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Thornley - a general history

Built Sunderland; Official No. 2812: Code Letters HQRK.

Owners: 1837 (purchased for £2,400) General Shipping Co, Hartlepool; 30 May 1844 (purchased for £1000) Mr Taylor, Shields; 1844 Thomas Sharer (Bishopwearmouth) Hartlepool; November 1848-56 Henry Longstaff & George Hastie (Bishopwearmouth) Sunderland; 1859-70 Barker & John C Fairley & John D Clark, Sunderland.

Masters: 1836-37 Joseph Virrell; 1845 J Dunbar; 1846 G Clarke; 1848 Matthew Craggs; 1848-52 Longstaff; 1853 Edward Burkitt; 1853-56 Humphrey; 1860-67 White; 1867 Crozier; 1870 Potter.

Voyages: On her first voyage in February 1836 she shifted her ballast which brought her down on her broadside. The crew had to cut away her masts & rigging in order to save themdelves from drowning. She was towed through Yarmouth Roads totally dismantled; April 1859 from Sunderland for Hamburg she was abandoned east of Leven between Bass Rock & May Island. Her crew of seven were taken off by the schooner Fantasy. The Board of Trade inquiry concluded that the abandonment was unwarrantable & the master’s certificate was cancelled; 1864 rammed by the Newcastle steamer Admiral in the Thames. She was later raised & taken up the river.

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