Bronze Age Gold from Wales

The S.S. CAMBRIA (132 tons) was built at Llanelli in 1866 by Llanelli Iron Shipping Co. Ltd. and was originally owned by the Llanelli Steam Navigation Company Ltd. She was sold in 1887 to David Evans of 'Wellfield', New Road, Llanelli and he employed her in the flour trade, mainly from Bristol to Llanelli or Carmarthen. At this time her original engines by R. Nevill, Llanelli were replaced by new engines by the same builders, manufactured at Old Lodge Ironworks, and she was given new boilers as well. Evans sold her in 1890 for £2,100 to A.J. Maclean of Oban in Scotland, and she was renamed INNIEMORE. In 1892 she passed to Major G.C. Cheape of Tirvan, Island of Mull, who must have modified the vessel in several ways, and she was again given a new set of engines, manufactured in Scotland. She was probably engaged in goods traffic between Mull and Oban since in 1895 she was described as having accomadation for 30 passengers, with a Board of Trade certificate for 119 passengers. There must have been considerable superstructural changes in her at this time, with new boilers yet again, and she steamed at 10 knots, with cargo capacity of 165 tons. In 1895 she was resold to Cherbourg owners for £1,800, and renamed the VILLE DE CHERBOURG, and registered at that port. It was on a voyage from Le Harve to Cherbourg in May 1903 that she went missing with the loss of 11 crew and 10 passengers. Some bits of the wreckage and cargo were picked up by naval vessels searching for her, and one body was found in the water.