BALGOWNIE
Shipbuildervessel built by
Alexander HALL & Co.
(Footdee, Aberdeen)
Owner
J & A Davidson
(Aberdeen, Scotland)
DateJanuary 1880
Object NameSCREW STEAMER
MediumIRON
ClassificationsShip
DimensionsLength: 235.1ft x Breadth: 30.1ft x Depth: 17ft
Gross Tonnage: 1134 tons.
Gross Tonnage: 1134 tons.
Object numberABDSHIP001186
Keywords
Yard Number: 298
Official Number: 77459
Fate: struck a mine and sank off Sunk Head Buoy, Thames Estuary, 6 February 1916. East Anglia
Propulsion: Steam
Description: Screw steamer, 1 deck, poop deck 126', forecastle 34', 2 masts, schooner rigged, round stern, clench built, iron frame
(Source: Aberdeen Register of Shipping (Aberdeen City Archives))
Owners:
1880: J. & A. Davidson, registered at Aberdeen
1884: E. T. Agius (Coal Exporters), Lime Street, London
02/1886: Grampian Steamship Co. Aberdeen, registered in Aberdeen
08/1896: Adam SS Co. Ltd, Aberdeen, registered at Aberdeen.
03/1901: General Steam Navigation Co. Ltd, registered at London.
Masters:
1881-82: Master J. Ross
1883-88: Master Mcdonald
1889-94: Master G. Grubb
1894-1900: Master A. Wood
1901-02: Master A. F. Abbott
1904-05: Master C. W. Birch
1905-08: Master H. G. Ferris
1910-15: Master J. Goodson
General History:
11/12/1882:
BALGOWNIE, British steamer, Newcastle to Alexandria, is at Ferrol with boilers leaking seriously.
(York Herald)
17/11/1883:
BALGOWNIE, Riga to Antwerp, grounded at Laxo, but floated after discharging part of her cargo. She will be towed into Copenhagen.
(Aberdeen Weekly Journal)
02/05/1884:
Iron steamer BALGOWNIE, formerly owned by J&A Davidson, Aberdeen, has just been sold to Mr. Edward Tancard Agius, merchant, London.
(Dundee Courier)
18/04/1885:
Screw steamer BALGOWNIE, of Aberdeen, which arrived in Tyne yesterday, reports drowning of fireman F. Polkers.
(Aberdeen Weekly Journal)
20/12/1886:
Steamer BALGOWNIE, of Aberdeen, bound to Tyne, went ashore on north side of barking reach during fog and will probably get off with this evenings tide.
(Aberdeen Weekly Journal)
21/12/1886:
Adam & Co., managers of the B Line of steamers, Aberdeen, state BALGOWNIE, after being ashore, arrived in Tyne yesterday & is now loading for Cartagena (Spain).
(Aberdeen Weekly Journal)
05/04/1888:
BALGOWNIE, British steamer, arrived Gibraltar 4 April with boilers slightly leaking.
(Glasgow Herald)
29/09/1893:
Steamer BALGOWNIE, of Aberdeen, was towed into Yarmouth, having lost her propeller. (Arrived in Gravesend, towed from Yarmouth on 2/10)
(Western Mail)
27/06/1895:
British steamer BALGOWNIE, Riga to Ghent, has brought up in Elsinore roads with feed pipe broken.
(Glasgow Herald)
18/07/1895:
Steamer BALGOWNIE towing to Falmouth steamer GERMANIA, of Whitby, with shaft broken.
(Glasgow Herald)
24/06/1896:
One of crew of S.S. BALGOWNIE, of Aberdeen, writes "On 31 May when BALGOWNIE was discharging her cargo in bay of Porman (near Cartagena, Spain), boatswain & carpenter returning aboard, were unnecessarily interfered with by Spanish soldier, placed on board to prevent smuggling, and naturally retaliated. Soldier had to be held down to prevent him firing. Boatswain & carpenter were subsequently arrested, together with 2 more of the crew who had been in their bunks at time of fracas. They were taken to a cell and manacled, then lashed most unmercifully for half an hour. At the intercession of Capt. Wood went through a form of trial. Nothing proved against 2 who were in their bunks. Bosun & carpenter fined 1/2 a guinea each."
(Aberdeen Weekly Journal)
01/04/1899:
Steamer BALGOWNIE, with fruit from Valencia, collided off Gravesend with steamer ROSALIND, from Shields with coal. BALGOWNIE had considerable damage to stern and starboard bow, with forward peak full of water. ROSALIND afterwards collided with London county council steamer BURNS, put ashore above Tilbury Fort & filled with water. ROSALIND also reported to have collided with steamer ADJUTANT.
(Western Mail)
18/07/1899:
Owners of BALGOWNIE sued owners of ROSALIND for damaged caused by twice coming into collision off Gravesend on 29 March. Owners of ROSALIND sued owners of BALGOWNIE & owners of foreign steamer SAPHIR, alleging later manoeuvred so close to the other vessels that suction drew ROSALIND to southward. Owners of ROSALIND also sued London County Council for damage caused by their steam dredger BURNS coming into collision with ROSALIND after 2 previous collisions to BALGOWNIE. Mr. Justice Bucknell said master had given him and Trinity masters assisting him very great trouble & perplexity. Conclusion he had come to was that both ROSALIND and BALGOWNIE were at fault for first collision, but as ROSALIND's fault was solely that of the pilot, her owners were not liable. RE 2nd collision between ROSALIND & BALGOWNIE, found ROSALIND alone to blame. Damages to be assessed later.
(Standard (London))
11/11/1899:
Collision off Barry last night between steamer BALGOWNIE of Dundee and British ship SIERRA LUCANA, Newport to Mauritius, anchored in heavy seas, both coal laden. BALGOWNIE put into Barry for repairs very much down at the head and badly damaged. SIERRA LUCANA still anchored.
(Belfast Newsletter & Western Mail)
06/02/1916: BALGOWNIE, from London for Leith with general cargo mined 1 mile east of Sunk Head Buoy.
((1990) "Lloyd's War Losses: The First World War" (Loyd's of London, London) p. 34
Notes: Contract cost, £16,000 (Builder's List in the Lloyd's Library of the Aberdeen Maritime Museum)
Engines: Compound 2 cylinders of 28" and 52", length of stroke 34", boiler pressure 80lb, 126 NHP. Built by Smith brothers, Glasgow.
