Isallt |
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This was the second vessel of this name. She probably took her name from the farm ISALLT in Cwm Pennant which was the ancestral home of one of the owners Doctor Robert Roberts of Blaenau Ffestiniog. She was a classic "Western Ocean Yacht" built by David Williams at Portmadoc in 1909 to replace the first vessel of that name which was run down by SS ATLANTIC in 1908. Her dimensions were 132 GRT, 94.3/23/10.6. Amongst her owners were a surgeon, a solicitor, a quarry manager, a tradesman. William George, brother of David Lloyd George also had 4/64th share in her. The ISALLT was ably commanded by Captain R.O. Williams throughout the period she was owned at Portmadoc. She was kept busy in the now classic trading routes.. Portmadoc with slates to Germany then salt to Newfoundland and Labrador where salt cod would be loaded for South America or Greece or Italy. Often it would be Gibraltar for orders. At times, up to a dozen Portmadoc ships would be at, arriving or departing Gibraltar. It is easy to imagine the competition between the crews who were fiercly proud of their vessels and many a wager was made on passages. At the outbreak of the first world war. Captain Roberts telegramed David Lloyd George from Labrador requesting advice on the safety of sailing back to Britain. DLLG advised staying put and several ships wintered there. The following spring the schooner fleet got through anyway. Several Portmadoc ships were interned in Germany for the duration of the war and several were lost to U Boats. She was sold to Iceland then Boston Lincs in 1918 and continued in the Newfoundland trade for a couple of years. In 1920 she was sold to Michael Cadogan of Cape Clear, and registered at Skibbereen Eire. She spent the 1920s and 30's mostly in the Irish Sea trade, carrying coal to Southern Irish ports. In 1923 an engine was installed. According to
Richard Scott in an article in Sea Breezes in 1948, she was
the last Portmadoc ship to load salt cod in Newfoundland in 1930. In
1934 she sprang a leak during a gale From 1940 - 1946 she was operated by the Marine Service of Eire as a training ship. After the war four Arklow men bought her and she resumed her former trade but her luck was running out. In 1946 she got into trouble off Howth Head and was towed in to Dublin. R. Scott saw her then and she was now looking a very sorry old lady, with her main mast removed and only two stump masts. She was sold to a Mr A.A. Harris who had her repaired, an electrical system fitted and a wheelhouse built over the helm. But the end had come. Isallt's figurehead. Photo by R.Scott |
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In a trial voyage (she was to go to the West Indies) in 1947 she was driven aground in a fierce SE'ly gale on Ballymooney Strand with the tragic loss of four of the crew of six. The master, who was one of those lost, was Captain Charles McGuiness, a well known character in his day. The ISALLT was the last Portmadoc built ship under sail and with her wrecking an age ended. |
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while
on passage from Birkinhead to Skibereen. The crew were taken off by
the Moelfre lifeboat. The crew later reboarded the ISALLT and
continued the voyage. After this incident the rig was much reduced to
a bald headed fore and after.