WILLIAM WATKINS LIMITED
FLEET LIST
LORD WARDEN - NAPIA
Page last updated 15-3-2011
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LORD WARDEN
Built 1848 by William Watkins at Millwall. Wood Paddle Tug. L93.5'. B16.9'. D9.7'. 107grt. 43nrt. 60hp 2cyl 30"x52" grasshopper disconnecting engine by John Stewart and Sons Ltd., Blackwall. , tubular boilers. Bunkers 18 tons. Consumption 16 ton/day. Speed 10 knots.
1848 Delivered to William Watkins, London. 27-8-1851 Samuel Gray, 30, engineer, crushed in engine. 4-5-1853 Involved in laying of telegraph cable from England to Belgium. 1853 Scrapped following a fire and engine retained after scrapping and installed in new Punch.
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MALTA [1]
Built 1883 by E Wales, Hull. Iron Screw Tug. L75'. B15'. D8.5'. 59grt. 12nrt. 250ihp 2cyl 15"x28"x20"s 80psi compound steam engine by builder. ON87083. Acquired 1883. Disposed 1886.
2-1883 Delivered to William Watkins, London. 3-1885 Sold to Cowes Steam Tug Co., Cowes IoW. 1912 Sold to the Medina Steam Tug & Water Company Ltd, Cowes. 1912 Owners restyled the Cowes Steam Tug Company Ltd. 2-1925 Sold to Fraser and White Ltd., Portsmouth. 2-1928 Sold to Cowes Steam Tug Co Ltd., Portsmouth. 8-1930 owners restyled Cowes Steam Tug and Transport Co Ltd., 1-1934 Owners restyled Vectis Transport Company Ltd. 1935 Scrapped.
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MALTA [2]
in France, Fenwick colours. Photog unknown
Built 1875 by J T Eltringham, South Shields. YN41. Iron Paddle Tug. L103.2'. B18.2'. D9.4'. 113grt. 90nhp 2cyl 27.5"x50" steam engine by J P Rennoldson, South Shields. Acquired 1886. Disposed 1888. Scrapped 1951. Official No. 70712 PoR 1875 London, 1888 Sth. Shields.
20-2-1875 Launched. 1875 Delivered to J. F. Gibb, Ratcliff, London, named Benachie. 14-5-1877 Towed schooner G. C. Gradwell from Holyhead to London. 15-6-1877 Arranged to tow SS Sultana from Falmouth to London. 11-1877 Assisted refloating Cutty Sark from sandbank off Deal and towed to London. The clipper was 127 days from Woosung with her last tea cargo when she dragged her anchor and stranded. 5-1886 Acquired by William Watkins, London, renamed Malta and overhauled in Scotland. 10-1888 Sold to Robert Stephenson Allen, Newcastle for £1350. 4-1914 Sold to John Dry, S. Shields. 2-1916 Transferred to John Dry Steam Tugs Ltd. 7-1929: Transferred to R. Readhead & Son Ltd., Newcastle. 10-1929 Transferred to Redhead and Dry's Tugs Ltd. 5-1944 Transferred to France Fenwick Tyne and Wear Co. Ltd. 3-1951 Sold to J A White and Co., North Queensferry for demolition.
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MANILA
Built 1895 by Cook Welton and Gemmell Ltd., Hull. YN150. Steel Screw Tug. L109'. B21.5'. D11.8'. 180grt. 700ihp 3cylTE steam engine 14.5"x23"x37" 27" stroke by Earles Ltd., Hull. ON105775. Acquired 1895. Disposed 1901. Scrapped 1957.
2-10-1895 Launched. 1895 Delivered to William Watkins, London. 15-11-1898 At Penarth for bunkers. 16-3-1899 Bunkering at Hartlepool. 4-4-1899 Arrived Swansea ex Greenock towing a hopper barge. 6-6-1899 Departed Liverpool for Dundee. 16-6-1899 Arrived Penarth ex Dundee. 1900 Transferred to William Jr. & John S. Watkins. 18-11-1900 Assistance to SS Duisburg. Later awarded £950. 3- 6-1901 Sold to Table Bay Harbour Board, Cape Town. 7-12-1916 Sold to Cape Town Stevedoring Co., Cape Town. 15-1-1917 Sold to Ernest G. Nyman, Cape Town. 29-3-1917 Sold to British & African Shipping & Coaling Co., Cape Town. 13-5-1917 Req by Admiralty. 29-7-1917 Dereq. 3-8-1918 Req by War Office. 13-11-1919 Returned to owners. 5-8-1920 Sold to C Zalocastas & others, Piraeus, renamed Elsi Z. 1926 Owners Loucas Matsas Ltd., Piraeus, Greece, renamed Aghios Nicolaos call sign SVBY. During WW2 requisitioned by Hafenamt Piraeus. 30-5-1944 Exploded a mine in Eleusis bay and sank. Later salved. 1957 Rebuilt as a cargo motorship under ownership of K.Kyriakidis &
A.Georgiou. 1960 Sold to Zoulis Bros. 1971 Renamed Platytera. No further trace in Greek register
files.
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MASHONA
Built 1902 by Irvine Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Ltd. YN27. Steel Screw Tug. L100'. B20.2'. D11.3'. 153grt. 99rhp 3cylTE 13"x22"x35" 27" stroke steam engine by J Stewart and Sons Ltd., Blackwall. Acquired 1902. Disposed 1905. ON115822.
11-2-1902 Launched by Miss Hetherington. 3-5-1902 Running trials. 5-1902 Delivered to William Watkins Jr., and John S Watkins, London. 21-1-1903 Assisted towing SS British Prince, collision damaged and grounded, off sand bank at Dungeness and onward to Tilbury Dock. 1905 Sold to Charles J. Wills (Price, Wills & Reeves), London, for service at Bombay. 1908 Owners listed as Price, Wills and Reeves, public works contractors, Westminster, London but believed based in India and used in building new docks in Bombay. 1915 Req by Royal Indian Marine for service at Shatt-el-Arab, Mesopotamia. 1917 Purchased by Indian Government. 1923 Sold at auction to Price, Wills and Reeves, Bombay. 1931 Deleted from LR.
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MERCIA
Photog unknown
In MSC colours. Photog unknown.
Built 1889 by Westwood Baillie & Co., London. Iron Screw Tug. L85.8'. B18.1'. D10.7'. 94grt 70nhp 3cylTE 12.5"x18.5"x32"x20"s steam engine by John Stewart & Sons Ltd., Blackwall. Acquired 1889. Disposed 1895. Lost 1942. ON96650.
1889 Delivered to William Watkins, London. 1-1-1890 Beached in leaking condition following collision with SS Parana off Poplar. 1894 New 160 psi boiler built by Eltringham and fitted by Stewarts. 24-5-1894 Departed River Tyne for Chatham. 1895 Sold to Manchester Ship Canal Co. Ltd. 1-1935 Sold to Sidney Charles Roberts, Bristol. 4-1939 Sold to Fairplay Towage and Shipping Co Ltd, London. 14-1-1942 Struck a mine and sank in Bristol Channel, posn 51-31-21N 2-46-44W, with loss of all crew.
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MONA
Built 1884 by L. Smit and Zoon, Kinderdijk, Holland. YN449. Steel Screw Tug. L97.9'. B19.1'. D11.4'. 119grt. 80nhp 300ihp 2cyl 20"x40"x24"s compound steam engine by Charles Burrell & Sons, Thetford, Norfolk. Boiler L10.0'x11.5'dia. Acquired 1884. Disposed 1885. Scrapped 1963. Official No. 89653. Call sign JSRN later MJBP.
1884 Delivered to William Watkins, London. 1885 Sold to Cowes Steam Tug Co., for £2300. 1886 Sold to Queenstown Screw Tug and Shipping Co., Cork. 1902 Sold to Liverpool Screw Towing and Lighterage Co Ltd., Liverpool, renamed Fighting Cock. Engine completely rebuilt by Laird Bros, Liverpool. 1-1906 Damaged in collision with SS May. 1912 Reboilered. 16-8-1923 Rescued 50 persons from sinking SS Douglas in Mersey. 12-9-1929 Sank in River Mersey following collision with dredger G. B. Crow. Later salved. 1946 Sold to Toyne, Carter and Co. Ltd., Fowey. 1947 Sold to Fowey Tug Co Ltd. , renamed Trethosa. 1949 Sold to William J. Reynolds Ltd., Plymouth. 1963 Scrapped by Demmelwerk and Redding, Sutton Pool, Plymouth.
Whilst in Watkins ownership the engine in this vessel was very unreliable and gave constant trouble. Charles Burrell were actually traction engine builders.
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MONARCH
Built by Edward Robson, South Shields. Wooden Paddle Tug, clench built. L64'10''. B13'11''. D7'5''. (some sources 4'6''). 88grt. 34nrt. . 20nhp 1cyl steam engine with flue boiler and jet condenser by H S Wait, North Shields. Fitted with Galloway's patent paddle wheels. Coal cap. 7 tons. Acquired 1833. Disposed 1876. Scrapped 1876. ON15862 Callsign LVCK
1833 Delivered to Benjamin Thompson & Robert Stoker, Yarmouth. 1834 Acquired by John Rogers Watkins & William L. Ogilby, London. 13-11-1835 Nathaniel William Green, Master, was committed to Newgate Prison after the tug ran down a small boat off Blackwall, drowning a 16 year old boy. Green's trial for manslaughter did not take place until 1840. 18-9-1838 Arrived at Beatsons Yard, Rotherhithe towing HMS Temeraire for scrapping. 1840 Transferred to William Watkins. 1841 Transferred to John R. Watkins, London. 1843 Returned to William Watkins, London.1845 New 20psi tubular boiler. 19-9-1848 Damaged in collision with steamer Waterman No 3 off Wapping. 1856 Engine, boiler and hull overhaul, patent paddles fitted. 26-4-1860 William Watkins summonsed because tug had been emitting excessive smoke off Wapping. The £5 fine imposed would not be enforced if Clarkes patent smoke prevention apparatus was fitted to the vessel. 1861 Reboilered and hull repairs. 29-10-1863 Towing sailing vessel Benlida out of St Katherines Dock when the tow suddenly fell onto its beam ends in a sudden squall due to lack of ballast and later sank off Wapping Old Stairs.1876 Sold for scrap for £40 to John Stewart, Blackwall.
Watkins first tug. The tug features in Turners painting "The Fighting Temeraire", although apparently not a very good likeness. With the £40 scrap money Mrs Watkins bought a silver tea and coffee service, "to remember her by".
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MURIA (1)
Built 1914 by Scott and Son, Bowling. YN255 Steel Screw Tug. L106.3'. B23.1'. D11.7'. 192grt. 450ihp 2cyl 21"x42" 27" stroke 120psi compound steam engine by Aitchison Blair and Co., Glasgow. Acquired 1920. Lost 1940. Official No. 136308. Call sign GVTM.
25-6-1914 Launched as Futijy, for Administration de la Navigation a Vapeur Ottoman, Constantinople and immediately taken over by the Admiralty as a war prize. 7-1914 Completed and allocated as Wrestler for Steel and Bennie Ltd, Glasgow. 8-1914 Sold to Administration de la Navigation a Vapeur Ottoman, Constantinople. 12-1914 Purchased by Admiralty and renamed Hotspur. 5-1920 Acquired by William Watkins Ltd., London and renamed Muria. 1931 Superstructure alterations and radio fitted. 31-12-1936 Launched her boat to rescue three crew from the SS Diamond which had sunk following a collision with another steamer off Greenhithe. 17-6-1938 Passing Prawle Point towing Cutty Sark Falmouth to Greenhithe. 19-9-1939 Req by RN and stationed at Harwich as rescue tug. 15-7-1940 Rescued survivors from Polish steamer Zbaraz convoy FN223 after it sank following bombing near South Ship Head Buoy. 28-9-1940 Departed Sheerness escorting Monitor HMS Erebus to join convoy CW12 enroute for Monitor to bombard Gris-Nez and Calais. Mission was aborted off North Foreland due to heavy weather and both returned to Sheerness. 29-9-1940 The same operation attempted, but due to technical problems HMS Erebus only fired 17 rounds before withdrawing. Escorted into Dover by Muria. 14-10-1940 Departed Southend convoy FN308. 16-10-1940 Arrived Methil. 25-10-1940 Departed Southend convoy FN319. 27-10-1940 Arrived Methil. 8-11-1940 Whilst on passage from Harwich to Ramsgate for a refit she diverted to Sheerness to land a crew member and later struck a mine off the North Foreland at posn 51-26-30N 1-27E and sank with loss of all hands. 7-12-1943 Most of the wreck was finally dispersed, depth of water over the remains given as 31 feet.
 Merchant Navy Memorial, Tower Hill, London
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MURIA (2)
Photog unknown. R Stanford colln
For all details see PERSIA (2)
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NAPIA (1)
As DORALIA. Photog unknown
Photog unknown. B Hunt colln
Built 1914 by J P Rennoldson, South Shields. YN289. Steel Screw Tug. L90.3'. B22.1'. D10.7'. 155grt. 3nrt. 550ihp 2cyl 18"x40" 26" stroke 120psi compound steam engine by builder. Acquired 1937. Lost 1939. Official No. 136661. Call sign JFPM later MFDC.
4-1914 Completed as Doralia for Albert Pattison, London, T/as United Steam Tug Co. 15-8-1914 Acquired by RN serving at Le Havre. 23-3-1919 Returned to owners. 19?? Owners Gravesend United Steam Tug Co. 1929 Fitted with fire fighting pumps. 5-1937 Acquired by William Watkins Ltd., London. 17-6-1938 renamed Napia. 6-12-1939 Req by RN used on examination service. 20-12-1939 Struck mine off Ramsgate in Posn. 51.15'N, 0.25'E., and sank with loss of all hands.
Merchant Navy Memorial, Tower Hill, London.
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NAPIA (2)
Built 1943 By Goole Shipbuilding and Repair Co Ltd., Goole. YN397.Steel Screw Tug, modified Warrior/Roach standard class. L105.8'. B30.1'. D12.5'. 261grt. 1200ihp 3cylTE 16.5"x28.5"x47" 30" stroke steam engine by McKie and Baxter Ltd, Paisley. Acquired 1946. Disposed 1971. Scrapped 1986. Official No. 169087. Call sign MLSV.
1943 Built as Empire Jester for Ministry of Shipping. 6-5-1943 Launched. 22-7-1943 Completed and handed over to United Towing Co. Ltd., Hull, as managers. 6-1944 Towed two barges Portsmouth to Cardiff. Towed two barges Cardiff to Portland. 12-1944 Towed Fairplay 1 to Grimsby for repairs. 4-1945 Towed barge KBK50 ex Leith to Walcheren. 25-4-1945 Departed Antwerp in convoy ATM135. 26-4-1945 Arrived Southend. 5-1945 Towed LCT7080 ex Milford to Belfast. 5-1945 Towed barges Roman and Redshank ex Greenock to Gravesend. 5-1945 Towed pontoon ex Salcombe to Plymouth. 5-1945 Towed LCT7047 ex Portland to Plymouth. 6-1945 Towed 2 barges ex Plymouth to Antwerp. 6-1945 Towed VIC27 ex Terneuzen to Hull. 14-5-1946 Acquired by William Watkins Ltd., London and renamed Napia. 1-2-1950 Ship Towage (London) Ltd., appointed as managers. 1950 Converted to oil fired boiler. 20-9-1968 Owners restyled as London Tugs Ltd., (same managers). 12-1971 Sold to John G Efthinou, Greece, renamed Tolmiros. 1973 Sold to Loucas Matsas, Greece. 19-2-1986 Scrapped at Perama by M Tzonis and Co.
 NAPIA Engine Room 1960's.
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