Details of over fifty ships that were built at
Porthdinllaen between 1776 and 1876,
this includes their builders, owners, rig, dimensions and ultimate fate.
~~~~~~~
Ann and Ellen,
Schooner of 110tons, built by
H. Jones in 1858, length 79’ breadth 29’ and a depth of 11’ 10”. She was
owned by Hugh Jones of Nefyn, and was sold in 1883 to Lewis Williams of
Portdinorwic. She was converted into a hulk on the Thames in 1895.
Ann Alice,
Schooner of 97tons, 78’ 4” long
21’ 3” wide and 10.9 ft deep. Built by Henry Hughes in 1870. Owned by Hugh
Hughes of Porthdinllaen. Lost off Point Lynas in 1877.
Active,
Sloop of 74tons, built in 1788
for P Owen of Edern. Sold to Cardigan in 1795.
Annie Lloyd,
Brigantine of 149tons, built by
Hugh Hughes in 1876. Lost off the Bahamas, on the 6th of March 1907. She
was the last vessel to be built at Porthdinllaen.
Brothers,
Sloop of 49tons, built in 1784
for William Jones of Edern. She was lost in 1797 at Aberdeen.
Brothers,
Smack of 31tons, built in 1840
by John Roberts, length 48 ft breadth 15 ft and 8 ft deep. Owned by Hugh
Jones of Morfa Nefyn, and was broken up in Porthdinllaen in 1899 after
nearly 60 years in the coastal trade.
Catherine &
Alice,
Schooner of 130tons, built in
1850 by E Ellis. Length 87 ft beam 22 ft and 10 ft deep. Owned by O Owen
of Nefyn. In 1885 she was picked up in a sinking condition in the English
Channel and towed to Weymouth for repair and sold to R. G. Foster. He
renamed her Lizzie, and she was still afloat up to the first war.
Collina,
Schooner of 58tons, built by
Hugh Hughes in 1854, length 52. 9 ft, beam 15. 7 ft, and 9. 3 ft deep.
John Owen of Nefyn was the owner and she was lost in 1869.
Catherine &
Eliza,
Schooner of 76tons, built in
1866, length 68 ft, beam 15. 7 ft, and 9. 3 ft deep. Owned by Evan Owen of
Caernarfon. Lost in the English Channel, 1875.
Commerce,
Sloop of 16tons, built by Evan
Ellis at Morfa Nefyn in 1841, length 33. 8 ft, beam 11. 7 ft, and 5. 8 ft
deep. She was owned by John Williams of Bryncroes and in 1879 by Robert
Evans of Aberdaron. Condemned and broken up in 1888.
Ellen Williams,
Schooner of 70tons, built at
Porthdinllaen in 1864 for Thomas Williams of Morfa Nefyn. Length 63. 6 ft,
beam 19. 3 ft, and 9. 6 ft deep. Afterwards she belonged to William Parry
of Morfa Nefyn, and was sold in the 1870’s to Ardrossan. In 1889 she was
owned by Appledore.
Elizabeth &
Margaret,
Schooner of 63 tons, built by H
Hughes in 1849. Length 53. 9 ft, beam 16. 5 ft, and 10. 3 ft deep. She was
lengthened by 20 ft in 1863. Owned by John Williams of Llannor. Lost in
1874 off Flamborough Head.
Eleanor and
Jane,
Schooner of 97tons. Built by H
Hughes in 1856 for John Griffith of Nefyn. Length 67. 6 ft, beam 21 ft,
and 10. 9ft deep. In 1879 she was owned by Robert Williams of Nefyn and
was abandoned off Loch Broom in 1887.
Ellen Hughes,
Schooner of 99tons, built and
owned by H Hughes of Morfa Nefyn in 1854. Length 62. 6ft, beam 18. 2ft,
and 11. 6ft deep. She was lost off Milford in 1868.
Eliza & Ellen,
Schooner of 54tons, built by H
Hughes in 1846 for W Griffith of Nefyn. Length 50. 8ft, beam 16. 4ft, 9.
1ft deep. Lost in 1858.
Elizabeth
Griffiths,
Schooner of 113tons, built by W
Jones in 1868. She was owned by Thomas Griffith of Trefaes, Sarn. Length
80. 7ft, beam 22. 3ft, and 11. 6ft deep. She was lost in 1876.
Fanny Beck,
Brig of 152tons, built by James
Owen in 1864. Owned by Hugh Roberts and Edward Beck of Newcastle. Length
94ft, beam 23. 7ft, and 12. 5ft deep. Lost with all hands off Patagonia in
1879.
Frances Ann,
Schooner of 99tons, built by
James Owen in 1862, for John Thomas of Nefyn. Length 79. 1ft, beam 22.
3ft, and 16. 6ft deep. She later belonged to John Roberts of Caernarfon,
and was lost in 1873.
Grace Philips,
Schooner of 86tons, built by
Evan Ellis in 1863. Length 72. 9ft, beam 19. 6ft, and 9. 8ft deep. Owned
by John Davies of Morfa Nefyn. She was sold to W Turner, Caernarfon in the
1870’s. In the 1880’s she was owned by J R Ellis of Bangor, and had a
spell afterwards at Amlwch before she was lost off Holyhead in 1898.
Hugh and Ann,
Schooner of 93tons, built by
James Owen in 1860. Length 73ft, beam 22ft and 10. 6ft deep. Her first
owner was Hugh Roberts Morfa Nefyn. She was later owned at Porthmadog and
was lost in February 1895 near Liverpool.
Hope,
Schooner of 57tons, built in
1857 for H Williams of Edern. Length 58. 8ft, beam 18. 7ft, and 9. 1ft
deep. She was lost in 1877.
John Davies,
Schooner of 84tons. Built by E
Ellis in 1867 for John Davies of Morfa Nefyn. Length 71ft, beam 20ft and
10ft deep. Sold in 1872 to William Jones of Porthmadog. She was lost in
1878.
John Evans,
Sloop of 52tons, built in 1850
for John Griffiths of Nefyn. Length 51. 6ft, beam 16. 2ft, and 9. 4ft
deep. In 1851 she was altered, her length was increased to 65. 4ft and her
tonnage to 80tons. Her rig was changed to a schooner. Sold in 1835 to
Fleetwood owners.
Jane Hughes,
Schooner of 94tons, built by H
Hughes in 1861. He was also the owner for a few years until sold to R Owen
of Caernarfon, length 78. 4ft, beam 21. 7ft, and 10. 5ft deep. Owen sold
her in the late 1870’s to William Pritchard of Menai Bridge. She was lost
at Loch Sinbold in 1881.
Lively,
Sloop of 16tons, built in 1790
and owned by William Jones of Aberdaron. She was eventually broken up.
Lady Ellen,
Schooner of 65tons, built and
owned by Thomas Williams of Morfa Nefyn in 1842. Length 55. 2ft, beam 17.
3ft, and 10ft deep. She was lost in 1861.
Luther,
Schooner of 77tons, built by
Evan Ellis in 1851 for the Rev. Griffith Hughes, Edern. Length 62. 3ft,
beam 17. 7ft, and 9. 9ft deep. She was lost in the River Mersey in 1870
after being run down by a steamer.
Molly,
Sloop of 19tons, rebuilt in
1791, owned by G Ellis of Nefyn. She was lost in 1844.
Margery,
Brig of 80tons, built in 1826
by Owen Jones for Watkin Williams of Porthdinllaen. She was the first ship
to take a cargo of slate to Boston, U.S.A. She also carried passengers,
space was allotted to them in the hold between the slates. She was lost at
sea.
Maria,
Brig of 80tons, built in 1786.
Sold to T Jones of Amlwch. Sold to Lancaster in 1853.
Miss Beck,
Schooner of 120tons, built by
James Owen in 1857. Jointly owned by Hugh Roberts of Edern and Beck a
slate merchant of Sunderland. Length 82. 4ft, beam 22ft, and 11. 5ft deep.
In the 1880’s she belonged to Henry Hughes of Caernarfon and an extra mast
was fitted to her at Portdinorwic. When the First World War broke out she
was laid up at Caernarfon, and was sold to the Liverpool Lighterage
Company for use as a barge.
Miss Prichard,
Schooner of 90tons, built by
Evan Ellis in 1870 for John Pritchard of Morfa Nefyn. Length 75. 3ft, beam
22ft, and 10. 3ft deep. Pritchard sold her at the close of the century to
W. D. Owen of Porthmadog. She was lost near Cape Wrath in 1904.
Miss Wandless,
Schooner of 92tons, built in
1875 by Hugh Hughes. Length 80. 5ft, beam 21. 5ft, and 10. 4ft deep. Owned
by Evan Ellis of Waenfawr, and was lost off Denmark in 1886.
Mariner,
Schooner of 70tons, built in
1865 by Evan Ellis for Griffith Jones of Morfa Nefyn. Length 68. 3ft, beam
20ft, and 9. 3ft deep. Sold to Porthmadog in the 1870’s. Lost off the
Skerries in 1894.
Moses Parry,
Schooner of 81tons, built by
Evan Ellis in 1859. Length 69. 5ft, beam 20. 8ft, and 10ft deep. Belonged
to R Griffith of Aberdaron who later sold her to William Jones of
Caernarfon. Sold to Dublin in 1902.
Martha,
Schooner of 50tons, built by
Robert Jones in 1848 for John Jones Morfa Nefyn. Length 50. 5ft, beam 14.
5ft, and 8. 9ft deep. On the 27th of September 1875 while at
Porthdinllaen, her moorings carried away and she drifted out to sea for a
while and piled up ashore about three miles away at Pistyll, she became a
total loss.
Mary Rowlands,
Schooner of 130tons, built by
Hugh Hughes in 1858 for Thomas Williams of Nefyn. Length 83ft, beam 22.
5ft, and 11. 3ft deep. She was sold to Thomas Jones of Menai Bridge first,
and afterwards to R Parry of Portdinorwic. Sunk by collision in 1904.
Margaret Ann,
Schooner of 99tons, built by W
Jones at Morfa Nefyn in 1841, for J Jones of Nefyn. Length 61. 5ft, beam
19. 2ft, and 11. 9ft deep. Lost off Fraserburgh in 1866.
Maria Catherine,
Schooner of 97tons, built by R
Griffith in 1841 for William Jones of Morfa Nefyn. Length 65ft, beam 20.
7ft, and 11ft deep. She was afterwards owned first by Thomas Lewis of
Beaumaris and then John Ellis of Bangor. She was lost on the Goodwin
Sands, on the 30th of January 1886.
Maria & Jane,
Schooner of 99tons, built by
Hugh Hughes in 1857, for William Jones of Morfa Nefyn. She was sold to G
Williams of Portdinorwic, and in the 1890’s belonged to John Ellis of
Bangor. Length 75ft, beam 21ft, and 11ft deep. Lost at Clare, Ireland 27th
December 1898.
Maria & Ellen,
Schooner of 96tons, built by
Hugh Hughes in 1852. Length 67. 6ft. beam 19. 4ft, and 11. 4ft deep. She
belonged to Thomas Williams of Porthdinllaen, and in the 1870’s to John
Roberts of Caernarfon. She was lost off Thurso in 1880.
Nugget,
Schooner of 73tons, built by G
Owen in 1865, for Robert Rees of Nefyn. Length 68. 3ft, beam 20ft, and 9.
6ft deep. Rees sold her to John Williams of Aberdovey. In the late 1880’s
she was sailing out of Bideford.
One,
Sloop of 47tons, built by Evan
Ellis in 1839 for Ellis Jones of Nefyn. Length 40. 4ft, beam 13. 8ft, and
7. 3ft deep. Lost near Penmon on February 26th 1871.
Phoenix,
Sloop of 47tons, built in 1776
for R Parry and W Roberts of Nefyn. Lost.
Robert Jones,
Barque of 287tons. The largest
vessel ever built at Porthdinllaen, by James Owen in 1866 for Robert Rees
of Nefyn. Length 115ft, beam 26ft, and 14. 9ft deep. She was lost on the 7th
January 1882.
Robert Williams,
Schooner of 64tons, built by
Evan Ellis in 1864. Sold to Rees Griffith of Aberdaron. Length 62. 7ft,
beam 18. 9ft, and 9. 3ft deep. Griffith sold her to William Evans of Borth.
Lost in the Bristol Channel 1883.
Revival,
Schooner of 96tons, built by
Hugh Hughes in 1859, length 76ft, beam 22ft, and 10. 4ft deep. Her first
owner was H Roberts of Edern, then E Griffith of Nefyn. In the 1890’s she
belonged to Isaac Jones of Caernarfon. She was later converted into a
barge on the Thames and was condemned and broken up in 1916.
Richard Roberts,
Schooner of 80tons, built in
1835 for Ellis Jones of Nefyn. Length 66. 6ft, beam 20. 4ft, and 10. 2ft
deep. Later owned by Hugh Hughes of Morfa Nefyn. Wrecked at Fishguard in
1869.
Sidney,
Sloop of 47tons, built in 1796
for William Williams of Edern. She was lost in 1803.
Speedwell,
Sloop of 37tons, built in 1798
for Griffith Williams of Nefyn. She was lost in 1808.
Sybile Wynn,
Brig of 175tons, built by Hugh
Hughes in 1873 for Richard Griffith of Llanfaglan. Length 99ft, beam 23ft,
and 13ft deep. On the morning of her launch, a sermon was preached aboard
her by Ieuan Gwyllt. She was later owned by D T Edwards of Caernarfon, and
was lost in 1884 near Douglas.
Venedotia,
Sloop of 53tons, built for R
Davies of Edern. She was eventually lost.
Voelas,
Schooner of 78tons, built by
Hugh Hughes in 1861 for William Evans. Length 65. 2ft, beam 20. 9ft, and
10. 3ft deep. She was lost in the Irish Sea in 1869 on a passage from
Falmouth to Bardsey Island.
William,
Schooner of 56tons, built by W
Jones in 1839 for R Williams of Morfa Nefyn. Length 51. 2ft, beam 16. 3ft.
Afterwards owned by Richard Jones of Nefyn. She was wrecked at Porth y
Sgaden 9th of October 1891.
