History | |
---|---|
Name | Governor Parr |
Owner | A.F. Davidson (1918-1920), V.C. Henschell (after 1921) |
Operator | Captain A.D. Richards |
Route | Buenos Ayres, Argentina via Ingramport, Nova Scotia |
Builder | W.R. Huntley & Sons |
Launched | November 30, 1918 |
Identification | 141163 |
Fate | Ghost ship (ultimate fate unknown) |
General characteristics | |
Type | Schooner |
Masts | 4 |
Signal letters | T N W D |
Tonnage | 912 |
Length | 200 ft (61 m) |
Depth | 18.6 ft (5.7 m) |
Governor Parr was a four-masted schooner built in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia in 1918. Built by W.R. Huntley & Sons for Archie Davidson and Captain Angus D. Richards, she is claimed to be the "most handsome schooner built in Atlantic Canada" [1] and was also the last schooner built in Parrsboro. [2] She was named after early Governor of Nova Scotia John Parr. [1]
Governor Parr met an unfortunate fate on October 3, 1923 while carrying one million board feet of lumber from Ingramport, NS to Buenos Aires, Argentina. [1] During this voyage she lost her mizzen and spanker in a storm. Captain Angus Richards and one seaman lost their lives during the incident. [1] The remainder of the crew were rescued by S.S. Schodack. [1]
The damage incurred by Governor Parr was significant to the masts and deck of the ship; however, she did not sink. Instead, she remained afloat and drifted throughout the Atlantic. Several attempts were made to either destroy or tow this derelict to shore, but all failed. On January 1, 1924, the American Coast Guard's USCGC Tampa attempted to tow Parr towards Halifax, NS. Parr broke away from the tow line on January 2 in a heavy gale. Tampa had to give up this attempt to return to shore to refuel. [3]
Governor Parr was sighted for many years after her 1923 abandonment but managed to remain afloat and cover large spans of the Atlantic Ocean. She remained a derelict and a "menace to navigation," drifting as far as the Canary Islands. [1] Her ability to make this journey without a captain or a crew demonstrates high-quality shipbuilding. The ultimate fate of Governor Parr is unknown.
Bluenose was a fishing and racing gaff rig schooner built in 1921 in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. A celebrated racing ship and fishing vessel, Bluenose under the command of Angus Walters, became a provincial icon for Nova Scotia and an important Canadian symbol in the 1930s, serving as a working vessel until she was wrecked in 1946. Nicknamed the "Queen of the North Atlantic", she was later commemorated by the Bluenose one-design sloop (1946) and a replica, Bluenose II (1963). The name Bluenose originated as a nickname for Nova Scotians from as early as the late 18th century.
A ghost ship, also known as a phantom ship, is a vessel with no living crew aboard; it may be a fictional ghostly vessel, such as the Flying Dutchman, or a physical derelict found adrift with its crew missing or dead, like the Mary Celeste. The term is sometimes used for ships that have been decommissioned but not yet scrapped, as well as drifting boats that have been found after breaking loose of their ropes and being carried away by the wind or the waves.
The Minas Basin is an inlet of the Bay of Fundy and a sub-basin of the Fundy Basin located in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is known for its extremely high tides.
Spencer's Island is a rural community in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, located at the western end of Greville Bay on the Bay of Fundy. The community is named after a small island 45°19′50″N64°41′30″W of the same name located offshore from nearby Cape Spencer. According to local oral history, the island, cape and community trace their name to a man named Spencer who is buried on the island. However the name more likely comes from Lord Spencer, a British statesman at the time the community was settled.
Parrsboro is a community located in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Bluenose II is a replica of the fishing and racing schooner Bluenose, commissioned by Sidney Culverwell Oland and built in 1963 as a promotional yacht for Oland Brewery. Sidney Oland donated the schooner to Nova Scotia in 1971 and it has since operated as a sailing ambassador and promotional device for Nova Scotia tourism. In honour of her predecessor's record, Bluenose II does not officially race.
Governor Stone is an historic schooner, built in 1877 in Pascagoula, Mississippi, United States. She is the only surviving two-masted coasting cargo schooner built on the Gulf Coast of the United States, and is only one of five such surviving US-built ships. On 4 December 1991, she was added to the US National Register of Historic Places. One year later, the schooner was designated a US National Historic Landmark. She is presently berthed at Saint Andrews Marina in Panama City, Florida, where she is maintained by a nonprofit group. Sailing tours are regularly scheduled.
Kingsport is a small seaside village located in Kings County, Nova Scotia, Canada, on the shores of the Minas Basin. It was famous at one time for building some of the largest wooden ships ever built in Canada.
Eatonville is a former lumber and shipbuilding village in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia. It includes a large tidal harbour at the mouth of the Eatonville Brook beside several dramatic sea stacks known as the "Three Sisters". It was founded in 1826 and abandoned in the 1940s. The site of the village is now part of Cape Chignecto Provincial Park.
Hamburg was a three masted barque built in 1886 at Hantsport, Nova Scotia. She was the largest three masted barque ever built in Canada.
Glooscap was a full-rigged sailing ship built in 1891 at Spencer's Island, Nova Scotia in the Minas Basin of the Bay of Fundy. The ship was named after Glooscap, the spiritual hero figure of the Mi'kmaq people. Glooscap was the culmination of several decades of large-scale ship building in the small village of Spencers Island. She was the last square rigger built along the Parrsboro Shore and the largest ship ever built in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia. She circled the world in her first year of operation, carrying freight to Liverpool, Cape Town, Australia, and New York City. She made frequent subsequent voyages to the Pacific. Although built in the twilight period of the Age of Sail, Glooscap earned good profits for her owners shipping freight around the world for two decades under the command of two noted captains, the brothers George T. Spicer and Dewis Spicer of Spencers Island. Glooscap was converted to a gypsum barge in 1914. The ship is featured in exhibits at the lighthouse museum in Spencer's Island and at the Age of Sail Heritage Centre in Port Greville.
Acushnet – a steel-hulled revenue cutter – was launched on 16 May 1908 at Newport News, Virginia, by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co.; sponsored by Miss Alayce Duff; and commissioned at Baltimore on 6 November 1908. She saw service as a United States Revenue Cutter Service cutter, a U.S. Navy fleet tug, and as a U.S. Coast Guard cutter. She was taken out of service 8 January 1946.
Angus James Walters was a sailor and sea captain who skippered the famed Grand Banks fishing schooner Bluenose from 1921 to 1938. Walters captained Bluenose to five international sailing championships, and was undefeated for seventeen years.
Nellie J. Banks was a 35 GRT cod fishing schooner turned "rum runner", built in 1910. She was one of the last rum runners seized off the coast of Nova Scotia in 1938. Nellie J. Banks was renamed Leona G. Maguire in 1941.
Maid of England was a sailing barquentine built in Gross Coques, Digby County, Nova Scotia in 1919 by Omer Blinn. Maid of England was the last square-rigged cargo vessel built in Maritime provinces of Canada. Maid of England was owned by F.K. Warren for nine years, and then later abandoned at sea in 1928.
Codseeker was a Canadian fishing schooner launched in April 1877 and capsized the following month east of Cape Sable Island, at the southwestern tip of Nova Scotia, resulting in the loss of four lives. The ship is primarily remembered for its two crew members who remained trapped inside the hull until being rescued three days later. Codseeker was later repaired and returned to service; its ultimate fate is unclear.
The Battle of Blomidon took place on 21 May 1781 during the American Revolutionary War. The naval battle involved three armed U.S. privateer vessels against three Nova Scotian vessels off Cape Split, Nova Scotia. American Privateers caught two Nova Scotia Vessels. The first Nova Scotia vessel was re-captured by Lieut Benjamin Belcher. The second Nova Scotia vessel was overtaken by the captured crew under the command of Captain Bishop. The privateers were taken to Cornwallis and put on trial.
The Raid on Annapolis Royal took place on 29 August 1781 during the American Revolutionary War. The raid involved two American privateers - the Resolution and the Reprisal - attacking and pillaging Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia in revenge of the defeat of the Penobscot Expedition. The privateers took captive the commander of the militia John Ritchie, described as the "Governor of Annapolis." One historian described it as "one of the most daring and dramatic raids upon Nova Scotia."
The Raid on Canso took place on 22 September – November 22, 1776 during the American Revolutionary War. The raid involved American Continental Navy captain John Paul Jones attacking Canso, Nova Scotia and the surrounding fishing villages.
The Battle of Liverpool took place on 24 April 1778 during the American Revolutionary War. The raid involved the British vessel HMS Blonde and the French 24-gun frigate Duc de Choiseul.