Completed thanks to all who looked - Decipher a name please?

[Ecneps]

I have an 1879 ship's log and need to decipher the name of its owner handwritten on the front - I'm guessing P.J. Richards/Riches, the words underneath are the name of the sailing ship - Scottish Lochs

Any ideas? Thanks, Barbara

[janan]

My guess would be the same as yours Barbara

Jan

[bervonian]

Hi Barbara,

Assuming the ship's name is "Scottish Lochs" and there was only one of that name, if you Google - Sailing ship Scottish Lochs (the website's name would take you ages to type out  ) and scan down to the third website - "PictureAustralia - SCOTTISH LOCHS" you'll find some info and a picture of her.

Bervonian.

[Ecneps]

Hi, yes thanks, that's the only reference I can find for this ship, thanks for looking.  It's a handwritten log, and I'd love to find out more about the 'author' if only I could be sure of his name, the ship set out from San Francisco bound for Liverpool and the log is dated Oct 30 1897 and stops for some reason on March 18th 1898

[yn9man]

Barbara -

I have a couple of additional questions about your posting? Some any of my relatives were sea captains in and around San Francisco during this time period. I just might be able to assist you or possibly direct you in the right direction.   

What was the final posting in the log book? Do you know who the owner of the ship was? Do you know the name of the shipping company the ship was registered to? Do you know the name of the ship builder? Do you know when the ship was built? Do you know if the ship ever reached Liverpool?

Have you contacted any maritime museums?

Looking forward to your reply.

yn9man   

[Ecneps]

Hello yn9man,

I wrote to the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich about 6 years ago asking if they had any record of the 'Scottish Lochs' and if they could help identify the crew member who wrote the log - 3 years later they replied with apologies saying they had just found my letter and asked to see a photocopy or original log with a view to acquiring it - which was not what I'd asked for.  I hoped they might have a crew list, haven't heard from them since.  I think it belongs in a museum, but first I would really like to find out about the man who wrote it - it was amongst my late grandmother's effects, and I don't yet know if he was some relation or if it was left behind after he lodged with her - she took boarders and many were sailors.  In the log he says 'A difference between last Sunday & this. Listening to Mr Fell's sermon with a young lady by your side & steering a 2,500 ton ship is a vast difference' - sounds as if he was from San Francisco.

After 'googling' the ship's name I found a photo of a postcard of the ship on an Australian museum website - a three masted full-rigged sailing ship, 2640 tons, built Southampton 1888.  No mention of who built it.

First page of the log - travelling from Frisco to Liverpool carrying 3890 tons general cargo value 338.927 dollars, date 30 Oct 1897.  Last position noted was on 16 March 1898 - '165 miles from Fastnett rock and 30 miles from the nearest land'. The log ends 18 March 1898 with the words 'Strong Breeze wind aft Sighted vessel bound to Queenstown'...so not sure if they got to Liverpool or not.
At New Year it was 'grog for all hands & then gave three cheers for Captain & Mrs Parkhill'

Barbara

[Dave Francis]

There are several references to the vessel 'Scottish Lochs' in The Times -

Saturday, Feb 13, 1892; pg. 10
Lingfield to Newcastle, New South Wales

Monday, Apr 25, 1892; pg. 10
(Sailed to NSW on Apr 21)

Monday, Jul 04, 1892; pg. 11
To San Francisco

Tuesday, Oct 02, 1894; pg. 4
To Calcutta

Wednesday, Jun 16, 1897; pg. 9
To San Francisco

[Ecneps]

Thanks Dave, looks as if that last one must have been the sailing before 'mine'

[yn9man]

Barbara -

I will see what I can find out about the "Scottish Lochs" here in the US. I will attempt to contact the National Maritime Museum in SF and another maritime museum in Virginia.  My eyes and glasses and magnifying glass still couldn't make out the individuals name on the log.

Have you tried "googling" Captain and Mrs. Parkhill?

I have some of my great grandfathers logs. They make for very interesting reading. I am not surprised the museum wanted to purchase the log.   

Will let you know what I find out. Will take your information with me on my next trip to California.

Please let me know if / when you find any new information.

yn9man