Although not a true brigantine in that she carried no square topsails on her mainmast, the Jean was what is now commonly known as a hermaphrodite brig or brig schooner even though all these terms were practically synonymous in the early nineteenth century. Built at Irvine (Strathclyde) in 1819, she was registered at 169 tons and measured 76½ feet in length with a 22½ foot beam. Owned by Rankin & Co. her first master was Captain Alexander Allan who remained in command until 1825 when he handed her over to Captain Currie. Trading out of Greenock to Quebec throughout these early years, she was wrecked in 1836 whilst running to Honduras and was by that time owned by Patterson's.

Despite the plaque statement that this was the 'first Allan Liner', in fact her commander and part-owner Captain Alexander Allan was the father of Hugh Allan, founder of the Alan Line of steamships running to Canada and Jean herself had no connection with the Allan Line. It would seem that this was a discreet attempt to lengthen the Line's pedigree.