Challenger(clipper)
 Challenger
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Challenger |
| Owner |
|
| Builder | Richard & Henry Green,Blackwall Yard |
| Launched | 23 December 1852 |
| Fate | Abandoned, 1871 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Clipper |
| Length | 174 ft (53 m) |
| Beam | 32 ft (9.8 m) |
| Draught | 20 ft (6.1 m) |
Challengerwas a woodenclippership built in 1852 by Richard & Henry Green, in theirBlackwall YardforHugh Hamilton Lindsay,London. She was the 291st ship built by the yard and was a remarkable departure from the previous ships produced. In 1850 the American clipper shipOrientalvisited West India Docks, the largest clipper ship to visit London and the Admiralty was given permission to take her lines, and this was done by Messrs Waymouth and Cornish, both Lloyd's Surveyors, in the dry dock at Green's Yard in Blackwell. This is probably the reason that it was said thatChallenger's design was inspired by and had a close resemblance to theOriental's.
FromThe Copartnership Herald,Vol. I, no. 8 (October 1931)
...American ships, which still held the supremacy until soon afterRichard Greenhad declared his decision not to be beaten by them. He had a new tea clipper built at his yard at Blackwall, called the Challenger, of 699 tons, and she was sent off to China, Captained by James Killick in 1852. Having loaded tea at Shanghai, she set out for London, calling in at Anjer, where she met the American ship, Challenge, which was on her way to London with a cargo of tea from Canton. The Challenge was a 2,000 tonner, built expressly for speed and capacity, and was the largest clipper built by the Americans until that time. So it was that a race home was started by these two vessels, the smaller British clipper gaining London two days ahead of her huge rival. Naturally, this set the hearts of all the British owners aglow, and was instrumental in urging on the efforts of our shippers to capture the China trade.
On 8 August 1853Captain James Killickcommenced another race withChallengeragainst the American clipperNightingalefrom Shanghai.Challengerreached Deal on the 26 November, 2 days earlier thanNightingale.
Under Captain James Killick's commandChallengertook an average journey time from Shanghai and Hankow of 115 days. After he relinquished command this extended to an average of 129 days.
Between 14 June and 20 October 1863Challengersailed fromHankowtoLondonin 128 days with a cargo ofteaat £7 10s to £8 per ton.
She measured 174'×32'×20' and tonnage 699 NM, 649,74 GRT & NRT, and 614,07 tons under deck.
She was designed for theChinateatrade.
In 1865Challengerwas purchased byKillick Martin & Companyand operated by them until 1868. Killick Martin & Company was founded by the former Captain of Challenger James Killick.
In 1868 she was sold to William Stewart, London, but sold four days later to John Grice, Thomas Grice & James Septimus Grice, London.
She was sold again in 1871 and transferred to Melbourne, but abandoned shortly afterward at 48°N, 13°W, southwest of the port ofPlymouth, England.
In July 1984 Killick Martin & Company were presented with a painting by artist Hugh Spink ofChallengerby Ben Line Agencies to commemorate their 100th Anniversary of representing them as Liner Agents in London.
During the 1980s until 1999, 42 Adler Street in Aldgate was occupied byChallenger's former owners Killick Martin & Company Ltd and the building was named "Challenger House". The building is still there today, retains the name Challenger House and is leased to Qbic, who operate a 171-room hotel at the site.
Memorial
[edit]
She is commemorated by abas relief,on the side of the statue ofRichard Green.The statue stands outside thePoplar Bathsin London, not far from where she was built.[1]
External links
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Richard Green statue".PMSA Public Monuments & Sculpture Association.Archived fromthe originalon 6 October 2014.Retrieved12 May2018.
- It Is Not Death to Die;Jim Cromarty; OMF books 2001
- The China Bird: The History of Captain Killick, and the Firm He Founded, Killick Martin & Company;David MacGregor; Conway Maritime Press.ISBN978-0-85177-381-0.
- The Tea Clippers 1833-1875;David MacGregor;ISBN0 85177 256 0
- The China Clippers;Basil Lubbock;1914.