The Norman was a propeller vessel with dimensions of 98 feet in length, 24 feet in beam, and 7 feet in depth. It had a gross tonnage of 149 and a net tonnage of 97. The wreck of the Norman occurred in Pryner’s Cove.
The original data of the vessel shows that it was built on Opinicon Lake in Ontario, Canada, in 1872. It was a steam barge with a sloop rig, constructed with a wooden hull and a single deck. The Norman was powered by a screw propeller and had a single mast.
On November 30, 1883, the Norman met its unfortunate fate when it caught fire and burned at Prinyer’s Dock in Macdonald’s Cove, Prince Edward County, Ontario. The vessel was on its way from Cape Vincent to Picton for lay-up when the fire broke out. It was subsequently destroyed, resulting in a total loss.
In its history, the Norman went through ownership changes. It was initially owned by I. Goodearl and others from Kingston in 1877. In 1880, ownership was transferred to D.W. Allison of Adolphustown, and in 1882, it was owned by T. Hicks from Prince Edward County.
The Norman underwent several incidents during its time in service. In September 1878, it suffered damage from a fire in Oswego, New York, which led to it being laid up until 1880 for rebuilding. Additionally, in 1881, the vessel ran aground on South Manitou Island in Lake Michigan.
The vessel’s final registration information in 1881 noted its status as a wooden screw steamer with the port of registry in Kingston, Ontario. The Norman’s registry was closed on December 29, 1883, following its destruction by fire.
Reports from the time provide additional details about the burning of the Norman. The fire broke out while the crew was asleep on board, and they had to quickly jump overboard to save themselves. The captain lost personal belongings and cash in the incident. The fire was believed to have originated near the boilers
