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G.K. Stothert & Co

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Coordinates: 51°26′56″N 2°36′56″W / 51.44884°N 2.615590°W / 51.44884; -2.615590
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51°26′56″N 2°36′56″W / 51.44884°N 2.615590°W / 51.44884; -2.615590

Mayflower was built by Stothert & Marten in 1861. She is the oldest Bristol-built ship afloat, and is believed to be the oldest surviving tug in the world.

G.K. Stothert & Co was a British engineering company primarily known for shipbuilding and repair founded in 1852 in Bristol, England.

History

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The Bristol offshoot of Stothert, Slaughter & Co., which later became Stothert & Pitt, had been set up in St Phillips in 1837 with the hope of gaining orders from the Great Western Railway.[1] By 1844 they had diversified into shipbuilding, producing two 105 ton iron screw steamers named Avon and Severn which were built for running between Newport and Bristol.[2][3][4] The railway works part of the company eventually became Avonside Engine Company, and the shipbuilding part moved to Hotwells and became a separate company in 1852 under the control of George Kelson Stothert. It was officially known as the Clifton Marine Engineering and Iron Shipbuilding Works.[2] Subsequent partnerships were formed with E.T. Fripp (1855–1859)[5] and R.H. Marten (1859–1862);[6] after that, G. K. Stothert held sole control until 1899.[7] When he died in 1908, the business was established as a limited company carrying his name.[8][9] The business remained in operation under his name until 1933,[4] although shipbuilding stopped in 1904.[2][3]

A fire occurred at the yard in 1893; later correspondence states that this destroyed the company's records to that date.[10]

After G. K. Stothert passed away, the obituary written by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers noted that he "...was one of the pioneers of iron shipbuilding in this country".[11]

Location

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In 1852, the company took over an existing shipyard adjacent to the Cumberland Basin that had been used by George Lunnell between 1834 and 1851.[12] Their site consisted of slipways, Hotwells Dry Dock (now Pooles Wharf Marina) and Merchant's Dock[13] (now filled in, although the old entrance is still visible).

Vessels

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Several large vessels were built within the first few years of operation, including the Scamander,[14] Meander[15] and Araxes[16], ranging between 780 and 1156 tons and being built in 1854 and 1855 for the Moss Line of Liverpool.[2][3]

The company became known for producing river and canal tugs, including a significant number for use on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. This commenced with an initial order for three in 1860 (Moss Rose, 1860,[7] Mayflower, 1861[17] and Violet, 1862[7]) and ended with a final order for two in 1904 (Active and Victor)[2][18] which are believed to be the final vessels launched by the company.[19]

The yard numbers the company used seem to have covered all works undertaken, rather than just vessels; Mayflower's current boiler (dating from 1909) is yard No. 303[20].

Year Name Yard No. ON GRT Type Propulsion Client
1843 AVON 3944 105 Passenger Screw Bristol New Steam Packet Company
1844 SEVERN 3947 104 Passenger Screw Bristol New Steam Packet Company
1851 JENNY JONES/BALMORAL 3953 166 Passenger / Cargo Screw Cardiff Steam Navigation Co
1852 QUEEN 3950 342 Passenger Paddle Hayle Brilliant Steam Navigation Company
1853 JUNO/DAKOTAH 3818 298 Cargo Steam T. Fyson, Bristol
1854 SCAMANDER 25998 Cargo Steam William M. Moss & others, Liverpool
1855 ARAXES 10550 Cargo Screw William M. Moss & others, Liverpool
1856 MEANDER 8 3907 985 Cargo Screw Ross & Co., Liverpool
1856 THOMAS POWELL 26800 401 Cargo Screw Thomas Powell & others, Newport
1856 TAFF 14351 148 Passenger Paddle Bristol General Steam Navigation Company
1856 PROSPERO
1856 GLEANER
1857 ARTIZAN 20481 454 Cargo Screw G. K. Stothert, Bristol
1857 CAMILLA 447 Cargo Screw
<1958 PIONEER Tug Screw Danks, Venn and Sanders
1858 TRINCULO
1860 ENTERPRIZE 29213 97 Coaster Screw Stephen Steed & William Osborn, Bristol
1860 MOSS ROSE N/A 33 Tug Screw T. Hadley, Purton
1860 EDMUND IRONSIDES
1861 AJAX 29215 124 Cargo Screw Bristol General Steam Navigation Company
1861 DOLPHIN 44110 32 Tug Screw Bristol General Steam Navigation Company
1861 MAYFLOWER 105412 32 Tug Screw T. Hadley, Purton
1861 PIONEER
1862 ALARM 44109 21 Tug Screw Bristol General Steam Navigation Company
1862 SEVERN 44257 98 Tug Paddle Bristol Channel Steam Towing Co., Cardiff
1862 VIOLET N/A Tug Screw T. Hadley, Purton
1863 (WEAVER NAVIGATION YACHT)
1864 RELIEF 50266 104 Tug Paddle The New Steam Tug Co. Ltd., Liverpool
1865 RESOLUTE 51410 271 Tug Paddle New Steam Tug Company Ltd., Liverpool
1865 CLIFTON 777 Screw General Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London
1865 ORION 52779 777 Passenger / Cargo Paddle General Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London
1865 MAHA LUKSHMI
1866 NIGER 53182 128 Tug Paddle Anthony Hutton, Bristol
1867 MYRTLE 105414 32 Tug Screw T. Hadley, Purton
1868 PRINCESS OF WALES 41 53195 104 Tug Paddle Frank Mulleny, Bristol
1868 NEWPORT 53191 153 Cargo Screw John Stothert, Bristol
1869 STAR 63394 79 Tug Paddle Joseph Hazell & others, Cardiff
1869 ALERT 31 Tug Screw
1871 IXIA 49 65302 227 Coaster Screw
1871 WELSH PRINCE 50 65304 154 Coaster Screw Richard Charles Ring, Bristol
1871 HAZEL 184871 Tug Screw T. Hadley, Purton
1875 VOLUNTEER 85820 24 Tug Screw C. J. King & Sons, Bristol
1875 SEA KING 91051 45 Tug Screw C. J. King & Sons, Bristol
1876 SPEEDWELL 105413 40 Tug Screw Sharpness New Docks and Gloucester & Birmingham Navigation Company
1876? GLOUCESTER[21] Tug Screw Sharpness New Docks and Gloucester & Birmingham Navigation Company
1876? WORCESTER Tug Screw Sharpness New Docks and Gloucester & Birmingham Navigation Company
1876? BIRMINGHAM Tug Screw Sharpness New Docks and Gloucester & Birmingham Navigation Company
1876 REBECCA MARY 74861 96 Cargo Sailing Vessel George Farren, Caernarvon
1878 NETHAM 78453 113 Coaster Screw Richard C. Ring, Bristol
1879 DOURO 51 78459 43 Cargo Screw G. K. Stothert & Co.
1880 SEA QUEEN 91052 53 Tug Screw C. J. King & Sons, Bristol
1881 LORD TREDEGAR/ WILLIAM PARFITT 106255 179 Dredger Screw Alexandra (Newport) Dock Company
1882 GALLOPER 86493 67 Tug Screw Young & Christie, Cardiff
1883 CLIFTON GROVE 89 85810 249 Coaster Screw William Butler & Co. Ltd., Bristol
1883 TEL-EL-KEBIR 90 89165 163 Coaster Screw L. J. Bowen, Cardiff
1884 ATALANTA 92 85813 143 Barge Screw Severn & Canal Carrying Co
1885 SEA PRINCE 114 91053 97 Tug Screw C. J. King & Sons, Bristol
1888 CONHAM
1889 PENMON
1890 FLAGSTAFF 97233 113 Coaster Screw William E. Davies, London
1892 TREDEGAR 167 98828 115 Coaster Screw William Galbraith, Bristol
1892 CARBON 170 98829 126 Barge Screw Alfred J. Smith Ltd., Bristol
1892 STOKE LEIGH
1893 MERTHYR 184 102483 143 Coaster Screw
1897 RESOLUTE 105415 62 Tug Screw Severn & Canal Carrying Co
1897 RELIANCE 117716 62 Tug Screw Severn & Canal Carrying Co
1901 RECRUIT 112850 59 Tug Screw William Cory and Son Ltd., London
1901 MAESTEG 243 111318 156 Barge Screw Bristol Lighterage Co. Ltd.
1901 GARTH 244 114861 156 Barge Screw Bristol Lighterage Co. Ltd.
1903 SALAMANDER Fire Float Bristol Fire Brigade
1904 VICTOR/SEVERN VICTOR 278 147385 44 Tug Screw Severn & Canal Carrying Co
1904 ACTIVE/SEVERN ACTIVE 280 147381 53 Tug Screw Severn & Canal Carrying Co

References

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  1. ^ Cattell, John (1997). "Avonside Ironworks, Bristol" (PDF). BIAS Journal (30): 13.
  2. ^ a b c d e Farr, Grahame (1977). Shipbuilding in the Port of Bristol. Greenwich: National Maritime Museum. p. 13. ISBN 0-905555-05-8.
  3. ^ a b c Torrens, Hugh (1978). The Evolution of a Family Firm - Stothert and Pitt of Bath. Stothert & Pitt Ltd. pp. 44–47. ISBN 0950602507.
  4. ^ a b Torrens, Hugh (1976). "The Early Years of Stothert & Pitt" (PDF). BIAS Journal (9): 27.
  5. ^ "The London Gazette" (PDF). 26 August 1856. p. 2926.
  6. ^ "The London Gazette" (PDF). 21 July 1863. p. 3634.
  7. ^ a b c King, A (1983). "Bristol's other Iron Ship Steam Tug 'Mayflower'" (PDF). BIAS Journal (16): 10–14.
  8. ^ "BT 34/3426/101574 - Company number: 101574; G K Stothert and Company Ltd. Incorporated 1909. Liquidator's Accounts on the dissolution of the company at some point between 1909 and 1932". The National Archives. 1932.
  9. ^ "The London Gazette" (PDF). 4 May 1909. p. 3428.
  10. ^ "Notes and papers relating to an article on Bristol industries by Miss R F Butler for Gloucester Victoria County History: Letter from C K Stothert and Company on shipbuilding". Bristol Archives online catalogue. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
  11. ^ "George Kelson Stothert - Graces Guide". www.gracesguide.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  12. ^ Farr, Grahame (1971). Bristol Shipbuilding in the Nineteenth Century (PDF). Bristol Branch of the Historical Association. pp. 14a.
  13. ^ "Stotherts Dock". Bristol Archives online catalogue. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  14. ^ "Launch of a Fine Iron Steamer". Morning Chronicle. No. 27357. London. 29 August 1854.
  15. ^ "Ship Launch". Bristol Mercury. No. 3380. Bristol. 30 December 1854.
  16. ^ "Launch of a Fine Iron Steamer". Bristol Mercury. No. 3408. Bristol. 14 July 1855.
  17. ^ "Mayflower | National Historic Ships". www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  18. ^ ""General Arrangement S.T. "Active" & "Victor""". catalogue.gloucestershire.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
  19. ^ "G. K. Stothert and Co - Graces Guide". www.gracesguide.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  20. ^ "Eagle Star insurance report for Mayflower boiler, 20th February 1959". Canal and River Trust Archive, ref BW167/26/46/1. Retrieved 2024-11-03.
  21. ^ "Model, builder's half block, & steam screw canal tug". Bristol Museums Collections. Retrieved 2024-11-24.
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