Wooden paddle steamer Magdalena of Liverpool, built Grayson &
Leadley, Liverpool, 1825, 117 tons burthen, 96 x 20 x 9 ft, engines 40hp
by Clegg, Liverpool, owned W.
Brown, Liverpool; converted to sail 1834, lost June 1834 off Africa.
However, when offered for sale in 1832, described as built 1828,
108 tons burthen per register, shallow draft, and with two 50hp engines.
Also first registered at Liverpool 26-1-1828 and first recorded voyages
are in late 1828, between Liverpool and Dundalk.
More history
[from Liverpool Mercury - Friday 16 December 1825]:
ON SALE: A superior STEAM VESSEL of 117 tons burthen; length 98feet;
breadth of beam 19.5feet; now building in the yard of Messrs Grayson &
Leadley, Liverpool; will be launched early in December, and is
intended to be fitted with an engine of 40 horses power, now making by
Messrs Clegg end Co.; and, being of a very light draught of water, is
particularly calcualted for any of the South American rivers, and and
is also adapted for carrying a considerable cargo; she is buildng
under inspection, and of the best materials, and will answer for
almost any employment. For further particulars, apply to Captain
Reader, 61 Upper Pitt-street, or to Wm and Jas Brown & Co.
Boiler explosion at Dundalk, 13 November 1828, repaired.
Loss, converted to sail 1834, owned D. Gibb, Liverpool, 109
tons, left Liverpool for Africa April 1834, reported wrecked, with loss
of 3 crew, at Grandress, Africa on 20 June 1834.
Possible launch - with name changed subsequently; though Liberator is
more likely [from Fife Herald -
Thursday 04 August 1825]:
Last week a fine steam-vessel, of 140 tons burthen, named the
Bolivar, and intended for the Colombian service, was launched from the
building-yard of Messrs Grayson and Leadley, Liverpool.
[from Belfast News-Letter - Friday 27 March 1829 ]:
The Steamer
Magdalena will sail for Whitehaven on Friday the 10th April, at twelve
o'clock noon. [reported until 27 May 1829]
[from Belfast Commercial Chronicle - Wednesday 19 November 1828]:
On
Thursday last, just as the Magdalene [sic: Magdalena] steamer had got
under way from Dundalk Quay, the boiler burst, by which accident, 48
pigs, chiefly the property of poor jobbers, were so dreadfully scalded,
as to require their being killed. One person only, whose duty it was to
attend the fire, was injured.
[from Gore's Liverpool General Advertiser - Thursday 22 March 1832]: The very fine Steam Boat MAGDALENA, of Liverpool, Thos Jordan, Master; Four years old, burthen per register 108 tons; propelled by two excellent engines of 50 horse power, carries remarkably large cargo at a very light draught of water, and well adapted for the Cumberland, Scotch, any other trade requiring such a vessel; now lying the Clarence Dock. For inventories and other particulars, apply Mr. John M'Cammon, 27 Water-street, or to Wm. Nevett, Broker.
Lloyds register for 1834-1838 has Magdalena of Liverpool, master T.
Jordan, 109 tons with no other information.
Liverpool Register has vessel converted to sail in 1834 and owned D. Gibb.
Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser - Tuesday 11
March 1834:
Vessels entered for loading. D. Gibb - Magdalena B Africa.
Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser - Friday 25
April 1834:
SAILED Magdalena, Taylor, for Africa.
The Magdalena, Taylor, from Liverpool, was totally wrecked at Grandress [sic, not now identified], coast of Africa, 20th June; three of the crew drowned. [Published: Thursday 11 September 1834 Newspaper: Caledonian Mercury]
Liverpool Mercury - Friday 12 December 1834: DIED. On the 19th of July last, on the coast of Africa, after being shipwrecked in the Magdalena, Capt. Taylor, (which vessel was unfortunately lost on that coast on the 30th of June). Steven Wallis, a native of Birmingham, aged 19 years.
The choice of name Magdalena may well come from the links Liverpool builders had with the navigation of the river Magdalena in Columbia. Grayson & Leadley built at Liverpool in 1825 a steam powered vessel, of 140 tons burthen, named Bolivar - which was intended to navigate from the sea, and ports such as Cartagena, up the lower reaches of that river.