This record consists of a documentary reference to a shipping casualty which has been assigned to the maritime named location BRISTOL CHANNEL pending more information which may allow a more precise location for the loss to be assigned.

Event and Historical Information:
The RHONDDA was an iron-hulled steamship built by Edward Prithy & Co at Hartlepool in 1874. The ship was registred new at Cardiff on 22 September 1874 (16 in 1874). At that time, technical and configuration specifications were given as 1006.88 gt (deduct 368.82 for space for propelling power to give 638.56 registered toinnage); 230.3ft length x 29.1ft breadth x 18.6ft; 1 deck with chart house and bridge house; 3 masts rigged as a schooner, eliptical stern, clencher built with iron framework; length of engine room 24.6ft, 2 surface condensing compound engines producing 98hp made by Thomas Richardson of Hartlepool. The ship was registered by William Yeo Edwards of Cardiff, shipowner. Subsequent transcations reveal the sale of small numbers of shares to owners who included Thomas Joseph of Butrells, Glamorgan, gentleman; David Davies of Llandidna, Colliery proprietor; Thomas Webb of Cardiff, colliery proprietor; Morgan Joseph of Cardiff, gentleman; Edward Davies of Pontypridd, colliery proprietor; Stephen Robinson of King Hales, Kington, Hereford, gentleman; William Leach of Salisbury, wine merchant; William Marlow of Salisbry, farmer; Thomas Sky of Salisbury, silversmith; Charles Jennings of Marlows, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, gentleman; and Daniel Lewis of Cardiff, cabinet maker. The RHONDDA sank after a collision on the 20 March 1885 off the lightship in the Bristol Channel. The ship's Cardiff registry was closed on the 16 April 1885.

Sources include:
Port of Cardiff Shipping Register 1866-1881, folio 179, Glamorgan Archives DRBS1/4
Port of Cardiff Shipping Register Transaction Registers 1871-1875, folio 134, Glamorgan Archives DRBS2/2

Maritime Officer, RCAHMW, October 2009.