THERMOPYLAE
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 9:44 pm
Built as a composite hulled three masted clipper ship by Messrs Walter Hood & Co., Aberdeen, Scotland for George Thompson & Co., (Aberdeen White Star Line), London.
19 August 1868 launched under the name THERMOPYLAE named after the Greek Battle of Thermopylae, where King Leonidas of Sparta won the battle against the Persian Hordes in about 480 BC.
She was christened by Mrs. Hardy Robinson of Denmore.
Tonnage 991 gross, 948 net, dim. 64.6 x 11 x 6.4m.
Carried a figurehead of King Leonidas.
01 September 1868 delivered.
Her position voyage from Aberdeen to London was made under command of Capt. Edward; he was replaced in London by Capt. Robert Kemball.
08 November 1868 sailed from London for her maiden voyage to Melbourne, she made the passage in 63 days, the fastest passage of that time and not broken by any large sailing vessel till today.
From Melbourne she sailed to China to load tea for the U.K.
Altogether she made 11 round voyages from the U.K to Australia, then to China to load tea for the U.K.
After the tea clippers were forced out of the tea trade, the THERMOPYLAE was used in the wool trade from Australia via Cape Horn to the U.K.
In the tea and wool trade she regular raced against the CUTTY SARK.
1875 Command was taken over by Capt. Charles Matheson.
1882 Command taken over by Capt. J Henderson.
Circa 1889 sold to W. Ross & Co., London, under command of Capt. A. Jenkyns.
1890 Sold to Redford (Mount Royal Milling and Manufacturing Company) at Montreal, Canada for £5.000, and she was put in the rice trade from Rangoon to Vancouver, British Columbia.
1892 Used in the timber trade, and her mast shortened rerigged as a barque, her crew was decreased from 35 to 20 men.
1895 Sold to the Portuguese Navy for use as a training ship, renamed PEDRO NUÑES, named after the 16th century Portuguese mathematician and geographer.
After a survey she was found in a bad condition, and the last 10 years she spends as a coal hulk in Lisbon.
13 October 1907 it was torpedoed and sunk during a naval exercise during a maritime festival in the Bay of Caicas by the torpedo boat No 3.
June 2003 the wreck was found by divers in a depth of around 30 meters, the hull mostly buried beneath the sand.
Australia 1984 30c sg914, scott?
Benin 1996 40f sg1382, scott850
British Indian Ocean Territory 1999 60p sgMS234, scott?, (she is the green vessel on the MS.)
Source: http://www.bruzelius.info/nautica/ships ... 1868).html http://www.red-rooster.co.uk/ships/thermop.htm Ships of the World by Paine.
19 August 1868 launched under the name THERMOPYLAE named after the Greek Battle of Thermopylae, where King Leonidas of Sparta won the battle against the Persian Hordes in about 480 BC.
She was christened by Mrs. Hardy Robinson of Denmore.
Tonnage 991 gross, 948 net, dim. 64.6 x 11 x 6.4m.
Carried a figurehead of King Leonidas.
01 September 1868 delivered.
Her position voyage from Aberdeen to London was made under command of Capt. Edward; he was replaced in London by Capt. Robert Kemball.
08 November 1868 sailed from London for her maiden voyage to Melbourne, she made the passage in 63 days, the fastest passage of that time and not broken by any large sailing vessel till today.
From Melbourne she sailed to China to load tea for the U.K.
Altogether she made 11 round voyages from the U.K to Australia, then to China to load tea for the U.K.
After the tea clippers were forced out of the tea trade, the THERMOPYLAE was used in the wool trade from Australia via Cape Horn to the U.K.
In the tea and wool trade she regular raced against the CUTTY SARK.
1875 Command was taken over by Capt. Charles Matheson.
1882 Command taken over by Capt. J Henderson.
Circa 1889 sold to W. Ross & Co., London, under command of Capt. A. Jenkyns.
1890 Sold to Redford (Mount Royal Milling and Manufacturing Company) at Montreal, Canada for £5.000, and she was put in the rice trade from Rangoon to Vancouver, British Columbia.
1892 Used in the timber trade, and her mast shortened rerigged as a barque, her crew was decreased from 35 to 20 men.
1895 Sold to the Portuguese Navy for use as a training ship, renamed PEDRO NUÑES, named after the 16th century Portuguese mathematician and geographer.
After a survey she was found in a bad condition, and the last 10 years she spends as a coal hulk in Lisbon.
13 October 1907 it was torpedoed and sunk during a naval exercise during a maritime festival in the Bay of Caicas by the torpedo boat No 3.
June 2003 the wreck was found by divers in a depth of around 30 meters, the hull mostly buried beneath the sand.
Australia 1984 30c sg914, scott?
Benin 1996 40f sg1382, scott850
British Indian Ocean Territory 1999 60p sgMS234, scott?, (she is the green vessel on the MS.)
Source: http://www.bruzelius.info/nautica/ships ... 1868).html http://www.red-rooster.co.uk/ships/thermop.htm Ships of the World by Paine.