# Possibly Stag Line ship?



## alan dd (May 16, 2010)

Hi all, from a post on another site, a friend was asking about this photo, taken in La Rochelle in the 1920s by a professional photographer presumably for insurance purposes. Her grandfather was on board when it was hit by a severe storm, which was probably while crossing Biscay and the ship sought shelter in La Rochelle. Her grandfather sailed on several Stag Line ships apparently - can anyone identify this one? (it may not, of course be a Stag Line vessel) 
Thanks for any help.


----------



## Orbitaman (Oct 5, 2007)

It's clearly a tanker, so almost certainly not Stag Line as they were not tanker operators.


----------



## alan dd (May 16, 2010)

Orbitaman said:


> It's clearly a tanker, so almost certainly not Stag Line as they were not tanker operators.


I did think that as well, but no other clues.........and there's this: Gloxinia - Unknown Vessels - Gallery - TrawlerPictures.net 
Gloxinia was built as a cargo ship but converted to a tanker.


----------



## BillH (Oct 10, 2007)

GLOXINIA Cargo Ship / Tanker
O.N. 139896. 3336grt, 1961nrt, 331.5 x 47.9 x 23.0ft
T.3-cyl (22.5, 36.5 & 62 x 42ins) by North-Eastern Marine Engineering Co Ltd, Wallsend 289nhp. 9 kts
Laid down as a WAR class cargo ship for the UK Shipping Controller by Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Company, Willington Quay on Tyne (Yard No. 219)
20.3.1920: Launched as GLOXINIA for Stag Line Ltd (J Robinson & Sons), North Shields
9.1920: Completed
4.1921: Converted to carry molasses in bulk by Smith’s Dock at North Shields
7.1952: Sold to Imera Siciliana di Nav, Palermo and renamed VITTORIA O
1955: Sold to Soc Armamento Marittimo arl (“SOARMA”), Genoa and converted back to a dry cargo ship
3.4.1959: Arrived at La Spezia for demolition by CN Santa Maria


----------



## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

BillH said:


> GLOXINIA Cargo Ship / Tanker
> O.N. 139896. 3336grt, 1961nrt, 331.5 x 47.9 x 23.0ft
> T.3-cyl (22.5, 36.5 & 62 x 42ins) by North-Eastern Marine Engineering Co Ltd, Wallsend 289nhp. 9 kts
> Laid down as a WAR class cargo ship for the UK Shipping Controller by Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Company, Willington Quay on Tyne (Yard No. 219)
> ...


----------



## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

I was in a later Gloxinia ... about '72. They named them all after tropical diseases.


----------



## Johnny Walker (Mar 27, 2010)

I think you will find that the ships were named after flowers/trees and not tropical diseases.


----------



## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

Name ships after flowers/trees? Are you serious? Nobody would do that.


----------



## Johnny Walker (Mar 27, 2010)

Ron Stringer said:


> Name ships after flowers/trees? Are you serious? Nobody would do that.


Your right that would be down right mawkish ?? M/V Cholera or S.S Malaria sound reasonable. Who would like to sail on the new passenger ship Queen of Covid or her sister ship Queen of Dysentery .


----------



## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Johnny Walker said:


> I think you will find that the ships were named after flowers/trees and not tropical diseases.


I know, I was kidding.


----------



## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

trotterdotpom said:


> I know, I was kidding.


JohnT I believe that the essence of SN is steadily draining away. Fings ain't what they used to be. Take care.


----------



## Robert Paton (May 16, 2021)

Hi all,

I sailed on the Zinnia and Photinia. I also worked on the Ixia, Gloxinia and Cydonia in dry dock.
All Stag Line ships were cargo vessels. 
The Photinia was an interesting vessel as she was built being able to convert into a cable layer. She laid the power cables across the Cook Straits amongst others.
She eventually was broken up after running aground in a storm on one of the U.S. Great Lakes ( reminiscent of the Edmund Fitzgerald ).
Best wishes Rob


----------



## brisray (Jan 29, 2017)

Funniest thing I've read on the interwebs all week. Ships named after flowers and tropical diseases!

Then there were the WWII Flower-class corvettes with the fear-inducing names such as Bluebell and Buttercup.


----------

