Astrea was launched at Stockton in 1812. She served as a transport for the British government until about 1819. Thereafter she traded with the Baltic, the Caribbean, and Quebec. She was wrecked, with great loss of life, on 8 May 1834 while carrying migrants to Quebec.

Career Astrea first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1812.LR (1812), Supple. pages "A", Seq.No.A65.

Although Astrea is listed among vessels sailing east of the Cape of Good Hope under a licence from the British East India Company, there is no evidence that she ever did so. Also the same source has her being lost near the Cape of Good Hope, which is incorrect.

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes 1812 Grayham Grayham London LR 1818 J.Wilson Grayham London transportLondon–CGH LR 1819 J.Wilson Grayham London–CGHLondon–Jamaica LR 1821 J.Wilson Grayham London–Virginia LR 1822 J.WilsonSanderson Grayham London–Petersburg LR; damages repaired 1822 1824 Sanderson T.Old London–PetersburgLondon–Quebec LR; damages repaired 1822 1826 Sanderson T.Old London–Riga LR; damages repaired 1822 1827 Sanderson T.Old London–Bermuda LR; damages repaired 1822 1828 SandersonHead T.Old London–Bermuda LR; damages repaired 1822 1829 Head T.Old London–Saint Lucia LR; damages repaired 1822 1830 HeadRidley T.Old Belfast–Saint Lucia LR; damages repaired 1822 1831 Ridley Ridley London–Elsinor LR; damages repaired 1822 and small repair 1831 1832 W.Ridley Ridley London–Quebec LR; damages repaired 1822 and small repair 1831 1833 KidleyRidley Ridley & Co. London–BermudaLondon–Quebec Register of Shipping; large repair 1831

Fate On 8 May 1834 Astrea, Ridley, master, was wrecked east of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia. Astrea was on a voyage from Limerick to Quebec City.

She was carrying 13 crew members and 211 passengers, consisting on 104 adult males, mostly farmers and agricultural labourers from Limerick, Clare, and Tipperary, and their wives and children. The three survivors consisted of her surgeon, who was emigrating to Canada, and two crew members."LOSS OF THE ASTREA, W. RIDLEY, MASTER", 14 June 1834,Standard (London, England), Issue: 2213.

Not all the bodies were recovered, and the people on shore were too few to bury properly all that they found. The loss of Astrea, and a few days later, of Fidelity, a few days later, resulted in 1834 in assistance being provided for ship-wrecked mariners, and the construction in 1839 of lighthouses at St. Paul's Island and Scatari.

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