SS Mona's Isle (1830)

SS (RMS) ''Mona's Isle'' (I) was the first vessel ordered for service with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company when it began its operation in 1830. No Official number is recorded for the vessel, as formal registration was not introduced until the Merchant Shipping Act 1854.

Dimensions

''Mona's Isle'' was a wooden paddle-steamer designed and built by John Wood & Co., Glasgow. She had no official yard number.
''Mona's Isle'' was launched by James Wood on Wednesday, 30 June 1830. She had a registered tonnage of ; length ; beam ; depth ; speed .

Her engine and boiler were by Robert Napier & Co., Glasgow, and attracted considerable attention as Napier's work was considered to be very advanced for its day. The boiler produced a steam pressure of , and the engine was one of the earliest examples of the side-lever type. It was really the familiar beam engine of the time, adapted for marine use.
''Mona's Isle'' had bunker capacity for 35 tons of coal.

This design of side-lever engine became the most popular type of engine for marine purposes, and was adapted for use in oceangoing vessels until 1850.

Appearance

Considered both fast and handsome, ''Mona's Isle'' was schooner rigged with a standing bowsprit. She was square sterned, carvel built, carried a female figurehead and her Mainmast stood at .

She had a tall funnel amidships (standing at with a circumference of ), and the Three Legs of Man was displayed on her paddle boxes. A further design feature, was her long bowsprit and clipper bow.

Service Life

Unlike previous ships which served the Isle of Man, ''Mona's Isle'' was not constructed primarily to carry cargo, and was very well appointed for the carriage of passengers.
Under the command of Capt. William Gill, ''Mona's Isle'' entered service with the Company upon her completion in 1830, and quickly established the Manx company's superiority over the rival St George Company, whose ships ''Prince Llewelyn'' and ''St David'' were much despised by the Manx public.
The ''Mona's Isle,'' as opposed to the St. George Company's ships, had been designed to shelter passengers, and had spacious and comfortable cabins.

''Mona's Isle'' arrived in Douglas on Saturday 14 August 1830, and was christened by Mrs. J. C. Crellin.
Her arrival was celebrated by the ''Manks Advertiser'' in which she was described thus:-

A Greenock newspaper of the day was slightly less complimentary, merely describing her as:-

''Mona's Isle'' was used for a variety of work. Her first trip was to the Menai Bridge on 15 August; a week later she ran an excursion to Bangor, North Wales; advertised as:-

The major task of ''Mona's Isle'' however, was to open the Liverpool - Douglas service for the Steam Packet Company, and to beat the opposition. On Monday 16 August ''Mona's Isle'' sailed for Liverpool. The ''Sophia Jane'' under the command of Lieutenant Tudor, R.N., sailed at the same time and reached Liverpool one and a half minutes ahead.
On Wednesday 18 August a similar race took place back to Douglas with a similar result. But on Friday 20 August, returning from Liverpool, ''Mona's Isle'' came in 40 minutes ahead. The pattern was established and ''Sophia Jane'' was regularly beaten, on one occasion in a gale, by over three hours.

The early defeats were probably caused by the fact that ''Mona's Isle's'' new engine took time to run in and full speed was not attainable at first. ''Mona's Isle,'' however, had proved herself capable of travelling between Liverpool and Douglas in eight hours at a speed of .

The St. George Company engaged in a price-cutting war, and in September withdrew the ''Sophia Jane'' and replaced her with their largest and fastest steamer, the ''St. George.'' However, ''Mona's Isle'' won the first race largely because of the astuteness of Capt. Gill.
Seeing a south-westerly gale developing, he had the coal and cargo moved to the windward side of the vessel, to prevent the windward paddle lifting out of the water.

By October 1830, ''Mona's Isle'' had established herself as the principal steamer between Liverpool and Douglas.

A letter to the Editor of the ''Liverpool Mercury'' stated:-

The seamanship of Capt. Gill again came to the fore on 20 November. Having discharged passengers and cargo at Douglas, he decided to put to sea foreseeing a dangerous south-easterly gale. Lieutenant Tudor, in charge of ''St. George,'' anchored in Douglas Bay but lost the vessel in the night when her cable parted and she went aground on the Conister Rock and broke up. Through the efforts of Sir William Hillary, founder of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the crew of the ''St. George'' were saved.

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company received its Royal Mail Warrant for the carriage of mail on 12 July 1831, and ''Mona's Isle'' took the title Royal Mail Ship for the first time on 19 July.

The Directors of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company were becoming increasingly concerned about using ''Mona's Isle'' for winter service, and as a consequence a second vessel joined the fleet, the ''Mona'', which commenced service in 1832; initially serving Whitehaven, and then taking over the service to Liverpool in October.

In 1834 the fleet was augmented by the larger and more powerful ''Queen of the Isle''. Captain Gill transferred to take command of the new ship, being replaced in command of the ''Mona's Isle'' in turn by Captain Edward Quayle who prior to his transfer had been in command of the ''Mona''.

On 26 July 1839, ''Mona Isle'' rescued the crew of ''Nancy'', which was wrecked on the Pollock Rocks, in Douglas Bay. Quayle was awarded a silver medal by Lloyd's of London for his actions.

In 1842 ''Mona's Isle'' opened a service between Douglas and Fleetwood.

''Mona's Isle'' returned to Robert Napier & Co. to be re-boilered in 1846 at a cost of £500.

Disposal

Attempts to sell ''Mona's Isle'' commenced in 1837, however such efforts to sell her failed.
After 21 years service, ''Mona's Isle'' was sold to Robert Napier in 1851. She was sold for breaking at a cost of £580.

Trivia

The Ship's bell of ''Mona's Isle'' is now preserved at the Manx Museum.

Such was the popularity of ''Mona's Isle,'' that jugs of what was called ''"Liverpool transfer Ware,"'' were made, bearing a likeness of the ship, and with the legend; "Success to the ''Mona's Isle''."

Captain William Gill

Capt. William Gill was renowned for his seamanship, and is of particular note, as he was the first person to chart a safe, navigable channel through the (then) treacherous River Mersey. This navigable route became known as the Victoria Channel.

References

;Bibliography

* Chappell, Connery (1980). ''Island Lifeline'' T.Stephenson & Sons Ltd

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mona's Isle (1830)
Ships of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company
1830 ships
Ferries of the Isle of Man
Steamships
Steamships of the United Kingdom
Paddle steamers of the United Kingdom
Merchant ships of the United Kingdom
Ships built on the River Clyde
Passenger ships of the United Kingdom