G.K. Stothert & Co

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Mayflower was built by Stothert & Marten in 1861. She is the oldest Bristol-built ship afloat, and is believed to be the oldest surviving tug in the world. The Mayflower, Floating Harbour - geograph.org.uk - 173688.jpg
Mayflower was built by Stothert & Marten in 1861. She is the oldest Bristol-built ship afloat, and is believed to be the oldest surviving tug in the world.

G.K. Stothert & Co was a British engineering company primarily known for shipbuilding and repair founded in 1852 in Bristol, England.

Contents

History

The Bristol offshoot of the Bath-based company which later became Stothert & Pitt had been set up in St Phillips in 1837 by Henry Stothert (as Henry Stothert & Co.) with the hope of gaining orders from the Great Western Railway [1] . Edward Slaughter became a partner in 1840, resulting in the company being renamed Stothert, Slaughter & Co. 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 shipbuilding part of the company moved to Hotwells in 1852. It was officially known as the Clifton Marine Engineering and Iron Shipbuilding Works. [2] Under the control of George Kelson Stothert it separated from the parent company in 1854, and partnerships were formed with Ernest Theophilus Fripp (between 1854 and 1856) [5] , Frederick James Dickinson (briefly during 1856) [6] , and George Priestly Marten (1859–1863); [7] after that, G. K. Stothert held sole control until 1899. [8] When he died in 1908, the business was established as a limited company carrying his name. [9] [10] The business remained in operation under his name until 1933, [4] although shipbuilding stopped in 1904. [2] [3] . The railway works part of the company eventually became Avonside Engine Company.

A fire occurred at the yard in 1893; later correspondence states that this destroyed the company's records to that date. [11]

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". [12]

Location

In 1852, the company started leasing an existing shipyard adjacent to the Cumberland Basin that was owned by the Society of Merchant Venturers. The premises had been used by George Lunnell between 1834 and 1851. [13] The site consisted of slipways, Hotwells Dry Dock (now Pooles Wharf Marina) and Merchant's Dock [14] (now filled in, although the old entrance is still visible).

In 1897, part of the site was sold by the Merchant Venturers (despite protests from G.K. Stothert) to the Great Western Railway to allow a line to be built to Canon's Marsh; [15] these works restricted access to the shipyard from Hotwell Road and reduced the size of Merchant's Dock.

The company opened an Avonmouth repair branch shortly after the completion of the Royal Edward Dock (during or before 1909), which was in operation until at least 1920. This was housed in a building to the north of the Dry Dock.

Vessels

Several large vessels were built within the first few years of operation, including the Scamander, [16] Meander [17] and Araxes, [18] ranging between 780 and 1156 tons and being built in 1854 and 1855 for the Moss Line of Liverpool. [2] [3] Scamander and Meander were chartered by the French Government for service during the Crimean War, and G.K. Stothert also went to Crimea during 1855 [19] .

The company became known for producing river and canal tugs. They built thirteen used by or on behalf of the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal Company and it successors. This commenced with an initial order for three for their haulage contractor in 1860 (Moss Rose, 1860, [8] Mayflower , 1861 [20] and Violet, 1862 [8] ) and ended with a final order for two for the Severn & Canal Carrying Company in 1904 (Active and Victor) [2] [21] which are believed to be the final vessels launched by G.K. Stothert. [22] In addition to the thirteen, the Danks, Venn and Sanders tug Pioneer was used by its owners on the Canal from 1858 onwards [23] and may have passed into the hands of the Canal Company at a later date.

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. [24]

YearNameYard No. ON GRT TypePropulsionClient
1843AVON3944105PassengerScrewBristol New Steam Packet Company
1844SEVERN3947104PassengerScrewBristol New Steam Packet Company
1851JENNY JONES/BALMORAL3953166Passenger / CargoScrewCardiff Steam Navigation Co
1852QUEEN3950342PassengerPaddleHayle Brilliant Steam Navigation Company
1853JUNO/DAKOTAH3818298CargoSteamT. Fyson, Bristol
1854SCAMANDER25998CargoSteamWilliam M. Moss & others, Liverpool
1855ARAXES10550CargoScrewWilliam M. Moss & others, Liverpool
1856 MEANDER 83907985CargoScrewRoss & Co., Liverpool
1856THOMAS POWELL26800401CargoScrewThomas Powell & others, Newport
1856TAFF14351148PassengerPaddle Bristol General Steam Navigation Company
1856PROSPERO
1856GLEANER
1857ARTIZAN20481454CargoScrewG. K. Stothert, Bristol
1857CAMILLA447CargoScrew
<1858PIONEERTugScrewDanks, Venn and Sanders
1858TRINCULO
1860ENTERPRIZE2921397CoasterScrewStephen Steed & William Osborn, Bristol
1860MOSS ROSEN/A33TugScrewT. Hadley, Purton
1860EDMUND IRONSIDES2787694CargoScrewJohn Markham
1861AJAX29215124CargoScrewBristol General Steam Navigation Company
1861DOLPHIN4411032TugScrewBristol General Steam Navigation Company
1861 MAYFLOWER 10541232TugScrewT. Hadley, Purton
1861PIONEER [25] ScrewWeaver Navigation Trustees
1862ALARM4410921TugScrewBristol General Steam Navigation Company
1862VIOLETN/ATugScrewT. Hadley, Purton
1862SEVERN [26] 4425798TugPaddleBristol Channel Steam Towing Co., Cardiff (although launched for W.H. Martin & Co.)
1863(SMALL YACHT FOR WEAVER NAVIGATION ENGINEER)ScrewWeaver Navigation Trustees
1864RELIEF50266104TugPaddleThe New Steam Tug Co. Ltd., Liverpool
1865RESOLUTE51410271TugPaddleNew Steam Tug Company Ltd., Liverpool
1865CLIFTON777ScrewGeneral Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London
1865ORION52779777Passenger / CargoPaddle General Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London
1865MAHA LUKSHMI
1866NIGER53182128TugPaddleAnthony Hutton, Bristol
1867MYRTLE10541432TugScrewT. Hadley, Purton
1868PRINCESS OF WALES4153195104TugPaddleFrank Mulleny, Bristol
1868NEWPORT53191153CargoScrewJohn Stothert, Bristol
1869STAR6339479TugPaddleJoseph Hazell & others, Cardiff
1869ALERT10625731TugScrewC. J. King & Sons, Bristol [27]
1871IXIA4965302227CoasterScrewTurner, Edwards and Co., Bristol [28]
1871WELSH PRINCE5065304154CoasterScrewRichard Charles Ring, Bristol
1871HAZEL184871TugScrewT. Hadley, Purton
1875VOLUNTEER8582024TugScrewC. J. King & Sons, Bristol
1875SEA KING9105145TugScrewC. J. King & Sons, Bristol
1876SPEEDWELL10541340TugScrew Sharpness New Docks and Gloucester & Birmingham Navigation Company
1876WORCESTER [29] TugScrewSharpness New Docks and Gloucester & Birmingham Navigation Company
1876BIRMINGHAM [29] TugScrewSharpness New Docks and Gloucester & Birmingham Navigation Company
1877GLOUCESTER [29] TugScrewSharpness New Docks and Gloucester & Birmingham Navigation Company
1876REBECCA MARY7486196CargoSailing VesselGeorge Farren, Caernarvon
1878NETHAM78453113CoasterScrewRichard C. Ring, Bristol
1879DOURO5178459430CargoScrewG. K. Stothert & Co.
1880SEA QUEEN9105253TugScrewC. J. King & Sons, Bristol
1881LORD TREDEGAR/ WILLIAM PARFITT106255179DredgerScrew Alexandra (Newport) Dock Company
1882GALLOPER8649367TugScrewYoung & Christie, Cardiff
1883CLIFTON GROVE8985810249CoasterScrewWilliam Butler & Co. Ltd., Bristol
1883TEL-EL-KEBIR9089165163CoasterScrewL. J. Bowen, Cardiff
1884ATALANTA9285813143BargeScrewSevern & Canal Carrying Co
1885SEA PRINCE1149105397TugScrewC. J. King & Sons, Bristol
1888CONHAM [30] 9106977BargeScrewHenry R. Brown (T.R. Brown & Sons)
1889PENMON
1890FLAGSTAFF97233113CoasterScrewWilliam E. Davies, London
1892TREDEGAR16798828115CoasterScrewWilliam Galbraith, Bristol
1892CARBON17098829126BargeScrewAlfred J. Smith Ltd., Bristol
1892STOKE LEIGH
1893MERTHYR184102483143CoasterScrew
1897RESOLUTE10541562TugScrewSevern & Canal Carrying Co
1897RELIANCE11771662TugScrewSevern & Canal Carrying Co
1901RECRUIT11285059TugScrew William Cory and Son Ltd., London
1901MAESTEG243111318156BargeScrewBristol Lighterage Co. Ltd.
1901GARTH244114861156BargeScrewBristol Lighterage Co. Ltd.
1903SALAMANDERFire FloatBristol Fire Brigade
1904VICTOR/SEVERN VICTOR27814738544TugScrewSevern & Canal Carrying Co
1904ACTIVE/SEVERN ACTIVE28014738153TugScrewSevern & Canal Carrying Co

References

  1. ↑ Cattell, John (1997). "Avonside Ironworks, Bristol" (PDF). BIAS Journal (30): 13.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Farr, Grahame (1977). Shipbuilding in the Port of Bristol. Greenwich: National Maritime Museum. p. 13. ISBN   0-905555-05-8.
  3. 1 2 3 Torrens, Hugh (1978). The Evolution of a Family Firm - Stothert and Pitt of Bath. Stothert & Pitt Ltd. pp. 44–47. ISBN   0950602507.
  4. 1 2 Torrens, Hugh (1976). "The Early Years of Stothert & Pitt" (PDF). BIAS Journal (9): 27.
  5. ↑ "The London Gazette" (PDF). 26 August 1856. p. 2926.
  6. ↑ "The London Gazette" (PDF). 31 October 1856. p. 3561.
  7. ↑ "The London Gazette" (PDF). 21 July 1863. p. 3634.
  8. 1 2 3 King, A (1983). "Bristol's other Iron Ship Steam Tug 'Mayflower'" (PDF). BIAS Journal (16): 10–14.
  9. ↑ "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.
  10. ↑ "The London Gazette" (PDF). 4 May 1909. p. 3428.
  11. ↑ "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.
  12. ↑ "George Kelson Stothert - Graces Guide". www.gracesguide.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  13. ↑ Farr, Grahame (1971). Bristol Shipbuilding in the Nineteenth Century (PDF). Bristol Branch of the Historical Association. pp. 14a.
  14. ↑ "Stotherts Dock". Bristol Archives online catalogue. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  15. ↑ "Canons Marsh Railways, Great Western Railway Bristol Lines Act, 1897". Bristol Archives online catalogue. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
  16. ↑ "Launch of a Fine Iron Steamer". Morning Chronicle. No. 27357. London. 29 August 1854.
  17. ↑ "Ship Launch". Bristol Mercury. No. 3380. Bristol. 30 December 1854.
  18. ↑ "Launch of a Fine Iron Steamer". Bristol Mercury. No. 3408. Bristol. 14 July 1855.
  19. ↑ Kelly, Mrs Tom (1902). From the Fleet in the Fifties: A History of the Crimean War. Hurst and Blackett.
  20. ↑ "Mayflower | National Historic Ships". www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  21. ↑ ""General Arrangement S.T. "Active" & "Victor""". catalogue.gloucestershire.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
  22. ↑ "G. K. Stothert and Co - Graces Guide". www.gracesguide.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  23. ↑ "Steam Tugging on the Canal". Gloucester Journal. 29 May 1858.
  24. ↑ "Eagle Star insurance report for Mayflower boiler, 20th February 1959". Canal and River Trust Archive, ref BW167/26/46/1. Retrieved 2024-11-03.
  25. ↑ "Steamship Launch". Western Daily Press. 26 September 1861. p. 2.
  26. ↑ "Important Case - Alleged Breach of Contract. Martin V. Stothert". Daily Bristol Times and Mirror. 29 June 1866. p. 4.
  27. ↑ "46579/5/1 - Photographs of tugs beginning with A". Bristol Archives online catalogue. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  28. ↑ "Launch of a Steamer". Western Daily Press. 24 January 1871. p. 3.
  29. 1 2 3 "Model, builder's half block, & steam screw canal tug". Bristol Museums Collections. Retrieved 2024-11-24.
  30. ↑ Carter, Stephen (2006). T.R.Brown of Bristol - A remarkable tale of a family's maritime enterprise. Twelveheads Press. p. 98. ISBN   090629460-6.

51°26′56″N2°36′56″W / 51.44884°N 2.615590°W / 51.44884; -2.615590

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