# Armadale Castle



## Sparky's Nephew (Jul 27, 2014)

I am trying to find a bit about the Armadale Castle, a ship that my great grandfather may have sailed in as storekeeper on a voyage to South Africa in 1910.

I've found some wonderful photographs in the gallery here - but they all look like a ship which was built rather more recently than 1910!

Does anybody here happen to know of any earlier ships by this name - or possibly point me in the right direction for further research?


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## A.D.FROST (Sep 1, 2008)

Sparky's Nephew said:


> I am trying to find a bit about the Armadale Castle, a ship that my great grandfather may have sailed in as storekeeper on a voyage to South Africa in 1910.
> 
> I've found some wonderful photographs in the gallery here - but they all look like a ship which was built rather more recently than 1910!
> 
> Does anybody here happen to know of any earlier ships by this name - or possibly point me in the right direction for further research?


Only one sailed as:-http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=784
ARMADALE CASTLE built 1903 B/U 1936


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## Chris Isaac (Jul 29, 2006)

Quite a bit about her and her Masters here:
http://www.bandcstaffregister.co.uk/page141.html

There was only one Armadale Castle.
She was built in 1903 not 1910.


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## m1cxf (Dec 13, 2020)

I know this post is now six years old but I have part of the RMS Armadale Castle in my garden.
We recently had to clear my late mothers property and my wife took a liking to an old wooden bench which had been painted with the most dreadful fence paint. After it had been here I started to remove the paint and found an aluminium plate with the following information, "made by The HUGHES BLOCKOW SHIPBREAKING COMPANY LTD. Blyth, Northumberland. from TEAK TAKEN FROM R.M.S. ARMADALE CASTLE."
I have read that she was very active, and well armed when she was HMS Armadale Castle between 1914 and 1918 along the coast of Africa and then up to the North Atlantic. 
Considering she was broken up almost ninety years ago there is very little rot and I am looking forward to starting the full preservation process next summer.
Seeing this posting from Sparky's Nephew made me wonder if any other parts from the RMS Armadale Castle have survived.

Regards

Trevor


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## Witold (Apr 21, 2021)

Another bench from same ship in Polwarth Church grounds, Edinburgh via Cranleigh School, carved with school arms.


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## Caroline( Lakin )Wallis (Sep 19, 2021)

Witold said:


> View attachment 686731
> 
> Another bench from same ship in Polwarth Church grounds, Edinburgh via Cranleigh School, carved with school arms.





m1cxf said:


> I know this post is now six years old but I have part of the RMS Armadale Castle in my garden.
> We recently had to clear my late mothers property and my wife took a liking to an old wooden bench which had been painted with the most dreadful fence paint. After it had been here I started to remove the paint and found an aluminium plate with the following information, "made by The HUGHES BLOCKOW SHIPBREAKING COMPANY LTD. Blyth, Northumberland. from TEAK TAKEN FROM R.M.S. ARMADALE CASTLE."
> I have read that she was very active, and well armed when she was HMS Armadale Castle between 1914 and 1918 along the coast of Africa and then up to the North Atlantic.
> Considering she was broken up almost ninety years ago there is very little rot and I am looking forward to starting the full preservation process next summer.
> ...


Hi Trevor: v interesting to read your story of your bench. My family have quite a collection and I have two seats which have moved many times over the years. I am just in process of cleaning them up. One has lost its inscription. My family lived in Northumberland for many years but I think the various benches and seats date back to the 50’s. My late father who was a WW2 submarine commander and who after the war worked for Vickers in Newcastle bought them and they have stayed in the family .


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## LouisV (8 mo ago)

m1cxf said:


> I know this post is now six years old but I have part of the RMS Armadale Castle in my garden.
> We recently had to clear my late mothers property and my wife took a liking to an old wooden bench which had been painted with the most dreadful fence paint. After it had been here I started to remove the paint and found an aluminium plate with the following information, "made by The HUGHES BLOCKOW SHIPBREAKING COMPANY LTD. Blyth, Northumberland. from TEAK TAKEN FROM R.M.S. ARMADALE CASTLE."
> I have read that she was very active, and well armed when she was HMS Armadale Castle between 1914 and 1918 along the coast of Africa and then up to the North Atlantic.
> Considering she was broken up almost ninety years ago there is very little rot and I am looking forward to starting the full preservation process next summer.
> ...


Hi Trevor,
I too have a bench in my garden with an identical inscription. It’s come via a dead family member and once belonged to my grandmother and then my father. I have a photograph of it at my grandparent’s house around 1950. I remember playing on it as a child in the late 60s, and even broke my arm jumping off it. It was painted blue at the time. It is now in need of work, as it has been treated with fence preservative and neglected for decades.

I wonder how your rescue went. Can you share what you did to treat and preserve your bench? If so, it would be a great help. Thanks.


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## shiploversa (Dec 8, 2019)

Sparky's Nephew said:


> I am trying to find a bit about the Armadale Castle, a ship that my great grandfather may have sailed in as storekeeper on a voyage to South Africa in 1910.
> 
> I've found some wonderful photographs in the gallery here - but they all look like a ship which was built rather more recently than 1910!
> 
> Does anybody here happen to know of any earlier ships by this name - or possibly point me in the right direction for further research?


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## shiploversa (Dec 8, 2019)

re the benches shared of the armadale castle - i found this info somewhere on a shipping site - which folk might be curious to see


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## LouisV (8 mo ago)

shiploversa said:


> re the benches shared of the armadale castle - i found this info somewhere on a shipping site - which folk might be curious to see
> View attachment 693475


That plate is identical to the one on the bench in my garden. Apparently all the benches had the same plate attached.


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## Marney (4 mo ago)

LouisV said:


> That plate is identical to the one on the bench in my garden. Apparently all the benches had the same plate attached.


Fascinating to find that you have benches made from Armadale Castle teak with a brass plate. We have a garden gate with a similar plaque on it, saying made from teak from the Armadale Castle. It's in a village near Hawkshead in ***bria. Lately we have been trying to find someone to restore it and have come close a few times but not found anyone yet. I am thinking of asking at the Steam Boat museum...even though it's a gate and not a ship any longer, there are lots of enthusiasts there who might take an interest or give advice. Some of my ancestors actually sailed on the Armadale Castle, to or from South Africa, but we did not bring the gate to the garden. By great coincidence it was here when our family moved here in 1963. The previous owner had a naval connection so maybe that is how it came to be there. If you have any updates on your benches or advice on restoration, it'd be great to hear.


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## LouisV (8 mo ago)

Marney said:


> Fascinating to find that you have benches made from Armadale Castle teak with a brass plate. We have a garden gate with a similar plaque on it, saying made from teak from the Armadale Castle. It's in a village near Hawkshead in ***bria. Lately we have been trying to find someone to restore it and have come close a few times but not found anyone yet. I am thinking of asking at the Steam Boat museum...even though it's a gate and not a ship any longer, there are lots of enthusiasts there who might take an interest or give advice. Some of my ancestors actually sailed on the Armadale Castle, to or from South Africa, but we did not bring the gate to the garden. By great coincidence it was here when our family moved here in 1963. The previous owner had a naval connection so maybe that is how it came to be there. If you have any updates on your benches or advice on restoration, it'd be great to hear.


I’d heard that some gates were made, as well as benches. Hopefully that should not be too difficult to restore. I began to sand down my bench over the summer to remove the fence preservative, and the results have been very positive. The teak is extremely well preserved and when finished, the bench will look incredible, despite its great age. You could simply start with that on your gate. Try sanding it with a power sander and you’ll soon see the results. if that isn’t possible, you will indeed need to seek out a professional. Please report back her how you get on.


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## markallbee (1 mo ago)

I bought an arched front door yesterday bearing the same badge. This came from a thatched house that has been demolished in Glenfield Frith Drive in Leicester. This house was built in the 1950's. I do not know the original owner so do not know how something manufactured in Northumberland ended up in Leicester. The door is set in an oak frame and made from Teak reclaimed from the ship. It is painted white but I intend to strip it back to expose the original beautiful teak. I would be very interested in any information on the provenance of this door, how many were made, how they were distributed etc. Photos of other doors would also be welcome. I bought it to use as a garden gate unaware of the provenance as the badge was hidden by ice! I now feel I should put it to better use perhaps as a door to a new front porch.


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