John Williams (ship)

John Williams was a missionary ship under the command of Captain Robert Clark Morgan (1798–1864) and owned by the London Missionary Society (LMS). She was named after John Williams (1796–1839), a missionary who had been active in the South Pacific.[1]

For other ships with the same name, see List of ships named John Williams.

John Williams in 1845
History
Name: John Williams
Namesake: The missionary John Williams
Owner: London Missionary Society
Operator: London Missionary Society
Cost: 6200 pounds
Launched: Harwich, 20 March 1844
Fate: Wrecked in May 1864, Pukapuka, Cook Islands
Notes: 10 state rooms
General characteristics
Tonnage: 296 tons
Length: 103 ft (31 m)
Beam: 24 ft 8 in (7.52 m)
Depth of hold: 16 ft (4.9 m)
Propulsion: Sails
Crew: 27

Se was paid for by the contribution of English school children.[2]

She sank in 50 fathoms after drifting onto a reef at Danger Island (Pukapuka) on 16 May 1864. The passengers and crew were rescued.[3]

Six more John Williams ships successively operated in the Pacific as part of the LMS's missionary work, the last, John Williams VII, being built in 1962 and decommissioned in 1968.[4]

General specifications

John Williams was launched at Harwich on 20 March 1844. She was of 296 tons and had a length of 103 feet (31 meters) and beam of 24 feet 8 inches (7.52 meters). The depth of her hold was 16 feet (4.9 meters). She had 10 state rooms. A medal was issued commemorating her first three-year voyage and an example of this is held at the Royal Museum of Greenwich.[5]

References
  1. "TOTAL WRECK OF THE JOHN WILLIAMS, MISSIONARY BARQUE". Queanbeyan Age and General Advertiser (NSW : 1860 - 1867). NSW: National Library of Australia. 11 August 1864. p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  2. "Missionary Ships". shippingwondersoftheworld. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  3. "TOTAL WRECK OF THE JOHN WILLIAMS, MISSIONARY BARQUE". Queanbeyan Age and General Advertiser (NSW : 1860 - 1867). NSW: National Library of Australia. 11 August 1864. p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  4. Powerhouse Museum. "H4686 Ship model, SS "John Williams IV", London Missionary Society steamer". Powerhouse Museum, Australia. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  5. "Commemorative medal depicting the 'John Williams' Missionary ship". National Maritime Museum at Greenwich.

Further reading
  • Prout, Ebenezer (1865). Missionary ships connected with the London missionary society
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