G.K. Stothert & Co
51°26′56″N 2°36′56″W / 51.44884°N 2.615590°W
G.K. Stothert & Co was a British engineering company primarily known for shipbuilding and repair founded in 1852 in Bristol, England.
History
[edit]The Bristol offshoot of Stothert, Slaughter & Co., which later became Stothert & Pitt, had been set up in St Phillips in 1837 with the hope of gaining orders from the Great Western Railway.[1] By 1844 they had diversified into shipbuilding, producing two 105 ton iron screw steamers named Avon and Severn which were built for running between Newport and Bristol.[2][3][4] The railway works part of the company eventually became Avonside Engine Company, and the shipbuilding part moved to Hotwells and became a separate company in 1852 under the control of George Kelson Stothert. It was officially known as the Clifton Marine Engineering and Iron Shipbuilding Works.[2] Subsequent partnerships were formed with E.T. Fripp (1855–1859)[5] and R.H. Marten (1859–1862);[6] after that, G. K. Stothert held sole control until 1899.[7] When he died in 1908, the business was established as a limited company carrying his name.[8][9] The business remained in operation under his name until 1933,[4] although shipbuilding stopped in 1904.[2][3]
A fire occurred at the yard in 1893; later correspondence states that this destroyed the company's records to that date.[10]
After G. K. Stothert passed away, the obituary written by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers noted that he "...was one of the pioneers of iron shipbuilding in this country".[11]
Location
[edit]In 1852, the company took over an existing shipyard adjacent to the Cumberland Basin that had been used by George Lunnell between 1834 and 1851.[12] Their site consisted of slipways, Hotwells Dry Dock (now Pooles Wharf Marina) and Merchant's Dock[13] (now filled in, although the old entrance is still visible).
Vessels
[edit]Several large vessels were built within the first few years of operation, including the Scamander,[14] Meander[15] and Araxes[16], ranging between 780 and 1156 tons and being built in 1854 and 1855 for the Moss Line of Liverpool.[2][3]
The company became known for producing river and canal tugs, including a significant number for use on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. This commenced with an initial order for three in 1860 (Moss Rose, 1860,[7] Mayflower, 1861[17] and Violet, 1862[7]) and ended with a final order for two in 1904 (Active and Victor)[2][18] which are believed to be the final vessels launched by the company.[19]
The yard numbers the company used seem to have covered all works undertaken, rather than just vessels; Mayflower's current boiler (dating from 1909) is yard No. 303[20].
| Year | Name | Yard No. | ON | GRT | Type | Propulsion | Client |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1843 | AVON | 3944 | 105 | Passenger | Screw | Bristol New Steam Packet Company | |
| 1844 | SEVERN | 3947 | 104 | Passenger | Screw | Bristol New Steam Packet Company | |
| 1851 | JENNY JONES/BALMORAL | 3953 | 166 | Passenger / Cargo | Screw | Cardiff Steam Navigation Co | |
| 1852 | QUEEN | 3950 | 342 | Passenger | Paddle | Hayle Brilliant Steam Navigation Company | |
| 1853 | JUNO/DAKOTAH | 3818 | 298 | Cargo | Steam | T. Fyson, Bristol | |
| 1854 | SCAMANDER | 25998 | Cargo | Steam | William M. Moss & others, Liverpool | ||
| 1855 | ARAXES | 10550 | Cargo | Screw | William M. Moss & others, Liverpool | ||
| 1856 | MEANDER | 8 | 3907 | 985 | Cargo | Screw | Ross & Co., Liverpool |
| 1856 | THOMAS POWELL | 26800 | 401 | Cargo | Screw | Thomas Powell & others, Newport | |
| 1856 | TAFF | 14351 | 148 | Passenger | Paddle | Bristol General Steam Navigation Company | |
| 1856 | PROSPERO | ||||||
| 1856 | GLEANER | ||||||
| 1857 | ARTIZAN | 20481 | 454 | Cargo | Screw | G. K. Stothert, Bristol | |
| 1857 | CAMILLA | 447 | Cargo | Screw | |||
| <1958 | PIONEER | Tug | Screw | Danks, Venn and Sanders | |||
| 1858 | TRINCULO | ||||||
| 1860 | ENTERPRIZE | 29213 | 97 | Coaster | Screw | Stephen Steed & William Osborn, Bristol | |
| 1860 | MOSS ROSE | N/A | 33 | Tug | Screw | T. Hadley, Purton | |
| 1860 | EDMUND IRONSIDES | ||||||
| 1861 | AJAX | 29215 | 124 | Cargo | Screw | Bristol General Steam Navigation Company | |
| 1861 | DOLPHIN | 44110 | 32 | Tug | Screw | Bristol General Steam Navigation Company | |
| 1861 | MAYFLOWER | 105412 | 32 | Tug | Screw | T. Hadley, Purton | |
| 1861 | PIONEER | ||||||
| 1862 | ALARM | 44109 | 21 | Tug | Screw | Bristol General Steam Navigation Company | |
| 1862 | SEVERN | 44257 | 98 | Tug | Paddle | Bristol Channel Steam Towing Co., Cardiff | |
| 1862 | VIOLET | N/A | Tug | Screw | T. Hadley, Purton | ||
| 1863 | (WEAVER NAVIGATION YACHT) | ||||||
| 1864 | RELIEF | 50266 | 104 | Tug | Paddle | The New Steam Tug Co. Ltd., Liverpool | |
| 1865 | RESOLUTE | 51410 | 271 | Tug | Paddle | New Steam Tug Company Ltd., Liverpool | |
| 1865 | CLIFTON | 777 | Screw | General Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London | |||
| 1865 | ORION | 52779 | 777 | Passenger / Cargo | Paddle | General Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London | |
| 1865 | MAHA LUKSHMI | ||||||
| 1866 | NIGER | 53182 | 128 | Tug | Paddle | Anthony Hutton, Bristol | |
| 1867 | MYRTLE | 105414 | 32 | Tug | Screw | T. Hadley, Purton | |
| 1868 | PRINCESS OF WALES | 41 | 53195 | 104 | Tug | Paddle | Frank Mulleny, Bristol |
| 1868 | NEWPORT | 53191 | 153 | Cargo | Screw | John Stothert, Bristol | |
| 1869 | STAR | 63394 | 79 | Tug | Paddle | Joseph Hazell & others, Cardiff | |
| 1869 | ALERT | 31 | Tug | Screw | |||
| 1871 | IXIA | 49 | 65302 | 227 | Coaster | Screw | |
| 1871 | WELSH PRINCE | 50 | 65304 | 154 | Coaster | Screw | Richard Charles Ring, Bristol |
| 1871 | HAZEL | 184871 | Tug | Screw | T. Hadley, Purton | ||
| 1875 | VOLUNTEER | 85820 | 24 | Tug | Screw | C. J. King & Sons, Bristol | |
| 1875 | SEA KING | 91051 | 45 | Tug | Screw | C. J. King & Sons, Bristol | |
| 1876 | SPEEDWELL | 105413 | 40 | Tug | Screw | Sharpness New Docks and Gloucester & Birmingham Navigation Company | |
| 1876 | REBECCA MARY | 74861 | 96 | Cargo | Sailing Vessel | George Farren, Caernarvon | |
| 1878 | NETHAM | 78453 | 113 | Coaster | Screw | Richard C. Ring, Bristol | |
| 1879 | DOURO | 51 | 78459 | 43 | Cargo | Screw | G. K. Stothert & Co. |
| 1880 | SEA QUEEN | 91052 | 53 | Tug | Screw | C. J. King & Sons, Bristol | |
| 1881 | LORD TREDEGAR/ WILLIAM PARFITT | 106255 | 179 | Dredger | Screw | Alexandra (Newport) Dock Company | |
| 1882 | GALLOPER | 86493 | 67 | Tug | Screw | Young & Christie, Cardiff | |
| 1883 | CLIFTON GROVE | 89 | 85810 | 249 | Coaster | Screw | William Butler & Co. Ltd., Bristol |
| 1883 | TEL-EL-KEBIR | 90 | 89165 | 163 | Coaster | Screw | L. J. Bowen, Cardiff |
| 1884 | ATALANTA | 92 | 85813 | 143 | Barge | Screw | Severn & Canal Carrying Co |
| 1885 | SEA PRINCE | 114 | 91053 | 97 | Tug | Screw | C. J. King & Sons, Bristol |
| 1888 | CONHAM | ||||||
| 1889 | PENMON | ||||||
| 1890 | FLAGSTAFF | 97233 | 113 | Coaster | Screw | William E. Davies, London | |
| 1892 | TREDEGAR | 167 | 98828 | 115 | Coaster | Screw | William Galbraith, Bristol |
| 1892 | CARBON | 170 | 98829 | 126 | Barge | Screw | Alfred J. Smith Ltd., Bristol |
| 1892 | STOKE LEIGH | ||||||
| 1893 | MERTHYR | 184 | 102483 | 143 | Coaster | Screw | |
| 1897 | RESOLUTE | 105415 | 62 | Tug | Screw | Severn & Canal Carrying Co | |
| 1897 | RELIANCE | 117716 | 62 | Tug | Screw | Severn & Canal Carrying Co | |
| 1901 | RECRUIT | 112850 | 59 | Tug | Screw | William Cory and Son Ltd., London | |
| 1901 | MAESTEG | 243 | 111318 | 156 | Barge | Screw | Bristol Lighterage Co. Ltd. |
| 1901 | GARTH | 244 | 114861 | 156 | Barge | Screw | Bristol Lighterage Co. Ltd. |
| 1903 | SALAMANDER | Fire Float | Bristol Fire Brigade | ||||
| 1904 | VICTOR/SEVERN VICTOR | 278 | 147385 | 44 | Tug | Screw | Severn & Canal Carrying Co |
| 1904 | ACTIVE/SEVERN ACTIVE | 280 | 147381 | 53 | Tug | Screw | Severn & Canal Carrying Co |
References
[edit]- ^ Cattell, John (1997). "Avonside Ironworks, Bristol" (PDF). BIAS Journal (30): 13.
- ^ a b c d e Farr, Grahame (1977). Shipbuilding in the Port of Bristol. Greenwich: National Maritime Museum. p. 13. ISBN 0-905555-05-8.
- ^ a b c Torrens, Hugh (1978). The Evolution of a Family Firm - Stothert and Pitt of Bath. Stothert & Pitt Ltd. pp. 44–47. ISBN 0950602507.
- ^ a b Torrens, Hugh (1976). "The Early Years of Stothert & Pitt" (PDF). BIAS Journal (9): 27.
- ^ "The London Gazette" (PDF). 26 August 1856. p. 2926.
- ^ "The London Gazette" (PDF). 21 July 1863. p. 3634.
- ^ a b c King, A (1983). "Bristol's other Iron Ship Steam Tug 'Mayflower'" (PDF). BIAS Journal (16): 10–14.
- ^ "BT 34/3426/101574 - Company number: 101574; G K Stothert and Company Ltd. Incorporated 1909. Liquidator's Accounts on the dissolution of the company at some point between 1909 and 1932". The National Archives. 1932.
- ^ "The London Gazette" (PDF). 4 May 1909. p. 3428.
- ^ "Notes and papers relating to an article on Bristol industries by Miss R F Butler for Gloucester Victoria County History: Letter from C K Stothert and Company on shipbuilding". Bristol Archives online catalogue. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
- ^ "George Kelson Stothert - Graces Guide". www.gracesguide.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
- ^ Farr, Grahame (1971). Bristol Shipbuilding in the Nineteenth Century (PDF). Bristol Branch of the Historical Association. pp. 14a.
- ^ "Stotherts Dock". Bristol Archives online catalogue. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
- ^ "Launch of a Fine Iron Steamer". Morning Chronicle. No. 27357. London. 29 August 1854.
- ^ "Ship Launch". Bristol Mercury. No. 3380. Bristol. 30 December 1854.
- ^ "Launch of a Fine Iron Steamer". Bristol Mercury. No. 3408. Bristol. 14 July 1855.
- ^ "Mayflower | National Historic Ships". www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
- ^ ""General Arrangement S.T. "Active" & "Victor""". catalogue.gloucestershire.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
- ^ "G. K. Stothert and Co - Graces Guide". www.gracesguide.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
- ^ "Eagle Star insurance report for Mayflower boiler, 20th February 1959". Canal and River Trust Archive, ref BW167/26/46/1. Retrieved 2024-11-03.