The first of Duthie’s ships of which I have any record is the Jane Pirie, of 427 tons, built in 1847 for the Calcutta trade and commanded by a well-known skipper of those days, Captain James Booth.
The next vessel to be launched by Duthie was the Brilliant in 1850. She measured 555 tons, and, commanded by Captain Murray and sailing under Duthie’s house-flag, she became a very popular passenger clipper in the time of the gold rush. On her first outward passage she went from London to Melbourne in 87 days, and this was about her average. She generally loaded wool for the London market at Geelong, and made the homeward run in under 90 days.
Few ships came home from the Antipodes in those days without gold dust on board; and the Brilliant on one occasion brought home 7 tons of gold, giving Captain Murray an anxious time until he had it safely handed over to the Bank of England. After a dozen years as a first class passenger and wool clipper the Brilliant was debased to the guano and nitrate trades, being finally lost at sea when homeward bound from Callao with a cargo of guano.
The next of Duthie’s ships was the James Booth, of 636 tons, named after the celebrated captain. She was launched in 1851 for the Calcutta trade.
In 1852 Duthie built the Ballarat, 713 tons, for the great shipowner Duncan Dunbar. The Ballarat distinguished herself by coming home from Melbourne in 69 days in 1855. All these early ships had the famous Aberdeen clipper bow and painted ports, and ably maintained the high reputation of the Aberdeen clipper.
In the sixties Messrs. Duthie launched the following well-known wool clippers, all called after various members of the family:—
| 1862 | William Duthie | wood ship | 968 tons. |
| 1863 | Martha Birnie | „ „ | 832 „ |
| 1864 | John Duthie | „ „ | 1031 „ |
| 1867 | Alexander Duthie | „ „ | 1159 „ |
| 1868 | Ann Duthie | „ „ | 994 „ |
The ships were all three skysail yarders, and good passage makers; they were kept almost entirely in the Sydney trade, and must have made good dividends in those early days. The John Duthie on one occasion made £5000 freight for the wool passage home. Her commander at that time was Captain Levi, a very well-known character, who always offered a glass of Scotch and an apple to any visitor who came aboard his ship.
The next Duthie ship was the Abergeldie, of 1152 tons. She was their first ship with iron in her composition, having iron beams. She was launched in 1869, the same year as the Windsor Castle, a beautiful little wood ship of 979 tons, which Duthie built for Donaldson Rose. This Windsor Castle must not be confused with Green’s Blackwall frigate of the same name. For some years both ships were trading to Sydney, and one year there was more than a little confusion owing to the two Windsor Castles arriving out on the same day. Duthie’s Windsor Castle made many fine passages both out and home, her best known commander being Captain Fernie. After being sold her name was changed to Lumberman’s Lassie, and under this name she was for many years a well-known Colonial trader, and finally a coal hulk.