William Coppin facts for kids

William Coppin (born October 9, 1805 – died April 17, 1895) was an amazing Irish sailor, shipbuilder, and inventor. He built many ships and came up with clever new ideas.

Who Was William Coppin?

William Coppin was born in Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland, on October 9, 1805. When he was just 15 years old, he helped rescue six customs officers from their boat. Their boat had flipped over on the River Shannon.

After finishing school, William moved to Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. He started working at a shipbuilding company owned by a relative. In 1826, he built a special boat. This boat could travel on frozen rivers, inspired by designs from local Canadian people.

William's First Ships

William's first ship was called the Kathleen, built in 1829. After that, he studied how to navigate ships in the West Indies. He earned his master mariner's certificate, which meant he was qualified to captain large ships.

While in the West Indies, William met some business people from Derry, Ireland. One of them, John Kelso, asked William to build a boat for him. This boat was named the Edward Reid. In 1831, William sailed the Edward Reid back to Ireland. The journey took only 19 days!

Life in Derry

William decided to live in Derry. He became the captain of several ships that sailed between Derry and Liverpool. These ships included the Prudence, the Queen Adelaide, and the Robert Napier. The Robert Napier was so fast that it cut the travel time from 21 hours to just 18 hours.

In 1837, William started his own shipyard. It was very successful! By the 1840s, he was employing over 500 people. In 1840, he also opened a factory that made engines and boilers for ships. He even made his shipyard bigger to build ships up to 700 tons.

When he launched a ship called the Maiden City in 1841, about 10,000 people came to watch! William became a very important person in Derry. In 1839, the local government held a special dinner to honor him. In 1840, they gave him a beautiful silver gift.

William's Inventions

William built the City of Derry in 1839. This ship showed off many of his new inventions. It set a speed record, sailing from Liverpool to Madras in just 104 days.

His most ambitious ship was the Great Northern, built in 1842. It was one of the first ships to use a special type of propeller called an Archimedean screw propeller. The Great Northern was even shown in London in 1843.

In 1846, a fire destroyed William's shipyard. After this, he focused more on salvaging ships. This means he helped rescue and repair ships that had sunk or were damaged. He managed to raise more than 140 ships!

William kept inventing new things throughout his life. He received many patents for his inventions between 1857 and 1886. In 1873, he sold his factory and shipyard. He moved to a new home in Derry and continued to invent. In 1873, he launched a unique ship called the Tripod Express. It had three hulls! In 1886, he patented a special fishing tool that used artificial light.

Family Life

William married a woman named Dora. They had two sons and four daughters. Dora passed away on September 11, 1866.

William Coppin died at his home in Derry on April 17, 1895. He is buried at St Augustine's burying ground.