SS City of Leeds (1903)

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A. J. Jansen - SS 'City of Leeds' ERY HUMM 2002 653 1.jpg
Painting of City of Leeds by AS Jansen
History
NameCity of Leeds
Namesake Leeds
Owner
Operator
Port of registry Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg Grimsby
Route Grimsby – Hamburg
Builder Earle's Shipbldg & Eng Ltd, Hull
Yard number482
Launched8 June 1903
Sponsored byJuly 1903
ReclassifiedWW1: mine depot ship
Identification
FateScrapped 1937
General characteristics
Type passenger ship
Tonnage
Length256.5 ft (78.2 m)
Beam34.5 ft (10.5 m)
Depth15.7 ft (4.8 m)
Decks1
Installed power356 NHP
Propulsion triple-expansion steam engine
Sensors and
processing systems		 submarine signalling
Notes sister ship: City of Bradford

SS City of Leeds was a British North Sea passenger and cargo steamship that was built in Yorkshire in 1903 and scrapped in Northumberland 1937. In the First World War the Imperial German Navy captured her and used her as a depot ship.

Contents

Building

In 1903 Earle's Shipbuilding and Engineering of Hull, Yorkshire built a pair of ferries for the Great Central Railway. The Lady Mayoress of Leeds [ citation needed ] launched City of Leeds on 8 June 1903. [1] [2] City of Leeds' sister ship City of Bradford was launched on 23 July. [3]

City of Leeds' registered length was 256.5 ft (78.2 m), her beam was 34.5 ft (10.5 m) and her depth was 15.7 ft (4.8 m). As built, her tonnages were 1,341  GRT and 733  NRT. She was registered at Grimsby. Her UK official number was 113248 and her code letters were VDWQ. [4]

Career

City of Leeds and City of Bradford ran scheduled services between Grimsby and Hamburg. In 1913 City of Leeds's tonnages were revised to 1,349  GRT and 739  NRT. [5]

When the First World War began at the end of July 1914, City of Leeds was caught unawares, arrived in Hamburg as scheduled and was captured as a prize. Her captain and crew were interned, and the German navy had her converted into a mine depot ship. [2]

After the Armistice of 11 November 1918 her crew was repatriated [6] and City of Leeds was returned to Grimsby.

In 1923 City of Leeds's tonnages were revised again to 1,361  GRT and 678  NRT. [7] In the same year the Great Central became part of the new London and North Eastern Railway (LNER), and City of Leeds became part of its fleet. [8]

By 1930 City of Leeds was equipped for wireless telegraphy and her navigation equipment included submarine signalling. [9] In 1934 the call sign MFTZ superseded her code letters. [10] From 1935 Associated Humber Lines managed her.[ citation needed ]

In 1937 the LNER sold City of Leeds for scrap. On 30 April she arrived at Blyth, Northumberland to be broken up by Hughes, Blockow & Co. [2]

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References

  1. ↑ "Relations with the West Riding" . Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. Leeds. 9 June 1903. Retrieved 10 November 2015– via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. 1 2 3 "City of Leeds". Shipping and Shipbuilding. Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  3. ↑ "City of Bradford". Shipping and Shipbuilding. Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  4. ↑ Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen (1904). Mercantile Navy List. Board of Trade. p. 80. Retrieved 8 March 2021– via Crew List Index Project.
  5. ↑ Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen (1913). Mercantile Navy List. Board of Trade. p. 108. Retrieved 8 March 2021– via Crew List Index Project.
  6. ↑ "Return of Prisoners of War" . Lancashire Evening Post . Preston. 27 November 1918. Retrieved 10 November 2015– via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ↑ Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen (1923). Mercantile Navy List. Board of Trade. p. 104. Retrieved 8 March 2021– via Crew List Index Project.
  8. ↑ Harnack 1930, p. 413.
  9. ↑ Lloyd's Register, Steamers and Motor Ships (PDF). London: Lloyd's Register. 1930. Retrieved 8 March 2021– via Southampton City Council.
  10. ↑ Lloyd's Register, Steamers and Motor Ships (PDF). London: Lloyd's Register. 1934. Retrieved 8 March 2021– via Southampton City Council.

Bibliography

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