Today Liverpool welcomes the new Cunard liner Queen Anne. I hope she enjoys a long and successful life at sea – and doesn’t suffer the fate that befell the clipper James Baines in Liverpool’s Huskisson Dock on 22nd April 1858. As reported in the press at the time – including this paragraph from the Illustrated News of the World – the James Baines was named after its owner, the head of the Liverpool-based company; and was built in the USA.
The ship was highly-regarded during its short life as a passenger ship and was most unfortunate to catch fire when unloading cargo on returning from a voyage to India. Even more unfortunate was the fact that the insurance policy on the ship had expired only three days before its accident, resulting in a total loss to the company. At today’s prices the loss would be in excess of £20m. A painful lesson indeed!