SS Norwich City: Difference between revisions
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==Construction and Early History== | ==Construction and Early History== | ||
[[Image:OriginallyRegistered as S.S. Normanby.jpg|thumb|Original Registration in London as ''S.S. Normanby'']] | [[Image:OriginallyRegistered as S.S. Normanby.jpg|thumb|Original Registration in London as ''S.S. Normanby'']] | ||
The ''S.S. Norwich City'' was launched as the ''S.S. Normanby'' on July 12, 1911 at the West Hartlepool yard number 792 of William Gray and Company. Originally built for the London and Northern Steamship Company, she was registered out of London as ship number 132596. The 397 foot bulk carrier had a beam of 53feet 5.5 inches. The keel had been laid five months earlier on February 9, 1911, and was constructed of steel. She was driven by a Central Marine 412 BHP (1960 IHP) triple expansion reciprocating steam engine whose three cylinders of 70, 40, and 26 inches propelled the ship at an operating speed of 9 knots. Fitted with two multitubular steel boilers, steam was produced at 180 psi. The steering gear and windlass machinery were also operated by steam. At launching, the gross tonnage was calculated | The ''S.S. Norwich City'' was launched as the ''S.S. Normanby'' on July 12, 1911 at the West Hartlepool yard number 792 of William Gray and Company. Originally built for the London and Northern Steamship Company, she was registered out of London as ship number 132596. The 397 foot bulk carrier had a beam of 53feet 5.5 inches. The keel had been laid five months earlier on February 9, 1911, and was constructed of steel. She was driven by a Central Marine 412 BHP (1960 IHP) triple expansion reciprocating steam engine whose three cylinders of 70, 40, and 26 inches propelled the ship at an operating speed of 9 knots. Fitted with two multitubular steel boilers, steam was produced at 180 psi. The steering gear and windlass machinery were also operated by steam. At launching, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_tonnage| gross tonnage] was calculated to be 5633.2; her displacement was 8730 tons. | ||
The London certificate was given up and cancelled on April 24, 1919 when the ship was re-registered at Bideford, UK, to the St. Just Steamship Company, Limited, with Sir William Reardon Smith, Limited, designated to manage the vessel. The ship’s name was changed to ''S.S. Norwich City'' by Board of Trade minutes number 2544. In 1928 modifications to the ship had changed her gross tonnage to its last recorded gross tonnage of 5587.08. | The London certificate was given up and cancelled on April 24, 1919 when the ship was re-registered at Bideford, UK, to the St. Just Steamship Company, Limited, with Sir William Reardon Smith, Limited, designated to manage the vessel. The ship’s name was changed to ''S.S. Norwich City'' by Board of Trade minutes number 2544. In 1928 modifications to the ship had changed her gross tonnage to its last recorded gross tonnage of 5587.08. | ||
Revision as of 19:29, 28 March 2009
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Historical records give us a fairly clear picture of the S.S. Norwich City’s construction and operation as a cargo vessel in the British Mercantile Fleet, and her demise on the reef at Gardner Island in the Phoenix Group. What is not so clear is whether she played a passive role in the saga of Amelia Earhart seven and a half years after her grounding. Knowing more about the S.S. Norwich City may help to understand if there was a relationship to artifacts found at the “seven site” and to a post loss radio message that could have provided clues to Earhart’s location.
Construction and Early History
The S.S. Norwich City was launched as the S.S. Normanby on July 12, 1911 at the West Hartlepool yard number 792 of William Gray and Company. Originally built for the London and Northern Steamship Company, she was registered out of London as ship number 132596. The 397 foot bulk carrier had a beam of 53feet 5.5 inches. The keel had been laid five months earlier on February 9, 1911, and was constructed of steel. She was driven by a Central Marine 412 BHP (1960 IHP) triple expansion reciprocating steam engine whose three cylinders of 70, 40, and 26 inches propelled the ship at an operating speed of 9 knots. Fitted with two multitubular steel boilers, steam was produced at 180 psi. The steering gear and windlass machinery were also operated by steam. At launching, the gross tonnage was calculated to be 5633.2; her displacement was 8730 tons.
The London certificate was given up and cancelled on April 24, 1919 when the ship was re-registered at Bideford, UK, to the St. Just Steamship Company, Limited, with Sir William Reardon Smith, Limited, designated to manage the vessel. The ship’s name was changed to S.S. Norwich City by Board of Trade minutes number 2544. In 1928 modifications to the ship had changed her gross tonnage to its last recorded gross tonnage of 5587.08.
By 1922 the Reardon Smith fleet had grown to 39 vessels. On July 2, 1928, the name of the St. Just Steamship Company, Limited, was changed to Reardon Smith Lines, Limited, and continued to expand.
On the night of Friday, 29th November 1929, whilst on passage from Melbourne to Vancouver, the SS Norwich City was wrecked on Gardner Island, with the loss of 11 lives.