Cleta

A royal-yard rigged composite [teak, elm and fir on iron frames] clipper barque built in 1866 by James Gardner, Sunderland, under special survey of Lloyds for John Hay, London. Copper or yellow metal fastened.

Dimensions: 46,09×8,92×5,26 m [153'3×29'5×17'2. Poopdeck 47']. Tonnage: 520 NRT, 530 GRT, and 473 under deck tonnage.

1866
Launched at the shipyard of James Gardner, Sunderland, for John Hay, London.
1867 October 31
Sails from Hong Kong to New York under command of Captain Middleton where she arrives March 6, 1868, after 129 days at sea.
1869 January 9
Leaves Foochow for New York where she arrives on 23 April after 104 days at sea.
1870 November 18 — March 12
Leaves Canton where a cargo of tea has been loaded for New York. Anjer is passed on the 10th of December and the destination is reached after 114 days.
1871 December 2
Sailed Shanghai - New York.
1872 May 19 — November 19
Leaves London for Yokohama where she arrives after 183 days.
1873 January 4 — May 5
Sailed from Yokohama to New York in 120 days with a cargo of tea. This was the last time Cleta sailed in the tea-trade.
1873
Owner: Balfour, Williamson & Co., Liverpool. Mainly in the Australian trade.
1876
Half-time survey in Liverpool.
1881
Saved the crew of the sinking barque Standard Bearer in the Atlantic.
1882
Special survey in Liverpool.
1885
Owner: J.S. Davis, Liverpool. Laid up in Princes Dock, Liverpool, until she was sold to Sweden.
1887
New owner was Elias Theodor Norrman, Malmö. Renamed to Nelly & Mathilda. The master is the owner E. Th. Norman himself.
1891
New yellow metal sheathing.
1893
Captain Niklas Andersson becomes the new master
1894 April 8
In collision with the barque Bravo of Höganäs off Smygehuk, Sweden.
1900 August 13
Collided with SS Agne of Stockholm in the entrance to Landskrona. The steamer got a number of plates buckled.
1901
New managing owner: Edward Jansson, Malmö.
1905
Captain J.E. Johansson Lange replaces Niklas Andersson as master.
1906
Captain Niklas Andersson returns as master of the ship for another season.
1907
Captain J.E. Johansson Lange returns once more as master.
1907 July 27
In collision with the barque Bonden at Grimstad which resulted in a broken bowsprit. The repairs took more than a month to finish.
This accident and the subsequent court decision is described in Nautisk Tidskrift Vol. 1 (1908).
1916 March 14
Sold to Ola Olsson, Åhus, together with Carl Johansson, Kalmar, and Nils Friberg, Visby.
1916 March 30
Sold after two weeks to Björknäs AB (Gustav Erstad), Björknäs.
1917
Re-rigged as a barquentine (skonertskepp) after damage to the rig.
1923
Owner: AB Hampion.
1924 December 22
Sold to Johan O. Holmström, Ramsjöstrand, for 7750 Swedish Crowns.
1926 April
Sold to Åland for 9625 Swedish Crowns and was renamed Frideborg. The new owners were V.A. Engblom and F. Henriksson of Kumlinge. One of the partowners, Captain F. Henriksson, became the new master.
1927
S. Lindholm took over as master.
1928
The other partowner, V.A. Engblom, took over as master of the old tea clipper.
1934
Valdemar Nordlund of Mariehamn becomes the new owner and Hugo Nordlund the master of the ship.
1936
The last master was Captain L. Sundblom.
1937 September 7
Grounded off Kalix and was condemned in spite of only slight damage. The cabin was brought ashore and is now serving as a summer house.

References:

Updated 1999-04-23 by Lars Bruzelius

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Copyright © 1996 Lars Bruzelius.