# Ships Laid Up On River Blackwater Essex



## stores (Apr 8, 2007)

Can Anyone Help With Information Of Ships Laid Up On River Blackwater, Photos Of Same If Possible, Local Museum At Mersea Essex Is Needing Any Help On This Subject, Discharge Book Records Of Joining Or Discharge At Mersea, Any Photos Would Be Used On There Website With Your Permission, If Ship Photo Was Taken On Blackwater That Would Be A Bonus, Either Contact Me Or Directly With Mersea Museum, Cheers, Stores.


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## Keltic Star (Jan 21, 2006)

Stood by on the "Welsh Prince" laid up in the River Blackwater in July and August 1959. There were two of us as cadets waiting for first sea going appointments plus Chief Officer, a Second Mate and a cook. No power, used oil lamps and cooked on a kerosene stove in the galley. Hot water for a shower was warmed on a kero heater, took all day to get the water tepid. Stores boat came by once a week and took grocery order for the following week. I don't remember how many ships were laid up there at that time but is was quite a few during a shipping recession. We spent our days trying to start the emergency gen set for a bit of civilization but never got that piece of c--p running.


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## JET (Oct 22, 2005)

I was on a ship that was taken to the Blackwater for laying up in 1963 but the discharge port was Maldon. 

Regards John


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## Barmyclaresdad (Nov 24, 2005)

I paid off the Booth Line vessel there in 1962. My discharge book shows Maldon


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## Barmyclaresdad (Nov 24, 2005)

Sorry, senior moment, the vessel was the Basil


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## Peter4447 (Jan 26, 2006)

stores said:


> Can Anyone Help With Information Of Ships Laid Up On River Blackwater, Photos Of Same If Possible, Local Museum At Mersea Essex Is Needing Any Help On This Subject, Discharge Book Records Of Joining Or Discharge At Mersea, Any Photos Would Be Used On There Website With Your Permission, If Ship Photo Was Taken On Blackwater That Would Be A Bonus, Either Contact Me Or Directly With Mersea Museum, Cheers, Stores.


Hi Stores
I assume the Museum is only interested in those on the Blackwater and not those round the corner on the River Stour for which I have the full list.
Peter4447(Thumb)


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## stores (Apr 8, 2007)

hi peter 4447, thanks for info, will make enquiries, stores.


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## stores (Apr 8, 2007)

hi keltic star, thanks for that, i joined riebeeck castle there, what a mess, got on coach at kg5, had to bump start it, got soaked on fishing boat joining ship, half the er crowd refused to sail, red rust down below, sailed to las palmas for bunkers, almost got logged, missed 2 watches, on return voyage in las palmas 2 weeks broken down on shore power, scavenge fires every day, the good old days, ? stores


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## Binnacle (Jul 22, 2005)

Spent about four months there standing by Polar Maid in 1955. Cargo whale solubles aboard. Conditions similar to experience of Keltic Star. Carter was agent, boatman Alf ?? first class boat handler. One other ship there, name unknown. Eventually raised steam, signed articles Maldon, departed for discharge port. Deisel compresser ran weekly to partially turn main shaft and turn over steam generator. Dined once or twice in Victory Hotel, West Mersea. Good bookshop in Colchester and Ever Ready battery radio helped to retain sanity.


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## ixion (Mar 7, 2007)

I wondered if you could help with the approximate arrival and sailing dates for the POLAR MAID. We believe she was laid up in the River Blackwater for a couple of years unless she sailed and retruned again in the meantime.

It is interesting that she was laid up with cargo aboard and wondered about the reason that was not discharged before she was laid-up. Any other information on this or other ships laid up in the Blackwater is very welcome.

See web-site http://www.merseamuseum.org.uk/mmshipping.php?u=0
for listings of ships here and the local Museum archive ac***ulated so far.


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## stores (Apr 8, 2007)

miramar ship index states she was broken up at rosyth 06 03 1957. dont know if that was start or completion of demolition, STORES.


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## Keltic Star (Jan 21, 2006)

Hi Stores:
Attached are a couple of pic's of the "Welsh Prince" for you collection. I have no knowledge of who took them so please give credit to whoever did.
Best regards
Bob


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## Binnacle (Jul 22, 2005)

ixion said:


> I wondered if you could help with the approximate arrival and sailing dates for the POLAR MAID. We believe she was laid up in the River Blackwater for a couple of years unless she sailed and retruned again in the meantime.
> 
> It is interesting that she was laid up with cargo aboard and wondered about the reason that was not discharged before she was laid-up. Any other information on this or other ships laid up in the Blackwater is very welcome.
> 
> I probably joined PM in the River Blackwater about November 54. No discharge book entry as we were not on articles. The chief engineer who was also there had been on the ship for a number of years, most of my information came from him. She had come into Tilbury ? fom South Georgia about the end of the whaling season, say about May 54. The whale soluble market prices were low so it was decided to lay her up until prices rose. She was there during the summer, a ship's lifeboat was lowered to improve access to shore, lifted prior to winter gales. As whaling ships were due back from the 54/55 season, it was decided to land our solubles to storage at Preston in order to tranship from Southern Havester at Liverpool. This was landed at Weist (sp ?) MSC. She was probably AFAIK down south for the 53/54 season, and prior to that did a trip to Salvesen's Hawkes Bay whaling station in Labrador. I could be in error, but am rather doubtful about her having spent two whole years at West Mersea. From how the chief spoke this was his first visit. After a windy night the ship's cat did not appear for breakfast, and eventually it was presumed "lost at sea". Apparently there had been a monkey aboard the previous trip and the cat had learned unsafe climbing habits copying the monkey, it may have been blown over board. To avoid the weekly chore of climbing over the bow to lubricate the anchor chain swivel we tied the end of a rubber hose to it, attached a funnel to the upper end and the watchman/handyman generously poured oil down every few days. The officer in charge had to write weekly to the owners, it was difficult to vary the letters from week to week, month to month, but after all those those years I remember the unalterable phrase "vessel continues to ride with clear hawse." After discharge Manchester we came up to the Clyde to lay up again, my date of discharge was Glasgow 26/5/55.


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## Keith Garwood (Nov 15, 2008)

Peter4447 said:


> Hi Stores
> I assume the Museum is only interested in those on the Blackwater and not those round the corner on the River Stour for which I have the full list.
> Peter4447(Thumb)


Would appreciate list of ships laid up above Parkeston. I have a few names but i'm not sure if i've got them all.
Keith


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## Peter4447 (Jan 26, 2006)

Hi Keith
Welcome aboard!
I have taken the liberty of deleting your e-mail address these have a habit of attracting the unwanted attention of 'spammers' when displayed publicily. We do have a private message facility on the site for contacting individual members.

The list of ships laid-up above Parkeston Quay in the late 50's were:
Amphitite (7,959), Bushwood (France Fenwick), Canopus (7,138), Centaurus (7,431), Cedarwood, Eleni (7,820), Elias G Kulukundis (5,548), Helene Kulukundis (5,500), Kurdistan (Common Bros Tnkr), Levenpool (Ropner), Lily, Master Elias Kulukundis (5,500), North Britain, Oakby (Ropner), Sterling Valour (7,821), Teespool (Ropner 7,154), Temple Arch (5,147), Temple Bar (7,191), Temple Inn (5,231), (All 3 Lambert Bros), Transpollux (9,100), Teespool (Ropner 7,154), Trident (6,931), Theoskpasti (7,138), Walton. In addition the Tanker 'Globe Trader' was laid up in the harbour for several years but she was moored near Shotley not Parkeston.

From memory I believe it was the 'Bushwood' that was sold Greek for further trading and after leaving Harwich it promptly became a CTL on the Goodwins.

Mistley was also a busy little port in those days, although I always found it difficult get the names of the 'callers' - in fact the only names that readily spring to mind are the 'Polly M' and the Dutch coasters 'Raket' 'Dicky' and 'Marinus V'

Kind regards and enjoy all that the site has to offer.
Peter(Thumb)


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## Keith Garwood (Nov 15, 2008)

Peter4447 said:


> Hi Keith
> Welcome aboard!
> I have taken the liberty of deleting your e-mail address these have a habit of attracting the unwanted attention of 'spammers' when displayed publicily. We do have a private message facility on the site for contacting individual members.
> 
> ...


Hi Peter,
Many thanks for the list. Most of these i saw when i was at school at Harwich in the 1950s because they could easily be seen from the train. If you are interested other names i have are Willesden....the very first to arrive on 20.1.58....and Twickenham, both Watts,Watts. 
Others that i didn't see personally but whose names i have been given are Dalewood, Wrenwood and Portwood..all France Fenwick. Caphus, Wearpool, Andros Fort, Andros Lady, Michael G, Iron Barque, Iron Ore, Daghestan, Angeliki, Polamhall, Silver Comet, Alkis, and Marivik.
I believe the person who supplied the names worked for Harwich Harbour and was responsible for collecting their dues because the only tonnages i have for the later ones are the n.r.ts. I have the arrival and departure dates for all of them together with any changes of name that took place while they were there.
The photos of several of these are featured on the "Old Ships" site but the one that has pleased me most is a pic of the Transpollux, ex Sun Oil tanker Eastern Sun which is on its own site. Well worth a look.
Keith


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## Peter4447 (Jan 26, 2006)

Hi Keith
Many thanks for the updates to the list. I didn't record the later ones as I joined the RN in '59 and left Harwich. I watched several of them passing Harwich as the made their way up the Stour - my one regret was that in those days I did not own a camera! I did, however, have the chance to go and view them courtesy of one of the local small boat owners before I left - it was a very sad but remarkable sight.
The Kulukundis ships used a little launch to run backwards and forwards to Harwich and if memory serves me right it had a little dummy funnel that was painted in the colours of London & Overseas.
I was convinced that one of the laid-up France Fenwicks that was sold to Greece for further trading only to be lost on the Goodwins very shortly after ending its time on lay-up. I thought it was renamed 'Ypapanti' and there is a photo of her in My Gallery although she is actually on the Long Head Sands. I have since done another check on Miramar and it seems that the 'Ypapanti' was formerly the 'Winsor' so I am obviously mistaken in this, although I still believe that one of the laid-up France Fenwick ships did actually leave and immediately ran into serious problems - I'll have to do some more digging! 
Kind regards and best wishes
Peter


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## Keith Garwood (Nov 15, 2008)

Peter4447 said:


> Hi Keith
> Many thanks for the updates to the list. I didn't record the later ones as I joined the RN in '59 and left Harwich. I watched several of them passing Harwich as the made their way up the Stour - my one regret was that in those days I did not own a camera! I did, however, have the chance to go and view them courtesy of one of the local small boat owners before I left - it was a very sad but remarkable sight.
> The Kulukundis ships used a little launch to run backwards and forwards to Harwich and if memory serves me right it had a little dummy funnel that was painted in the colours of London & Overseas.
> I was convinced that one of the laid-up France Fenwicks that was sold to Greece for further trading only to be lost on the Goodwins very shortly after ending its time on lay-up. I thought it was renamed 'Ypapanti' and there is a photo of her in My Gallery although she is actually on the Long Head Sands. I have since done another check on Miramar and it seems that the 'Ypapanti' was formerly the 'Winsor' so I am obviously mistaken in this, although I still believe that one of the laid-up France Fenwick ships did actually leave and immediately ran into serious problems - I'll have to do some more digging!
> ...


Hi Peter,
When the ships first started arriving in 1958 our local paper the Harwich and Manningtree Standard ran a decent sized report and for the next year or more always reported new arrivals and departures. I have recently been delving through old editions after the paper allowed me access to their offices and the ship i gave you as CAPHUS is probably the CEPHEUS which was reported on 11.6.58 as arriving and leaving 31.10.59. Another one i appear to have missed is the HENDONHALL which was reported as arriving on 31.7.58.
Another vessel was reported as 'due to arrive' was the TRINCULO which i believe was a new ship at the time. Since there were no further reports and no sightings i was wondering whether this went to the Blackwater instead.
Best regards,
Keith.


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## ixion (Mar 7, 2007)

Hello Keith

I confirm that the Trinculo was in the Blackwater and there is some more information about her coming here on dates etc on the Mersea Museum web-site http://www.merseamuseum.org.uk/mmshipping.php .

It was interesting to see the listings for the Stour and if you have any photos it would be nice to see them. We are still receiving some photos and information about the ones in the Blackwater and any more would be welcome

Ian


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## Peter4447 (Jan 26, 2006)

Hi Ian
Sorry I cannot help with any photos. 
From memory the ships laid up in the Stour were moored nose to tail and about 4 abreast. I feel reasonably certain that the Harwich and Manningtree 'Standard' did have a photo showing the ships moored above Parkeston Quay so it may well be in their archives.
Kind regards
Peter


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## shiploversa (Dec 8, 2019)

stores said:


> Can Anyone Help With Information Of Ships Laid Up On River Blackwater, Photos Of Same If Possible, Local Museum At Mersea Essex Is Needing Any Help On This Subject, Discharge Book Records Of Joining Or Discharge At Mersea, Any Photos Would Be Used On There Website With Your Permission, If Ship Photo Was Taken On Blackwater That Would Be A Bonus, Either Contact Me Or Directly With Mersea Museum, Cheers, Stores.


here is a good site


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