Lothair (clipper)

Model of Lothair in the Hong Kong Museum of History
History
United Kingdom
Name:	Lothair
Owner:	William Waker
Builder:	William Waker, Lavender Dock, Rotherhithe
Launched:	July 2, 1870
Owner:	Killick, Martin & Co., London, 1873; William Bowen, Llanelly, Carmarthenshire, 1885
Italy
Owner:	G. Buccelli & D. Loero, Genoa, Italy
Acquired:	1891
Peru
Owner:	F.G. Piaggio, Callao, Peru
Acquired:	1905
Fate:	Lost in 1910
General characteristics
Class and type:	Composite clipper
Tons burthen:	823.95 GRT 793.58 NRT[1]
Length:	191.8 ft (58.5 m)[1]
Beam:	33.5 ft (10.2 m)[1]
Depth:	19 ft (5.8 m)[1]
Sail plan:	fully rigged ship[1]

Lothair was a composite clipper ship of roughly 794 tons, built in 1869 by William Waker at Rotherhithe. MacGregor suggests that she was the last composite ship to be built on the Thames. Her initial ownership was 56 shares held by her builder, William Walker, with the remaining 8 shares taken by her master, Emlyn Peacock. Though Walker owned shares in other clippers, this is the first example of him doing so for a ship that he had built. Therefore, there is speculation that Lothair might have been a speculative build with no buyer - or that the contracting purchaser defaulted on a payment. The market for new sailing ships was depressed at the time of her launch.^[1]

In 1873, she was purchased by Killick, Martin & Co. and sailed in the tea trade to ports such as London, New York City, Yokohama and Hong Kong.^[1]

In 1885, she was sold to William Bowen, Llanelly, Carmarthenshire, for use in the South American trade - though she also sailed to China again under this ownership. In 1891 she was sold to G. Buccelli & D. Loero, Genoa, and finally, in 1905 to F.G. Piaggio, Callao. Lothair was lost in 1910.^[1]

References

1. MacGregor, David R. (1983). The Tea Clippers, Their History and Development 1833-1875. Conway Maritime Press Limited. pp. 213–216. ISBN 0 85177 256 0.