LYTTELTON

LYTTLETON WAS AN IRON SHIP  BUILT IN PORT GLASGOW BY ROBERT DUNCAN IN 1878 SHE WAS A VESSEL OF 1,112 TONS. AND HAD BEEN REGISTERED IN GLASGOW SHE WAS COMMANDED BY CAPTAIN STRANG

ORIGINALLY BUILT FOR THE ALBION LINE SHE BECAME PART OF THE SHAW SAVILL & ALBION COMPANY AFTER THE TWO COMPANIES MERGED TOGETHER.

 SHE MADE SEVEN VOYAGES DOWN TO NEW ZEALAND. HER CAPTAIN BEING CAPTAIN BOORMAN ( PREVIOUSLY CHIEF OFFICER IN THE LADY JOCELYN )

IN 1886 WHEN CLEARING THE BREAKWATER AT TIMARU, UNDER TOW ( FROM THE UNION COMPANY "GRAFTON" , AS TIMARU'S TUG "TITIAN" WAS BEING  REPAIRED  AT THE TIME ) SHE EITHER HIT THE WRECK OF THE DUKE OF SUTHERLAND OR, EXPERIENCING THE FORCE OF THE SWELL AS SHE LEFT THE BREAKWATER, DROPPED HER ANCHOR TO PREVENT HERSELF FROM DRIFTING,THE GRAFTON, UN-AWARE THAT SHE HAD DROPPED HER ANCHOR KEPT TOWING AND WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN PUTTING LYTTLETON'S ANCHOR THROUGH HER HULL. SHE BEGAN TO SETTLE RAPIDLY AND WITHIN TWENTY MINUTES SHE HAD SUNK IN 30 FEET OF WATER. SOME OF THE CARGO WAS SALVAGE, BUT LYTTLETON WAS WRITTEN OFF.WHICH VERSION OF THE REASON FOR HER LOST IS OPEN TO DEBATE, MAYBE IT WAS A COMBINATION OF BOTH STORIES.