A Whale Sinks the Kathleen (1902)

Description

The Kathleen looked as though she was a relic of New Bedford’s industrial whaling past when she was anchored at her home port. The whaling industry, which had seen New Bedford become the wealthiest city in the United States, was slowly becoming a thing of the past, but the wooden bark Kathleen was also a thing of the past. Originally built in 1844, although she had originally been built as a merchant ship, a classic Baltimore Clipper, she joined the whaling trade almost immediately. Having outlasted most of the other ships of her era in the trade, it was perhaps fitting that she would meet her end not due to a storm, or poor repair, but instead due to a whale.

Ship Name: Kathleen

Nationality: United States

Year Built: 1844

Tonnage: 240

Ship Type: Wooden Sailing Bark

Year Wrecked: 1902

Location Wrecked: 12 40 Whaling Grounds

Reason For Wreck: Sunk by a Whale

Lives Lost: None

Sources:

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/61388666?downloadScope=page

https://www.gonomad.com/5598-new-bedford-whaling-museum#:~:text=However%20by%201907%20whaling%20had,textile%20and%20fine%20cotton%20industry.