Twilight - a general history

Launched 25 July 1861 as Twilight; completed August 1861; Official No. 44001; Code Letters TRHJ.

Owners: Park Bros, London: 1868 Lennox, Nephews & Co, London: 1873 Park Bros, London: January 1895 (purchased for £1,200) Shaw Saville, London: 1899 Tees Tug & Lighter Co Ltd (E Derwent) Middlesbrough.

Masters: 1863-65 John Fauhurst Chester (C.N. 8991 Liverpool 1853); 1866-67 James Stott (C.N. 2841 Newcastle-on-Tyne 1850); 1871-72 R Niel: October 1872-1880 William H Kelly; 1880-85 George Perriam: 1886 Herd; 1887-88 M Sinclair; 1888 George Perriam; 1889-90 M Sinclair; 1890-94 Gasson; 1895-96 W Summers; 1896-97 AW Wightman; 1897-99 Birkdale; 1899-1900 E Richards.

Miscellaneous: 12 August 1875 left East India Dock, anchored at Gravesend & took on 100 kegs of powder sailing the following day for New Zealand. She crossed the Equator on 11 September & on 23 October met with heavy gales which blew the fore-top sail from her ropes & causing her to take in a quantity of water over her stern. On 26 October she shipped a heavy sea on her port beam washing away the pig-sty, starting the long boat & knocking in the top gallant rail. Riding out the gale she arrived at her destination having completed the journey in 45 days; 1880 from Auckland for Gisborne, New Zealand to load wool for London on 26 October 1880 a strong gale sprang up & she was dragging her anchors. The master ran her at Poverty Bay to prevent going on the rocks. In 1881 she refloated without assistance; bound for Nelson in 1885 while lying at anchor off East End she was run into by a large vessel & had to return to London for repair to serious damage; bound for Timaru on 22 September 1885 she encountered heavy weather when rounding the Cape & was hove-to for about 20 hours. A huge sea washed over the vessel injuring the helmsman & doing minor damage.

Voyages: 3 January 1870 from Gravesend for Yokohama; sailing under the Shaw Savill Flag from 1873 to 1896 she made 20 voyages to New Zealand carrying immigrants as well as cargo stopping at Wellington, Bluff, Timaru, Napier, Nelson, Dunedin & Lyttleton; 16 May 1884 arrived at Gravesend from Hawes Bay; 27 October 1884 arrived at Canterbury, New Zealand; 24 December 1885 arrived at Wellington, New Zealand from London; 17 September 1890 arrived at Falmouth from Hawkes Bay; 1893 she was towed to Cherbourg to repair her damaged windlass; 23 August 1900 sailed from Sunderland.

The British register for Loch-Na-Gar closed in 1901.

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