An occasional - when time allows! - look back at ships I photographed at least 40 years ago, mostly when living in Barrow-in-Furness, U.K. There are also a few contributed photographs and ship descriptions from other enthusiasts.
[Further information on any of the ships shown below will be most gratefully received - ships_ns@yahoo.ca]
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DECEMBER 2007:
Once again I am digging into the "archives" (shoe boxes!) to find and feature more old ships photographed at Barrow in the late 1950s / early 60s. The three ships featured below were built in Germany between 1938 and 1957 and two of them have long and interesting histories.
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Left to right: German trawler turned Norwegian coaster, the ELSI, owned by Sivert Rundhaug of Kopervik. Ertel-Reederei's MARGARET C. ERTEL. A/B Contram's MARTITA. (Click the thumbnails for a larger image).
ELSI (ID number: 5347166) arrived from Workington light December 26, 1960. She was built as the trawler, JOHS. KLATTE, in 1938-07 by Howaldtswerke, Hamburg, (yard no: 775) for N. Ebling of Bremerhaven. Gross tonnage: 509 gt. Dimensions: length (pp) of 50.6 m x 8.4 m breadth. Main engine: as built - steam reciprocating; speed: 12 knots (she appears to have been converted to diesel prior to the taking of this photograph). I can find no details of the year she was converted to a coaster. Name changes: 1939: UJ 125 (German Navy); 1940: V 1107 (German Navy; 1945: JOHS. KLATTE; 1956: ELSI; 1961: SYDVEST; 1969: NORELG; 1974: MIDNIGHT SUN; no further details. There is a record at uboat.net of the British submarine HMS SNAPPER torpedoing and sinking a German armed trawler, the V 1107, south of Stavanger on June 25, 1940. Earlier, in April of the same year, another sub, HMS STERLET, was possibly sunk in the Skaggerak by a flotilla of German anti-submarine trawlers including the UJ 125. I wonder if this is the same ship I photographed? It seems too much of a coincidence that ELSI previously bore the pennant numbers UJ 125 AND V 1107 in the German Navy. But, if torpedoed and sunk in 1940, was she in fit state to be worth salvaging and rebuilding after the war? Maybe someone will be able to answer that question.
MARGARET C. ERTEL (ID number: 5221570) Photographed Barrow: November 28, 1959, having arrived from Hamburg with 1,840 tons of iron ore. She was completed in 1953 by Schiffswerft und Maschinenbau August Pahl, Hamburg-Finkenwarder, Germany (yard no: 303) for Ertel-Reederei GmbH, Hamburg. Gross tonnage: 1,319 gt (1,929 dwt). Length (pp): 80.5 m x 10.7 m beam. She had been lengthened from 64.6 m as built to 80.5 m in 1957. Main engine: diesel, single screw; speed: 10.5 knots. Subsequent history: 1963: JORUNA; 1968: BREDO, 1972: BREDAL. Broken up 1985.
MARTITA (ID number: 5248968) Photographed Barrow: November 13, 1959, having arrived from Setubal with 2,500 tons of iron ore. Completed as MARTITA in 1957-01 by the same builder as the previous ship - Pahl at Finkenwarder - (yard no: 313), having been launched as the STEENDIEK. As seen, she was owned by A/B Contram of Stocksund, Sweden. Gross tonnage: 1,764 gt (2,634 dwt). Length (oa): 78.0 m. Main engine: KHD diesel, 2,000 bhp, single screw; speed: 13.0 knots. Subsequent history: 1960 to 1971: NEMOURS, Cie. Meridionale de Navigation, Marseilles; 1971 to 1976: CAPITAINE TASMAN, Armement Giannoni Rastit, Marseilles; 1976 to 1977: TASMAN DERTIEN, Cole Shipping NV, Willemstad (converted to livestock carrier in 1977); 1977 to 1995: EL CINCO; 1995 to 2005: MIRNA M, A. N. El Masri (Phenicia Maritime LLC de USA, Tartous, Syria), flagged: Honduras. Detained in Trieste in 2004. 2005 to 2007: MIRNA-M, A. N. El Masri (as above), flagged Korea Democratic Republic. Broken up at Alang, arriving February 3, 2007
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JUNE 2007:
Another look at ships from the dim and distant past - this month's selection photographed berthed in Barrow Docks almost 50 years ago.
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SOUTRA - was photographed in January, 1960, having arrived from Preston with a cargo of wood pulp. She was at the time a relatively new ship having been completed for the Polar Whaling Co. Ltd. (Christian Salvesen and Co., Leith) by Fleming and Ferguson Ltd., Paisley, in June, 1958. Details: O.N. 186662; 1,334 grt; 229.3 x 35.4 x 15.1 (feet). Main engine: a 6 cyl, 4 - stroke oil engine by Mirrlees Bickerton and Day Ltd., Stockport; 11.5 knots.
Subsequent history:
STOKKVIK (IMO number: 5341198). This small Norwegian coaster had arrived from Rouen light-ship and loaded ingots for Workington. Several of her fleet mates were in port from time to time for the same purpose including the previous ship of the same name (256 grt / 1931, Bath Iron Works, Maine). She was the second STOKKVIK owned by Anders Stokka of Haugesund and was built in 1957 by Gravdals Skibsbyggeri & Trelastforretning, Sunde, Norway. Of 299 grt, she has a deadweight of 425 tons and measures 141.2 x 24.4 x 9.4 (feet). Propulsion was originally provided by a 320 bhp, 4 cyl 2-stroke diesel built by Wichmann Motorfabrikk A/S, Rubbestadneset.
Like many Norwegian coasters she has enjoyed a long history:
WALNUT This small, coaster appears to have been built in Holland and belonged to Joseph Fisher & Sons Ltd., a company involved in the Irish Sea coal trade - I believe - founded by relatives of James Fisher, the Barrow shipowner and based in Northern Ireland. The WALNUT was a motorship of 539 grt, built in 1955 and measured 185 x 28 (feet). She had arrived light-ship from Newry (her home port) and loaded a cargo of coke. They are the details as I know them. Is anyone able to add to them?
WILLMAR - seen here in December, 1959, (from Oxelosund with 2,000 tons of iron ore). She was originally the ALPHA (2.641 grt), built for Alfred Fulter, New York (reg. Monrovia) by Wm. Pickersgill & Sons Ltd., Sunderland, and was completed in July, 1949. She had a 6 cyl, J. G. Kincaid (Greenock)-B&W 2-stroke motor of 1,800 bhp and measured 346.4 x 48.3 x 19.8 (feet). Deadweight tonnage was 4,600 t.
History:
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DECEMBER 2006:
Within the Barrow Docks section (see Vintage Ships) are a number of ships which ended their days under the cutters' torches at the Barrow branch of Thos. Ward shipbreakers. This month I feature three more ships that were broken-up at the Ward berths in the late 1950s / early 60s.
1970 - sold to M. & G. Shipping Ltd., Floriana, Malta, managed by Freight Express Ltd., London. Renamed MALTA FAITH.
1972 - sold to Sycamore Transporters Ltd., managed by Stephenson Clarke Shipping Ltd., London. Renamed MAPLE.
1973 - sold to William Cooper & Sons Ltd., Widnes.
1974 - owners became J. Henry Schroder, Wagg & Co. Ltd. (managers: William Cooper & Sons Ltd., Widnes). Renamed RAYNESTONE - no doubt after Raynes Jetty at Llandulas, N. Wales, at which she loaded stone on a regular basis.
1977 - managers became Northwest Aggregates Ltd., Widnes.
1982 - broken up at East Float, Birkenhead, by Manor Diving and Marine Services Ltd.
Information source: "Mersey Rovers" by R. S. Fenton, World Ship Society, Gravesend, 1997. ISBN 0 905617 84 3.
1963 - sold to Alf Utkilen, Bergen, renamed KILSTRAUM and fitted with freezer capacity in 1964.
1968 - new 4 cyl, 600 bhp Wichmann motor installed.
1974 - sold to SL Fiskernes Agnforsyning, Tromso, renamed LUDVIG ANDERSEN, converted to a 432 t dwt reefer.
1989 - transferred to Tronderverftet A/S, Hommelvik/Tromso.
1990 (Jan) - sold to Simon Mokster, Stavanger, renamed STRIL REEFER.
1990 (Sept) - sold to Fostok Fisheries Ltd., Lagos, Nigeria, renamed EVA.
1992 - name change to FT EVA.
1996 - sold to Redffern Ocean Lines, Lagos, Nigeria, renamed FISHERMAN.
2004 - Redffern Automotive Nigeria Ltd. (Redffern Ocean Lines), Lagos, Nigeria.
Information source: Skipet. She is still in service as the FISHERMAN according to Equasis and is in her 50th year!
1952 - sold to Skips A/S Skipsfart (Jacob Salvesen of Farsund, Norway); renamed NORMUNDO.
1956 - renamed WILLMAR (same owners).
1963 - sold to Jacob Sannes & Co., Bodo, Norway; renamed BODIN.
1966 - after suffering a major engine failure in the Scheldt and subsequently being offered for sale "as is" was purchased by Frangemouge Cia. Nav. S.A., (George M. Moundreas & Brothers SA, Piraeus) and sailed as GOOD HOPE, registered Panama.
1971 - sold to Good Faith Shipping Co. S.A. as PANGRI, also registered Panama.
1973 - sold to Unimax Shipping Panama S.S., Panama (Leandros Shipping Co.).
1976 - sold to AS Trader Maritime Co. Ltd (Golden Fleet Naigation Co. S.A., Piraeus) reg: Limassol, as ANGI.
Demolished April, 1977, at Gadani Beach.
Information sources: Skipet and Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939 - 1945.
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Left to Right: The Belfast, Mersey & Manchester Steamship Company's cargo vessel BROOKMOUNT. Alvis Trawler's URKA. RFA fleet oiler WAVE KING. (Click the thumbnails for a larger image).
During the period I was keeping records (1957 - 1961) some 26 ships of various types arrived in Barrow for demolition. There were tugs, trawlers, coasters, liberty ships, tankers and a few naval vessels. The one that stands out in my mind - unfortunately, just before I acquired my first camera - was the Aberdeen & Commonwealth liner, MORETON BAY, which had been built by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow, in 1921. A few I did manage to capture on film are shown above. Here are their details:
BROOKMOUNT (ID number: 1160177) arrived from Liverpool on her final voyage September 5, 1959. I had seen her a few months previously in Liverpool when she was still in service for the Belfast, Mersey & Manchester Steamship Co. - a subsidiary of Coast Lines. The ship that eventually became the BROOKMOUNT was built as the coastal cargo vessel, EDDYSTONE, in 1927-09 by D & W Henderson Ltd., Glasgow, (yard no: 787m) for the Clyde Shipping Co. Ltd. of Glasgow. She had a gross tonnage of 1452 (1,660 dwt), a length of 270 ft 6 ins and a beam of 37 ft 2 ins. She saw service as a convoy rescue ship during WWII, surviving to be sold to the Belfast, Mersey & Manchester SS Co. in 1948. A triple expansion, 3 cyl steamer, she had a service speed of 12.5 knots and served the Belfast to Liverpool or Manchester route as a cargo ship until sold to Thos. Ward in 1959. (The hulk ahead of her in the picture is the remains of the John Kelly coaster, BALLYDORN (638 gt / 1913).
URKA (FD289, ID number: 1139218) was built in 1917 by the Goole Shipbuilding & Repair Co Ltd., Goole, (yard no: 174) for Fleetwood owners, Clifton Steam Trawlers Ltd. Upon completion, she served as a mine-sweeper from 1917 - 1919. Length was 123.2 ft on a beam of 22.1 ft with a tonnage of 249 gt. She remained in the fishing fleet during WWII and ownership was eventually transferred to Alvis Trawlers Ltd., also of Fleetwood. She arrived in Barrow August 10, 1960 for demolition. The coaster, P. M. COOPER is inboard to the left of the photograph and the hulk to the right is most likely that of the fleet oiler, WAVE EMPORER.
WAVE KING Two months before the WAVE EMPORER arrived for scrapping, another Admiralty (RFA) fleet oiler arrived to meet the same fate. The WAVE KING was towed from Portland, Dorset, by United Towing's MERCHANTMAN (393 gt / 1945). She was one of the 'Standard - fast' Admiralty Wave-class tankers and was built by Harland & Wolff Ltd., Govan in 1944 as the EMPIRE SHEBA. In 1956 she struck a rock off Sao Luis de Maranhao, Brazil and was badly damaged. After refloating, she returned for repairs to South Shields, U.K. and was subsequently sold to H. G. Pounds, Portsmouth for demolition, then resold to Thos. Ward, arriving Barrow April 16, 1960. Particulars: 8,189 gt; length - 494.4 ft by 64.3 ft beam; engines - 2 steam turbines. The WAVE EMPORER was built by Furness Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Haverton Hill-on-Tees, also in 1944.
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