William Miles was launched at Bristol in 1816 as a West Indiaman. She remained a West Indiaman until 1846, though she did make some voyages to Archangel and to the Baltic. New owners from 1846 sailed her to Quebec and North America. She underwent lengthening in 1854. Thereafter, a sequence of owners sailed her to India and the Mediterranean. She was wrecked on 9 August 1883.
Career William Miles first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1816.LR (1808), Supple. pages "W", Seq.non.W63.
Year Master Owner Trade Source & Notes 1816 [Richard] Williams Miles & Co. Bristol–Jamaica LR 1822 WilliamsR[ees] Waters Miles & Co. Bristol–Jamaica LR 1823 R. WatersJ[ohn] Escott Miles & Co. Bristol–Jamaica LR 1830 Escott[Isaac] Reynolds Miles & Co. Bristol–Jamaica LR 1838 [James] Pike Miles & Co. Bristol–Jamaica LR: large repairs 1833 & 1835 1843 [James] Cook[e] Miles & Co. Bristol–TrinidadBristol–Jamaica LR; large repairs 1833 & 1835, & some repairs 1842 & 1843 1845 CrowRowe Miles & Co.Howell & Son Bristol–JamaicaBristol–Quebec LR; large repairs 1833 & 1835, & some repairs 1842 & 1843 1846 [Thomas] Rowe Howell & Son Bristol–QuebecBristol–America LR; large repairs 1833 & 1835, & some repairs 1842 & 1843 1850 [James] Ayre Howell & Co. LR
Between 1851 and 1853, William Miles was not listed. In 1854 she reappeared, having undergone lengthening that under the pre-1836 method of calculation doubled her burthen.
Year Master Owner Trade Source 1854 T.Creighton J.DeWolf Liverpool–Calcutta LR; lengthened 1854 1860 Silver M.I.Wilson London–India LR; lengthened 1854
William Miles received sheathing with yellow metal.
Year Master Owner Trade Source 1864 W.N.de Mattos Liverpool LR; lengthened 1854 1865 H.Hills G.& J.Robinson LiverpoolLondon–Mediterranean LR; lengthened 1854 1869 H.Hills G.& J.Robinson London–Mediterranean LR; lengthened 1854 1883–1884 R.Williams G.&J.Robinson London LR; lengthened 1854
Fate William Miles stranded near Porthcawl in the Bristol Channel on 9 Aug 1883. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboat Chafyn Grove rescued all twelve people on board. William Miles was on a voyage from Le Havre to Swansea. The lifeboat first took off the mate's wife and a seaman; the rest of the crew refused to leave. When the winds increased the lifeboat came back and took off the remaining crew."THE LIFE-BOAT JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION". (1885) VOL XII: p.205.
Her entry in Lloyd's Register for 1883 carried the annotation "Lost".LR (1883–1884), Seq.no.W322.
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