Aberfeldy (1899) - a general history

Official No. 97361: Code Letters LGNK.

Owners: 1889 William Maclean, Henry Doughty & Co, West Hartlepool; 1900 Doughty & Co. West Hartlepool; 1901 Doughty Shipping Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool; 1905 Echevarrieta & Larrinaga, Bilbao–renamed Bernabe.

Masters: 1889-98 J Berry; 1899 FJ Clarke; 1904 Charles Henry Jenkins (b. Swansea 1866); 1909 A Luzarraga.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Thursday, January 23^rd, 1890:
LATEST SHIPPING. THE ABERFELDY RUN DOWN. Information has reached West Hartlepool that the steamship Aberfeldy, Capt. Berry, belonging to Messrs. Maclean, Doughty, and Co., was in collision yesterday in Cardiff Roads with the steamer Daventry, belonging to Messrs Sivewright, Bacon, and Co., West Hartlepool. The Aberfeldy, which left Cardiff, coal-Laden, for Point de Galle, was lying weather bound in the Roads when the accident happened. She was cut down to the water's edge, and had to be beached to prevent sinking. The crew were saved.

April 1901: 3rd engineer Robert Buchart of South Shields, was drowned.

November 12th, 1901: left Tyne Dock at about 3pm & when off Flamborough Head at about 9pm there was a problem with the engines. It was discovered that the propeller had broken off so the steamer was helpless. The weather was becoming bad so the master had to signal for assistance. Two tugs got hold of the steamer to take her into Hartlepool but the weather worsened & after battling with the heavy seas for a couple of hours the tow lines parted so the tugs left. The crew managed to anchor the steamer about a mile off Robin Hood’s Bay. The weather calmed during the night but the following morning became worse than ever. All the crew had their lifebelts on expecting the chains to give way & for them to be dashed to pieces on the rocks in the night. On the morning of 15 November two Scarborough tugs got hold of them & made for Hartlepool. The ropes broke but the tugs stood by & got hold of the steamer again. It was decided to make for the Humber instead of Hartlepool & the Aberfeldy eventually arrived safely at Hull. Some newspapers mistakenly named the steamer as the Abyssinia & reported that she was dashed to pieces on rocks at Ravenscar. 

Related items :