# Diary of engineer on the Ropner cargo ship - Wragby from 1909



## PeterSmithson (Jan 11, 2012)

Hi,

My grandfather was an engineer on the SS Wragby which he joined in 1909. He kept a diary from May 1909 to November 1910 detailing all the ports it visited and occasionally mentions other ships. It's quite personal but might be of interest to people who have an interest in the ship so I'm willing to share but a bit reluctant to publish the entire thing on the web. Here's some bits -

"At this time cargo ship owners supplied little if any amenities to their officers, who had to supply their own bed mattress, bed clothes, soap, matches, etc. and many tradesmen catered for these at the various ports. I can still remember the load of Lifebouy and Sunlight soap necessary for a voyage of uncertain duration."

" The ship would be about 300 feet long, or a little more. The crew living in the forecastle, the captain and deck officers in the poop and engineers amidship. The triple expansion steam engine developed, I should guess, about 1300 I.H.P. at 60 to 70 R.P.M. , W.P. = 180 lbs/sq.in.. Two cylindrical boilers and two small vertical Donkey boilers, 100 lbs/sq.in., coal fired, natural draught, no electrical plant, paraffin oil lighting. The ship carried
1 captain 1 cook
2 mates 1 boatswain
4 engineers 6 firemen
1 steward ? sailors
1 engineer’s steward 1 donkeyman

When I joined this ship I was very little experienced, but I soon settled down to the new life. Copy of a diary kept at this time, 1909,
May 17th - Joined the S/S Wragby at Felling
May 20th - “Signed on” as 4th engineer
May 22nd - Departed Dunstan at 3.45am. with a cargo of coal
May 25th - Entered Bay of Biscay. Drill hole in aft bulk head, at end of tunnel. Rather sea sick.
May 29th - 900 F engine room temperature. Passed St Vincent. Fine view of its lighthouse on a rock.
May 30th - Passed Gibraltar. Land seen at each side.
May 31st - In sight of the coast of Spain all day. Mountainous coast and snow clad mountains.
June 3rd - Passed Corsica. Also similar, mountainous and snow clad. Prepare for entering port, soap, matches sealed.
June 4th - Arrived Leghorn, or Livorno (Italian name), breakwater, enter harbour at 9.00am.. The colour of the sea and land was wonderful and a contrast from Tyneside.
June 6th & 8th - Visit ashore (seamen’s institute)
June 9th - bathed in harbour"

it goes on. Maybe I should remove all personal comments and make it available somewhere - but where and would people be interested?

I know nothing about ships!

He got an MBE later (1945) for designing an engine at Smiths Docks but that's about all I know. I'm going to ask my dad for more information.

Thanks.

Peter.


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## PeterSmithson (Jan 11, 2012)

*S/S Levenpool (1 - 1911 to 1934) and Collingham (1889 by R. Dixon & Co)*

Just reading further in the journal and see information on these to ships too.

This is when he was on Levenpool, there's lots of things like this and I wonder if it'd interest people?

20.01.11 Dept. Cardiff with cargo of coal for Port Said

After the builder’s sea trials we took the ship over for Port Said and soon discovered trouble with the main engine guides. To keep them running without running hot, they required so much attention that it was necessary to have 2 engineers on each watch. This meant 6 hour watches, ie. 6hours `on’ and 6hours `off’. This is very unpleasant to say the least and we were very pleased to reach Port Said on 11.02.11. I was not ashore as it was not very inviting and hot and we had plenty of work.
22.02.11 Depart Port Said, lightship for Black Sea

Also an account of when the La Bastiaise was sunk by a mine during testing in Hartlepool in 1944 from the point of view of the people working at the shipyard.


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## DAVIDJM (Sep 17, 2005)

Thank you Peter

This very interesting article and I think we would all like to hear more of your grandfather’s experiences and where he travelled too.


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## PeterSmithson (Jan 11, 2012)

Thanks David - I'll have to speak to my dad and we'll come up with something over the coming year.


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## peter drake (Jan 16, 2009)

Hi Peter 
There are many people on this site who will be interested to learn more of your grandfathers story. If you log onto photoship Co uk there are a couple of pictures of Levenpool. I served as an engineer on the second Levenpool in the 1960s

Pete


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

Does your Grandfather make any mention of the Ciggy vessel that had to be drydocked at Smith's (Tees) due to hitting a Mine in WW2, when they pumped the drydock out boxes of ciggy's floated out of her hold and were quickly spirited away. One of the Smith's legend's. The French Corvette took a lot of senior Smith's employee's down with her.


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

Peter was there another Smithson who served his time at Smith's at the beginning of WW2 and then went into the Drawing Office?, possibly a nephew, something like Peter Edward's who was the nephew of a major shareholder called Tristram Edwards. Smith's was a "family" firm in many way's and also had Apprentice's who were the Son's of a number of Shipowner's.


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## PeterSmithson (Jan 11, 2012)

chadburn said:


> Peter was there another Smithson who served his time at Smith's at the beginning of WW2 and then went into the Drawing Office?, possibly a nephew, something like Peter Edward's who was the nephew of a major shareholder called Tristram Edwards. Smith's was a "family" firm in many way's and also had Apprentice's who were the Son's of a number of Shipowner's.


 Hello, no mention of another Smithson or the Ciggy ship!

He did talk about that French ship that hit a mine near Hartlepool and how horrible it was that none of the people from Smith's made it

I'll have to sort this out so people can read them.

Peter


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

PeterSmithson said:


> Hello, no mention of another Smithson or the Ciggy ship!
> 
> He did talk about that French ship that hit a mine near Hartlepool and how horrible it was that none of the people from Smith's made it
> 
> ...


Peter as a former Smiths Apprentice (Post War) I would be interested along with my source who was at Smiths during the War and remembered the name Smithson but had him down as an Apprentice who after his time went into the Drawing Office. With due respect my source is in his 80's.


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## PeterSmithson (Jan 11, 2012)

chadburn said:


> Peter as a former Smiths Apprentice (Post War) I would be interested along with my source who was at Smiths during the War and remembered the name Smithson but had him down as an Apprentice who after his time went into the Drawing Office. With due respect my source is in his 80's.


My grandad was about 40 when he joined Smiths but he did go to the drawing office. His position was "leading engine works draughtsman" which he started in August 1928 and kept that position until retirement in 1949.

It's quite hard reading through the journal as there's pages of things that would be of no interest to anyone else (family events etc.). You can get a few names at the start (1928) -

Mr T. Eustace Smith (Director)
Mr Ostens (Engine Works Manager and the Dry Dock Engine Manager)
Mr A. Warley
Mr Dobson
Mr Graham
There was a Mr P. Matthews who my grandfather writes a few pages about as he went to his funeral.

Getting other names will be hard work as it's spread over many pages!

He mentions visiting Sir Tristam Edwards flat in London. He was a director.


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

I met Eustace Smith on a couple of occasion's, he made it his job to canvas Shipowner's throughout Europe to have their newbuild's built at Smith's and as I previously mentioned some of the Shipowner's Son's served there time at Smith's. Tristam Edward's nephew remained at Smith's after the War. My "source" left Smith's after the War and like many of Smiths lad's joined the MN.


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## N.R.HOLMES (Jan 7, 2012)

This is my first post hope it goes well.It was just to say that I took the Rushpool on her maiden voyage from Sunderland in 57 carrying coal from the U.S.A. to the Continent,Iwas in the catering dept.best job i ever had at sea having spent a few years in passenger /cargo|(Port Line).Ropners had a bad name for years my old Grandad used to tell me about the bad conditions in those days ,early 1900s. Rushpool was a cracker but left her to get married in 58. N.R.HOLMES


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## PeterSmithson (Jan 11, 2012)

*blog with extracts*

I've started putting some bits on a blog

http://jb-smithson-mbe.blogspot.com/2012/01/apprentice-at-messrs-blair-and-co.html

http://jb-smithson-mbe.blogspot.com/2012/01/going-to-sea-on-ss-wragby.html


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

Enjoyed reading them Peter, it has struck me that very little had changed from when your Grandfather served his time and when I served my time in the 1950's. At the time he was there Stockton was the shipbuilding centre on the Tees with as many as five shipyards operating at any one time. I was an Engineer on a Ropner built Blair equiped vessel which had it's peculiar aspect's and the connection will be there between your Grandfather's vessel's and Rafal's vessel as some of the Lifeboat's for these vessel's will have most certainly come from the same source (Pickersgills). Where did your Grandfather live in the Stockton area?


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## PeterSmithson (Jan 11, 2012)

*3 more extracts*

Hi,

I put 3 more extracts up though one of them is not ship related. Here are the 2 that might interest people here -

Always close your discharge pipe!
http://jb-smithson-mbe.blogspot.com/2012/01/always-close-your-discharge-pipe.html

SS Arakaka sabotage?
http://jb-smithson-mbe.blogspot.com/2012/01/ss-arakaka-sabotage.html

Cheers.

Peter.


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

Interesting reading Peter,, Smith's Dock Park is still there but as is usual these day's it suffer's fom the Vandal even the War Memorial to the Smiths men who gave their live's. I wish some of the smaller boat owner's would take heed of shutting both suction and discharge v/v's when leaving their vessel's as a "dead ship" Where did your Grandfather live when he was an Apprentice? Blairs was a massive work's at North Stockton.


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## PeterSmithson (Jan 11, 2012)

Hello. He lived at Ropner Terrace in Newtown. It must have been knocked down at some point as it doesn't exist now. I'll have to visit the park next time I'm there - didn't know there was one. Cheers.


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

There is also a Ropner Park and a Ropner Ave in the Hartburn area of Stockton. Stockton at one time was the main shipbuilding area on the River Tees, it was also the "spy centre" for the Unionist spies as the shipyard's were covertly building blockade buster's for the Confederate's. For some time now I have been writing a book about the Tees called "From Croft to Paddy's Hole".


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