RFA Silverol

RFA Silverol

Previous name:                        THAMES CONSERVANCY HOPPER No.8,  PORT OF LONDON

                                                     AUTHORITY HOPPER No.8,
Subsequent name:                  PORT OF LONDON AUTHORITY HOPPER No.8,  

                                                     JAMES No.47,  ROCKSTONE                                                         
Official Number:                       123847
Class:                                         ex-PLA HOPPER

Pennant No:                              X 64

Laid down:
Builder:                                       Fleming & Ferguson, Paisley
Launched:                                 28 March 1907
Into Service:                               October 1916
Out of service:                           1920
Fate:                                            Returned to the Port of London Authority

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

28 March 1907 Launched by Fleming & Ferguson Ltd, Paisley as Yard Nr 357 named THAMES CONSERVANCY HOPPER No 8 for the Conservators of the River Thames,  London

May 1907 completed

1909 Renamed PORT OF LONDON AUTHORITY HOPPER No 8 by the Port of London Authority, London

October 1916 chartered by the Admiralty, converted into a tanker and renamed RFA SILVEROL

3 October 1916 Engineer Lieutenant G J Driscoll RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer 

6 October 1916 Lieutenant  J W Finnis RNR appointed as Master until 9 February 1918

9 February 1918 Lieutenant Duncan Campbell RNR appointed as Master until 11 October 1918 on transfer to RFA Distol

5 October 1918 Lieutenant Marshall F Woodrow RNVR appointed in Command until 31 March 1920 when he was demobilised

8 January 1919 at Dover alongside HMS EREBUS refuelling her with 475 tons of FFO

13 August 1919 Greaser J Brady MMR 723956 logged as deserting the ship. He had signed on on 1 April 1919

29 August 1919 Able Seaman J T G Jones logged as deserting the ship. He had signed on on 3 July 1919 

1920 returned to her owners and resumed her previous name

1927 Purchased by James Dredging, Towage & Transport Co Ltd, London and renamed JAMES No 47

March 1930 Re-engined with a T. 3 cyl 13” 21½“& 35” x 27” by A. Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen. 100  nhp

1947 purchased by James Contracting & Shipping Co Ltd, Southampton name unchanged

1952 purchased by Foremost Dredging Co Ltd, Southampton name unchanged

1955 re-engined with 2 x 12 cyl 178 x 184 mm diesel engines by Davey, Paxman & Co Ltd, Colchester

1964 was converted into a sand  suction dredger and renamed ROCKSTONE by her owners.

1964 purchased by James Contracting & Shipping Co Ltd, Southampton name unchanged

December 1964 re-engined with 1 x 6 cyl 300 x 550 mm diesel engine by N.V. Smit & Bolnes, Zierikzee. 750 bhp

1967 purchased by Westminster Gravels Ltd, Southampton name unchanged.

March 1977 Demolition begun by T.W. Ward Ltd at Grays, Essex