Updated: November 2007
MEMORIES OF HULL SHIPPING IN THE 1960s
I spent 6 years living and studying in Hull during the 1960s, in the days when it was easy to obtain a pass to wander the docks and take photographs. How different life is now with security fences and many of the good vantage points gated off.
I'm sure a few enthusiasts of my age will enjoy seeing these snapshots of times gone by and the wide variety of ships that made the hobby so fascinating. I recently came across several lists of ship arrivals and departures, snipped from the local paper back in those days. They make interesting reading and bring back memories of times when one would see 50 or 60 ships in a day. Unfortunately, I have mislaid many of the negatives taken back then, thus, many of the photos below are scans from contact prints. I know the negatives are here in Canada ... somewhere!
Further travels pages:
[Pacific Coast of US] [Pre-1960s Ships Seen on Cruise] [Pre-1960s Ships Seen on Cruise]
[Vancouver - May 2007] [Merseyside - Historic Ships] [Holyhead & Mersey - Summer 2007]
[Shipping in Hull - 1960s]
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ALMORA Date photographed: 15/10/61. ID number: 1169675. 1,791 gt (2,800 dwt); loa: 78.9 m x 12.8 m breadth; single screw steamship; 10.5 knots. Built: 1943-07, Walter Butler Shipyards Inc, Superior, Wisconsin, USA, for the US Maritime Commission. Owner / (Manager) - as photographed: Rederi A/S Almora (Erling Mortensen A/S), reg: Oslo - Norway. Although she looks to be a typical Baltic Trader, she was built in the USA as the BAILEY FOSTER, a standard N3-S-A1 coal burning, coastal cargo ship. She was purchased by the UK Government in 1949, going to Currie Line, Leith, as the LARCHLAND. Sold as ALMORA in 1951 and then as NATIVIDAD for Orinoco in 1964, going for scrap at Puerto Cabello, Venezuela in July, 1971.
DELIUS Date photographed: 12/10/61. O.N. 164329. 7,783 gt, 456 ft x 62 ft, single-screw diesel, 14 knots. Built: 1937-07 by Harland and Wolff Ltd, Belfast. Owner / (Manager): Lamport and Holt Line. Reg: UK). Bombed 21/11/1943 and damaged by German aircraft south west of Ireland in position 46.46N 18.30W. In 1954 she was transferred to the Blue Star Line and renamed PORTLAND STAR, reverting to DELIUS in 1958. By the 21st of October, 1961, she had been sold to Compagnie Metallurgique et Miniere, France and renamed KETTARA VII. Registered under the Panamanian flag. Sold: 1962 to Sangyo Shinko K.K., Japan for demolition and arrived at Tokyo 24/2/1962 for discharge. Demolition commenced : 30/4/1962 at Izumi-Ohtsu. On the right is the aptly named - Ellerman Lines' CITY OF HULL (O.N. 181104; 8,458 gt, built 1947-10 by Vickers, Armstrong, Walker, Newcastle. She became the ESSEX in 1967 and was broken up at Aioi in June, 1967).
DOBROTA Date photographed: 28/10/61. IMO number: 5091236. Owner / (Manager): Brodarsko Poduzece "Lovcen", reg: Kotor - Yugoslavia. 2,828 gt (4,249 dwt); loa: 100.1 m x 13.3 m breadth; single screw, compound engine; speed: 11 knots. Built: 1950-06 by Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft, Kiel as the MARIANNE for F. L. Nimtz, Kiel. Became the MARIANNE J. NIMTZ in 1952, DOBROTA in 1960, BELAIR in 1966 for Perdikis & Bahous and SEA BRIGHT for the same owners in 1968. Broken up Karachi in January, 1973.
EVANDROS Date photographed: 8/4/64. IMO number: 5510990. Owner / (Manager): Marfuente Compania Naviera S.A. [J. P. Hadoulis]; reg: Beirut - Lebanon. 4,292 gt; lpp: 113.3 m x 15.6 m breadth; single screw steamship; speed: 9.5 knots. Built: 1929-10 by the Ardrossan Dockyard Co. Ltd. Ardrossan (yard no: 344); Completed as the BLAIRSPEY for George Nisbet and Co, Glasgow, she was torpedoed in the Atlantic in convoy SC 7 from Sydney, NS, on 18th October, 1940, by U. 101 and abandoned. The next day she was struck by a second torpedo fired by U. 100 and was taken in tow, eventually being beached in the Clyde. She was refloated and rebuilt with a new forepart and acquired by the M.O.W.T. as the EMPIRE SPEY in 1942. Following the war she was transferred back to her previous owners with the same name, becoming the EVANDROS in 1961. She was scrapped at La Spezia in May, 1967.
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GALDAMES Date photographed: 8/4/64. IMO number: 5512550. 3,337 gt (5,140 dwt); loa: 103.0 m x 14.4 m breadth; single screw steamship; speed: 9 knots. Built: 1918-09 by Nervion, Bilbao, as the ALDAM. Became the GALDAMES in 1938. Owner / (Manager): Cia. Auxiliar Maritima S.A. Reg: Bilbao - Spain). Chartered to Swiss War Transport Administration from December, 1940 to December, 1941. Broken up at Santander in 1967.
GRIBOYEDOV Date photographed: 11/10/61. IMO number: 5136191. 1,816 gt; lpp: 87.3 m x 12.9 m breadth; single screw motorship; speed: 14.5 knots. Built: 1937-07 by Crichton Vulcan, Turku, Finland as the ASTRID THORDEN for Rederi A/B Astrid Thorden, Helsinki, becoming the GRIBOYEDOV in 1946. Owner / (Manager): USSR. Reg: Leningrad - Russia. Broken up at Gandia in December, 1976. British India Line's, WARORA (3,668 GT, 1948) is alongside and either the LIVORNO or ANGELO of the Ellerman Wilson Line in the background.
IRKUTSKLES Date photographed: 8/4/64. IMO number: 5163340. 2,901 gt (3,598 dwt); loa: 102.3 m x 14.1 m breadth; single screw motorship; speed: 13 knots. Built: 1961 by Valmet, Helsinki (yard no: 212). Owner / (Manager): USSR Reg: Leningrad - USSR). Became the YANA in 1992 and then the ABDUL KADER in 1994. Broken up at Aliaga in April, 2000.
JOHN Date photographed: 8/4/64. IMO number: 5173060. Owner / (Manager): Marfuente Compania Maritima Weston S.A. [A Saarna]. Reg: Panama. 1,709 gt (2,675 dwt); loa: 82.0 m x 12.5 m breadth; single screw steamship; speed: 11 knots. Built: 1926-10 by Neptun A.G., Rostock, Germany (yard no: 405) as the HELGA L.-M. RUSS for Ernst Russ. Became the HESNES in 1946 for the Norwegian Government, RITA in 1947 for T. B. Torgersen and then the JOHN in 1962. Scrapped at Inverkeithing in February, 1970.
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KOLKHOSNIK Date photographed: 12/10/61. ID number: 5615751. 7,148 gt (10,865 dwt); loa: 134.6 m x 17.3 m breadth, single screw steamship; speed: 11 knots. Built: 1943, Owner / (Manager): USSR Reg: Leningrad - USSR). A Liberty ship built as the CHARLES WILKES by Permanente Metals Corporation (Shipbuilding Division), No.2 Yard, Richmond, Calif. Reported scrapped in the USSR in 1976; deleted from Lloyds Register, 1983. I remember seeing a photograph of her in the newspapers with a deck cargo of Russian missiles destined for Cuba during the "Cuban Missile Crisis."
MICHALIS K Date photographed: 12/10/61. O.N. 160244. Owner / (Manager): The Chrysanthi Corporation Reg: Beirut - Lebanon (1,760 gt; dimensions: lpp: 82.8 m x 12.1 m breadth; single screw steamship; speed: 9 knots). Completed: 1929-04 by Burntisland (yard no: 151) as the CARA for Glen & Co., whom she served until 1961. Wrecked Russevika, 25 nm from Vardo, October 24, 1962.
OLSZTYN Date photographed: 8/4/64. IMO number: 5262782. (1,925 gt; compound engine). Built: 1945-02, Owner / (Manager): Polish Government (Polska Zegluga Morska.) Reg: Gdynia - Poland). Launched by Werf de Noord, Alblasserdam, Holland, in 1944 as the IMKENTURM for Hansa Line, Bremen, she was towed to Flensburg to be completed by Flensburger Schiffs GS. Taken as a prize in Flensburg, May, 1945, she was renamed EMPIRE GANTRY and later allocated to the USSR in 1946 as the FEODOSIYA. Became the OLSZTYN (Gdynia America Lines) in 1947 then to PZM in 1951. Scrapped Bruges in January 1972.
PODOLSK Date photographed: 8/4/64. IMO number: 5280186. 3,841 gt; loa: 108.3 m x 14.6 m breadth; single screw steamship; speed: 11.5 knots. Built: 1957 by Gdanska Lenina, Gdansk; Owner / (Manager): USSR Reg: Archangel - USSR. Broken up at Gijon in 1980.
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REGINA Date photographed: 8/4/64. IMO number: 5292048. 10,351 gt (14,468 dwt), 152 m x 19.3 m. Built: 1958, Jos Boel & Fils, Tamise (yard no: 1349). Machinery: 8-cyl, 8SD72 CRD-Adriatico-Sulzer, 5,600 bhp, single screw, 14 knots. Owner / (Manager): Regina Shipping Co Ltd. (Swiss Shipping Co Ltd.) Reg: Basle - Switzerland). Details at Swiss Ships. She became the CHRISTOPHER S. in 1971 and was broken up at Split in October, 1982. The ship occupying the berth opposite was the Norwegian STARCLIPPER (9,999 GT, 1957, Star Carriers [Per F. Waaler] of Bergen)
RUNDAL Date photographed: 15/10/61. IMO number: 5530217. Owner / (Manager): Fenno SS Ltd O/Y (O/Y Fenno Shipping Co Ltd) Reg: Nagu - Finland). 2,420 gt; lpp: 88.8 m x 13.9 m breadth; single screw compound engine; speed: 11 knots. Built: 1930-11 as the AUSTVANGEN by International Shipbuilding and Engineering, Danzig, for Skibs A/S Karaibien (Gorrissen), Oslo. She became the MARYBORGfor J. Leonard in 1949, TEHI for J. Konkola in 1954, RUNDAL in 1955 and SAANA for E. Poikonen & Co. in 1966. Broken up at Lubeck in December, 1967.
SOUTH AFRICAN FARMER Date photographed: 12/10/61. O.N. 165973. (8,167 gt; lpp: 146.9 m x 19.7 m breadth; twin screw, steam turbine; speed: 16 knots. Owner / (Manager): South African Marine Corporation Ltd. Reg: Cape Town - South Africa). Launched by Greenock Dockyard Co Ltd, Greenock (yard no: 437) as the LANARKSHIRE for Scottish Shire Line Ltd., completed 1940-04. Transferred to Bullard King and Co Ltd in 1959 and renamed UMGAZI then to Springbok Line Ltd, London, later that year. 1960 - to Springbok Shipping Co Ltd, Cape Town, and later renamed GRYSBOK. 1961 - Company sold to South African Marine Corporation and renamed as above. Broken up at Aioi, Japan in January, 1963. Comprehensive information on Springbok Shipping can be found on Ron Mapplebeck's Springbok page.
SAN PAWL Date photographed: 8/10/61. IMO number: 5531038. Owner / (Manager): Jakobson (Malta) Ltd. Reg: Valetta - Malta). 1,503 gt; lpp: 78.0 m x 11.7 m breadth; single screw steamship; speed: 10 knots. Built: 1920-12 by Kockums, Malmo (yard no: 137) as the BURGUNDIA for F. Sternhagen. Became the SAN PAWL in 1964, ROBERTINA for C. F. Pace in 1964 and was scrapped at Grimstad in September, 1967.
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SARAJEVO Date photographed: 21/10/61. IMO number: 5313957. 3,258 gt (3,904 dwt); loa: 101.5 m x 14.0 m breadth; single screw motorship; speed: 14.5 knots. Built: 1949-12 by 3 Maj, Rijeka (yard no: 238). Owner / (Manager):Jugoslavenska Linijska Plovidba. Reg: Rijeka - Yugoslavia). Broken up at Split in June, 1982.
VOGELSBERG Date photographed: 11/10/61. IMO number: 5172743. Owner / (Manager): H. Vogemann. Reg: Hamburg - Germany. 2,566 gt,; lpp: 98.3 m x 13.6 m breadth; single screw motorship; speed: 12 knots. Built: 1938-03 by Lindholmens, Gothenburg (yard no: 952) as the ANITA for Rederi A/B Disa (E.Brodin), Stockholm. (Additional information from Ron Mapplebeck: Her fuller history is ex PEIK-56 for E. B. Aaby, ex ANITA-53. Subsequently renamed: 1962 JOHANNA for N. Berg, Finland; 1971 SAANA for I. Terasmo, Finland; 1973 HANNA for Brennership, Finland; 1973 OURANOUPOLIS II for E. M. Karydakis et al, Cyprus. Broken up at Piraeus in April, 1976).
WARORA Date photographed: 11/10/61. O.N. 181952. 3,668 gt. Built: 1948-07 by Burntisland Shipbuilding, Burntisland (yard no: 316). Owner / (Manager): British India Steam Nav. Co Ltd. Reg: London - UK. History: 1964, sold to Liberia, renamed FRANCESCA MARIS for M. Maris; 1969, sold - renamed NICHOLAS A for M. & C. Arcadis. Broken up at San Pedro del Pinator in June, 1972.
YENI MESSERET Date photographed: 11/10/61. O.N. 142577. 5,272 gt; lpp: 121.9 m x 16.0 m breadth; single screw steamship; speed 11 knots. Owner / (Manager): Deniz Nakliyat ve Ticaret Limitet Sirketi Reg: Istanbul - Turkey). Launched as the WWI "B"-type tramp WAR GANNET by J. Redhead and Sons Ltd, West Dock, South Shields (yard no: 13). Completed in February 1920 as Hain SS Co Ltd, St Ives, TREWYN (confirmed by Ron Mapplebeck). She was sold in 1937, becoming MONI RICKMERS of Rickmers Lines, Hamburg. She was seized by Holland in 1940 and managed by Nederlandsche-Indische Maats, Batavia, as SALANDO, completing war service for Holland and later transferred to the Royal Netherlands Government in 1946 (managed by A. Veder & Co, The Hague). She was sold to Turkish owners, Avni Nuri Messeretcioglu, Istanbul, in 1949 and renamed MESSERET. Sold again to Hakki Marmara, Istanbul in 1959 as YENI MESSERET then to the ownership under which I saw her in 1960. She grounded on 1st September, 1962, at Hong Kong during a typhoon - was refloated on the 6th and sold for scrap.
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