Main Keelson is E India Teak, & fro Back and free from all defects. The false Keelson is
The Deck Beams consist of Baltic Red Pine except two of African Oak. The Hold Beams of Pitch Pine except two up upon back. The knees of Iron.
Planking Outside
From the Keel to the height defined in Note to Table 2, the Plank is 3 strakes next the keel of English and Am [American?] Elm, the rest of Baltic Red Pine.
From the above named height to the Light Water Mark Baltic Red Pine.
From the Light Water Mark to the Wales ditto [Baltic Red Pine].
From the Wales and Black-strakes are ditto [Baltic Red Pine]. The Topsides Baltic Red Pine.
The Sheer-strakes Pitch Pine and Baltic Red Pine [correction illegible] and Plank-sheers Pitch Pine and Baltic Red Pine [correction illegible]. The Water-ways Baltic Red Pine.
The Decks Baltic Red Pine & fastened with y [yellow] metal. State of – good.
The Shifts of the Planking are not less than 6 feet 0 inches. N.B. If less than prescribed by the rule, state whether general or partial, and if partial, in what part of the Ship.
The Planking is wrought with three strakes between.
Planking Inside
The Limber-strakes are Baltic Red Pine the Bilge Planks Baltic Red Pine.
The Ceiling, Lower Hold ditto [Baltic Red Pine] Between Decks ditto [Baltic Red Pine]
Shelf Pieces ditto [Baltic Red Pine] Clamps
Fastenings
To Hold Beams a substantial shelf and waterway dowelled to beams and well bolted each way, also 23 pairs of substantial hanging knees a pair to every beam where practicable.
Deck Beams a substantial shelf and waterway dowelled to beams and well bolted each way also 25 pairs of substantial iron hanging knees a pair to every beam where practicable.
Number of Breasthooks seven of iron Pointers two iron straps and hooks, Crutches three of iron.
Butt End Bolts are of yellow metal in the bottom, and a bolt in each Butt End through and clenched.
Bilge Strakes are yellow metal bolted through and clenched. Treenails of Stringy Back [Eucalyptus] Locust [Black Locust - Robinia pseudoacacia] English Oak. How made – well made.
We certify that the preceding is a correct description of the above-named vessel,
Builder’s Signature Henry Fletcher, Son & Fearnall Surveyor’s Signature James Martin

 

Page 2: Equipment and Certification

Her Masts, Yards, &c, are new, good condition, ans sufficient in size and length.

She has SAILS
Five suits of best canvas:
Fore Sails
Fore Top Sails
Fore Topmast Stay Sails
Main Sails
Main Top Sails
CABLES, &c.
Type
fathoms
Inches
Chain
290
1 11/16
Chain
75
1 1/16
Hempen Stream Cable
90
9
Hawser
90
9
Towlines
90
7
Warp and others
90
5
All of good quality.
ANCHORS, and their weights.
Rodger’s Patent
Type
C
qtr
lb
Bower
32
0
0
Stream
10
0
0
Kedges
5
0
0
[ditto]
3
0
0

Her Standing and Running Rigging is new sufficient in size and good in quality.

She has a Long Boat and three other boats.

The present state of the Windlass is good. Winch Rudder and Pumps, two at the main mast , one at the fore mast.

General Remarks – Statement and Date of Repairs.

Forecastle 33ft 0ins by 6ft 7 in. Poop 56 0ins by 6ft 9½ ins, properly constructed, of suitable materials, all weather bolts above the respective plank sheers are of yellow metal including the flat of decks. She has 16 pairs of iron plate ridders inside, diagonally placed extending from upper deck beams across bilges the plates (4inches by 5/8) are inserted into the timbers of the frame, the first futtocks meet at the middle line and are cross chocked at their heels to the full moulding under the keelson timber strakes. Etc. A small portion of the floors amidship within the space allowed by the rules for the class recommended are Canada Rock Elm.

She is a smart well built ship.

Is sheathed, doubled, felted or coppered yellow metal on paper. When last done now done.

I am of the opinion this vessel should be classed A1 which includes one for copper or y, metal bolts.

The amount of the fee ….is received by me

One shilling per ton - Special £ 37: 19s paid 18 Sept 1854. James Martin

Character assigned classing declined, see owner’s letter attached [letter not with survey record].

Courtesy of Lloyd’s Register Foundation (LRF-PUN-LON635-0139-R)

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