The Mersey Indian Indentured Ship
This post is about the the Mersey Indian indentured ship that brought indentured servants to Trinidad, Guyana, and the Caribbean.
On October 20, 1897, the Mersey Indian indentured ship landed in Trinidad with 668 passengers. There were 11 deaths during the voyage. It made 3 voyages to Trinidad.
The Mersey was constructed by Charles Connell & Co. in Glasgow in 1894.
Commissioned by James Nourse of London, the Mersey was built as a full-rigged steel ship with a length of 270.7 feet and a weight of 1,829 tons. The Mersey was an imposing vessel that reflected the advancement of shipbuilding technology in the late 19th century.
Role as a Coolie Ship:
The Mersey played a vital role in the indenture system of the era. “Coolie ships” were responsible for transporting indentured laborers, mainly from India, to various British colonies.
The ship's large capacity allowed for the transportation of a significant number of Indians.
The Mersey holds the record for the largest number of Indians arriving on a sailing ship to Guyana. On February 22, 1895, the Mersey landed in British Guiana with 683 Indians.
In 1910, the ship became the first sailing vessel to be equipped with a radio.
The Mersey also gained recognition for being the first ship to hold an appendectomy procedure.
In 1908, the Mersey was acquired by the White Star Line and transformed into a training vessel for aspiring seafarers. It was scrapped in 1923.
Please sign our Petition to preserve the Mersey records, and related Caribbean ship records at WestIndianDiplomacy.com.
By Melissa Ramnauth, Esq. @Lawyer_melissa_r
This post was about the the Mersey Indian indentured ship that brought indentured servants to Trinidad, Guyana, and the Caribbean.
Sources:
- "Mersey (1894 ship)" - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mersey_(1894_ship)
- "Category:Mersey (ship, 1894)" - Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Mersey_(ship,_1894)
- "Mersey (Ship : Built 1894) | Items" - National Library of New Zealand. https://natlib.govt.nz/tapuhi/-79755
- "Sailing Vessel MERSEY built by Charles Connell & Company in..." - Clyde Ships. https://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?ref=4708
- "Mersey (1894 ship)" - Encyclopedia. https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/4056924
- https://guyanachronicle.com/2009/05/05/the-coolie-ships/
By Melissa Ramnauth, Esq. | This content is copyright of West Indian Diplomacy, LLC and may not be reproduced without permission.
She runs West Indian Diplomacy, a Caribbean blog aimed at promoting West Indian history and business in the global marketplace. Melissa has been an attorney for over 10 years. She currently focuses on trademark registration, trademark searches, and office actions. She also has extensive legal experience in the areas of trademarks, copyrights, contracts, and business formations. She owns her own Trademark Law Firm that is virtually based out of Fort Lauderdale.
Please Sign Our
Petition to Preserve Our Ship Records
By Submitting this Form
This page may contain affiliate links and ads at no extra charge to you. If you purchase something from these links and ads, West Indian Diplomacy may earn a small commission that goes towards maintaining the website and sharing our history.
Book Recommendations
The First East Indians to Trinidad: Captain Cubitt Sparkhall Rundle and the Fatel Rozack
History of the People of Trinidad and Tobago
An Introduction to the History of Trinidad and Tobago
Legal Disclaimer
Your use of the content on this site or content from our email list is at your own risk. The use of this website does not create an attorney-client relationship. West Indian Diplomacy does not guarantee any results from using this content and it is for educational purposes only. It is your responsibility to do your own research, consult, and obtain a professional for your medical, legal, financial, health, or other help that you may need for your situation.
The information on West Indian Diplomacy is “as is” and makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, with respect to the content provided on this website or on any third-party website which may be accessed by a link from this Web site, including any representations or warranties as to accuracy, timeliness, or completeness. West Indian Diplomacy will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.
All information on this website is accurate and true to the best of West Indian Diplomacy's knowledge, but there may be omissions, errors or mistakes. West Indian Diplomacy is not liable for any damages due to any errors or omissions on the website, delay or denial of any products, failure of performance of any kind, interruption in the operation and your use of the website, website attacks including computer virus, hacking of information, and any other system failures or misuse of information or products.
As of this date, West Indian Diplomacy does not write sponsored posts or accept free products for review. All thoughts and opinions written by West Indian Diplomacy is our own.
West Indian Diplomacy welcomes comments on blog posts. All comments submitted to us are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views, policies, or positions of this site. We reserve the right to use our own discretion when determining whether or not to remove offensive comments or images.