Methil Docks or Methil Roads

[Jake Drummond]

I'm assisting in some research being done at Methil Heritage Centre in Fife by a friend, Tom Moffet, into shipping using the docks at Methil, on the eastern coast of Scotland, north shores of the Firth of Forth.

We have some ships names which we would like to find details of and would appreciate any stories and particularly photographs relating to the ships or any experiences from seamen having visitied the docks at any period of time before, during and after WW2 and up to the recent times.
The Heritage Center will be hosting an exhibition soon and these details will be very useful.

I'll post the names of the ships gradually, starting with two ships which may have berthed in Methil awaiting their final jouneys to Wards at Inverkeithing for breaking.
The ships are the British Charter and British Primrose.

Also, we've recently been involved in raising a memorial to five men killed on West Wemyss beach in 1941 and would like to make contact with anyone who may have been in Methil Roads during the period from mid to end of January 1941, awaiting assembly of convoys such as EN60, FN389, FS394 and FS395.
These and their fellow convoys at that time comprised 112 ships; the SS Kantara, SS Welsh Prince, and SS Catford among them.

Any information will be of great assistance and credit will be given for anything we can use.

[Gulliver]

Welcome Aboard Jake.
I may be able to help you with the first part of your query:

QUOTE

'I'll post the names of the ships gradually, starting with two ships which may have berthed in Methil awaiting their final jouneys to Wards at Inverkeithing for breaking.
The ships are the British Charter and British Primrose.'

UNQUOTE


I couldn’t find those two names,so then I started thinking outside the box,and thought “ I wonder if those names have been misread,or read incorrectly through binoculars! “
So I came up with BRITISH CHARACTER and BRITISH PROMISE.When I saw their ultimate fates I think they are the two.


　
　
m.t. BRITISH PROMISE Completed 11.42 by Cammell Lairds,Birkenhead for British Tanker Co.Ltd,London(became BP Tanker Co. Ltd. in 1956)
OfficialNo. 168331
G.R.Tons 8,443
Deadweight Tons 12,415
Length 146.9m
Beam 18.9m
Single screw diesel engine 11.5kts
Fate:BrokenUp @ Rosyth 24.2.59 by Shipbreaking Industries Ltd.

http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20Ships/Old%20Ships%20Bl/slides/British%20Promise-02.html
http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20Ships/Old%20Ships%20Bl/slides/British%20Promise-08.html

http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20...romise-09.html

-------------------------------------------------------
　

　
　
m.t. BRITISH CHARACTER Completed 12.41 by Swan,Hunter Richardson at Low Walker Yard,Tyneside for British Tanker Co.Ltd,London(became BP Tanker Co.Ltd. in 1956)
Official No. 168246
G.R.Tons 8,453
Deadweight Tons 12,500
Length 148.2m
Beam 18.9m
Single screw diesel engine 11.5 kts.
Fate:BrokenUp @ Bo'ness 19.3.59 by P.& W.MacLellan Ltd.



http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20...racter-01.html

http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20Ships/Old%20Ships%20Bl/slides/British%20Character-02.html


http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20Ships/Old%20Ships%20Bl/slides/British%20Character-03.html　

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I know there are others on this site who will help you with your other queries.
Regards
Gulliver
　
　
　
　
　

[DeepSea]

Also, we've recently been involved in raising a memorial to five men killed on West Wemyss beach in 1941.

Were these men Merchant Seaman and if so what names do you have

[Jake Drummond]

No, they were four men and a laddie aged 15 years, all miners.
I'll check with Tom Moffet and see if Gulliver is right; mistaken names looks the most likely. Tom got the names a bit 'secondhand' I suspect.
BP didn't show the 'Charter' and Primrose' in their lists.

[Lou Barron]

methil all i remember about it was cold dark and not very hospitable that was in december 1940 i was a galley boy on ship called LECH a polish ship waiting for a convoy to go to LONDON