# Ariel steamship



## Sam Smiles (Sep 17, 2012)

Does anyone have information on ships called Ariel, working in south east England in the 1830s/1840s? 

I am an art historian and my interest is in JMW Turner who exhibited a picture in 1842 'Snow Storm - Steam Boat off a harbour's mouth making signals in shallow water and going by the lead' (now in Tate Britain) whose subtitle declares that 'the Author was in this storm on the night the Ariel left Harwich.'

Turner scholars have never been able to ascertain if Turner's memory was playing him false or whether there is any truth in this. Was there any ship called Ariel in Harwich in the early 1840s? 

I have found the following:

There was a GPO wooden paddle ship originally named Arrow that was built by William Evans at Rotherhithe in 1821 and transferred to RN as the Ariel packet in 1837. (Acting Master John Hamilton and from 1841 Luke Smithett). She was stationed at Dover for cross-Channel service. Contemporary accounts in the Times, say that the Woolwich Steam Packet Co. owned this Ariel. Although travelling between Dover-Calais-Ostend she frequently went up the Thames to London. The online Naval Database shows that her engine was repaired at Woolwich from 11/12/1840-20/4/1841. She was up for sale in October 1841 (the advertisement is in the Times for Thursday, Oct 28, 1841 - page 1, and contains information about her size and engines. However, the ad. says she was built in 1837 - perhaps they mean refitted?).

There was also a brig called Ariel, which is recorded in the Old Bailey Proceedings, 14th December 1846. 

Finally, the Illustrated London News on the 20th April 1844 ( page 248) records the launch of another Ariel, built for the Woolwich Steam Packet Company by John Jenkins Thompson of Rotherhithe. This strongly suggests that the sale of their first Ariel in 1841 went ahead and that it was renamed by its new owners.


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

Sam,

on behalf of the Moderating team welcome to SN. I am going to move this to another area. To the Ship Research Forum where it will most likely have more viewings.

Hawkey01


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## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

Welcome aboard Sam. I hope you find the information you are seeking.


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## scorcher (Jul 2, 2007)

Fascinating to read of your research into Turner's vessel . He is a painter I greatly admire. I am sure you have the book I am quoting from 
"Steamers of the Thames & Medway" Frank Burrt ,
which states that an ARIEL (Operated by Woolwich Steam Packet Co) was built in 1835 dim=125 x 14.5 and of 85 tons.
A second ARIEL was wooden built at Rotherhithe in1844 dim 125.1 x 14.4 x 7.4
89 tons, 40 nhp.


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## Sam Smiles (Sep 17, 2012)

*Ariel*



scorcher said:


> Fascinating to read of your research into Turner's vessel . He is a painter I greatly admire. I am sure you have the book I am quoting from
> "Steamers of the Thames & Medway" Frank Burrt ,
> which states that an ARIEL (Operated by Woolwich Steam Packet Co) was built in 1835 dim=125 x 14.5 and of 85 tons.
> A second ARIEL was wooden built at Rotherhithe in1844 dim 125.1 x 14.4 x 7.4
> 89 tons, 40 nhp.


Thanks very much for this. I didn't know of the book so will get hold of a copy and read more. But it's puzzling, for as well as a different date for the first Ariel, the ad. in the Times gives different figures: 'Length 115 feet, breadth 16 feet, draught of water, fore 3 feet 7 inches, aft 3 feet 11 inches. Two engines of the collective power of 40 horses. The Ariel was built on the river in 1837, fitted with engines by the Butterly Company, and last year [i.e.1840] new substantial boilers by Messrs Seaward and Capel, her speed equals 10 miles an hour...'


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