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Brig Wilhelm Tell, A. B. Bull Main Page >>

BurdenBuiltShipowner or operator Dimensions
131½ kl 1851 at Vallø, Tønsberg, Norway by A. B. Bull A. B. Bull, Tønsberg, Norway  
 YearRemarks
 1851 April 25 lauched in TønsbergAtlantic Journey ID 7925
 1851 May 6 Christiania from Wallø, Tønsberg Capt. BullAtlantic Journey ID 7926
 1851 Aug. 29 London from ChristianiaAtlantic Journey ID 7927
 1851 Sept.16 London for Newcastle and Alexandria, Capt. RørdamAtlantic Journey ID 7928
 1851 Oct. 11 off Dover; from Newcastle for MaltaAtlantic Journey ID 7929
 1851 Nov. 19 Malta from NewcastleAtlantic Journey ID 7930
 1852 Jan. 17 loading in Alexandria for Falmouth, Capt. RørdamAtlantic Journey ID 7931
 1852 Jan. 25 Alexandria for Falmouth Atlantic Journey ID 7932
 1852 March 28 Queenstown from AlexandriaAtlantic Journey ID 7933
 1852 April 5 Limerick from AlexandriaAtlantic Journey ID 7934
 1852 July 2 New York from LimerickAtlantic Journey ID 7935
 1852 July 23 Richibuchto from New York Atlantic Journey ID 7936
 1852 Aug 14 leaving Richibuchto for Grimsby/HullAtlantic Journey ID 7937
 1852 Sept 25 Hull from RichibuchtoAtlantic Journey ID 7938
 1852 Oct. 20 Hull for NorwayAtlantic Journey ID 7939
 1853 Apr. 24 Christiania from Vallø (Tønsberg, Norway)Atlantic Journey ID 7940
 1853 Captain Bull  from Christiania May 2 to Quebec June 21   
 1853 May 21, spoken at 48º 33’ n 31º 10’wAtlantic Journey ID 7941
 1853 July 9 leaving Quebec for HullAtlantic Journey ID 7942
 1853 Aug. 22 Hull from QuebecAtlantic Journey ID 7943
 1853 Sept. 8 Hull for ChristianiaAtlantic Journey ID 7944
 1853 Oct. 13 Plymouth from DrammenAtlantic Journey ID 7945
 1853 Nov. 3 leaving Plymouth for OranAtlantic Journey ID 7946
 1854 Jan. 17 Antwerp from Oran, Capt. ChristophersenAtlantic Journey ID 7947
 1854 Feb. 24 leaving Antwerp for TønsbergAtlantic Journey ID 7948
 1854 March 2 leaving VlissingenAtlantic Journey ID 7949
 1854 March 9 Christiania from Antwerp with general goods, Capt. BullAtlantic Journey ID 7950
 1854 Captain E. Christophersen  from Christiania Apr. 19 to Quebec June 14   
 1854 May 3 off Falmouth; from Norway steering west with EmigrantsAtlantic Journey ID 7951
 1854 July 7 leaving Quebec for Milford (Wales)Atlantic Journey ID 7952
 1854 Aug. 10 Milford; from Quebec to PembrokeAtlantic Journey ID 7953
 1854 Aug. 26 leaving Milford for Cardiff Atlantic Journey ID 7954
 1854 Oct. 30 Kiel (Germany) from SwanseaAtlantic Journey ID 7955
 1854 Nov. 7 leaving Kiel for TønsbergAtlantic Journey ID 7956
 1855 April 19 Christiania from Vallø, Tønsberg, Capt. ChristophersenAtlantic Journey ID 7957
 1855 Captain E. Christophersen  from Christiania May 2 to Quebec June 18   
 1855 July reported to arrive in Quebec after 38 days at sea. All well for family and friendsAtlantic Journey ID 7958
 1855 July 6 leaving Quebec for BantryAtlantic Journey ID 7959
 1855 Sept. 2 Cardiff from BantryAtlantic Journey ID 7960
 1855 Sept. 12 leaving Cardiff for AlexandriaAtlantic Journey ID 7961
 1855 Oct. 22 Alexandria for CardiffAtlantic Journey ID 7962
 1856 Feb. 16 Falmouth from AlexandriaAtlantic Journey ID 7963
 1856 Feb. 23 Falmouth for AntwerpAtlantic Journey ID 7964
 1856 March 2 Antwerp from AlexandriaAtlantic Journey ID 7965
 1856 March 22 leaving Antwerp/Vlissingen for NorwayAtlantic Journey ID 7966
 1856 April 25 Galatz for Queenstown and other, Capt. BuschAtlantic Journey ID 7967
 1856 Aug. 5 leaving Falmouth for CorkAtlantic Journey ID 7968
 1856 Aug. 13 Cork from GalatzAtlantic Journey ID 7969
 1856 Sept. 22 Hartlepool from CorkAtlantic Journey ID 7970
 1856 Nov. 30 Aleaxandria from Newcastle, Capt. NordbyAtlantic Journey ID 7971
 1857 March 27 Cadiz from GibraltarAtlantic Journey ID 7972
 1857 April 29 leaving Cadiz for TønsbergAtlantic Journey ID 7973
 1857 Captain Nordby  from Christiania June 30 to Quebec Sep. 4   
 1857 June 28 Christiania from Tønsberg in ballastAtlantic Journey ID 7974
 1857 Sept. 23 leaving Quebec for CorkAtlantic Journey ID 7975
 1857 Oct. 27 Queenstown from Quebec, arrived Cork same day.Atlantic Journey ID 7976
 1858 April 22 Christiania from Tønsberg in ballast, Capt. ChristophersenAtlantic Journey ID 7977
 1858 Captain E. Christophersen  from Christiania Apr. 29 to Quebec June 28   
 1858 May 9 off Deal: sailing together with Sjofna, Capt. Bucholtz. Both for bound for Quebec with passengers.Atlantic Journey ID 7978
 1858 July 17 Quebec for LiverpoolAtlantic Journey ID 7979
 1858 Aug. 18 Liverpool from QuebecAtlantic Journey ID 7980
 1858 Sept. 11 leaving 23 Liverpool for Christiania and other harboursAtlantic Journey ID 7981
 1859 March 10 Bordeaux from Soon, Capt. ChristophersenAtlantic Journey ID 7982
 1859 April 16 Bordeaux for CanadaAtlantic Journey ID 7983
 1859 June 17 Quebec from BordeauxAtlantic Journey ID 7984
 1859 July 19 leaving Quebec for BordeauxAtlantic Journey ID 7985
 1859 Aug. 18 Bordeaux from QuebecAtlantic Journey ID 7986
 1859 Sept. 27 spoken off The Start Atlantic Journey ID 7987
 1859 Oct. 20 Hernøsand from NorwayAtlantic Journey ID 7988
 1860 April 1 Gibraltar for Athens (?) Atlantic Journey ID 7989
 1860 April 26 Gibraltar for RichibuctoAtlantic Journey ID 7990
 1860 June 6 Richibucto from GibraltarAtlantic Journey ID 7991
 1860 Aug. 5 Grimsby for SundsvallAtlantic Journey ID 7992
 1860 Nov. 15 Bordeauxe fra LjusneAtlantic Journey ID 7993
 1861 Captain E. Christophersen  from Christiania June 1 to Quebec July 24   
 1861 May 28 Christiania from Tønsberg in ballastAtlantic Journey ID 7994
 1861 July 23 boarded at the quarantine station, 3 deathsAtlantic Journey ID 7995
 1861 Aug. 15 Quebec for BordeauxAtlantic Journey ID 7996
 1861 Sept. 13 Bordeaux from QuebecAtlantic Journey ID 7997
 1861 Oct. 5 leaving Bordeaux for New York Atlantic Journey ID 7998
 1861 Dec. 24 New York from Bordeaux after 61 days most in severe stormsAtlantic Journey ID 7999
 1862 Jan. 4 New York for Cork (Ireland)Atlantic Journey ID 8000
 1862 Feb. 13 Queenstown (Cork) from New YorkAtlantic Journey ID 8001
 1862 Feb. 25 leaving Queenstown for SligoAtlantic Journey ID 8002
 1862 Feb. 25 Sligo from New YorkAtlantic Journey ID 8003
 1862 Captain E. Christophersen  from Christiania May 7 to Quebec June 20   
 1862 140 passengersAtlantic Journey ID 8004
 1862 July 3. Montreal from ChristianiaAtlantic Journey ID 8005
 1862 Aug. 2 leaving Montreal for Queenstown (Ireland)Atlantic Journey ID 8006
 1862 Aug. 6 leaving Quebec for QueenstownAtlantic Journey ID 8007
 1862 Sept. 3 Falmouth from MontrealAtlantic Journey ID 8008
 1862 Sept. 10 leaving Falmouth for BridgewaterAtlantic Journey ID 8009
 1862 Sept. 12 Cardiff from MontrealAtlantic Journey ID 8010
 1862 Oct. 1 leaving Cardiff for HelsingørAtlantic Journey ID 8011
 1862 Oct. 18 Helsingør from Cardiff with railsAtlantic Journey ID 8012
 1862 Nov. 3 leaving Helsingør for Tønsberg (hometown in Norway)Atlantic Journey ID 8013
 1863 April 26 Christiania from Tønsberg, Capt. ChristophersenAtlantic Journey ID 8014
 1863 Captain E. Christophersen  from Christiania Apr. 4 to Quebec June 8   
 1863 June 8, boarded at the quarantine station, one deathsAtlantic Journey ID 8015
 1863 July 1 Quebec for WaterfordAtlantic Journey ID 8016
 1863 Aug. 25 Newport (Wales) from QuebecAtlantic Journey ID 8017
 1864 Jan. 16 Gravensend/London from Kronstadt (Russia)Atlantic Journey ID 8018
 1864 Jan. 28 loading in London for Belize (Honduras)Atlantic Journey ID 8019
 1864 Feb. 24 leaving Gravesend for BelizeAtlantic Journey ID 8020
 1864 May 9 Belize from LondonAtlantic Journey ID 8021
 1864 June 16 leaving Belize for LondonAtlantic Journey ID 8022
 1864 Aug. 26 Gravesend from BelizeAtlantic Journey ID 8023
 1864 Sept. 11 leaving Gravesend for TønsbergAtlantic Journey ID 8024
 1864 Nov. 3 Gravesend from Tønsberg, Capt. StangebyAtlantic Journey ID 8025
 1865 Jan. 4 leaving Gravesend for Rio Janeiro (Capt. Torgersen)Atlantic Journey ID 8026
The information listed above is not the complete record of the ship. The information was collected from a multitude of sources, and new information will be added as it emerges
The brig Wilhelm Tell was built by Blummer & Tschudy on their ship yard at Vallø Saltverk. They had constructed a new slip for the building, and there were a great many people who came to see the launching on the 25th of April 1851. The newspapers also wrote about the event. The Wilhelm Tell was built for A. Bull of of Tønsberg.

When she was launched she was flying the Swiss flag from the mast beside the Norwegian union flag from the deck. This was in honor of her Swiss builders staying at the ship yard, and of course she was named after the well known Swiss hero "Wilhelm Tell". The newspaper reported that the Swiss contingent at Vallø was very surprised and moved about this nice guest. The picture below must have been painted in connection with launching in 1851, and we can clearly see the Swiss flag flying from the main mast for the occasion.

The first year we have recorded her of sailing with emigrants was in 1853, when she departed from Christiania on May 2nd, and arrived at Quebec on June 21st. She was mastered by Capt. Bull. Because the National Archives of Canada [NAC] did not start the archiving of passenger lists before 1865, and the Norwegian emigration records did not start before 1867, there is no surviving passenger list for this voyage in any of those archives. Timeline to records.

In 1861 she departed from Christiania June 10th and arrived at the quarantine station at Grosse Île on July 23rd. She was released on July 24th and proceeded to Quebec. She sailed in ballast, and was carrying 5 cabin and 140 steerage passengers. There had been 3 deaths on the voyage. She was mastered by Captain E. Christophersen and had a crew of 10.

brig Wilhelm Tell
Painting of the brig "Wilhelm Tell".
The picture was photographed in June 1996 at the "Hotel Strand" in Bergen.
Submitted by Kurt Niederer

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