Blackwall frigate facts for kids
A Blackwall frigate was a special type of large sailing ship. These ships had three masts and lots of sails. They were built in Britain between the late 1830s and the mid-1870s.
Contents
What Were Blackwall Frigates?
Blackwall frigates were first made to replace older ships called East Indiamen. These older ships carried goods between England, India, and China. Blackwall frigates also sailed to places like Australia and New Zealand.
The first of these ships were built by Wigram and Green. Their shipyard was called Blackwall Yard on the River Thames in England. This yard had been building ships for a very long time. They even built warships for the Royal Navy.
How Were They Designed?
Older East Indiamen ships often had two fancy balconies at the back. These were called stern galleries. Blackwall frigates had only one balcony. This design made the back of the ship very sleek.
They were called "frigates" because they looked a bit like frigates from the Royal Navy. Because of their sleek design, Blackwall frigates could sail quite fast. They were not as fast as the even quicker clipper ships that came later.
Some early Blackwall frigates had a very rounded front part above the water. People called them "apple-cheeked." The first two Blackwall frigates were the Seringapatam and the Madagascar. They were launched in 1837. Their names were taken from Royal Navy ships. This also helped give them the "frigate" name.
Famous Blackwall Frigates
Over 120 Blackwall frigates were built. The last one was the Melbourne, built in 1875. These ships were generally thought to be safe and comfortable. They were used for important trade routes.
However, some Blackwall frigates were involved in famous shipwrecks. These included:
- Madagascar: This ship went missing in 1853. It was sailing between Melbourne, Australia and London. About 150 people were lost.
- Dalhousie: This ship sank near Beachy Head in 1853. Around 60 people died.
- Dunbar: This ship was wrecked near Sydney Heads in 1857. 121 lives were lost.
- Northfleet: A steamer hit and sank this ship in the English Channel in 1873. 320 people died.
- Cospatrick: This ship was destroyed by fire in 1874. It was south of the Cape of Good Hope. 473 lives were lost.
Later examples of these ships include the Parramatta (built 1866) and the True Briton (built 1861). The True Briton often sailed to Australia and New Zealand. It carried passengers, convicts, and cargo. You can see photos of this ship at the State Library of Victoria.
Blackwall Frigates vs. Clippers
By the 1860s, there were some key differences between Blackwall frigates and clippers. Blackwall frigates still had the stern gallery (balcony). True clipper ships never had these. Many "semi-clippers" did have them.
Also, Blackwall frigates had more "tumble-home." This means the hull curved inwards more. So, the ship was narrower at the deck than at the waterline. Clippers and semi-clippers had less of this curve.
End of an Era
During the 1870s, steamships became more popular. They started carrying passengers instead of sailing ships. Later sailing ships, called windjammers, were built only for carrying cargo. This meant the Blackwall frigates were no longer needed for passengers.
