Built 1869 by by T. Hepple & Co., Low Walker. Iron paddle tug. L107.2’. B18.5’. D9.8’. 126grt. 26nrt. 60nhp 2cyl 28.5”x54” side lever steam engine by builder. ON63510
1869 Delivered to William J. & George Thomas, Gravesend. 1872 Sold to Dr. M. Brownfield, Poplar . 1879 Owner W. Renney, London . 1881 Owner G.R. Lardner, Gravesend . 1885 Owner H. Green at Blackwall. 1886 Sold to John Mitchell, Matthew Brownfield & others, Gravesend. 18-4-1887 Towed collision damaged barque Ida into Dover. 2-12-1887 Assisted towing weather damaged barque Salmon from off Dungeness to Gravesend.11-1891 Sold to Thomas F. Ward, Middlesbrough . 10-1892 Sold to The Tees Tug & Lighter Co Ltd., Middlesbrough. 1892 Re-boilered. 10-1897 Sold to William Black, James Westoll & John Adamson, Sunderland. 1903 Sold to The Anchor Steam Tug Co Ltd., Sunderland. 7-1920 Transferred to France, Fenwick Tyne & Wear Co Ltd., Newcastle . 1932 Owner William Pickersgill & Son Ltd., Sunderland. 1932 Scrapped.
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RESCUE 1893
Built 1893 @ Newcastle. Steel screw tug. L80.6'. B16.9'. D9.1'. 91grt. 60hp. ON102824. Callsign NGRT.
1911 Owner Michael M Mitchell, Northfleet, Kent.
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RESOLUTE 1858
Built 1858 at Nelson Dock, Rotherhithe. Wood paddle tug. L102.3’. B18.7’. D10’. 121grt. 38nrt. 6nhp 2cyl steam engine. ON22170.
1858 Delivered to James Deane et al, Gravesend. 20-12-1859 £200 awarded for assisting ship Undaunted off Dungeness and towing to Gravesend. 17-12-1861 Engaged in telegraph cable work off Deal. 1864 Sold to Melbourne owners. 1881 [by] Owners Melbourne Harbour Trust Commissioners.
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RESTLESS 1869
Built 1869 at South Shields. Iron paddle tug. L94.7'. B17.1'. D8.5'. 90grt. 45nhp steam engine. ON63523.
17-12-1872 Collided with sailing barge off Gravesend. 26-3-1879 Towed SS Peninsular back to Gravesend with loose prop. 3-3-1880 Towed paddle tug Ben Nevis into Margate with broken main shaft. 1882 [by] Owner Wm Sandford, Gravesend.
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ROB ROY 1848
Built 1848 Paddle tug. 100hp
1848 Owners Caledonian Steam Towing Co., London. 4-11-1858 Assisted SV Judith aground Tongue Sands.
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ROBERT BURNS 1837
Built 1837 Paddle Tug. 60hp
6-1845 In ownership Caledonian Steam Towing Co. Still owned Mar 1865
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ROVER 1857
Built 1857 by Blackwood & Gordon Paisley, Port Glasgow, YN24. Iron Paddle tug. L132.3’. B20.6’. 187grt. 80nhp 2cyl steam engine. ON20452.
1857 Delivered to New Steam Tug Co., Liverpool. 1860 Sold to Atlantic R.M.S.N.Company, London. 1864 Sold to W.H.Thompson, London. 1865 Sold to Francis G Harrison, London. 1866 Sold to G.W.Halfpenny, London. 1868 Sold to Thomas Jolliffe, Liverpool. 1889 Converted to barge.
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SAMSON 1837
Built1837 by Stephen Wood, Gateshead. Wood paddle tug. L84’. B15.9’. D9.1’. 88grt. 60nhp. ON9167 Callsign KGFC
1837 Delivered to Thames Steam Towing Co., London. 1839 Burnt out and sank at Gravesend after ropes drying on boiler caught fire. Salved. 14-9-1857 Involved in collision with Dutch SS Fyenoord off Gravesend. 1871 Register closed “Sunk 12 – 15 years ago following collision”.
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SCOTIA 1863
Built 1863 by R & H Green, Blackwall. YN358 Wooden paddle tug. L131.9' B21'. D8.8'. 199grt.
1863 Delivered to Caledonian Steam Towing Co, London. 1863 Sold to the Admiralty for £17,500 for towing duties at Devonport.
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SCOTIA 1864
Built 1864 by R & H Green, Blackwall. YN360 abt L131.9'. B21.0' D8.8'. 199grt. Wheel steering. Two Boilers. Two funnels athwart. ON50079
1864 Delivered to Caledonian Steam Towing Co., London. [Replacement for 1863 vessel]
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SECRET
Owner Richard Ross, London
28-8-1851 Bows damaged following collision with SV Arrow off Deal. 5-2-1857 Awarded £3500 for salvage of barque Spirit Of The Age, in the Downs. 2-11-1859 Collided with SV Julia. No further trace.
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SHAH 1874
Built 1874 by John Readhead & Co, South Shields. YN 99. Iron paddle tug. L84.3'. B17.6'. D9.2'. 86grt. 40nhp 2cyl side lever steam engine by builder. ON68529.
1874 Delivered to Joseph Martin et al, London. 1878 Sold to Goole & Hull Steam Towing Co Ltd., Goole. 1914 Sold to George Alder, Middlesbrough. 1916 Renamed Dales Thorpe. 1928 Scrapped by G. Broad, Hylton, Sunderland.
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SHAMROCK 1890
blt 1890 by E. Finch & Company, Chepstow. Steel screw tug. L85’. B17.6’. D9.5’. 84grt. 500ihp 2cyl 18"x34"x24"s. compound steam engine by Penarth Slipway & Engineering Co.
1890 Delivered to D B McCallum, Cardiff. 1896 Owner John Mitchell and Sons, 49, Milton Rd., Gravesend. 1900 Owner Michael M. Mitchell, Gravesend. 1904 Owner T C Spink, Hull. 1911 Owner Woodman Hill, Hampstead, London. 1912 Owner Mersey Docks & Harbour Board, Liverpool. 19?? Owner John Davies, Cardiff. 1931 Owner J Davies Towage & Salvage Co Ltd, Cardiff. 1947 Scrapped by J J King.
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SIR ROBERT HAWKES 1835
Built 1835 at Gateshead. Wooden paddle tug. L76’4”. B15’2”. D5’6”. 80grt. 40hp Grasshopper engine by Hawkes. Tubular boiler. Bunkers 7 tons. Speed 7 knots. ON4377 Callsign JCGS
1837 Owners Symington Patent Paddle Towing Co., London. 1839 Owners Shipowners Towing Co., London. 30-12-1845 Sank in Sea Reach following collision with collier The Campbells. Salved? 1857 Company in liquidation, no further trace.
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SIR WALTER SCOTT 1852
Built 1852 by R & H Green, Blackwall Yard London. YN297. L107.4. B18.9'. D10.2'. 115grt. 70nhp. ON4372 CallsignJCGM
1852 Delivered to Caledonian Steam Towing Co., London. 1881 [by] Owner G. Spicer, Gravesend, renamed Fearless.
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SIR WILLIAM WALLACE 1841
Built 1841 by Stephen Wood, South Shore, Gateshead. Wood paddle tug. L98.1’. B17.9’. D10’. 128grt. 47nrt. 100hp 2x2cyl steam engines by Hawkes Stanley and Co. Paddle wheels 15’ dia. 24 floats 12 inner and 12 outer. ON6198. Callsign JMTD
1842 Delivered to Caledonian Steam Towing Co., 11 Milk Yard, Shadwell, London. 1868 Scrapped
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SOUTER JOHNNY 1836
Built 1836 Wood Paddle Tug. L 82.7'. B15.8'. D9.4'. 87grt. 40nhp. Official No 6168 Callsign JMRD
1836 Delivered to Caledonian Steam Towing Co., London. 18-12-1865 Offered for sale by W. Bridges, Belgrave St., Commercial Rd, London. 1867 Sold to D. Stone & G. Williamson, London. 187? Sold to Hugh Andrews, Belfast. 1879 Sank.
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SUCCESS 1863
Built 1863 at Low Walker, Tyneside. Iron paddle tug. L91’. B17.9’. D9.2’. 94grt. L2cy 50nhp 2cyl sidelever steam engine. ON48507
1863 Delivered to John Mitchell & Joseph Martin, Gravesend. 1864 Owner Duncan Dow, Liverpool. 1881 [by] Owner Hugh Leach, Tranmere. 1896 scrapped
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SURPRISE 1852
Built 1852 at Northam.Wood Paddle tug. L120'. B18’. D9’8”. 170grt. 80hp half beam disconnecting engine by Stewart. Tubular boiler. Bunkers 40 tons. Speed 10 knots. ON17488.
1852 Delivered to Richard. D. Ross, London. [Lloyds Steam Towing Co.]. 4-7-1854 £120 award for salvage of collision damaged and sinking vessel Silence in Woolwich reach. 1858 Owners Richard Ross and William Beare Caulfield, Coldharbour, Blackwall. 1881 [by] Owner Richard Grech, Malta.
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SUSSEX 1872
Built 1872 by Readhead, Softley & Co., S. Shields. Iron Paddle Tug. L114.9'. B19.6'. D10'. 144grt. 60nhp SL2Cyl by builder. ON65715.
1872 Delivered to George Haslip, London. 5/9-1-1875 £350 award for assisting salvage of Lord Strathnairn, aground Goodwin sands.1887 Owner R H Holland, London. 30-4-1879 Collided with barque Mary in Sea Reach. 1889 Owner Gray & Co., London. 1891 Renamed Welshman. 1892 Owner Ardrossan Harbour Co., renamed The Earl. 1914 Owner J Wilson, Boness. 1919 Owner Leith Towage & Salvage Co., Leith. 1928 Scrapped.
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TACTFUL 1909
Built 1909 by J Fullerton and Co., Paisley. YN212 Steel screw tug. L75.2’. B18.6’. D8.9’. 112grt. 46nhp 400ihp 2cyl 14”x28”x24”s compound steam engine by Ross and Duncan, Glasgow. ON126716. Callsign MJZR.
7-10-1909 Launched for Maritime Dredging and Construction Co., St Johns NB, Canada, named Lord Beresford. 1917 Purchased by war office renamed HS71. 1919 Transferred to Admiralty, renamed Lord Beresford. 1920 Sold to W. Shelcott and Sons, London. 1920 Sold to Charles Etheredge, London, renamed Tactful. 1927 Sold to Great Yarmouth Steam Tug Co, Gt. Yarmouth. 11-11-1931 Towed SS Oakwood into Gt, Yarmouth. 1938 Sold to W J Reynolds, Torpoint, Plymouth. 1964 Scrapped at Sutton Pool, Plymouth.
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TAM O'SHANTER
Paddle tug 41grt 35hp ON6167 Callsign JMRC
8-1859 Owners Caledonian Steam Towing Co., London. 1862 Owners Steam Towing Co., London. 3-7-1878 Ashore at Marsden may not get off. [Newcastle owned]
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TELEGRAPH 1859
Built 1859 at South Shields. Iron paddle tug. L82'. B17.1'. D8.3'. 74grt. 32nhp steam engine. ON28383.
1859 Delivered to T. Sandord, Gravesend. 1882 [by] Owner G. Butchard, Gravesend.
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THOMAS PETLEY
Built 1846 at North Shields. WoodPaddle tug. L89.2'. B17.8'. D10'. 98grt. 80hp ON4254 Callsign JBRN
1853 – 1861 Thames United Steam Towing Co. 9-5-1853 Towed Steamer Batavier with broken mainshaft from off North Foreland to Holland for £175. may have been sold to Irish owners in 1870’s. 1881 [by] Owner John Goodfellow, Dublin.
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TRIUMPH 1856
Built 1856 at Rotherhithe. Wood paddle tug. L89.8’. B16.9'. D9'. . 81grt. 80nhp. ON8293 Callsign KBNT
1856 Completed for William Caulfield and Louis Miles, London. 1862 Sold to R. D. Ross and another, London. 1864 Sold to William & Thomas Jolliffe, Liverpool. 1881 [by] Owner John Jolliffe, Liverpool. 1885 Scrapped
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TRIUMPH 1875
Built 1875 by G. Butchard, Milton Ironworks, Gravesend. iron paddle tug. L82'. B16.6'. D8.9'. 76grt. 45nhp 2cyl 22.5"x45" side lever steam engine. ON70726.
1875 Delivered to J. Williams, Gravesend. 1889 Owned at Plymouth. 1900 Owner G. Petrie, Middlesborough. 1-1911 Owners Watkins, Petrie, Middlesborough. 1-1913 owners Tess Tug Co., Middlesborough. 30-7-1920 Owners Tees Towing Co., Middlesborough. 21-6-1923 Sold to S E Simpson Ltd., Newcastle. 31-3-1926 Scrapped.
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TRUE BRITON 1852
Built 1852 @ Poplar . Wood Paddle Tug. L80.7'. B17.1'. D9.3'. 80grt. 120nhp. ON4282 Callsign JRTL
1852 Owner Thomas Petley, London. 1859 Owner United Steam Towing Co., London. 24-7-1860 Summonsed at Greenwich for creating excessive smoke. 1881 [by] Owner Thomas Gray, Hull.
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ULYSSES 1874
Built 1874 by John Readhead and co., South Shields. YN103. Iron paddle tug. L100.6'. B18'. D9.4'. 118grt. 450ihp 2cyl 26.5"x48" side lever engine by builder. Official No. 70605. Scrapped 1937
1874 Completed for T.A.F. Banks Charles Brownfield et al, Gravesend. 1879 Sold to C. Brownfield et al, Gravesend. 14-12-1884 Landed six survivors of the schooner Hjelmen at Margate. 1885 Purchased by Joseph Lawson, Newcastle. 3-1895 Owners Lawson Steam Tugboat Co. Ltd. 5-1917 Hired by Royal Navy. 7-1917 Returned to owners. 6-1920 Transferred to Lawson-Batey Tugs Ltd. 6-1937 Sold £445 to Clayton and Davie, Dunston for scrapping
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UNITED 1873
1873: Built 1873 by James Jackson, South Shields. Wooden paddle tug. L88'9". B18'3". D9'4". 87grt 10nrt. 38nhp 1cyl side lever steam engine by Wear Engine Works. ON68899
10-1873 Delivered to John Morgan & others at Sunderland. 5-1874 Sold to Richard McSheen, Grimsby. 1877 Sold to Richard Watnough, Grimsby. 1886 Sold to W. Cooper , Grimsby. 1892 Sold to G.E.J. Moody, Cleethorpes. 1894 Owners Hewett & Co Ltd, London. 1904 Owners Charles T Pannell, London. 1905 Owners Robert Wheeldon & Thomas Commander (City Towing Co), Hull. 3-1911 Sold to Sunderland Towage Co Ltd., for £250. 5-1918 To France, Fenwick Tyne & Wear Co Ltd., Newcastle. 1919 To Michael McKeown at Newcastle. 1927 Scrapped
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UNIVERSE 1875
Built 1875 by J T Eltringham, South Shields. Iron paddle tug. L115.8'. B19.5'. D9.9'. 143grt. 85nhp Steam engine by Hepple and Co. ON73575
1884 [by] Owner Mark Martin, Gravesend.
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VICTORIA DOCK 1856
Built 1856 by Marshall, South Shields. Iron paddle tug. L103.5'. B18.8'. D10.4'. 119grt. 61nrt. 70hp. ON 14741 Callsign LPJR
1856 Delivered to Sir Samuel Morton Peto, London. LR1863 still owned Peto. 1876 Owners St. Katherine's Dock Co., London. 1881 Still owned.
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VIGILANT 1874
Photo RGR colln
Built 1874 by John Readhead & co., S. Shields. Iron Paddle Tug. L100.3'. B18.1'. D9.4'. 115grt. 70nhp. 2cyl 26.5"x48" by builder. Official No. 70588. PR 1874 London 1894 S. Shields.
1874 Delivered to Dr. M Brownfield, Poplar. 24-3-1878 Rescued two men from a yacht which had sunk off Barking Creek. 25-8-1879 Towed barque West from Dungeness to Gravesend. 4-1-1880 Towed collision damaged SV Sarah Jane into Ramsgate. 2-1894 Owners G. Brown et Al., S. Shields. 7-1923 Owners Brown Tug Co Ltd., S. Shields. 1930 Scrapped on Tyneside.
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VIVID 1863
Built 1863 at Low Walker. Iron Paddle Tug. L89'. B17.8' D9.2'. 89grt. 50nhp. Official No 48649. PoR 1864 London. 1880 Lynn. 1883 Irvine.
1863 Delivered to J. Walker, Gravesend. 15-10-1864 £450 awarded for towing collision damaged barque Gustaf from off South Foreland to London.1872 Owner John Gillet, Gravesend. 30-1-1877 Towed sloop Little Jane, laden with petroleum, into Ramsgate after sloop had lost both anchors and chains.1880 Owner Vivid Tug Co., Kings Lynn. 1882 Owner Joseph Lawson, S. Shields. 1883 Owner Irvine Harbour Trust. 1890 Owner James Douglas, Belfast. 21-3-1892 Sank off Isle of Man.
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WANDERER 1865
Built 1865 on Tyneside. Iron paddle tug. L98'. B18'. D9.2'. 101grt. 50hp. 2cyl steam engine. ON54593
1865 Delivered to Mitchell, Gravesend. 1876 Owner G. Butchard, Gravesend. 1888 Sold to Corporation of Preston for £1641. 1891 Sold to Mr James Gourlay Bridges, Leith for £775.
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WASHINGTON 1868
Built 1868 at North Shields. Wood paddle tug. L95.3'. B18.3'. D9.9'. 98grt. 52nhp steam engine ON60479.
1882 [by] Owner W B Greenfield, London.
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WASHINGTON 1870
Built 1870 by Readhead Softley & Co., S. Shields. YN 58. Iron Paddle Tug. L104.9'. B18.4'. D10.1'. 122grt. 50nhp. 2cyl 27"x46" by builder. Official No. 63655. PR 1870 London. 1879 Sunderland 1883 N. Shields.
1870 Delivered to W. G. Ives et Al, Gravesend. 1874 Sold to J. Martin, London. 1879 Transferred to Miss S. C. Martin, London. 1879 Sold to Mrs M. Nicholson, Sunderland. 12-1883 Sold to T. A. Dry. 7-1889 Transferred to John Dry. 5-1908 Transferred to John Dry Steam Tugs Ltd. 8-1929 Transferred to Readhead & Dry's Tugs Ltd. 5-1944 Sold to France Fenwick Tyne & Wear Co. 4-1952 Scrapped J. J. King Ltd., Gateshead.
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WEAR 1825
Built 1825 @ Sunderland. William Clark, Bishopswearmouth. Paddle tug. L67.7'. B16'. D5.6'. 33nrt. 34nhp.
1832 Owners Thames Steam Towing Co.
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WILLIAM GUNSTON 1837
Built 1837 at Gateshead. Wooden paddle tug. L90’. B17’. 60nhp.
1837 Delivered to Symington Patent Paddle Towing Co., London. 1839 Owners Shipowners Towing Company, London. 1858 Company in liquidation, no further trace.
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WILLIAM SYMINGTON
35hp
1837 Owners Symington Patent paddle Towing Co., London. 1839 Owners Shipowners Towing Co., London. 1858 Company in liquidation, no further trace.
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WONDER 1856
Built 1856 by John Thompson, Rotherhithe. Wood Paddle tug. L87.5'. B17.1'. D8.7'. 82grt. 23nrt. 36nhp 2cyl side lever steam engine. ON10160.
1856 Delivered to William J Thomas & others, London. Various unresearch owners between these dates. 1875 Sold to Paul Bonta, Milton. 1877 Renamed Enterprise. 1882 Sold to George Petrie, Middlesbrough. 1910 Owners Watkins Petrie Ltd, London. 1912 Scrapped.
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