John Williams (ship) facts for kids
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John Williams in 1845
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Quick facts for kids History |
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| Name | John Williams |
| Namesake | The missionary John Williams |
| Owner | London Missionary Society |
| Operator | London Missionary Society |
| Cost | 6200 pounds |
| Launched | Harwich, 20 March 1844 |
| Fate | Wrecked in May 1864, Pukapuka, Cook Islands |
| Notes | 10 state rooms |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 296 tons |
| Length | 103 ft (31 m) |
| Beam | 24 ft 8 in (7.52 m) |
| Depth of hold | 16 ft (4.9 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Crew | 27 |
The John Williams was a special ship used by missionaries. Missionaries are people who travel to different places to share their beliefs. This ship was owned by the London Missionary Society (LMS), a group that sent missionaries around the world.
The ship was named after John Williams, a famous missionary who worked in the South Pacific. What's really cool is that English school children helped pay for the ship!
Sadly, the John Williams sank on May 16, 1864. It drifted onto a reef near Danger Island, which is now called Pukapuka in the Cook Islands. Luckily, all the passengers and crew were saved.
After this ship, six more ships were named John Williams and continued the LMS's missionary work in the Pacific. The last one, John Williams VII, was built in 1962 and stopped being used in 1968.
About the Ship: John Williams
The John Williams was launched, or put into the water for the first time, in Harwich, England, on March 20, 1844. It was a sailing ship, meaning it used large sails to move across the ocean.
This ship was quite big for its time. It weighed 296 tons. It was about 103 feet (31 meters) long and 24 feet 8 inches (7.5 meters) wide. The deepest part of its storage area was 16 feet (4.9 meters).
The ship had 10 special rooms, called state rooms, for passengers. To celebrate its first three-year journey, a special medal was made. You can still see an example of this medal at the Royal Museum of Greenwich today!
