Collection GB 0064 CWL - John Cowl & Sons

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0064 CWL

Title

John Cowl & Sons

Date(s)

  • 19th century (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Not a great deal appears to have been generally known about John Cowl and Sons save that it was one of five shipbuilding yards - of which the other 4 were Stribley, Rawl, Willment and Tredwen- located along the banks and in the shallow creeks of the Camel river at Padstow. The yard seems to have been opened in the early 1870s by John Cowl, whose indentures of apprenticeship (CWL/2) show that he began his time as a shipwright with John Tredwen, Carpenter of Padstow in 1836. Cowl appears to have put in some time at sea, though for how long it is difficult to say. Joseph Cowl, his father or more likely a brother or younger relative is credited (CWL/4) with having designed a number of Padstow built ships in the years 1855-70: e.g. the schooner JANE BANFIELD, in 1866 of 320 tons, built by Stribley's; the SAPPHO, also built by Stribley's and the EMPRESS OF CHINA, the same; the MORNING STAR, 480 tons, also built at Padstow, is said to have been designed by Joseph Cowl also.

The vessels built by the Cowl yard include the following:-

The EMMA, of 138 tons, in 1877 and the JANIE, of 134 tons, in 1878, both for Jenkins of New Quay, as was the KATIE, built by Cowl at Padstow in 1881, and which was in due course to become, in the hands of the Stephen family of Par, one of the last schooners still trading from a British port which had not been fitted with an engine. (CWL/12- appears to be the builder's specification for KATIE). Other ships built by the Cowl yard were the J. K. ALLPORT, of 100 tons, in 1876 for C ALLPORT of Plymouth, and the FAIRY GLEN, also of 100 tons, in 1879 for W. B. Williams. It would appear that the last clipper schooner built by John Cowl and Sons was the AMARANTH, in 1886 for WC Phillips. The company, which continued repairing ships into the 1890s, appears to have failed eventually with the demise of wooden shipbuilding at Padstow.

Archival history

GB 0064 CWL 19th century Collection

John Cowl & Sons

Not a great deal appears to have been generally known about John Cowl and Sons save that it was one of five shipbuilding yards - of which the other 4 were Stribley, Rawl, Willment and Tredwen- located along the banks and in the shallow creeks of the Camel river at Padstow. The yard seems to have been opened in the early 1870s by John Cowl, whose indentures of apprenticeship (CWL/2) show that he began his time as a shipwright with John Tredwen, Carpenter of Padstow in 1836. Cowl appears to have put in some time at sea, though for how long it is difficult to say. Joseph Cowl, his father or more likely a brother or younger relative is credited (CWL/4) with having designed a number of Padstow built ships in the years 1855-70: e.g. the schooner JANE BANFIELD, in 1866 of 320 tons, built by Stribley's; the SAPPHO, also built by Stribley's and the EMPRESS OF CHINA, the same; the MORNING STAR, 480 tons, also built at Padstow, is said to have been designed by Joseph Cowl also.

The vessels built by the Cowl yard include the following:-

The EMMA, of 138 tons, in 1877 and the JANIE, of 134 tons, in 1878, both for Jenkins of New Quay, as was the KATIE, built by Cowl at Padstow in 1881, and which was in due course to become, in the hands of the Stephen family of Par, one of the last schooners still trading from a British port which had not been fitted with an engine. (CWL/12- appears to be the builder's specification for KATIE). Other ships built by the Cowl yard were the J. K. ALLPORT, of 100 tons, in 1876 for C ALLPORT of Plymouth, and the FAIRY GLEN, also of 100 tons, in 1879 for W. B. Williams. It would appear that the last clipper schooner built by John Cowl and Sons was the AMARANTH, in 1886 for WC Phillips. The company, which continued repairing ships into the 1890s, appears to have failed eventually with the demise of wooden shipbuilding at Padstow.

The papers were presented to the Museum in 1964 by a direct descendent of Joseph Cowl, almost certainly the last surviving member of this old shipbuilding family.

A small collection of loose papers relateing to the shipbuilding firm of John Cowl and Sons of Padstow.

Please contact the Archive for further information.

Please contact the Archive for further information.

English

Detailed catalogue online at the: National Maritime Museum website .

Edited by Sarah Drewery, Sep 2011.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

2010-12-23 Transport engineering Marine engineering Shipbuilding John Cowl & Sons

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The papers were presented to the Museum in 1964 by a direct descendent of Joseph Cowl, almost certainly the last surviving member of this old shipbuilding family.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

A small collection of loose papers relateing to the shipbuilding firm of John Cowl and Sons of Padstow.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Please contact the Archive for further information.

Conditions governing reproduction

Please contact the Archive for further information.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Detailed catalogue online at the: National Maritime Museum website .

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

National Maritime Museum

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area