John Williams (ship)

For other ships with the same name, see List of ships named John Williams.

John Williams in 1845
History
Name	John Williams
Namesake	The missionary John Williams
Owner	London Missionary Society
Operator	London Missionary Society
Cost	6200 pounds
Launched	Harwich, 20 March 1844
Fate	Wrecked in May 1864, Pukapuka, Cook Islands
Notes	10 state rooms
General characteristics
Tonnage	296 tons
Length	103 ft (31 m)
Beam	24 ft 8 in (7.52 m)
Depth of hold	16 ft (4.9 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Crew	27

John Williams was a missionary ship under the command of Captain Robert Clark Morgan (1798–1864) and owned by the London Missionary Society (LMS). She was named after John Williams (1796–1839), a missionary who had been active in the South Pacific.[1]

She was paid for by the contribution of English school children.[2]

She sank in 50 fathoms after drifting onto a reef at Danger Island (Pukapuka) on 16 May 1864. The passengers and crew were rescued.[1]

Six more John Williams ships successively operated in the Pacific as part of the LMS's missionary work, the last, John Williams VII, being built in 1962 and decommissioned in 1968.[3]

General specifications

John Williams was launched at Harwich on 20 March 1844.

She was of 296 tons and had a length of 103 feet (31 meters) and beam of 24 feet 8 inches (7.52 meters). The depth of her hold was 16 feet (4.9 meters). She had 10 state rooms.

A medal was issued commemorating her first three-year voyage and an example of this is held at the Royal Museum of Greenwich.[4]

References

1. "TOTAL WRECK OF THE JOHN WILLIAMS, MISSIONARY BARQUE". Queanbeyan Age and General Advertiser (NSW : 1860 - 1867). NSW: National Library of Australia. 11 August 1864. p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
2. "Missionary Ships". shippingwondersoftheworld. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
3. Powerhouse Museum. "H4686 Ship model, SS "John Williams IV", London Missionary Society steamer". Powerhouse Museum, Australia. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
4. "Commemorative medal depicting the 'John Williams' Missionary ship". National Maritime Museum at Greenwich.

Further reading

• Prout, Ebenezer (1865). Missionary ships connected with the London Missionary Society.