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M A Jones - 56410, Brig, 192 tons Register

The M A Jones was 102ft long by 23ft wide with a 12ft hold and a square stern. She was built and registered on 18th Jan.1870 in Aberystwyth by John Jones of Trefechan . John Jones was a shipbuilder, born in 1809 in Machynlleth and he was originally a cooper. The vessel was named after his first daughter Mary Anne. John Jones initially held all 64 shares in the vessel, though he sold 36 of them on 7th July to Thomas Hugh Jones of Aberystwyth, a painter

The Aberystwyth Observer for 28th Jan 1870 contained the following article:

”The Aberystwyth Ship Race – Some considerable interest was caused among the nautical population of the town on Thursday last, from the

 fact that two brigs that had been built at the port were going to start the same time on their very first voyage after being released from the

 stocks and fully manned and equipped. The largest of the brigs is the M A Jones of some 330 tons burthen, Capt. Jones, and built by the

 Master’s father, who is a shipwright belonging to the port. The other brig is a smaller one, the
 J Llewellyn, commanded by Capt. Llewellyn, and built by Messrs Williams & Jones, Shipwrights of Aberystwyth, and of about 270 tons register.

 They are both bound on a foreign voyage via Newport, Mon., where they will take in a cargo of coal and iron. The former is bound for Alcudia

 and the latter for Mottaro. Several people assembled to witness them starting on their trial trip with a pretty fair breeze. The larger brig has been

 on the stocks for several years and the smaller one for rather a less period. They are evidently very strongly built, so as to present solid

 resistance to the violence of the winds and the waves. The crews of the respective vessels entered into a friendly competition as to which of them should arrive at Newport first by way of testing their sailing qualities. The owners and the friends and relations of the crews attended to bid them

 adieu and wish them a prosperous voyage on their first trip.”

The M A Jones was lost in the Meditteranean on 28th November 1870 as described in the main article on < John Jenkins >