PS Alfred (1863) facts for kids
The PS Alfred as the blockade runner Old Dominion.
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name |
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| Owner |
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| Operator |
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| Port of registry |
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| Route | 1871-1877:Belfast – Fleetwood |
| Builder | Caird & Company, Greenock |
| Yard number | 106 |
| Launched | 31 October 1863 |
| Out of service | 1885 |
| Identification | UK official number 45721 |
| Fate | Hulked 1885 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 703 GRT, 519 NRT |
| Length | 227.8 ft (69.4 m) |
| Beam | 26.2 ft (8.0 m) |
| Depth | 14.2 ft (4.3 m) |
| Propulsion | oscillating steam engine |
The PS Alfred was a large paddle steamer ship. She was built in 1863. This ship had many names during her life. She was called Old Dominion in 1864. Later, she became Sheffield in 1865. Her last name was Prince Arthur from 1867. Two railway companies, the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) and the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR), owned her for a while. They used her from 1871 to 1877.
The Ship's Story
Building and First Owners
The Alfred was ordered by a company called the Bristol General Steam Navigation Company. She was built by Caird & Company in Greenock, Scotland. The ship was launched into the water on October 31, 1863.
Before she could start her regular trips, she was bought by new owners in May 1864. These owners were George Campbell and Henry Collis. They were working for a company called the Virginia Importing and Exporting Company. The ship was then renamed Old Dominion.
A Blockade Runner
The Old Dominion was used as a blockade runner. This means she would try to sneak past naval blockades. During the American Civil War, some ships tried to bring goods into or out of ports that were blocked by enemy ships.
The Old Dominion arrived in Wilmington, North Carolina, on June 28, 1864. She had sailed from Bermuda. She then sailed back to Bermuda on July 15, 1864. She made another trip from Bermuda, arriving in Wilmington again on August 10, 1864.
This ship continued to run blockades until February 1865. She was quite successful, completing six trips through the blockade without being caught.
New Owners and Final Days
After her time as a blockade runner, the ship returned to the United Kingdom. She was registered again as Sheffield. Her new owner was the Liverpool and Dublin Steam Navigation Company.
In 1867, Thomas Carr and Frederick Kemp bought her. They changed her name one last time to Prince Arthur.
In 1871, the London and North Western Railway and the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway companies bought the Prince Arthur. They used her for their ferry service. This service ran between Fleetwood and Belfast or Londonderry.
In 1877, Thomas Seed bought the ship. He registered her in Fleetwood. Later, in 1883, Robert Bruce became her owner and registered her in Glasgow. By 1885, the ship was no longer used for travel. She was hulked, which means she was stripped down and used as a floating storage unit or for other non-sailing purposes.
