Henry B. Hyde

[john sefton]

The ship Henry B. Hyde was a splendid ship and Down Easter, captained by a number of Searsport masters over the years. Launched from John McDonald's Bath shipyard in November, 1884, she had strong Searsport connections with eleven of the fourteen owners were from Searsport, though they owned just under half of the vessel. Considered to be the finest of the Down Easters, she was the fastest three-master of the post clipper era. Her typical voyages were New York to San Francisco, then to Liverpool with grain and back to New YorkThe Henry B. Hyde is considered to have been the finest American ship of the post-clipper era. The largest ship built in Maine to that time, she was strongly bound and cross-braced with iron straps throughout. Her average time over her first twelve passages from New York to San Francisco was a brisk 109 days. Her first master was the hard-driving Phineas Pendleton, Jr., who was succeeded by his son, Phineas III, for two voyages.
The Hyde was sold with the rest of the Flint fleet to the California Shipping Company in 1899. On her first voyage for that company, under Captain W. J. McLeod, she loaded coal at Norfolk for Hawaii. A fire was discovered in her hold, and the Hyde put into Valparaiso where the cargo was discharged and partially reloaded. In 1900 she went under San Francisco management. Two years later, en route from Baltimore to San Francisco, she was forced to put into Cape Town in the same condition. After completing her voyage and returning to New York, the Hyde was lost on February 19, 1904, while in tow from New York to load at Baltimore. She was driven ashore about ten miles south of Cape Henry; her crew was saved. She broke in two in October 1904.
Various web sites.
Grenada SG3139

[Anatol]

This is a well detailed and dramatic rendering and may be considered one of the finer examples by Japanese ship portraitist H. Shimidzu. The downeaster Henry B. Hyde is shown in a lively sea under shortened sail. Several crew members are still aloft furling the fore upper topsail. The ship is heeled sharply on starboard tack; revealing details of her deck and house layout. The American ensign is flying from an uncommon hoist position high on her mizzen mast. The Henry B. Hyde is considered to have been the finest American sailing ship of the post clipper era. She was the largest ship built in Maine up to that time and was named for the President of the Equitable Life Insurance Company of New York. Her average time on her first twelve voyages between New York and San Francisco was a brisk 109 days. In 1899 she was sold to the California Shipping Company. She was lost on February 19; 1904 when she broke loose from her tow while enroute from New York to Baltimore to load cargo. She was driven ashore ten miles south of Cape Henry and lay stranded until she broke in two eight months later in Ocotber 1904.
The design stamp is made after painting of H. Shimidzu- Downeaster Henry B. Hyde off Cape Horn.
Tchad 2014;1000f. Uganda2016;10000s.
http://blueworldwebmuseum.org/item.php? ... orn&id=197