Stormy weather - The wool clipper Mount Stewart

Launched from Barclay, Curle's Clydeside yards in May 1891, Mount Stewart was, with her sister Cromdale, one of the last two ships built specifically for the Australian wool trade. Ordered by D. Rose & Co., she was registered in Aberdeen at 1,903 tons gross (1,849 net) and measured 271½ feet in length with a 40 foot beam. A magnificent steel 'skysailer', she had huge carrying capacity but was also surprisingly fast for a vessel of her size. A splendidly successful ship for her original owners for over thirty years, Mount Stewart was still running out to Australia as late as 1921 when Captain McColm drove her from Delagoa Bay (Mozambique) to Sydney in 38 days even though the passage home to Cardiff in 123 days was hardly worthy of such a grand old lady. Laid up for lack of cargo in 1922-23, her final voyage came in 1924-25 when she took a full cargo of salt from Liverpool to Sydney from whence she crossed to Iquique (Chile) to load nitrates. Arriving at Nantes to discharge last cargo, her owners took the decision to dispose of her and she was sold to local shipbreakers.