TSS Duke of Clarence
Duke of Clarence
| |
History | |
---|---|
Name | Duke of Clarence |
Owner |
|
Port of registry | |
Route | |
Builder | Laird Brothers, Birkenhead |
Yard number | 582 |
Launched | 17 November 1891 |
Completed | 1892 |
Out of service | 1930 |
Identification | |
Fate | Scrapped |
General characteristics | |
Tonnage |
|
Length | 312 ft 5 in (95.22 m) |
Beam | 36 ft 2 in (11.02 m) |
Depth | 16 ft 7 in (5.05 m) |
Installed power | Twin 3-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines |
Propulsion | Twin screw propellers |
Speed | 19 knots (35 km/h) |
TSS Duke of Clarence was a passenger vessel operated jointly by the London and North Western Railway and the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (LYR) from 1892 between Fleetwood and northern Irish ports. In 1906 the LYR bought her outright and transferred her to their summer service from Hull to Zeebrugge, returning to the Irish Sea in winter. During the First World War Duke of Clarence served as an armed boarding steamer. She resumed passenger service in 1920, passing through changes of ownership in the reorganisations of Britain's railway companies in the 1920s, until she was scrapped in 1930.
Description
Duke of Clarence was 312 feet 5 inches (95.22 m) long, with a beam of 36 feet 2 inches (11.02 m) and a depth of 16 feet 7 inches (5.05 m).[1] As built, she was 1,458 GRT.[2] She was later listed in Lloyd's Register as 1,653 GRT, 687 NRT.[1]
A pair of
Service life
Ordered by the
Duke of Clarence was used on routes from Fleetwood to Belfast and Derry until 1906. Following this she served on the Hull to Zeebrugge route during the summer and west coast routes during the winter,[3][5] including the Liverpool to Drogheda route.[4] The Zeebrugge service was suspended during World War I and the Admiralty requisitioned her for use as an armed boarding steamer, stationed in the Channel approaches and later on the Northern Patrol. She returned to the Zeebrugge service in February 1920.[3]
Withdrawn and laid up at Fleetwood in September 1929, she was sold in May 1930 for scrapping to
Incidents
In the early hours of Tuesday 6 November 1894, whilst making passage from
At approximately
Two further vessels joined the search, Manx Queen, which was en route from
Those drowned were listed as: Henry Hudson (49), Richard Gregg (52), William Daugherty (50), John Leadbeater (24) and Charles Shimmin (Captain Edward Shimmin's son) (18).[6]
A claim for damages in lieu of the loss of Albatross was heard at the Admiralty Court in February 1895, the case being heard by Mr Justice Bruce and two Elder Brethren of Trinity House.[8][9] The findings were that the Master of Duke of Clarence was to blame, citing the inadequate posting of lookouts and a disregard for the numerous fishing vessels in the area of the fishing grounds.[8] The damages was ascertained by the Registrar of Merchants with Knox receiving an undisclosed sum. Albatross was valued at £2,000 but was insured for the sum of £12,000.[10]
The following sums were awarded to the families of those crew members lost: The widows of William Daugherty, Henry Hudson, and Richard Gregg (the three married crew members) received £300 each.[10] The families of Hudson and Gregg also received £150 each.[10] The (seven) children of Daugherty received £250.[10] The father of John Leadbeater received £250.[10]
With the payment received for the loss of the Albatross, Robert Knox purchased a replacement, Rose Ann.[10]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Register of Ships (PDF). London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1930–1931. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
- ^ a b c d Lee, Tom. "Duke of Clarence". Paddle Steamer Picture Gallery. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
- ^ ISBN 0 946378 22 3.
- ^ a b c Duckworth, Christian; Langmuir, Graham (1968). Railway and Other Steamers. Prescot: T Stephenson & Sons Ltd. p. not cited.
- ^ a b "Duke of Clarence". Simplon Postcards. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Mona's Herald. Wednesday, 7 November 1894
- ^ a b c d e f g h Manx Sun. Saturday, 10 November 1894
- ^ a b Manx Sun. Saturday 2 February 1895
- ^ The Mona's Herald. Wednesday 6 February 1895
- ^ a b c d e f The Manx Sun, Saturday 14 June 1895.