The Wasp

The Wasp, the brigantine was lost And all on board but one

Among the rest was that fair youth Who lies in a watery tomb.

His name is William Dingwell His father’s only son

In petty harbor motion

Sweet William’s race was run.

Those were his last and final words While clinging to the Wasp

Go to my friends and parents

And tell them where I’m lost.

How many friends have I to help If they were only high

If I could speak with Daniel Flynn Contented I would die.

But now I’m on the brink of death Where heavy seas do roll

I bid farewell to all my friends The Lord preserves my soul.

The last ship registered to Mr. Dingwell was the 144 ton “Dove” in 1851. Mr. Dingwell must have died by 1852 as his wife was listed as a widow by that time.

Another shipbuilder of the same years and locality was William Cooper, situated up near the mouth of Little River. (See article on William Cooper “Land Question”). The first ship owned by Mr. Cooper was the “Malvina”. It was built at Cumberland Hill by Murdock MacLeod. This vessel had a tonnage capacity of 269 tons, and was built in 1846. Mr. Cooper also had the “Sea Walker" built at his own yard in Howe Bay. In 1847 John Morrow was commissioned to build the “Plenty”, 272 ton capacity, at Howe Bay for Mr. Cooper. Also in 1849, the Cooper family built the “Packet", 182 tons. In 1848, John Morrow built a 152 ton brigan— tine called the “Rover” for Ernest Peake, a Charlottetown businessman. John Morrow built the ”Dancing Feather” in 1854.

In 1849, William McLaren is listed as building a 47 ton vessel called the “Foreigner” at Little River, also Andrew Maclnnis and John Campbell built a 67 ton vessel called the “Clydesdale”, in Little Pond, somewhere below the pro— perty now owned by Neil MacCormack. In 1848, a 45 ton vessel, the “Return”, was built by William Robertson near Annandale. In 1849, the “Swallow” was built at Annandale. William Blackett was this ship‘s builder. It was comparatively small having only a 21 ton capacity and measuring only 36 feet. The “Damsel” was also constructed at Annandale by William Walston and John Frost. It again was relatively small having a tonnage capacity of 51 tons. Mr. Frost traded in Juniper knees, pieces of bent timber used to strengthen the sides of a ship.

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