WILLIAM WATKINS LIMITED
FLEET LIST
HIBERNIA - LIBERIA
Page last updated 16-7-2012
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HIBERNIA [1]
Built 1874 by Westwood Baillie & Co, London. Iron Paddle Tug. L139,2'. B21.1'. D12.4'. 238grt. 38nrt. 500ihp 130nhp 2cyl 34"x60" side lever steam engine by John Stewart & Son Ltd. Acquired 1874. Disposed 1884. Scrapped 1917. Official No. 70651.
1874 Delivered to William Watkins, London. 1883 Reboilered and repairs £2760. 1881 Went to assistance of S.S. Ganges in the Downs after her cargo of Iron railway chairs and sleepers had shifted whilst on passage Middlesbrough to Calcutta. The tow was passed but Hibernia could make no headway against the conditions and the ship grounded on the Goodwin Sands and was lost along with three of her thirtyfive crew. 1884 Sold for £7000 to Societe Havraise de Remorquage, Le Havre, renamed Tourville. 1898 Sold to George Petrie, Middlesbrough, renamed Hibernia. 1910 Sold to Watkins Petrie and Co., Middlesbrough. 1913 Sold to Tees Tug Co., Middlesbrough. 1917 Scrapped.
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HIBERNIA (2)
Built 1884 by Maatschappij de Maas, Delfshavn, Holland. YN58. Iron Screw Tug. L121'. B22.1'. D12.9'. 219grt. 825ihp 120nhp 2cyl 28"x47"x24" stroke compound steam engine by builder. Boiler fired from foreside with bunkers forward of bridge. Acquired 1884. Disposed 13-4-1961. Scrapped 1961. Official No. 89622. Call sign JPWG later MGSR.
1884 Delivered to William Watkins, London. 12-12-1888 Departed Madeira towing disabled liner Tartar for Southampton. 20-12-1888 Arrived Southampton. 1895 Boiler ex Columbia fitted. 10-12-1896 Arrived Gravesend ex Bremerhaven. 22-12-1895 Assisted refloating German SS Spree aground Warden Ledge, Totland Bay. 1900 Transferred to William Jr. & John S. Watkins, London. 24-3-1900 Coaling at Falmouth. 1905 Repairs by Eltringhams and then to Belfast for new boiler. 2-8-1914 Req by RN, renamed HMS Carcass. Served with Downs Patrol, based Dover and Ramsgate. Served at Gallipoli, taking part in the second Suvla landing, and one of the last vessels to leave Anzac Cove during the withdrawal, and in Persian Gulf. 1915 renamed HMS Hibernia III. 1917 Owners restyled William Watkins Ltd. 10-10-1919 Returned to Watkins renamed Hibernia. Refitted at Grimsby £7000. 22-9-1922 Shortened by cutting 15' off bow to L107' by Claxtons, Ramsgate. 5-1940 Worked out of Ramsgate during Dunkirk evacuation under Skipper B Youseman. Worked on Thames throughout WW2. 1950 Ship Towage (London) Ltd, appointed as managers. 13-4-1961 Arrived at T W Ward Ltd., Grays, Essex, for scrapping. On arrival Captain Bert Youseman, aged 69, her skipper since February 1927, was presented with the tugs bell as a memento.
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INDIA
Built 1875 by Westwood Baillie & Co, London, cost £9,245. IronPaddle Tug. L138.9'. B20.6'. D11.5'. 214grt. 90nhp 2 x 30"x54" independent side lever steam engines by John Stewart, London. Two funnels athwartships. ON76969. Callsign QRNH. Acquired 1875. Disposed 1894.
Ran regular excursion trips London to Margate 1890 - 1893.
1875 Delivered to William Watkins, London. 5-11-1877 Towed barque Charles Davenport off Varne Sands and beached at Margate. 10-1880 Departed Falmouth to search for derelict barque Soridderon, reported 120 miles SW of Lizard. Located and towed to Plymouth. 12-8-1882 Towed collision damaged barque Bessie Markham ex downs to Hamburg. 28-6-1884 Towed disabled SS John F Best, Dover to Hamburg. 28-5-1885 Towed S/V Sophie ex Downs to Gravesend. 22-4-1889 Arrived Gravesend ex Bremerhaven. 21-10-1889 Arrived Gravesend ex Maasluis. 1891 Run down and sunk by collier Henry Morton [showing no lights] whilst at anchor off Shoeburyness. Salved. 10-1-1893 Stern damaged and set adrift after steamer collided with tug whilst laying alongside GSN hulk in Blackwall Reach. 29-12-1893 Damaged in collision with SS Renfrew off Blackwall Point. 1-1894 Sold to Constants for £1000. Resold to J. Spicer, London. 8-2-1894 Towed collision dmaged schooner Harry ex Downs to Gravesend. 8-7-1894 Freed schooner Lizzie Trenberth aground on Tongue Sand and towed to Sheerness. 3-1895 Sold to Tees Tug & Lighterage Co., Middlesborough. 1896 Chartered to Mr J Taylor of Portsmouth for excursions to Isle of Wight. 1897 Chartered to Cosens of Weymouth before returning to Tees. 11-1899 Sold to French owners.
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IONA
Photog unknown. R Stanford colln
Built 1876 by Hall, Russell Ltd., Aberdeen. YN201. Iron Paddle Tug. L121.7'. B21'6". D11'. 180grt. 138nhp 2cyl 33"x54" Steam engine by builder. Two funnels, fore and aft. Acquired 1886. Disposed 1920. Scrapped 1928. Official No 73659.
1-4-1876 Launched. 1876 Delivered to J.F. Gibb, Ratcliffe, London named Ben Nevis. 8-10-1878 Towed disabled SS Rover into Plymouth Sound. 1884 Reengined 700ihp 2cyl 34.5"x60" side lever steam engine by T A Young, Blackwall.. 5-1886 Acquired by William Watkins, London renamed Iona. Overhauled in Scotland. 6-12-1888 Towed capsized S/V Patriot into Harwich. 1891 Modernised for £3000. 1899 New steel boilers by Stewarts. 1900 Transferred to William Jr. & John S. Watkins, London. 1914 Transferred to John S. & Alfred Watkins, London. 1917 Owners restyled William Watkins Ltd. 5-1920 Sold to G Alder, Middlesbrough. 2-1921 Transferred to George Alder Ltd. 26-8-1921 Involved in salvage of crashed airship R.38 in River Humber. 1928 Scrapped by G. Broad, Hylton, Sunderland.
The last paddle tug to operate on the Thames.
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JAVA (1)
Photog unknown
Built 1900 by Mordey, Carney and Co. Ltd., Southampton. YN404. Steel Screw Tug. L31.64m. B6.16m D3.40m. 154grt. 500ihp 3cylTE 13"x22"x35"x27" stroke steam engine by builder. Bunkers 50 tons. Acquired 1900. Disposed 2-1901. Scrapped 1967. Official No. 112731.
17-5-1900 Launched. 1900 Delivered to William Watkins, London. 1900 Transferred to William Jr. & John S. Watkins, London. 2-1901 Sold to URAG - Unterweser Co., Bremen renamed Unterweser XV. 1909 Sold to Svenska Statens Jernvager, Treleborg, Sweden renamed Tralleborg S. J. 1967 Scrapped.
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JAVA (2)
Photog unknown. M Houckham colln
Photog unknown. PRB colln
As HMS Carcass. Photo K Haydon colln
Built 1905 by Cochrane and Sons, Selby.YN353. Steel Screw Tug. L94'. B19.6'. D10.9'. 128grt 500ihp 3cylTE 13"x21"x34"x24" stroke 160psi steam engine by G T Grey and Co., South Shields. Acquired 1905. Disposed 1965. Scrapped 1965. Official No. 120611. Call sign MCGX.
17-8-1905 Launched. 10-1905 Delivered to William Watkins Jr & John S. Watkins, London. 10-4-1907 Aground Barnard Sands whilst on passage Dover to Hull. Kessingland lifeboat stood by, but tug refloated on next tide. 1914:Transferred to John S. & Alfred Watkins. 21-7-1915 Req by RN renamed HMS Carcass. Based at Ramsgate. 1917 Owners restyled William Watkins Ltd. 14-5-1919 Returned to Watkins renamed Java. 12-9-1939 Working at Brest. 15-9-1939 Working at Lorient. 16-9-1939 Req by Admiralty and to 30-10-1939 Working at St. Nazaire. Returned to Devonport. 1940 Downs patrol vessel. 29-5-1940 Under Master W Jones towed drifter and motorboats to Dunkirk. 30-5-1940 Used own lifeboat to ferry troops from beaches. 30-5-1940 08.55 Landed 120 Dunkirk evacuees at Ramsgate. 2-6-1940 Destroyer Whitshed collided with the tug in Dover Harbour at 1435hrs. 6-1940 Based at Milford Haven. 1941 Based Belfast. 1-8-1945 Departed Belfast. 1-8-1945 to 1-1946 Based at Harwich attending troopships. 20-3-1946 Returned to Watkins. 1-2-1950 Ship Towage [London] Ltd., appointed managers. 7-1965 Sold to Canvey Island shipbreakers and stripped. 10-1965 Hull sold to Metaalhandel En Sloopwerken, H P Heuvelman NV Krimpen A/D Ijssel, Holland. 3-1966 Hull resold again to Belgian breakers at Brugge for demolition.
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JOHN BULL
Built 1849 by William Watkins, Millwall. Wooden Paddle Tug, carvel built. L93.5'. B16.9'. D9.7'. 103grt. Later remeasured to L96'. B18.2'. D9.7'. 115grt. 60nhp 2cyl 29" x 42" side lever steam engine by John Stewart, Blackwall. Acquired 1849. Disposed 1878. Scrapped 1893. Official No 22036. Call sign NJTB.
1849 Delivered to William Watkins & John Rogers Watkins, London. 1853 Ownership transferred to Mr John Watkins Jnr. to work on River Mersey. 17-2-1858 Lost both funnels and mast after collision with anchored ship in fog on River Mersey. 1859 Transferred back to William and John Watkins, London. 1859 Re-engined, reboilered and hull repairs. 10-10-1861 Towed American s/v free from sands between Folkestone and Sandgate. 1866 New 120ihp 2cyl 29"x42" side lever engine by John Stewart, Blackwall. Overhauled £2500.1872 Transferred to John Watkins, Gravesend. 1878 Sold for £1150 to James Jackson, London. 1879 Sold to Wreck Recovery and Salvage Co., London. 1880 Sold by liquidator to Arthur Barker, Chislehurst. 1880 Sold to Albert Leutner, London. 1886 Sold to George J Spicer, Gravesend. 1889 Believed hired by contractors building Tower Bridge (William Arrol). 1893 Scrapped.
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JOHN LEE
[Saucy Jack 1850 - 1862]
Built 1844 by Andrew Woodhouse, South Shields. Wooden Paddle Tug, clench built. L90'2''. B17'. D9'. 103grt 28nrt. 120hp steam engine. Acquired 1850. Disposed 1866. Scrapped 1866. ON12755 Callsign LDFJ
1844 Delivered to Mark Melville, Shadwell and Jonathan & John Hall, Newcastle. 1845 Purchased by Messrs Marshall and Co., Southmpton. 5-1845 Sold to Southampton Dock Co. Ltd. 12-1850 Acquired by William Watkins, London, unofficially renamed Saucy Jack. 1852 Refurbished and reboilered. 12-8-1853 At Portsmouth for Royal Naval Review. 9-5-1855 Passed Broadstairs bound for London in tow of a barque!!! 12-12-1860 Trialled Axton's disc paddle wheel. 1862 Renamed John Lee. 1862 General overhaul and replacement boiler ex American. 1866 Sold to Messrs Beech and Castle, Charlton for scrap for £175.
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KENIA
Near Gloucester after towing Vindicatrix from Gravesend, Photo H Russell colln
Built 1927 by Cochrane and Sons, Selby. YN1000. Steel Screw Tug. L100'. B25.1'. D11.8'. 200grt. 760ihp 3cylTE 14"x23"x38"x27" stroke steam engine by Crabtree and Co., Gt. Yarmouth. Acquired 1927. Disposed 1964. Scrapped 1964. Official No. 149891. Call sign GQCX. Passenger licence for 200
9-1927 Delivered to William Watkins Ltd., London. 12-5-1936 Towing barque Abraham Ryberg 30 miles south of Isle of Wight, for London. 1939 Towed training ship Vindicatrix from Gravesend to Sharpness, River Severn. 8-1939 Req by RN for examination service. 27-5-1940 Working off Dover and Ramsgate as inspection vessel during Dunkirk operation under Master W Hoiles. Following Dunkirk based Falmouth for three weeks. Rescue tug at Harwich until 1945 (Pennant No. W47). 21-11-1941 Refloated freighter Bostum, aground on Shipwash Sand. 20-4-1942 With tug Superman towed mined destroyer Cotswold from position off Aldeburgh and beached her on Shotley Spit. 1944 Assisted in cargo removal from SS Richard Montgomery aground off Sheerness. 1945 Returned to Watkins. 1-2-1950 Ship Towage [London] Limited appointed managers. 1952 Appeared in the film 'The Long Memory', starring John Mills. 12-10-1964 Sank off Tilbury Dock whilst assisting Maashaven. Raised and beached. Sold to Metal Recovery Newhaven Ltd. 12-11-1964 Towed to Sheerness and scrapped by Lacmots Ltd.
The crew scrambling ashore from a sinking Kenia after she was struck by the Maashaven. Photo K Haydon colln.
Beached near Grays. Photog unknown
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LIBERIA
(Also chartered 1915-1918)
Built 1905 by Cochrane and Sons, Selby. YN354. Steel Screw Tug. L94'. B19.6'. D10.9'. 128grt 500ihp 3cylTE 18"x21"x34"x24" stroke steam engine by G T Grey, S. Shields. Acquired 1905. Disposed 1911. Scrapped 1938. Official No. 120612. Call sign HDPM later MCGY.
19-8-1905 Launched. 10-1905 Completed for William Watkins Jr & John S. Watkins, London. 24-7-1906 Attending channel swimmer at Dover. 5-1911 Transferred to Watkins Petrie Ltd, Middlesbrough. 8-1913 Sold to The Tees Tug Co. Ltd., Middlesbrough. 1915-1919 Chartered by Watkins to cover wartime shortage of suitable tugs on Thames. 9-12-1919 Collided with and damaged James W Cook lighter H9. 30-7-1920 Sold to Tees Towing Co. Ltd. 1-1930 Sold to Newport Screw Towing Co. Ltd, Newport Mon. 1937 Scrapped at Newport Mon.
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