Hartlepool History Then & Now

Gitana (1855) - a general history

Official No. 12885: Code Letters LDQW.

Owners: 1855 Ralph Ward Jackson and Robinson Watson, Hartlepool; 1861 West Hartlepool Steam Navigation Co (William Leng & Curtis mgrs) West Hartlepool; 1866 Pile Spence & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool; 1868 West Hartlepool Steam Navigation Co (Christopher M Webster mgr) West Hartlepool.

Masters: 1857 Hans Pieper; 1858-65 J Spence; 1864-65 Bulman; 1866 J Spence; 1870 Bulman; 1875 William Whisson Flaxman (C.N. 88094).

Voyages: Hartlepool for Hamburg; 29 September 1857 bound from Hartlepool for Hamburg she came across the deserted barque Perla & towed her to Bridlington.

Gitana left Hartlepool on 11 December bound for Gothenburg with a cargo of coal and iron, a crew of 19 and two passengers. On 13 December 1875 she struck rocks and was totally wrecked in fog near Anholt Island in the Cattegat. No lives lost. The inquiry found that the vessel stranded through the default of the master in attempting to navigate the Cattegat in thick and foggy weather without using the lead. His certificate was suspended for three months.

Crew December 1875:

Bilton, John, chief engineer

Flaxman, William Whisson, master

Cay, Thomas, 2nd mate

Coulthard, Edward, able seaman

Stephenson, John, chief mate

Todd, William

Watson, John, able seaman