Chusan: Crinan Rock, Ardrossan, Firth Of Clyde
Steamship (19th Century)
Site Name Chusan: Crinan Rock, Ardrossan, Firth Of Clyde
Classification Steamship (19th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Crinan Rocks; Ardrossan Harbour Entrance, Detached Breakwater; Outer Clyde Estuary; Chusan
Canmore ID 112114
Site Number NS24SW 8011
NGR NS 2216 4234
NGR Description NS c. 2216 4234
Datum Datum not recorded
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/112114
- Council North Ayrshire
- Parish Maritime - North Ayrshire
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NS24SW 8011 c. 2216 4234
N55 38.52 W4 49.57
NLO: Ardrossan [name: NS 235 425]
Crinan Rock [name: NS 2216 4234].
Formerly entered as NS24SW 49 at cited location NS 2217 4230 [N55 38.5 W4 49.5], and at cited location NS c. 222 422
[N55 38.4 W4 49.5].
21 October 1874, CHUSAN, 1 month old, of Glasgow, SS, 957 tons, 49 crew, Master G. C. Johnson, Owners Shanghae Steam Navigation Company, departed Waterford for Glasgow, carrying coal & 4 passengers, foundered, total loss, 9 crew lives lost, wind NW9, entrance to Ardrossan Harbour.
Source: PP Abstracts Returns of Wrecks and Casualties on Coasts of the UK 1874 - 75 (1875 [C.1341] LXX.501).
21 October 1874, CHUSAN, iron, Official No.71,670. From her peculiar model and dimensions, the vessel was not considered safe and seaworthy for a passage to China at the season of the year she sailed. Her loss attiributed to an error of judgement on the part of the Master, who perished in the wreck. Inquiry held at Ardrossan.
Table 46: Statement of Official Inquiries in the United Kingdom into the causes of Wrecks, Casualties, and Collisions, ordered by the Board of Trade during the Year 1874-5.
Source: PP Abstracts Returns of Wrecks and Casualties on Coasts of the UK 1874 - 75 (1875 [C.1341] LXX.501).
21 October 1874, John Templeton, ship carpenter, Gavin Keen, ship carpenter, Archibald Boyd, ship carpenter, Patrick Mackay, pig iron labourer, all of Ardrossan, awarded £3 each out of the Mercantile Marine Fund, for having put out in a small boat at considerable risk, to aid some of the crew of the SS CHUSAN, of Glasgow, who were struggling in the water when that vessel was wrecked at Ardrossan. They afterwards pulled to the wreck, and made several gallant but ineffectual attempts to rescue a man who was in a dangerous position at the taffrail, and did not desist in their efforts until their boat was half full of water and nearly swamped.
Table 57. List of persons, subjects of Great Britain and its Dependencies, to whom rewards have been granted by the British Government, during the Year 1874-5, for Gallant Services in Saving Life from Shipwreck.
Source: PP Abstracts Returns of Wrecks and Casualties on Coasts of the UK 1874 - 75 (1875 [C.1341] LXX.501).
Ardrossan, 21st Oct., 8.35 a.m., the CHUSAN (s) has been totally lost here: master (Johnson) and many of crew drowned: lifeboat now doing service.
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 18,877, London, Thursday October 22 1874.
Ardrossan, 21st Oct., 12.35 p.m., [another telegram], the CHUSAN (s), of Glasgow, from Glasgow to Shanghai, in coming into harbour, at 5 this morning, whilst putting back from Waterford to Glasgow, struck on Crinan rock, and parted amidships: the forward part floated into harbour, and the after part sunk outside the pier: part of crew saved.
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 18,877, London, Thursday October 22 1874.
Ardrossan, 21st Oct., 8 p.m., the CHUSAN (s), sunk in four fathoms at high water between both piers, at the entrance to the harbour: fore part from after bulkhead, forehold inside harbour safe: harbour authorities must have her removed.
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 18,878, London, Friday October 23 1874.
NMRS, MS/829/69 (no. 2548).
(Classified as iron paddle steamship: no cargo specified but date of loss cited as 21 October 1874). Chusan: this vessel stranded [on] Crinan Rock and broke in two. Capt. Johnstone. All gone by 5 May 1875: sold in August.
Registration: glasgow. Built 1874. 1381grt. Length: 90m. Beam: 15m.
(Location of loss cited as N55 38.53 W4 49.57).
I G Whittaker 1998.
The location assigned to this record is essentially arbitrary.Crinan Rock or Rocks are not noted as such on the 1998 edition of the OS 1:50,000 map.
Ardrossan Harbour (NS24SW 36.00) is centred around NS 22585 422219.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 6 April 2004.
[Re-entered at cited location NS c. 2216 4234]. The location assigned to this record is essentially tentative. Per contra the above, Crinan Rock forms the S end of the Detached Breakwater (NS24SW 36.04) which extends from NS 22150 42738 to NS 22105 42651 to NS 22164 42348, and protects the entrance to Ardrossan Harbour (NS24SW 36.00).
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 19 March 2010.
Loss (21 October 1874)
21 October 1874, CHUSAN, 1 month old, of Glasgow, SS, 957 tons, 49 crew, Master G. C. Johnson, Owners Shanghae Steam Navigation Company, departed Waterford for Glasgow, carrying coal & 4 passengers, foundered, total loss, 9 crew lives lost, wind NW9, entrance to Ardrossan Harbour.
Source: PP Abstracts Returns of Wrecks and Casualties on Coasts of the UK 1874 - 75 (1875 [C.1341] LXX.501).
21 October 1874, CHUSAN, iron, Official No.71,670. From her peculiar model and dimensions, the vessel was not considered safe and seaworthy for a passage to China at the season of the year she sailed. Her loss attiributed to an error of judgement on the part of the Master, who perished in the wreck. Inquiry held at Ardrossan.
Table 46: Statement of Official Inquiries in the United Kingdom into the causes of Wrecks, Casualties, and Collisions, ordered by the Board of Trade during the Year 1874-5.
Source: PP Abstracts Returns of Wrecks and Casualties on Coasts of the UK 1874 - 75 (1875 [C.1341] LXX.501).
21 October 1874, John Templeton, ship carpenter, Gavin Keen, ship carpenter, Archibald Boyd, ship carpenter, Patrick Mackay, pig iron labourer, all of Ardrossan, awarded £3 each out of the Mercantile Marine Fund, for having put out in a small boat at considerable risk, to aid some of the crew of the SS CHUSAN, of Glasgow, who were struggling in the water when that vessel was wrecked at Ardrossan. They afterwards pulled to the wreck, and made several gallant but ineffectual attempts to rescue a man who was in a dangerous position at the taffrail, and did not desist in their efforts until their boat was half full of water and nearly swamped.
Table 57. List of persons, subjects of Great Britain and its Dependencies, to whom rewards have been granted by the British Government, during the Year 1874-5, for Gallant Services in Saving Life from Shipwreck.
Source: PP Abstracts Returns of Wrecks and Casualties on Coasts of the UK 1874 - 75 (1875 [C.1341] LXX.501).
Ardrossan, 21st Oct., 8.35 a.m., the CHUSAN (s) has been totally lost here: master (Johnson) and many of crew drowned: lifeboat now doing service.
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 18,877, London, Thursday October 22 1874.
Ardrossan, 21st Oct., 12.35 p.m., [another telegram], the CHUSAN (s), of Glasgow, from Glasgow to Shanghai, in coming into harbour, at 5 this morning, whilst putting back from Waterford to Glasgow, struck on Crinan rock, and parted amidships: the forward part floated into harbour, and the after part sunk outside the pier: part of crew saved.
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 18,877, London, Thursday October 22 1874.
Ardrossan, 21st Oct., 8 p.m., the CHUSAN (s), sunk in four fathoms at high water between both piers, at the entrance to the harbour: fore part from after bulkhead, forehold inside harbour safe: harbour authorities must have her removed.
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 18,878, London, Friday October 23 1874.
NMRS, MS/829/69 (no. 2548).
(Classified as iron paddle steamship: no cargo specified but date of loss cited as 21 October 1874). Chusan: this vessel stranded [on] Crinan Rock and broke in two. Capt. Johnstone. All gone by 5 May 1875: sold in August.
Registration: Glasgow. Built 1874. 1381grt. Length: 90m. Beam: 15m.
(Location of loss cited as N55 38.53 W4 49.57).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Note (6 April 2004)
The location assigned to this record is essentially arbitrary.Crinan Rock or Rocks are not noted as such on the 1998 edition of the OS 1:50,000 map.
Ardrossan Harbour (NS24SW 36.00) is centred around NS 22585 422219.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 6 April 2004.
Note (19 March 2010)
[Re-entered at cited location NS c. 2216 4234]. The location assigned to this record is essentially tentative. Per contra the above, Crinan Rock forms the S end of the Detached Breakwater (NS24SW 36.04) which extends from NS 22150 42738 to NS 22105 42651 to NS 22164 42348, and protects the entrance to Ardrossan Harbour (NS24SW 36.00).
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 19 March 2010.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 495
Name : CHUSAN
Latitude : 553832
Longitude : 44934
Date Built : 1874
Registration : GLASGOW
Type : SS (IRON)(PADD)
Tonnage : 1381
Tonnage Code : G
Length : 90
Beam : 15
Draught : 3m
Loss Day : 21
Loss Month : 10
Loss Year : 1874
Comment : Stranded Crinan Rock and broke in two. Capt. Johnstone. AG 5/5/1875. Sold Aug.
