Clipper Ship 'City of Adelaide'

After being sold in 1887, the City of Adelaide went to work in the North Sea as a timber haulier. The following information relates to her Masters during that period.  If you have photographs or additional details of these Masters please let us know.

Patrick Crengle

Born at Portaferry, County Down, Ireland in 1841, Patrick Crengle gained his master's ticket in 1867, but it was not until 1872 that he gained his first command. He was for 8 years, the mate aboard the Saweley Chudlow roaming the seas between 1864 and 1871. In 1879, he was master of the Lapwing, which worked on the Australian cargo run for a number of years - this is not the same Lapwing that was associated with the earliest beginnings of South Australia, but a later version. He was appointed master of the City of Adelaide on 1st June 1888 in London. Nothing more is known of this master at the present time.

John Gibson McMurtry

Scotsman John Gibson McMurtry was born at Carrickfergus in 1852. At the age of 25, he passed his Masters exam in Belfast in 1877 and was awarded Certificate of Competency number C32930. He was just 36 when he took the helm of the City of Adelaide in 1888.

Other vessels of which McMurtry was master include:

ELLEN in 1878 - sailing in North American waters
YUBA in 1878 - sailing in US waters
ADINA in 1879 - and the location is difficult to read
CHARGER from 1879 to 1881 - sailing in US waters
BOLIVIA from 1881 to 1885 - sailing in the East Indies
LORD TEMPLETON from 1886 to 1887 - sailing in the East Indies (ON93106)
CITY OF ADELAIDE from 1888 to 1891 - sailing in the North Atlantic (ON50036)
LORD DUFFERIN from an unspecified date until 1893 - sailing in North American waters (ON81955)
LORD DUNNSHIRE from 1894 until November 1895 when the vessel went missing and was never heard of again (ON82738)

John Brown

Brown's masters ticket records him as being of 10 Fairview Street Belfast, and also as having been born in Belfast in 1857. He was second mate on the Princess Alexandra in 1887, and progressed to First Mate on the same ship the following year. On 1st September 1891 he was appointed master of the City of Adelaide - his first command, and stayed with her until at least April of 1893. Nothing more is known of his work or life.

Alexander Percy

Born in Whitehouse, County Antrim in 1860, Percy gained his masters ticket in 1890. He was Mate on the Cleveland in 1888 and was appointed master of the City of Adelaide on 6 April 1893 at Ayr. He remained with her only a few months until she ceased her sailing days at the end of August that same year. Alexander Percy died aboard the Lord Templemore when she sank some time later.

Alexander Young

Born in Fifeshire in 1865, Alexander Young was previously aboard the Annie Main. His command of the City of Adelaide was short lived - he was a young man, and inexperienced as a master, so his command of the City of Adelaide was only that of a vessel under tow. He was in command of her when she was towed from Glasgow on the 9th September 1893, reaching Southampton on the 15th, where she remained for some years as a Hospital ship.