interpreting notes on vessel census

[spicyting]

i think ive located my grandad x 2 on the 1871 census of Pontypool Wharf Newport, Vessels, Monmouthshire, Wales, John Alfred Main, age 17 born Devonshire, ...his actual name was Albert John, but the age and location are bob on and i believe mis spellings where common in ships records. The trouble is, im having trouble making out the name of the vessel, it looks like G S halers....G S im presuming is Good Ship?! There's only 7 men on board so is it more likely to be a fishing vessel/small goods vessel? It probably sailed from Liverpool, as all the family moved there some time after 1854. So....Im hoping someone on here may either be able to decipher the old script or perhaps access a 21st century pc text format!! With thanks and hope.
Paul

[busyglen]

Sadly Paul the image hasn't come out, but...just guessing here, could it be `Whalers'. I know it's not the name of the boat, more the type, which were used in fishing.

Glenys

[Peter Goodey]

If you look at the first page of the return (if using Ancestry, click on vessels and select the description for "District GL Waters"), you'll see the vessel's name much more clearly together with other particulars.

It's quite clearly "G. L. Waters".

Don't ask me what it means! Perhaps it was named after the owner.

[spicyting]

Thanks Guys,
the time ive spent searching other sites for a typed version doesnt bare mentioning while the name was there all along, feel a slightly silly sausage for that, but put it down to pure excitement after finally finding him aboard something, Grrreat!

[busyglen]

Don't worry....I for one, fail to see that which is under my nose quite often and am usually put out of my misery by Peter!

Glenys

[spicyting]

your reassurance aids my embarrassment, thank you. I left a message on the mariners@rootsweb this afternoon, and this is what some kind soul has sent me back....
I believe the correct name was "G.I.Waters" and that this was one of
those cases where the name appeared incorrectly in Lloyds Register and
then spread everywhere.

The builder, Charles Lamport, was the brother of the Lamport of the
Lamport & Holt shipping line, and most of the other vessels he built at
Workington were clippers for the China and India trades.

My information is that she was originally a barque, but at only 144 tons
she was quite small for this rig. At her loss in 1895 she was described
as a barquentine, and seven crew would have been good enough for this
rig in the coasting trade. She certainly was not a fishing vessel., and
as a cargo vessel, would have been regarded as large for the coasting
trade and small for deepwater trade.

.....So after weeks of seemingly nothing, I have now a wealth of info to ponder over, all in a couple of days!! Great thanks to you all for the contributions, couldnt of done it without you guys!