Lady Kinnaird (1877)
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Lady Kinnaird |
| Operator: | W.B. Ritchie |
| Builder: | Brown & Simpson |
| Yard number: | 34 |
| Homeport: | Dundee |
| Status: | historic shipwreck |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Barque |
| Tons burthen: | 680 |
| Length: | 190 ft 0 in (57.91 m) |
| Beam: | 30 ft 4 in (9.25 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 17 ft 8 in (5.38 m) |
Lady Kinnaird was a three masted barque which was built in 1877 at Dundee, Scotland by Brown & Simpson for W.B. Ritchie. She operated between the United Kingdom and the Australian colonies. She was lost after running aground in Spencer Gulf south of Cape Burr on the east coast of Eyre Peninsula in South Australia early on 21 January 1880. Her main anchor was recovered from her wreck site in 1979 and was placed on display in the nearby town of Port Neill in January 1880 as part of the commemoration of the centenary of her loss.
Lady Kinnaird was built at Dundee in 1877 by Brown & Simpson for W.B. Ritchie. She was of iron construction and had three masts. She was reported as having at least one sister ship - Lord Kinnaird.
Lady Kinnaird had a career sailing between ports in the United Kingdom and ports in the Australian colonies which was shortened by her loss after running aground on 21 January 1880. On all of her voyages, the master was Alexander Laws.
Lady Kinnaird, under the command of Laws, left Port Pirie at 4.00 am on 19 January 1880 bound for the United Kingdom with a cargo about 8400 bags of wheat, being shipped on behalf of John Darling and Son. During the afternoon of 20 January, the wind direction changed to the south along with an increase in speed. At 8.00 pm, the wind conditions were described as ‘furious squalls’. The barque continued its course into the southerly wind. At about midnight, when about to do a planned change of course to the east or the southeast, it was discovered that the barque was close to the west coast of Spencer Gulf. As the barque did not respond to a change of course, the main anchor was released but its cable failed and before a second anchor could be released, the barque ran aground. At sunrise, the crew realised that the barque had run aground south of Cape Burr about 0.75 miles (1.21 kilometres) from the shore. The crew exited the wrecked vessel without loss of life and made way in lifeboats to the nearby shore where a camp was set up.
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