This information was originally researched and compiled by Alan Viner of the National Maritime Museum.
Date | Owner(s) | Shares | Master |
1899
4th September |
Tom Williams Lighterman of Torpoint |
64 | Tom Williams |
1907
27th May |
Tom Williams Fred Williams Lighterman of Torpoint |
32 32 |
Fred Williams |
First Registry of vessel closed July 14th 1919. – Registered anew after structural alterations and the addition of a motor as a sailing vessel with an auxiliary motor. | |||
1919
3rd October |
William Betty Merchant Saltash William Betty Merchant St Germans Robert Telford Merchant Saltash |
Joint 64 owners |
James Garland |
1920 20th January |
William Betty Robert Telford |
Joint 64 owners |
James Garland |
1926 15th February |
Ethel Steed Widow of St Germans |
64 | Richard Hoskins |
1928 4th May |
Steed Bros. Notter River Quarries |
64 | Richard Hoskins |
1932 23 June |
Charles Dunn Company Secretary Saltash Arthur Russell Accountant of Bodmin Ethel Steed Widow of Plympton |
21 22 21 |
William Trebilcock |
1936 1st November |
West of England Road Metal Company |
64 | William Trebilcock |
1962 17th July |
E. Richardson Horticulturist Falmouth |
64 | |
21st July | Costal Prospecting Co London |
64 | Ernest Stephens |
Second registry of vessel closed 6th August 1963. – After the installation of two diesel engines registered anew as a twin screw motor ship. | |||
1966 2 May |
Richard Curnow Engineer of Helston |
64 | |
1973 28th April |
Robert Fildew Driver of Plymouth |
64 | |
1974 11th February |
The National Trust Westminster London |
64 |
For the purposes of registration, a ship is divided into 64 shares; most maritime nations (the United States being an exception) follow this custom.
Why 64 Shares?
As normal there appears to be more than one explanation.
The three that follow seem to be the most popular.
1. The fact that ships traditionally had 64 ribs
2. Under Queen Victoria ship owners were taxed 36% and left with the remaining 64%.
3. Or maybe it's part of the easy maths way to divide up a unit
1
1/2
1/4
1/8
1/16
1/32
1/64
Originating in the earliest trading days when the owner wanted to split the risks of voyaging between his financial friends. No decimal or % business in them there days!
All the "sixty-fourth" shares were sold off and could be split again by the new purchasers, but so long as all the fractions added up to 1, the risks were properly shared out.
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