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ST. ROGNVALD

Shipbuildervessel built by Hall, Russell & Company, Limited (Aberdeen, Scotland, 1864 - 1992)

Owner North of Scotland & Orkney & Shetland Steam Navigation Company

Date19 April 1901

Object NamePASSENGER AND CARGO VESSEL

MediumSTEEL

ClassificationsShip

Dimensionslength 230 7/12' x breadth 31 1/12' x depth 16 3/12'
Gross Tonnage: 920 ton

Object numberABDSHIP002017

Keywords

About MeYard: Hall, Russell & Co.
Yard Number: 346.
Official Number: 114185

Fate: Laid up pending survey and class suspended, 1951. Later scrapped at Ghent 1951.

Propulsion: Steam
Description: Passenger vessel, 2 decks, forecastle 65', poop deck 152'.

Owners:
1901-51: North of Scotland & Orkney & Shetland Steam Navigation Company

General History:
Routes Leith - Aberdeen, Orkney & Shetland

10/09/1910: Struck Fair Isle and damaged bow.
1918/19: Master J. Scott, Port of Registry: Aberdeen.
30/05/1924: ST. ROGNVALD was involved in a collision with LOCHEE built in Bristol in 1918. The two ships collided in the Firth of Forth and both were badly damaged forward.
19/05/1934: Struck Fugli Baa (westside of Fair Isle).
27/12/1940: Attacked by captured British bomber with German crew - no casualties (Captain D McMillan).
30/04/1941: Damaged in air attack 22 miles north of Kinnaird Head without casualties (Captain W. G. Stout).

Gordon Donaldson described ST. ROGNVALD as ‘an excellently designed ship for both passenger and cargo requirements and earned great popularity as a comfortable and reliable vessel’. He notes that she was designed so that a very large part of the passenger accommodation could be sealed off in winter with consequent reduction in registered tonnage [and harbour dues]. She ran trial on 17 May 1901 on a route North from Aberdeen and achieved a speed of 14 knots over the measured mile, three quarters of a knot faster than the contracted figure. The Aberdeen Daily Journal report commented on her ‘graceful proportions’, her splendid fittings and that she was equipped with electric light. Her master was Capt. Robert Nisbet, formerly of ST. NICHOLAS.

In Summers 1901-14, 1919-24 and in 1930 she was on the weekend run from Leith and Aberdeen to Kirkwall and Lerwick and also in Winter 1919-36. In Summers 1925 -36 (except 1930) she was on the West Side route from Leith and Aberdeen to Stromness and West Coast Shetland ports. This service was advertised as a Summer cruise, sailing via Scapa Flow – in 1925 Sunday to Friday from Leith, Monday to Thursday from Aberdeen. In the latter part of World War II she operated between Aberdeen and Kirkwall only. From 1946 she was again the weekend boat, but sailing only as far as Kirkwall. In her last season (1950) she was back on a truncated West Side route from Leith and Aberdeen to Stromness and fortnightly St Margaret’s Hope, but not continuing to Scalloway. In addition to passengers and cargo, she carried livestock, especially for the mainland sales in early Autumn. For example, in September 1926 she arrived at Stromness with a large shipment from the West side of Shetland and then loaded 700 lambs and 25 cattle. There were inevitably weather delays from time to time. For example, in a prolonged storm in December 1930 she managed the Aberdeen-Kirkwall sector in 13 hours, arriving 2am Saturday, but sheltered there before leaving for Lerwick on Sunday morning.

In her long career she had several accidents, most often as a result of fog. The first was very early, on 10 September 1901. On passage Southbound from Lerwick in fog and heavy seas she struck land on the East side of Fair Isle. Her stemhead was knocked in, but the principal damage was below the waterline, the holes being cemented on arrival in Kirkwall. She then took in Orkney passengers and proceeded to Aberdeen. There was very nearly an accident in fog as she approached Kirkwall Southbound in June 1914. Proceeding slowly between Shapinsay and the Orkney Mainland a small boat was seen with the occupant shouting ‘Go astern, go astern!’. The master did this just in time to avoid hitting the cliffs of the small island of Hellier Holm. Collision with LOCHEE in the Firth of Forth 30 May 1924 was in heavy fog. After repairs to the stem she was able to arrive in Kirkwall two days later. On 19 May 1934 she came into contact with Fair Isle again, this time on the Fugle Baa when disembarking passengers into a small boat on the West side. She was able to proceed to Lerwick, where repairs were made to one or two plates.

Her final voyage of 460 miles from Aberdeen to Ghent began on 20 January 1951 under tow of the Dutch ocean-going tug SCHELDE, with the Aberdeen tug ST. FOTIN assisting her at the stern out of the harbour. The Evening Express described this as ‘what may be her final exit from Aberdeen Harbour’, which suggests it was not yet certain she was to be broken up.

ST. ROGNVALD (1901) supplementary material from Alistair McRobb’s files

In 1925 average coal consumption on passage Leith-Aberdeen-Kirkwall-Lerwick was between 1 ton 7cwts and 1 ton 10cwts per hour. Supt. Engineer F. Davidson responding 28/10/1925 to suggestions by Hall Russell on how consumption could be cut, recommended ‘reducing cut off’ (ie cutting length of stroke) and fitting bronze propellor to maintain power.
Sale notice 1950: Passenger certificate for 359 passengers, sleeping accommodation for 75 1st class and 58 2nd class. Can carry 120 cattle in forhold + main deck. Part of passenger accommodation portable and, if removed, further 100 cattle can be carried on main deck. Passed special survey 3/1947, when very extensive overhaul and renewals carried out. Speed about 12 knots on about 25 knots per hour. Price asked £10,000.

'To 1913 with cheap coal and cheap labour, engines could be used to their full capacity and coastal steamers attained speeds never surpassed later. After 1918 coal was dearer, wages higher and working hours shorter. Most older ships still in service were running at lower speeds than designed for. Some of the fastest ships had to be disposed of because over-engined for the new situation and could not be economically operated'.

Sources:- Gordon Donaldson (1978), 'Northwards by Sea', (Paul Harris Publishing, Edinburgh), pp.43-7, 134.
Aberdeen Daily Journal, 18 May, 11 September 1901, 12 August 1925; Orkney Herald, 1 July 1914, 4 June 1924, 8 September 1926, 3 December 1930, 21 August 1945; Evening Express, 20 January 1951. [All newspaper extracts BNA, downloaded 20 May 2022].