John Williams (ship) explained

John Williams was a missionary ship under the command of Captain Robert Clark Morgan (1798–1864) and owned by the London Missionary Society (LMS). She was named after John Williams (1796–1839), a missionary who had been active in the South Pacific.^[1]

She was paid for by the contribution of English school children.^[2]

She sank in 50 fathoms after drifting onto a reef at Danger Island (Pukapuka) on 16 May 1864. The passengers and crew were rescued.^[1]

Six more John Williams ships successively operated in the Pacific as part of the LMS's missionary work, the last, John Williams VII, being built in 1962 and decommissioned in 1968.^[3]

General specifications

John Williams was launched at Harwich on 20 March 1844.

She was of 296 tons and had a length of 103abbr=offNaNabbr=off and beam of 24feet. The depth of her hold was 16abbr=offNaNabbr=off. She had 10 state rooms.

A medal was issued commemorating her first three-year voyage and an example of this is held at the Royal Museum of Greenwich.^[4]

Further reading

• Prout, Ebenezer (1865). Missionary ships connected with the London Missionary Society.

Notes and References

1. News: TOTAL WRECK OF THE JOHN WILLIAMS, MISSIONARY BARQUE. . . NSW . 11 August 1864 . 1 January 2016 . 2 Edition: EVENING . National Library of Australia.
2. Web site: Missionary Ships . shippingwondersoftheworld . 24 March 2019.
3. Web site: H4686 Ship model, SS "John Williams IV", London Missionary Society steamer . Powerhouse Museum . Powerhouse Museum, Australia . 2 July 2015.
4. Web site: Commemorative medal depicting the 'John Williams' Missionary ship. National Maritime Museum at Greenwich.