AFRICA SN1397 / SA15

As a tug in Swansea docks, alongside what is believed to be the tug CHALLENGER

Official No:  84878   Port and Year:  North Shields, 1883 (SN1397)                                                                Swansea, 1891 (SA15)

Description: Iron side trawler; single screw, coal burning.  Ketch rigged.

Crew:

Built: 1883, by Armstrong Mitchell & Co., Low Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne (Yard no. 452)

Tonnage:  122 grt  41 net.

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 100.0  / 19.8 / 10.1

Engine: C 2-Cyl. 80 rhp.  Engine and boiler: Ross & Duncan, Glasgow

Owners:   As SN1397 27 Jan 1883: Charles Dyble & Others, North Shields. Managing owner.   By 1889: Charles Hooper, 21 Balaclava St., St. Thomas, Swansea. Managing owner. 1891: As SA15   1896: James A. Wood, Hartlepool. Managing owner.   By 1897: African Steam Tug Co., 11 Cambrian Place, Swansea Manager: William H. Towers.                 Joseph Lawson jnr., 27 Baring St., South Shields. (By 1903.)     As NESTOR. Registered at South Shields. 1906: The Lawson Steam Tugboat Co., 27 Baring St., South Shields. (By 1917: 15 Thrift St., S. Shields.) Manager: Joseph Lawson.   1915: Chartered to William Watkins, London.   17 Apr 1920: Lawson-Batey Tugs Ltd., "K." Exchange Buildings, Quayside, Newcastle-on-Tyne. Managers: Joseph Lawson & Frank Batey.

Landed at Milford:  20 Nov 1889 - 11 Apr 1893

Skippers: 1889: Hodge 1890: Harvey, Cook, Chamberlain, C. Beckett (Cert. 2151) 1891: Beckett; Foster; Horth; Dayes; Thain (Hain?); Wales. 1892: Chapman; E. Walker; J. Jackson; Wales; Dayes 1893: Dayes; J. Jackson; W. Jennings

Notes:  1896: Converted to a tug. 20 Feb 1918: Requisitioned as a tug and renamed VELMAR. 18 Dec 1918: Returned to owners and reverted to NESTOR . Jun 1937: Broken up by Clayton & Davie, Dunston. [Information kindly supplied by Andy Hall.]

 Accidents and Incidents

From the Liverpool Mercury of Friday 25th April 1890:

 

Swansea, April 24th ― The steam trawler Africa, while proceeding to sea, collided with the quay wall, and damaged her bow.

 

 

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