# "Midnight Sun"



## DCMARINE (Dec 5, 2005)

On behalf of a friend I am looking for any information on "Midnight Sun", believed to have been a small(ish) cruise boat that ran from Newcastle to Northern Norway in the 1918 - 39 period. Believe vessel was registered in Newcastle, flew the Blue Ensign, and had a part Shetland crew. An old photo shows crew in Naval uniform.
Any info much appreciated.
Thanks,
Donald Campbell


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## DCMARINE (Dec 5, 2005)

Have found a "Midnight Sun", built 1937 in Bergen for Bergen owners. She is listed as L 47.9m, B 8.1m, and 599T. She is a Norwegian registered passenger/cargo vessel. Scrapped? 1973. Not sure if this is same vessel sailing under British flag for a period.
Re previous post - Blue Ensign, it is likely part of the crew were RNR.
Any info on any of the above most appreciated.
Donald Campbell


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

Donald,
the vessel you refer to is the Fanaraaken built in 1937 which would not be the period you are looking for. She did not become the Midnight Sun until 1972. The vessel was wrecked at Aegina 26.2.73 and broken up where she was.
Hawkey01


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## melliget (Dec 3, 2006)

Donald.

This may be the Midnight Sun your friend is interested in:
http://www.geocities.com/mppraetorius/com-ge.htm

An advert for the steamer/yacht as the General Werder in The Times:
TheTimes_28Jun1877_General_Werder_later_Midnight_Sun_advert.jpg

Some other mentions:

Saturday, Sep 21, 1895
PLEASURE STEAMER ASHORE.- The ocean-going
yacht Midnight Sun, in the course of a cruise round the
United Kingdom, grounded on the rocks at Pladda,
near Easdale, Oban, yesterday. The tide at the time
was the lowest experienced in this particular part of
the West for the last 30 years. The passengers on
board were landed in boats on the Island of Luing,
about a mile away. They were afterwards conveyed to
Oban in a small steamer. At high tide the Midnight
Sun was floated off none the worse for the mishap, and
proceeded to Oban.

Friday, Nov 12, 1897
Sir Arthur and Lady Arnold and Mr. Max
Pemberton will leave Gravesend on December 4 by
Mr. Woolrych Perowne's yachting steamer the s.s.
Midnight Sun, for Lisbon, Tangier, Gibraltar,
Algiers, and the Riviera.

Monday, Nov 29, 1897
The Bishop of Carlisle and Miss Bardsley
will leave England in a few days for two months on the
Mediterranean. Bishop Bardsley has accepted an
invitation from Mr. Woolrych Perowne to join the
steamship Midnight Sun at Marseilles on December 22..

Friday, Nov 03, 1899
The well-known yachting steamer Midnight Sun, belong-
ing to the Albion Steamship Company, of
Newcastle-on-Tyne, has been chartered and
placed in the hands of Sir William Arm-
strong, Whitworth, and Co. for the necessary
alterations. On the completion of this work the
hospital ship will be taken to Southampton
Docks, whence it is expected she will sail for
South Africa during the latter part of the month.
Her Royal Highness has graciously consented to
the expressed wish of the Central British Red
Cross Committee that the ship should be called
the Princess of Wales. In addition to fitting up
the ship, the Princess of Wales intends to spend
a sum of no less than £1,000 in luxuries and
comforts for the invalided soldiers.

Wednesday, Nov 20, 1907
The Royal Merchant Seamen's Orphanage has
received £25 from the passengers of the steam yacht
Midnight Sun during the past season.

Friday, May 29, 1908
The Albion Steamship Company's yachting steamer
Midnight Sun leaves Newcastle-on-Tyne on June 6 for a
pleasure cruise to the Norwegian Fjords lasting over
14 days. Further information may be had from the com-
pany's offices, Baltic-chambers, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

Saturday, May 13, 1911
For northern passengers the Albion Steamship
Company will despatch the Midnight Sun from New-
castle on Tuesday, June 20. Arriving at Tilbury
the next day passengers can see the Coronation
Procession in London on June 22, and embark for
Spithead on the 23rd. On the return journey the
vessel will land London passengers at Tilbury on
Monday, June 26, and will be back in the Tyne
the next day.


regards,
Martin


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## DCMARINE (Dec 5, 2005)

Hawkey01 & Melliget,
Thanks for the info.
Very much appreciated.
Donald Campbell


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## slick (Mar 31, 2006)

Donald,
I read your post with interest and it slowly dawned on me that S.Y. Midnight Sun rang bells, well it was six in the morning,I have in my collection a plated and engraved match holder/box for a watch chain (a Vesta, I believe) for the S.Y. Midnight Sun.
I can't date it, but could it be the one you are researching?
Yours aye,
Slick


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## slick (Mar 31, 2006)

Donald,
Correction to my earlier post, insert between "my and "a" the word "collection", apologies.
Yours aye,
Slick


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

*Editing*



slick said:


> Donald,
> Correction to my earliest post, insert between "my and "a" the word "collection", apologies.
> Yours aye,
> Slick


Slick,
If you go to your posting (#6 on this thread) you will see an 'Edit' button on the bottom right-hand side, near the 'Quote' button that you see on all postings. Click on the 'Edit' button and your original will appear and you can then insert, retype or delete anything that you like before re-posting it. Only works on your own postings, and only for a limited time after you have posted it. Good luck.


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## Harry Nicholson (Oct 11, 2005)

slick said:


> Donald,
> I read your post with interest and it slowly dawned on me that S.Y. Midnight Sun rang bells, well it was six in the morning,I have in my collection a plated and engraved match holder/box for a watch chain (a Vesta, I believe) for the S.Y. Midnight Sun.
> Slick


Well I never, I have one of those too. It was my father's and he always kept in in his special drawer with his medals and private things. He was born in 1893 and a Hartlepool ship riveter. I don't know how he came to have the match case. Here is a picture of it. (The animal under the flag is a polar bear) Anyone understand the heraldry of the image?


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## Saullr (Oct 30, 2010)

There is one of these in my family as well. We believe that it belonged to Charles Mclaren, who may well have been the surgeon for a period, probably in the late 1890s. See attached picture of him, probably on board....


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## Conor Lindsay (May 17, 2012)

DC this is my first post here so I hope the thread is not out of date and this gets to you.

I inherited a book of old photos many years ago and some of them related to a cruise to the Norwegian fjords at the turn of the century. I have found a few images of the S Y Midnight Sun and its passengers ashore: these are attached (low-res) and I hope they are of interest. Rgds Conor


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## R58484956 (Apr 19, 2004)

Greetings* Conor *and welcome to *SN* Thanks for showing photos. Bon voyage.


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## Tomtom22 (Oct 4, 2020)

DCMARINE said:


> Have found a "Midnight Sun", built 1937 in Bergen for Bergen owners. She is listed as L 47.9m, B 8.1m, and 599T. She is a Norwegian registered passenger/cargo vessel. Scrapped? 1973. Not sure if this is same vessel sailing under British flag for a period.
> Re previous post - Blue Ensign, it is likely part of the crew were RNR.
> Any info on any of the above most appreciated.
> Donald Campbell


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