Coastal steamer 1891 – 1959

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

The good ship Helen Craig, of Belfast, that ran on a regular service from Belfast to Preston for 68 years.

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

A nice looking, easy to build pond steamer

What was such a ship doing on a regular service?

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Her main cargo seemed to be a few hundred tons of stinking animal bones. Goodness knows what they used them for. When she went to scrap, she got a civic send-off by the council authorities for gving such long and reliable service!

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hi Bob

We used to have a factory, about 5 miles away in Hyde……It was famous for the Kingston Stink of animal bones

They used to make a special type of glue with it

So, who made the glue?

Belfast or Preston?

Bob

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

I recall from my first year at secondary school that we always hoped that the wind would not be from the south on games afternoon. Our playing field was at Bispham a few miles away from the main building, and just to the south was the "Glue Factory". Not that long of a trip from Preston Docks.

There used to be a shipbuilders at Lytham on the Ribble estuary. They used to specialize in vessels like this in that time period – I wonder if it is one?

Edit – come back the question.  About 12 years ago, while sailing, we were often visited by an ex-Lytham shipbuilding worker.  One time he showed up with a shipping history which I took to be of the Lytham yard and had several line drawings looking very similar to the thread subject.  It is possible that these didn't originate at the yard, but could well have been refurbished there – his story of one coaster was that a hold had been built (re-rebuilt?) with a wood liner to a good standard of finish.  Immaculate was his description.  First cargo?  Several hundred tons of coal.  Googling shows that the Helen Craig was indeed built in Belfast.

 

Edited By Malcolm Frary on 13/08/2017 11:54:51

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Yes, Helen Craig was built by Workman, Clark of Belfast.

Bob

Edited By Bob Wilson on 13/08/2017 12:21:05

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