Wooden paddle steamer Victoria built Connell, Belfast 1837, 205 tons(bm), 370
tons(reg), 155 x 22ft, registered Belfast.
Engines 220hp by Coates & Young, Lagan Foundry, Belfast
First Owner: County Down and Liverpool Steam-boat Co.
Owned from 1839 by Coates & Young and sailing between
Belfast and Fleetwood.
Voyage Fleetwood to Belfast, aground 9th February 1842 in fog near Maughold Head (Isle of Man)
Refloated, leaking, so beached at Port Mooar, nearby [54°17.33N, 4°19.34W]
Captain George McKibbin, crew and passengers all got ashore safely
Some cargo (linen, cotton, woollen goods) saved, vessel broke up in strengthening wind.
Victoria was ordered by the County Down Steam-boat Co. which pioneered steam communication from Downpatrick (Quoile Quay, off Strangford Lough), Killyleagh and Ardglass to Liverpool 1837-9. This proved not to be a financial success and she was moved to the Newry[Warrenpoint] - Liverpool route. She was taken to Belfast in August 1840 for substantial repairs. Thereafter, from February 1841, she traded mainly between Belfast and Fleetwood. The railway had reached Fleetwood in 1840, so this made it a promising ferry port.
From Belfast Commercial Chronicle - Wednesday 27 September 1837
IMPROVED STEAM-BOAT INTERCOURSE BETWEEN LIVERPOOL and the NORTH of IRELAND
THE COUNTY OF DOWN and LIVERPOOL STEAM-BOAT COMPANY'S New and Powerful
Steam-Packet,
VICTORIA, (370 Tons Register, 220 Horse Power,)
WILLIAM ABERDEEN. Commander,
Will make her first trip to LIVERPOOL, from QUOIL QUAY,
DOWNPATRICK, with Goods and Passengers, on Saturday Morning, 30th
Sept, inst. at Twelve o'clock, calling at KILLILEAGH and PORTAFERRY,
leaving the latter at Five o'clock P.M. She will leave Liverpool on
MONDAY Evening, for ARDGLASS & KILLOUGH, whence she will again Sail
for LIVERPOOL, on Tuesday Evening at Five o'clock; and back to LOUGH
STRANGFORD on THURSDAY; and will continue to ply till further notice -
leaving QUOIL RIVER, and intermediate Ports, every SATURDAY and
ARDGLASS, etc. on TUESDAYS.
[from Preston Chronicle - Saturday 20 November 1841]:
CHEAP AND EXPEDITIOUS STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH BELFAST AND
ULVERSTON. The Powerful STEAM SHIP, VICTORIA, Capt.
McKibbin will ply regularly, during the Winter Months,
from FLEETWOOD to BELFAST and back, once each week, leaving
Fleetwood every TUESDAY Evening, ... and returning from Belfast every Friday.
From Northern Whig - Tuesday 15 February 1842
Wreck of the Steamer Victoria, of Belfast. It is with much regret we have
announce the loss of this fine and powerful steam-vessel - one of the swiftest and
most elegantly finished steamers belonging our port. She has lately been plying
on the station between Fleetwood-on-Wyre and Belfast, and made some of
the quickest passages across the Channel which are on record. She left
Fleetwood on Tuesday night last, with passengers and a general cargo.
The wind was not blowing very strong, but the weather was unusually
hazy, rendering it impossible for those on board the Victoria to
distinguish lights, even at very short distance. The steamer had sailed
with slackened speed, and the strictest caution was used by Captain
M'Kibbin, and the officers and crew; but, the fog still continuing to
thicken, they reached the Northern shore of the Isle of Man before
they were aware of their nearness to it; the first intimation being
the shock occasioned by the steamer's striking on a ledge of rocks, near Margold [Maughold]
Head, off Ramsey Bay. This occurred about three clock on Wednesday
morning. The engines, we are informed, were immediately reversed; and,
the vessel was soon backed off; but, it being found, that she made
so much water that her pumps could not keep her free, the hope of carrying her
into Ramsay was reluctantly abandoned, and she was run ashore, to preserve the
lives of the crew and passengers, who, it is gratifying to state, were
all landed, without accident. A strong breeze set in, on Wednesday;
and is to feared, from the point from which it blew, and from the
weather since having been stormy, that the steamer has broken up; in
which case, little, if any, of the cargo or materials would saved.
The Victoria was a vessel of exclusively Irish manufacture. She was
built by Messrs. Connell & Sons; her engines, boilers etc., were made
by the late owners. Messrs. Coates & Young, of the Lagan Foundry; and
her fittings up, decorations, etc., were the work of Belfast mechanics
and artists. She registered 204 tons, builders' measurement, and her
engines were upwards 200 horses' power. She had only been plying for
few years, and lately underwent a most complete repair, in hull and
machinery. She was constructed at the instance of the County of Down
Steam-boat Company, with a view to open up a steam communication
between Strangford, Killileagh, Ardglass, and other County of Down
ports, and Liverpool. After plying on that station, for a time, the
speculation had a different issue from that anticipated; and the
Victoria was placed on the station between Warrenpoint and Liverpool.
She was ably commanded, from the first - Captain Aberdeen, who
originally sailed her, and who had superintended her building, having
been a first-rate seaman; and Captain M'Kibbin, who succeeded him, after
the unfortunate accident which caused his death, being a gentleman of
extensive nautical knowledge and experience. We are glad to learn,
that the Victoria was fully insured.
Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser - Tuesday 15 February 1842
STEAMER ASHORE. We regret to have to record in our "chapter of
accidents," the disastrous intelligence of the Victoria steamer,
M'Kibbin, commander, which runs between Fleetwood and Belfast, while
on her passage to the latter port, unfortunately got on the rocks
north of the island, at a place called Port Woar[Mooar], situate
between Manghold[Maughold] Head and Cornah[Cornaa], about three
o'clock on Wednesday morning, owing to the dense fog which prevailed.
The passengers and crew easily effected a safe landing, but most of
the cargo, which consisted chiefly of bale goods, and valued
£15,000, we are afraid, will be irrecoverably lost. We are sorry
to say the vessel still lies on the rocks with her keel and bottom
out, and at the time we write, slender hopes are entertained of saving
her from going to pieces, owing to the tempestuous southerly wind. The
wrecked steamer belongs to a company at Belfast; was considered a
fast-sailer, and was in excellent condition, £12,000 having been
expended upon her only last year in repairs. The passengers and crew,
excepting the captain and mate, left for Liverpool, by the Queen of
the Isle on Wednesday night. Since writing the above, we have heard
that the Victoria has gone to pieces, but not before a considerable
portion of the cargo was saved. Upwards of thirty persons have been
employed since the accident, in landing goods at ebb tide, and in
breaking up the vessel, and securing every portion that could possibly
be saved. - Manx Liberal
From Northern Whig - Saturday 19 March 1842: a court case on the Isle of Man against a man and his wife alleged to have removed items from the wreck. They were fined £10.
At a sale on the wreck site on 3rd March 1842, her engines and boilers were sold, together with other materials from the wreck.
From Belfast Commercial Chronicle - Wednesday 08 June 1842
To be SOLD by AUCTION, at the MART, 7 CASTLE-PLACE, THURSDAY
next, 9th June, at ONE o'clock,
A QUANTITY of LINEN, COTTON, WOOLLEN, and
other Goods, wrecked at the Isle of Man, by the steamer Victoria, on
her voyage from Fleetwood to this Port. Terms, Cash - Purchasers to pay the
Duty. GEO. C. HYNDMAN, Auctioneer. Belfast, 7th June, 1842.