This record comprises a documentary reference to a shipping casualty which has been assigned to the maritime named location CAERNARFON BAY pending more information which may allow a more precise location for the loss to be assigned.
Event and Historical Information:
The ANN AND ELLEN was a wooden sloop completed by John Jones at Llansaintfraid on 30 October 1851. Technical and configuration specifications are given as 44.7ft length x 14.8ft bredath x 9ft depth in hold; 1 deck, 1 mast; sloop rigged with a sliding bowsprit, square sterned, carvel built, framework and planking of wood. It was owned by John Jones of Llansaintffraid, master mariner (40 shares); Richard Jones of Llansaintffriad, carpenter (6 shares); Azariah Wynne of Mochdre, shopkeeper (16 shares); and Edward Jones of Crose Green, Denbighshire, farmer (2 shares). Transactiosn recorded in the register note two mortgages for £100 in May 1852 and £182 in November 1852, which rather suggests that the owners struggled to make the vessel pay its way. The letter accompanying the closure of the sloop's Port of Beaumaris Shipping Register entry reads ''Custom House Conway, 4 March 1869. Sire, I beg leave to acquaint you that I have made every inquiry about the sloop 'ANN AND ELLEN', all that can be known about her at Conway that she was totally lost in Caernarvon Bay in about 18 months after leaving on her first voyage, the master John Jones and Richard Jones left this place then and never returned here, the other owners have gone to America some 10 or so years ago. I am your obediant servant D Evans, PC Officer'. This suggests June/July 1853 as an approximate date of loss.
Sources include:
Port of Beaumaris Shipping Register 1845 - 1855, Gwynedd Archive Service Caernarfvon XSR 9, 15 in 1851
