SS Empire Star (1919)

For other ships with the same name, see Empire Star (disambiguation).

History
Name	Empirestar (1919–30) Empire Star (1930–35) Tudor Star (1935–50)
Owner	Empirestar Steamship Co. Ltd. (1919–20) Union Cold Storage Co. Ltd. (1920–49) Union International Co. Ltd. (1949–50)
Operator	Blue Star Line
Port of registry	London, United Kingdom
Builder	Lithgows Ltd.
Yard number	714
Launched	3 June 1919
Out of service	February 1950
Identification	United Kingdom Official Number 143407 Code Letters KCLH (1919–34) Code Letters GOTB (1934–50)
Fate	Scrapped
General characteristics
Type	Refrigerated cargo liner
Tonnage	7,199  GRT, 4,524  NRT
Length	423 feet 4 inches (129.03 m)
Beam	56 feet 0 inches (17.07 m)
Draught	28 feet 4 inches (8.64 m)
Depth	28 feet 7 inches (8.71 m)
Installed power	Triple expansion steam engine, 696nhp
Propulsion	Single screw propeller
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h)

The SS Empire Star was a ship operated by the Blue Star Line. Built in 1919 as Empirestar. It was put in service during 1920 season. The ship was renamed Tudor Star in 1935, when its name was given to a newer ship. In 1950, the ship was sold for scrap and transferred to the Netherlands to be broken up.

Description

The ship was 423 feet 4 inches (129.03 m) long, with a beam of 56 feet 0 inches (17.07 m). ^[1] It had a depth of 28 feet 7 inches (8.71 m), ^[1] and a draught of 28 feet 4 inches (8.64 m). It was powered by a triple expansion steam engine, ^[1] which had cylinders of 25+1⁄2 inches (65 cm), 44 inches (110 cm) and 71 inches (180 cm) diameter by 51 inches (130 cm) stroke. ^[2] The engine was rated at 696 nhp and drove a single screw propeller, ^[3] giving the ship a speed of 12 knots (22 km/h). ^{[1] [4]} It was built by J. G. Kincaid & Co., Greenock, Renfrewshire. ^{[1] [2]} Steam was supplied by four Scotch boilers. ^[4]

History

The ship was a refrigerated cargo liner. ^[4] It was built as yard number 714 by Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow. ^[1] It was launched on 3 June 1919. The ship was built for the Empirestar Steamship Co. Ltd. and was always operated under the management of the Blue Star Line. Its port of registry was London. The United Kingdom Official Number 143407 was allocated, ^[3] as were the Code Letters KCLH. ^[2]

On 14 April 1920, Empirestar was sold to the Union Cold Storage Co. Ltd. ^[3] On 25 October 1927, the Italian ocean liner Principessa Mafalda sprang a leak in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil due to its propeller shaft breaking. ^[5] The ship sank in four hours with the loss of 314 lives. Empirestar was one of the ships that rescued survivors, ^[6] rescuing 202 people. ^[7]

The ship was renamed Empire Star on 19 February 1930. ^[3] In 1934, the Code Letters were changed to GOTB. ^[8] On 12 February 1934, Empire Star suffered a fractured propeller shaft and lost its propeller when 180 nautical miles (330 km) west of the Fastnet Rock ( 50°41′N14°15′W / 50.683°N 14.250°W / 50.683; -14.250 ). Blue Star ship Gaelic Star went to the assistance of Empire Star. ^{[9] [10]} Gaelic Star took Empire Star in tow for Queenstown, County Cork, Ireland. ^[11] They arrived on 16 February. ^[12]

On 1 November 1935, ^[3] Empire Star was renamed Tudor Star, allowing its former name to be used for the new Empire Star. ^[4] On 11 April 1936, Tudor Star was at Port Elizabeth, Union of South Africa, due to sail that day. Eleven firemen and trimmers failed to return to the ship on time, causing its sailing to be delayed by a day. They were in dispute with the ship's captain over the advancement of pay. When the ship returned to the United Kingdom, they were charged with disobeying lawful commands and sentenced to eight weeks' imprisonment each. ^[13] In August 1938, the ship caught fire at Tientsin, China. ^[14] Little is known of the ship's wartime service. It was a member of Convoy MKS 73G, which departed from Gibraltar on 26 December 1944 and arrived at Liverpool, Lancashire on 4 January 1945. ^[15] Its owners became Union International Ltd. in 1949. ^[3] In December 1949, the ship was being used as a store ship at a British port (London, Liverpool or Avonmouth), due to cold stores ashore being full. ^[16] The ship was sold to N.V. Scheepsloperijen Machinehandel for scrapping in 1950. ^[4] It arrived at Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, South Holland, Netherlands on 24 February. Scrapping commenced three days later. ^[3]

References

1. Collard, Ian (2014). Blue Star Line: Fleet List & History. Stroud, Gloucestershire, England: Amberley Publishing. ISBN   978-1-4456-4557-5.
2. "EMP-EMU LLOYD'S REGISTER NAVIRES A VAPEUR 1921-22". Lloyd's Register of Shipping. London: Lloyd's of London. 1922.
3. "Empirestar". Scottish Built Ships. Caledonian Maritime Research Trust. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
4. "Blue Star's M.V. "Empire Star" 1, Blue Star's M.V. "Tudor Star" 2". Blue Star. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
5. "The Principessa Mafalda". The Times. No. 44739. London. 15 November 1927. col. A, p. 13.
6. "Italian Liner Lost". The Times. No. 44723. London. 27 October 1927. col. A, p. 12.
7. "Cause of the Disaster". The Times. No. 44723. London. 27 October 1927. col. B, p. 12.
8. "Empire Star(75678)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Navires à Vapeur et à Moteurs. EMM-EMP (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1934–1935 – via Southampton City Council.
9. "Liner's Loss of Propeller". The Times. No. 46677. London. 13 November 1934. col. A, p. 14.
10. "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 46677. London. 13 February 1927. col. F, p. 21.
11. "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 46679. London. 15 February 1934. col. C, p. 24.
12. "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 46681. London. 17 February 1934. col. C, p. 21.
13. "Ship's Firement Sent to Prison". The Times. No. 47441. London. 31 July 1936. col. F, p. 9.
14. "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48080. London. 23 August 1938. col. F, p. 18.
15. "Convoy MKS.73G". Convoyweb. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
16. "Use of Liners as Meat Stores". The Times. No. 51553. London. 1 December 1949. col. F, p. 2.