Southern Cross

[cappy]

did the Northern star run aground on the black middens on the tyne in the 50s or early 60s seem to remember something like that .....cappy R683532

[j.sabourn]

The Greek vessel ran aground outside the piers in 1949 or thereabouts in Cullercoats , called the Zephros. Heard of smaller vessels going aground on the middens , but not the Southern Cross . But may have missed as away most of the time . Think the middens weren’t too far off the leading lights on the approaches through the piers if remember the couple of times I brought supply boats into Wallsend ship repairs ,in the eighties . JS ...

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Cappy.
A ship I had paid off the Caernarvon ran aground on the breastwork entering Newcastle, in 55 or 56, can't find the pic at present, I have posted it before.

Des

[j.sabourn]

#13 If that was one of Cairn Line Des, of 1 Howard Street , North Shields . May of been the master trying to park it at the office door , to save him the 10 mile trip by train from Newcastle . Would make him a good candidate for the sites special ship. Cheers JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John.
The Skippers name looks like Yeo H Pira or Pena.
des

[j.sabourn]

with a name like that must of been from the south of the river. So may of being trying for asylum in the north. Cheers JS

[Graham Shaw]

Ref.#'s 15/16/ CAIRNAVON and ZEPHYROS.
As you guys know I love researching vessels' histories.
The ZEPHYROS, mentioned by JS ,wrecked off Cullercoats in 1947 is well documented,including by me and there will be info in a thread somewhere on here by inputting her name into the site Search facility.



Cairnavon: I only had info concerning an early ss Cairnavon (1) in my researches-wrecked off NE Scotland,and which is an interesting story of shipwreck itself,which I will include at the end.


ss Cairnavon (2)-ON 165999-will be Des's ship ,built as Empire Snow in 1941 6,327 grt ,and was with Cairn Line of Steamships,(Cairns Noble & Co,) Newcastle, from 1946 to 1961. She was sold to Sirikari Co.Naviera SA ,Beirut(John P.Xilas) .She was broken up in Shanghai in 1968.


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mv Cairnavon (3) was a 1951 French built part bulk/wine carrier owned by Marbrillo Cia Naviera,Monrovia and was only called that from 65 to 66,presumably on charter to Cairn Line.After several ownership changes she was later damaged by fire in 1970,being broken up in 1972.


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As promised here is the story of Cairnavon (1) -ON 145487,built 1920,5,248 grt,which came to grief in 1925 off Buchan Ness ,NE Scotland

In the early morning of the 1.11.1925 with general cargo of coal,coke,rags and manganese from Leith to Montreal went ashore in dense fog at South Castle Haven,South of prominent rock called Dundonnie,about a half mile South of Buchan Ness Light house.The fog was so dense,the lighthhouse keepers were unaware of the incident until the coastguards arrived looking for the ship.In fact Wick Radio Station had SOS broadcast from the ship.It was two hours,because of poor visibility,before the Peterhead Station could locate the ship.It became very precarious,that the order to abandon ship was given whereupon the mate,two crew and one passenger went over the side by rope ladder onto rocks.The First mate and three others carried torches to find a way off the rocks,up the cliffs.By this time the coastguards had found the ship and a rope ladder was lowered down the ciffs.It was an extremely difficult job,but all crew and passengers were saved and the CAIRNAVON broke up two days later.(from The Cairn Line of Steamships Co.Ltd 1876-2005 by G.T.Wallace)

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The SCOTSMAN - November 2nd 1925

.During dense fog which prevailed on the Aberdeenshire coast on Saturday night the Newcastle steamer CAIRNAVON stranded on reef rocks at the foot of the cliffs about one and a half miles south of Buchan Ness Lighthouse, and broke her back. The crew of forty-eight and one passenger had a trying experience. All were saved.
The CAIRNAVON left Leith on Saturday on a voyage to Montreal. The weather was misty all along the coast but out from Peterhead the density of the fog greatly increased. It was impossible to see any distance ahead, and the ships speed had to be reduced. It was flood tide and there was deep water to the edge of the cliffs. Satisfactory soundings, it is learned, had just been taken when the CAIRNAVON grounded at 00.32 hrs. on a ledge in the rocks within a few yards of the cliffs. There was a terrific impact, and the bow was stove in.All hands were summoned to the stations on deck and lifeboats were swung clear. Rockets were fired to summon assistance, but owing to the thickness of the fog they were not seen on land, and it was only through Wick Wireless Station picking up the wireless S.O.S. sent by the CAIRNAVON and communicating with Peterhead that it was learned locally that a shipping disaster had occurred.Some members of the crew turned out with only oilskins over their night attire, and were benumbed with cold before they could get more clothing. One of the officers was having a bath when the disaster occurred. The engineers and firemen returned to their ordinary posts, but about twenty minutes later they had to go on deck again.
LIFE-LINE RESCUE
The ship was in a perilous position, and it was decided to leave her and take to the rocks. The second mate climbed down a rope ladder from the bow and swung himself on to the rocks. He then assisted the others to get clear of the ship by means of a lifeline. His task was attended with great danger, owing to the swirling seas, and he was almost entirely submerged on one occasion. Some of the men managed to bring away personal effects with them, but others had only what they were wearing.With the object of getting help, three of the crew, including the mate, at some peril climbed the face of the cliffs, a difficult task in day-time, let alone in in the blackness of night. However, they succeeded in getting to the top, and were found by coastguards who were searching for them. The coastguards, who had life-saving apparatus with them, lowered a cliff ladder, and the remainder of the crew were brought to safety. Before ascending the ladder, Captain Baker, who belongs to South Shields, the chief engineer, second mate, and carpenter returned to the ship. The engineer at much personal risk made an examination of his department. By this time the CAIRNAVON was cracking up; the deep ballast tank abaft the engine had been burst, and the engineroom flooded, and two holds were also full of water.The CAIRNAVON was built at Hartlepool in 1918, and was of 3171 registered tonnage. She was first the BAARN, of Rotterdam, and was purchased two years ago by Messrs Cairns, Noble & Co,. Newcastle.The crew were cared for by the Shipwrecked Mariners Society, Peterhead.



The SCOTSMAN November 3rd 1925

The strong south-east wind and choppy sea played havoc with the wrecked Newcastle steamer CAIRNAVON, which stranded with her bow at the base of the rugged cliffs near Buchanness Light house on Saturday night. The hull broke in two abaft the engineroom as if cut by a knife, and the stern sunk in deep water.The mate, Mr Cecil Hetherington who belongs to Allendale, Northumberland and who played a gallant part in the rescue work by climbing the cliff and assisting the Coastguards to get a cliff ladder into position, is the possessor of the Stanhope Medal for the bravest deed in the year 1915, awarded for saving eleven lives from the Dundee steamer JACONA.Captain Baker, who has also decorations for life-saving visited the wreck yesterday. A representative of the salvage company made an inspection. The fore part of the ship is still above water and if the weather moderates several officers intend making an effort to-day to salve chronometers, compasses, and other valuable gear

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[cappy]

Morning graham .....following on from the cairnavon story i have a copy of discharge for the the vessel ss cairnavon...on...118657 in which a great uncle john cram ...AB signed on in7th july1908 on running articles in north shields and paid off oct 13 1908 in north shields I have many old discharges from the 1800s onwards many in sailing vessels ......dont guess you could show a photo of the cainavon i have just mentioned .....

[cappy]

Sorry graham my computer sent before i was ready i have discharges for quite a few family even in the 1800s in sailing vessels cheers R683532 cappy

[Graham Shaw]

Morning graham .....following on from the cairnavon story i have a copy of discharge for the the vessel ss cairnavon...on...118657 in which a great uncle john cram ...AB signed on in7th july1908 on running articles in north shields and paid off oct 13 1908 in north shields I have many old discharges from the 1800s onwards many in sailing vessels ......dont guess you could show a photo of the cainavon i have just mentioned .....

Good mornin',cappy!

You're right,there were two earlier Cairnavons,one built 1892 and the one you mention built 1905.
Luckily,the only one I could find was your 118657 on that excellent Sunderland site,with an INFOLINK here as well.

Cheers!
Graham

CAIRNAVON O.N. 118657.jpg