The birth of the Belem
The Belem was built in 1896 at the request of Fernand Crouan, head of Denis Crouan Fils, shipowners in Nantes. Crouan specialized in importing and exporting chocolate and sugar from the West Indies and South America. It works in particular with the Meunier chocolate factory. The three-masted steel-hulled barque was built by Adolphe Dubigeon, engineer-builder and head of the Dubigeon shipyard in Chantenay-sur-Loire. The shipyard produced a small, elegant, fast and above all robust vessel, capable of carrying a load of 675 tons, but with an appearance more akin to a yacht than a merchant ship. This is how it came to be nicknamed the "yacht" of the Crouan shipyard, without ever thinking that one day it would become one. In the end, the Belem was built in less than 6 months and launched on June 10, 1896. 13 men crewed the elegant ship, and her motto, inscribed on her bow, is that of Brazil: "Ordem e Progresso", meaning "Order and Progress".
Its name, Belem, was given by its owner in homage to the Brazilian port of the same name, where the Crouans founded a trading post in the early 19th century.
A merchant ship until 1914
His campaigns were not all plain sailing, and right from the start he escaped a violent fire on board in Brazil, where his cargo of 115 mules was completely burned. Again, on May 8, 1902, the eruption of Montagne Pelée in northern Martinique destroyed the town and port of St Pierre, as well as all the boats in the harbor, killing 30,000 people. Only two people survived. At the time, the town of Saint-Pierre was the commercial capital of Martinique and was nicknamed "the Little Paris of the West Indies". Fortunately, the Belem was anchored in a bay, due to the lack of space in the port of St Pierre. In the harbor, only the Orsoline decided to flee despite port regulations prohibiting unauthorized anchoring. He was the only survivor among the boats in the harbor.
Until 1914, the Belem carried out trade missions from the West Indies to France. Initially, she carried Amazonian cocoa beans on behalf of chocolatier Meunier. Later, she crossed the Atlantic for two other shipowners, carrying rum and then sugar cane.
With the outbreak of the First World War, many merchant sailing ships were destroyed, and the Belem, nicknamed the "Little West Indian", left France and ceased trading. He then changed his life and career.
A yachting career and a round-the-world trip
In 1914, she was purchased by the Duke of Westminster, who transformed her into an elegant motor yacht capable of accommodating around 40 guests, including crew. The poop deck is raised and adorned with Victorian-style balusters. Two new rooms, the small and large roofs, extend the boat's reception area. The double staircase and the Cuban mahogany decor are still visible today.
In 1921, the Trois-Mâts changed owner and name. She was bought by Sir Arthur Ernest Guiness, vice-president of the breweries and a great sailing enthusiast, who named her Fantôme II and brought her under the British flag. The idea was to use the Belem for cruises, particularly long-distance voyages. She sailed around the world from March 29, 1923 to March 2, 1924, via the Panama and Suez Canals.
On the eve of the Second World War, the ship was decommissioned and stayed on the Isle of Wight during the conflict.
