Postcard of the Month: September 2024
/Easonian at Harvey’s Yard
The sailing vessel Easonian was originally the Spanish craft Nuestra Senora De Arenzazu of San Sebastian and was purchased by a Scottish syndicate for the Dundee Whaling Industry. She was brought to Harvey's Yard in Littlehampton to be converted and strengthened for service in Arctic waters.
Easonian is seen in this Spry postcard of the yard high up on the slipway in the background, and her Spanish name is still visible on the stern. The sailing barge in the foreground is the Clymping, built here in 1909 and possibly undergoing repairs.
Easonian was relaunched around 1920, registered under the new name in Littlehampton. She was the last sailing vessel of her size to appear on the local register.
In the other postcard by Spry, Easonian is in Littlehampton harbour soon after launch.
Sadly she became a total loss in September 1922 off Kerketen Island, Nunavut in Cumberland Sound on the Canadian seaboard. She caught fire and burned to the waterline. Fortunately the crew were rescued by another Scottish sailing vessel Albert.
Kerketen Island is now one of Canada's historic sites as a significant whaling station for the period from 1857 to 1923.