|
RFA Greenol as the sand dredger Seastone
Previous name: Thames Conservancy Hopper No.6, Port of London Authority Hopper No.6
Subsequent name: Port of London Authority Hopper No.6, James No.46, Seastone
Official Number: 123823
Class: ex-PLA HOPPER
Pennant No: X28
Laid down:
Builder: Fleming & Ferguson, Paisley
Launched: 26 March 1907
Into Service: 1916
Out of service:
Fate: Broken up February 1982
Items of historic interest involving this ship: -
Background Data: As WW1 progressed, the demand for fuelling ships became more acute and the 6 vessels in this Class were all formerly PLA Hoppers, used for working with the dredgers in London. They lent themselves to rapid conversion into tankers by plating over the bottom sludge door joints and by installing a pipeline and a pump. They were all coal burners that had been built on the River Clyde and after acquisition by the Admiralty, they were renamed after salient features of the River Thames and their new names used the leading parts of the names of London boroughs. In 1920 they were all returned to the PLA and they resumed their previous names. They are all recorded in official records as Royal Fleet Auxiliaries
13 February 1907 Launched by Fleming & Ferguson Ltd, Paisley as Yard Nr 355 named THAMES CONSERVANCY HOPPER No 6 for the Conservators of the River Thames, London
March 1907 completed
1909 Renamed PORT OF LONDON AUTHORITY HOPPER No 6 by the Port of London Authority, London
October 1916 chartered by the Admiralty, converted into a tanker and renamed RFA GREENOL
3 October 1916 Engineer Sub Lieutenant T S King RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer. He was discharged to RFA Sunhill on 19 May 1919
30 November 1916 Lieutenant James Tedham RNR appointed in command. He was discharged to RFA Sunhill on 19 May 1919.
8 January 1917 Engineer Sub Lieutenant John G W Brown RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
26 August 1918 Fireman W Melvin MMR 903375 logged as deserting. He had signed on on 19 September 1917
1920 returned to her owners and resumed her previous name
1927 Purchased by C.H. Campbell Ltd, London
1928 sold to James Dredging and renamed James No 46
October 1930 re-engined with a T. 3 cyl 13” 21½“& 35” x 27” by A. Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen. 100 nhp
1936 purchased by the Union Government of South Africa (Railways and Harbours Administration) for service at Durban, name unchanged
1 September 1944 in collision in Durban Harbour with the tug SIR DAVID HUNTER which sank rapidly, fortunately without loss of life
1961 sold to Foremost Dredging and renamed Seastone and converted to sand suction dredger
1966 purchased by K. Nathan (Pty) Ltd for demolition at Durban in the 3rd quarter of that year
|
