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With Reuben Goossens
Maritime Historian
White
Star Line / Shaw Savill Lines
This fine photograph shows the stately looking SS Athenic
Please Note: All photographs and postcards on this page, except those marked otherwise, are from the author’s porivate collection
This page covers three fine ships that were built for the combined
companies of White Star & Shaw Savill Lines, operating passenger and cargo
services to and from
These three large liners where known as the “Athenic’s,
because the SS Athenic was the first of the class to be built. They were
especially designed to operate on the profitable
Although these ships are generally known to be Shaw Savill liners, they
were actually built for and by the White Star Lines house builders being the
famed Harland & Wolff Shipyards in
Whilst these ships were being constructed and completed, during 1902 and
1903 the White Star Line would be absorbed by a company owned by that famed
billionaire Banker Mr. J. Pierpoint Morgan. “International Mercantile
Marine” (IMM) was formed by him with a capital of £24,000,000 in order to
purchase the assets of “White Star Line” and its managers
“Imrie and Ismay & Company.”
J. P. Morgan and his son Jack Morgan are known for their glamorous
yachts all named Corsair and the most famed of these is the last one being one
of most glamorous super yachts ever built, the 91.4 m / 300ft SS Corsair IV – You will find my feature on
her very interesting as it covers the yacht from the Piermont days to her
conversion into an ultra deluxe but sadly a doomed cruise ship!
Regardless the White Star management changes, these three great liners
would continue to sail Down Under to
Part One: Building
– Launch & Maiden voyage
SS
Athenic I - Call sign: TDNC - official registration number 115239.
SS Athenic seen as built
Athenic was the first to be launched of the trio by Harland & Wolff
on
On the maiden voyage was third Engineer, Wallis Vincent Browne
Provided by John Davis (NZ), a distant relative of Mr Browne
SS Athenic departed on her maiden voyage from
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A rare colour White Star postcard of the SS Corinthic
Corinthic was launched next on
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SS Ionic seen in 1903
Ionic, being the last of the Athenic series was launched on
SS
Ionic in port
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Part Two:
Ships general details and descriptions
These were large ships for the time and had
accommodations for 688
passengers in three classes, with Third Class being mainly mostly used for the
assisted emigrant trade, whilst both First and Tourist classes servicing the
general tourist and transportation trade. Unusual for the time, these ships had
just one tall buff-coloured, black topped smokestack, four masts, twin screws,
4 decks, and they was fitted with a unique feature, machinery to refrigerate
the especially insulated cargo holds. They also had water ballasts. They had
quadruple expansion engines with 8 cylinders of 22, 31½, 46 & 66 inches
diameter each pair, and stroke 48 inches. Their engines were built by Harland
& Wolff, delivering 604 nominal horsepower giving the ship a service speed
of 14 knots.
As already indicated, in addition to transporting passengers these three
sisters had considerable cargo spaces, including massive insulated cargo holds
that were capable of carrying up to 98,800 carcases of frozen lamb. In addition
their general cargo holds provided an additional 8,375 tons for dry cargoes,
although around 2,340 tons of space was reserved as a coal bunker. The ships
daily consumption was around eighty tons of Welsh or ninety-two tons of
Part Three: WWI
& the “Liner Requisition Scheme”
SS Athenic. The time came that World War I had
started Athenic was located in
Canterbury Mounted Rifles ready to board the Athenic
Above we see the men dismount their horses and stow their packs. The Athenic is ready to take them on board and the horse Shute can be seen at her side, which is ready to take the
horses to the horse-boxes down below, although some would be housed on deck.
All animals had to remain standing in their stalls for the entire voyage to
An interesting wartime event occurred early in 1916. The German raider
Moewe seized the British collier Westburn
on
But, due to her frozen meat-carrying capacity, the Athenic was retained
in commercial service during World War I, even though she was taken up under
the “Liner Requisition Scheme” (whilst she was berthed in
With the war finally over the Athenic was returned to Shaw Savill in
1919 and she recommenced her normal commercial within the next year. Although
there was a change made to her and her sisters
schedules, for from now on until these ships concluded services, the Athenic
trio would depart
On
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SS Athenic Photo Gallery
This Shaw Savill Line Postcard designates her as the
RMS Athenic, but she was always designated as just “SS”
Another Shaw Savill postcard
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SS
Corinthic
SS Corinthic seen in dry-dock
The Dunigan family sail on SS Corinthic to
The following details were provided by Jennifer Howard who is in the process of obtaining further information on the family history and the voyage for that matter. Thus, should there be a reader that may have any further information re this voyage, or corrections, please contact the author by using the email link at the bottom of the page.
As SS Corinthic departed a cold Southampton
late afternoon on
Description of the photograph above: James Dunigan (Jnr) was born in 1902 is standing on the left he is seen with his hand in his pocket. Elizabeth Dunigan, born in 1870 is seated on the left. James Dunigan (Snr) was born in 1868 is seated on the right. Jessie Dunigan, approx 29 years, is seen standing on the right next to her father. Elizabeth Dunigan (Jnr) is approx 5 years of age and she is standing between Elizabeth Snr and James Snr, directly in front of the standing NZ woman, behind the two other children.
More will be added to this story in due course.
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SS
Ionic seen just after the war
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Part
Four: Their final Days
SS Athenic. In 1926, the now prefixed RMS
Athenic became a two class ship offering Second and Third Classes only. She
continued her voyages, however she was sold in May 1928 to the Norwegian
Company Brunn & von der Lippe of Tronsberg who extensively rebuilt her
SS Pelagos, ex Athenic certainly had the longest career of
the trio, although it was certainly an eventful one!
Twelve and a half years later she was captured by the German Raider SS
Pinguin on
Pelagos seen after her eventful life and now at the breakers
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SS
Corinthic
However, as I have been advised by Mr. Malcolm Scott of Blyth Northumberland that many of her fittings were purchased by the local Masonic Club and these superb items survive to this day.
The Members Bar at the Blyth Masonic Club was originally the
SS
Corinthic First Class Smoking Room Bar, including the furnishings
Photograph
by & © 2010 Mr. Bill Coulson – Blyth Northumberland -
Fittings include the superb First Class Smoking Room Bar, as well as tables, chairs and other items of seating, the clock from the bridge, a set of beautiful double doors, ash trays, hat and coat stands and yardage of oak paneling. In addition there is even a superbly decorated (hand painted) window that has been fitted in the Ladies cloakroom.
Below is the original text of a meeting aboard
or “at” the SS Corinthic and the shipbreakers yard on
Text of Minute dated December 29th 1931.
"Meeting of the General Committee at S/S
Corinthic, Hughes Bolckowes, Shipbreaking Yard,
W.Bro. W.B. Fletcher, in the chair, also present J. J. Robson, J. R. Parsons, J.R. Bilton, Jas.
Hutchinson, T.Cooks and W.B. Parsons with Mr. Stockdale,
Architect and Mr. Jas. Macdonald from Shipyard.
The Committee inspected the furnishings and
appointments in the first class smoke room of the S/S Corinthic and agreed to
purchase these for £75. Also the whole of the seating in the Drawing room for
£15 and such oak panelling as required at 1/- per sq. foot.
Mr. Macdonld gave a rough estimate of £35 for taking
out smoke room Furnishings, removing same to Shipyard making ready for putting into
new Building and storing same until Building was ready.
It was agreed to give this work to the Cowpen
Shipyard and Dry Dock Co. "
Notes:
i) spelling and punctuation as in minute.
ii) W.
B. Parsons and J. R. Bilton were the joint secretaries of the Blyth Masonic
Hall and the Blyth Masonic club. W. B. Parsons was an Auctioneer.
iii)
J. R. Parsons was a Solicitor and legal adviser to Blyth Masonic.
iv)
Wm. Stockdale was a Mason from North Shields who was engaged as the architect
for the extension of the
v) The
building work took place in 1932, as part of this work the fittings referred to
in the minute were used in fitting out the Bar.
I am most grateful to Mr. Malcolm Scott of the Blyth Masonic Club for his cooperation to this feature, and his superb photographs of which only the first is being shown at this stage, but more will follow soon. It is good to know that a substantial piece of maritime history remains with us to this very day, and those who are able can visit the club and experience the elegant surroundings that the more wealthy passengers experienced on a fine liner the SS Corinthic between 1902 and 1931!
Thank you Malcolm for sending the photograph and information, your contribution is certainly greatly appreciated!
Reuben Goossens.
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SS Ionic is seen in the
In 1936 it was decided to sell RMS Ionic after 32 long years of faithful
service. During her long and successful career she made a remarkable 79 round
voyages to
RMS Ionic transiting the
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Part Five: SS
Athenic, Corinthic & Ionic Specifications
Yard Athenic - Yard 341
Launched Launched
“ Corinthic
– Yard 343
“ Launched
“ Ionic
– Yard 346
“ Launched
Tonnage: Athenic - 12,234
Corinthic
– 12,231
Ionic
– 12,232
Length: 157.1m
(516ft)
Width: 19.3m
(63.3ft)
Draught 9.4m
(31ft)
Engines: Harland
& Wolff Quadruple-Expansion Steam engines, 4,800
Screws: Twin
Speed: 14 knots.
Passengers: 66 to 121 First Class
81
to 117 Second Class
450
to 500 Third Class
Crew: 158 to 200
Livery: Black
hull with red boot topping, white superstructure
buff funnel with a black top
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Memorabilia:
1… These three ships were so greatly
respected in New Zealand, that when it had been announced that the last of the
Athenic’s, the RMS Ionic was to be sold, the Mayor of Auckland asked Shaw
Savill if the ships bell could be presented to the City as a memento when the
ship would be in New Zealand during her final visit. Today, this superb piece
of memorabilia is located in the “
2… In addition I will include with a
tea caddy from the SS Corinthic I featuring the Shaw
Savill flag and the ships name.
An original SS Corinthic Tea caddy
Below
is the way we like to remember these great Liners!
Out of the
Athenic’s trio, the RMS Ionic sailed the longest as a fulltime liner
These ships provided such great memories and it the
beginning of many fine ships to come!
The following are all my Shaw Savill features on
ssMaritime.com
1... SS Athenic Class Ships – These three fine liners built in 1902/03
2… QSMV Dominion
Monarch – Shaw Savill’s
Grandest Dame ever built!
3… SS Corinthic Class Liners
– Four fine ships built in 1947/48.
4… SS Southern Cross
– A 23 webpage feature
To conclude a superb photograph of one of the SS Athenic
Class Liners, although the actual ships name is unknown
Provided by Angus Ogilvy and used with permission
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Who is the Author of ssMaritime?
Commenced
in the passenger Shipping Industry in May 1960
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