STIRLING CASTLE (1) was built in 1863
by Robert Napier & Sons at Glasgow as a three masted ship
with a tonnage of 1168grt, a length of 200ft 7in, and a beam
of 33ft 8in. She was Donald Currie's first 'Castle' and traded
on the Liverpool - India - East Indies route. One of nine sisters
who were referred to as the 'Calcutta Castles', the use of sailing
ships beyond Cape Town was still preferable as the high cost
of coal made cargo steamers uneconomical. In 1865 she was transferred
to the London - Calcutta run until 1875 when she was sold following
a management decision to concentrate on the Cape trade.
WARWICK CASTLE (1) was built in 1863
by Robert Napier & Sons at Glasgow as a three masted ship
with a tonnage of 1171grt, a length of 200ft 7in, and a beam
of 33ft 8in. She entered service in May 1863 on the Liverpool
- Calcutta run but transferred to London in 1865. In 1870 she
was sold to James Chambers' Lancashire Shipping Co. for their
Liverpool - Calcutta and retaining her name. She was renamed
Cimbria in 1890 when she was sold to A/S Cimbria, S. W. Brunn
of Kolding in Denmark. By 1805 she was owned by P. L. V. Schiaffino
of Genoa with the same name and was broken up in Italy during
1911.
ROSLIN CASTLE (1) was built in 1863
by Robert Napier & Sons at Glasgow as a three masted ship
with a tonnage of 1168grt, a length of 200ft 6in, and a beam
of 33ft 8in. She entered service on the Liverpool to Calcutta
run in July 1863 but by 1865 she was sailing out of London.
When the Castle Mail Steam Packet Co. Ltd was incorporated in
1876 the sailing ships remained under the ownership of Donald
Currie. She was sold to Charles Barrie & Co. of Dundee in
1883 for operation within their Dundee & Calcutta Line of
Clippers, renamed London and reduced to a barque rig. On 29th
February 1892 she was wrecked near Key West in Florida during
a voyage from Pensacola to Rio de Janeiro.
PEMBROKE CASTLE (1) was built in 1863
by Robert Napier & Sons at Glasgow as a three masted ship
with a tonnage of 1171grt, a length of 208ft 2in, and a beam
of 33ft 10in. She was delivered to Donald & Currie &
Co. for the Liverpool to Calcutta service and transferred to
the London to Calcutta service in 1865. In 1883 she was sold
to Charles Barrie & Co. of Dundee, renamed Glasgow and reduced
to a barque rig. On 25th December 1893 she was dismasted and
abandoned of the Scilly Isles during a voyage from Carrizal
in Chile to Middlesbrough.
ARUNDEL CASTLE (1) was built in 1864
by Robert Steel & Co. at Greenock as a three masted ship
with a tonnage of 1042grt, a length of 203ft, and a beam of
33ft 7in. Similar to the Stirling Castle she was delivered in
September 1864 and transferred to London with the fleet in 1865.
She was sold to Charles Barrie's Dundee & Calcutta Line
of Clippers in 1883, renamed Chittagong and reduced to a barque
rig. In 1896 she was sold to J. A. Henshien of Lillesand and
renamed Imperator. She was acquired by Mitchell & Cotts
and Co. for use as a cola hulk at Durban after suffering storm
damage in May 1901. Mitchell & Cotts were merchants, not
shipowners, and the hulk was later moved to Cape Town for use
by their British & African Shipping & Coal Co. In 1918
she was re-rigged as a barque for seagoing duties and because
of her German name reverted to Chittagong. She was sold to C.
E. Zalacosta of Piraeus in 1920, renamed Annitsa Zalacosta and
finally broken up in Italy two years later.
KENILWORTH CASTLE (1) was built in 1864
by Robert Steel & Co. at Greenock as a three masted ship
with a tonnage of 1062grt, a length of 203ft, and a beam of
33ft 7in. Completed in 1864 she commenced her maiden voyage
from Liverpool before moving round to London. She was wrecked
in 1871.
TANTALLON CASTLE (1) was built in 1865
by Robert Steel & Co. at Greenock as a three masted ship
with a tonnage of 1057grt, a length of 203ft 2in, and a beam
of 33ft 10in. She was delivered in March 1865 with registry
in Liverpool but loading in London. In 1868 she broke the London
- Calcutta record with a passage time of 80 days out and 78
days home. She carried the first group of Scottish farm workers
to Cape Town in January 1877. In 1883 she was sold to Charles
Barrie, renamed Dacca and reduced to a barque rig. She was purchased
by K. Bruusgaard of Drammen in Norway in 1898, renamed Macca
and was eventually broken up in 1912.
CARNARVON CASTLE (1) was built in 1867
by Barclay, Currie & Co. at Glasgow as a three masted ship
with a tonnage of 1200grt, a length of 229ft, and a beam of
36ft 2in. Similar to the Stirling Castle she was the first Currie
ship to be registered in London as opposed to Liverpool. She
was sold to Sinclair & Ellwood in 1889 and they operated
her as 'Sailing Ship Carnarvon Castle Co.' In 1897 she was sold
to Flugge, Johannsen & Libinus of Hamlburg who renamed her
Nurnburg. By 1906 she was under the ownership of Sven, O Stray
of Christiansand with the same name and was finally abandoned
at sea in January 1910.
CARISBROOKE CASTLE was built in 1868
by Barclay, Currie & Co. at Glasgow as a three masted ship
with a tonnage of 1490grt, a length of 230ft 4in, and a beam
of 37ft 8in. Delivered in September 1868 for the London to Calcutta
run she became the fifth Currie ship to be sold to Charles Barrie
of Dundee in 1889 and was renamed Errol. When she was sold with
the Cluny Castle sail ownership came to an end. In 1900 she
was acquired by A. P. Ulriksen of Mandal, retaining her name
which she kept when she was sold again to Walker, Howard &
Co. of London in 1904. On 18th June 1909 she was wrecked on
Middleton Reef in the South Pacific.
DOVER CASTLE (1) was built in 1872 by
Barclay, Curle & Co. at Glasgow with a tonnage of 2341grt,
a length of 327ft 10in, a beam of 36ft 4in and a service speed
of 10 knots. Delivered in January 1872 she was Donald Currie's
first steamship and the first of two pairs of sisters built
in parallel at Glasgow. Although intended for the London - Cape
Town - Calcutta service she was, on completion, chartered to
the Pacific Steam Navigation Co. and undertook her maiden voyage
from Liverpool to Callao in Peru via Cape Horn. A call at Cape
Town was scheduled but a sufficient number of PSNC passengers
made the visit unecessary. On the return voyage from Callao
to Liverpool in the following July she caught fire near Coquimbo
in Chile and was scuttled. Consequently she never saw service
with the castle Line.
WALMER CASTLE (1) was built in 1872
by Barclay, Curle & Co. at Glasgow with a tonnage of 2446grt,
a length of 327ft 10in, a beam of 36ft 4in and a service speed
of 10 knots. Completed in April 1872 she was actually the second
steamship to enter service after the Edinburgh Castle and was
deployed on the London - Calcutta - China service returning
with tea. She was transferred to Donald Currie's Castle Mail
Steam Packets Co. Ltd in 1876 and in 1879 was placed on the
Intermediate service after a spell as an 'extra steamer' on
the mail run. In 1880 she was sold to the Marques de Campo of
Cadiz and renamed Valencia. As he held the mail contract between
Cadiz and Manila in the Philippines she was placed on that service
and was operated by his Compania General de Tabacos de Filipinas.
She was taken over with the other three 'Tabacos' steamers in
1884 when the mail contract was acquired by Cia Trasatlantica
Espanoles, retaining her name and operating the same service.
She finally ended her career in 1889 when she was sunk following
a collision in the North Sea.
EDINBURGH
CASTLE (1) was built in 1872 by Robert Napier & Sons at
Glasgow with a tonnage of 2678grt, a length of 335ft 4in, a
beam of 37ft 2in and a service speed of 10 knots. With the Windsor
Castle (1) she was the first of the second pair of sisters based
on the design of the Dover Castle (1). After a maiden voyage
to Calcutta she she became a mail steamer on the 'Colonial Mail
Service' to the Cape. In 1876 she came under the ownership of
Castle Mail Packets Co. but in 1880 was sold to the Marques
de Campo and renamed Espana. She was sold again in 1884 to Cia.Trasatlantica
for their Cadiz - Manila service and as she retained her name
it meant that the company were operating two ships with the
same name. In 1891 she transferred to the South American service
until 1898 when she was sold to Armement Bonneroy of Marseilles.
Renamed Espagne she was their one and only ship and only survived
until 1899 when she was broken up at Marseilles.
(Photo: Nautical Photo Agency)
WINDSOR CASTLE (1) was built in 1872
by Robert Napier & Sons at Glasgow with a tonnage of 2678grt,
a length of 335ft 4in, a beam of 37ft 2in and a service speed
of 10 knots. Sister of the Edinburgh Castle she began service
as a mail steamer on the Indian run; her maiden voyage being
from Southampton to Calcutta which was completed in a record
time. In May 1873 she broke the record for the run from Dartmouth
to cape Town when the voyage was completed in 23 days. On 19th
October 1876 she was wrecked on Dassen Island at the entrance
to Cape Town bay without any loss of life. The ship broke up
in the heavy swell within a week and the Stettin was transferred
from the North Sea service to replace her.
ELIZABETH MARTIN was built in 1872 by
Robert Napier & Co. at Glasgow with a tonnage of 1246grt,
a length of 250ft 7in, a beam of 30ft 2in and a service speed
of 9 knots. She was registered as being owned by A. Currie &
Co.and named after Donald Currie's mother. Referred to as the
'Betty Martin' she was deployed initially on the UK - Continent
service. In 1877 she was transferred to the South African coastal
service to replace the Gothland and in 1879 inaugurated the
Cape Town to Mauritius service. She was sold to Panhellenic
Steamship Co. of Piraeus in 1882 and renamed Athens. By 1891
her owners had changed their style to Nav. a Vapeur Panhellenic
and she was renamed Samos. She became a war loss during 1915.
GOTHLAND
was built in 1871 by J & G Thompson at Glasgow with a tonnage
of 1482grt, a length of 251ft 7in, a beam of 32ft 10in and a
service speed of 9 knots. She was built for Donald Currie's
Leith, Hull & Hamburg Steam Packet Co. and was chartered
by George Payne's Cape & Natal S.N. Co.'s to carry private
mails from London to the Cape. When the Cape & Natal Line
was wound up in February 1872 she continued to carry Donald
Currie's private mails until replaced by the Walmer Castle (1)
or one of her sisters. In 1876 she was transferred to the Liverpool
Hamburg Line with the same name. She was purchased by the Admiralty
in 1915 for use as a blockade ship but never used as such and
in 1919 was sold to Claude Langton of London still retaining
her original name. In 1922 she became the Trude Bremer under
the ownership of Dampfsch, Reederie Friedrich Bremer of Rostock
and was broken up in Germany during 1924. (Photo: Nautical Photo
Agency)
EDINBURGH
CASTLE (1) was built in 1872 by Robert Napier & Sons at
Glasgow with a tonnage of 2678grt, a length of 335ft 4in, a
beam of 37ft 2in and a service speed of 10 knots. With the Windsor
Castle (1) she was the first of the second pair of sisters based
on the design of the Dover Castle (1). After a maiden voyage
to Calcutta she she became a mail steamer on the 'Colonial Mail
Service' to the Cape. In 1876 she came under the ownership of
Castle Mail Packets Co. but in 1880 was sold to the Marques
de Campo and renamed Espana. She was sold again in 1884 to Cia.Trasatlantica
for their Cadiz - Manila service and as she retained her name
it meant that the company were operating two ships with the
same name. In 1891 she transferred to the South American service
until 1898 when she was sold to Armement Bonneroy of Marseilles.
Renamed Espagne she was their one and only ship and only survived
until 1899 when she was broken up at Marseilles.
GOTHLAND
was built in 1871 by J & G Thompson at Glasgow with a tonnage
of 1482grt, a length of 251ft 7in, a beam of 32ft 10in and a
service speed of 9 knots. She was built for Donald Currie's
Leith, Hull & Hamburg Steam Packet Co. and was chartered
by George Payne's Cape & Natal S.N. Co.'s to carry private
mails from London to the Cape. When the Cape & Natal Line
was wound up in February 1872 she continued to carry Donald
Currie's private mails until replaced by the Walmer Castle (1)
or one of her sisters. In 1876 she was transferred to the Liverpool
Hamburg Line with the same name. She was purchased by the Admiralty
in 1915 for use as a blockade ship but never used as such and
in 1919 was sold to Claude Langton of London still retaining
her original name. In 1922 she became the Trude Bremer under
the ownership of Dampfsch, Reederie Friedrich Bremer of Rostock
and was broken up in Germany during 1924. (Photo: Nautical Photo
Agency) 
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