Doncaster was launched in 1792 at South Shields. She spent many years as a transport. It was during this period that she became, during an experimental trial, the first British ship to be propelled by a propeller. Later, she traded across the North Atlantic with Quebec and north. She was wrecked in ice in 1835 off Cape North, Cape Breton Island.
Career Doncaster first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR), in 1794.LR (1794), Seq.No.D165.
Year Master Owner Trade Source 1794 Scotland G.Burdon London transport LR 1797 ScotlandF.Paterson G.Burdon London transport LR
In February 1800, the English inventor and engineer Edward Shorter proposed using a propeller attached to a rod angled down temporarily deployed from the deck above the waterline of a vessel and thus requiring no water seal. The device was intended only to assist becalmed sailing vessels. He tested it on Doncaster in Gibraltar and at Malta and the device was able to achieve a speed of . She thus became the first British vessel to be moved by a propeller.
Year Master Owner Trade Source 1802 PatersonJ.Shout (or Chout) G.Burdon London transportLondon–Gibraltar LR
Lloyd's Register ceased carrying Doncaster in 1810, but she still appeared in the Register of Shipping (RS).
Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes 1809 J.Chout G.Bourdon Liverpool–Gibraltar LR 1809 J.Smith G.Burdon Shields–London RS; thorough repair 1806
Lloyd's List showed Doncaster, Smith, master, sailing from Quebec on 24 September 1808. Ship arrival and departure data suggest that he had been master of Doncaster since at least 1807, and that she had sailed to the West Indies and Quebec. Doncaster reappeared in Lloyd's Register in 1813. The information did not always agree with that in the Register of Shipping.
Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes 1813 Pinckney W.Hearn London transport RS; new wales 1813 & good repair 1813 1813 W.Binckley W.Hearn London transport LR; new decks 1807 & thorough repair 1812 1815 BinkleyD.Pinckney W.Haven London transportLiverpool–Newfoundland LR; new decks 1807 & thorough repair 1812 1816 PinkeyRobinson W.HearnHarle & Co. Liverpool–NewfoundlandLiverpool–Quebec RS; new wales 1813 & good repair 1813 1819 Robinson Harle & Co. Newcastle–Quebec RS; new wales 1813 & good repair 1813 1820 H.Marshall Harle & Co. London–Quebec RS; new wales 1812 & good repair 1818
On 25 November 1824, Doncaster, of Newcastle, Marshall, master, was in the harbour at Portsmouth. She was discharging timber from Quebec when she was forced on shore, where she grounded.
Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes 1826 H.Marshall Harle & Co. Liverpool–Quebec LR 1827 H.Marshall Harle & Co.Captain & Co. Liverpool–QuebecLondon–Nova Scotia LR; large repair 1818 & small repairs 1826 1828 H.Marshall Harle & Co.Captain & Co. Liverpool–QuebecLondon–Nova Scotia LR; large repair 1818 & small repairs 1826 1830 H.MarshallG.Winships Harle & Co. Liverpool LR; large repair 1818 & small repairs 1826 1832 G.WinshipsJ.Foster Harle & Co. London–Miramichi, New Brunswick LR; large repair 1818, & small repairs 1826 & 1832
Fate Doncaster, Foster, master, was lost on 24 May 1835, off Cape North, Cape Breton Island. Ice crushed her and she sank off St. Paul Island, Nova Scotia She was on a voyage from Newcastle upon Tyne to Miramichi. The brig Dorothys rescued Doncasters six crew members.
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