The iron steamship Orchis was launched from the Park Shipbuilding yard of J G Lawrie, Glasgow Ltd on 9th November 1870. She measured 280.5′ x 33.8′ x 24.9′ and her tonnage was 1765 gross tons, 1138 net tons. She was powered by a 2 cylinder compound steam engine by James Howden and Co Ltd, Glasgow delivering 187 nominal horse power. Ordered by Hargrove, Fergusson and Jackson, Liverpool and was registered in this port on 16th January 1871. She began her service on the route from Liverpool to Bombay through the newly opened Suez Canal. In 1877 she was purchased by W Johnston and Co, Liverpool. Two further ownership changes to companies in Liverpool followed before she was purchased by her final owners, Birka A/S Brunkeberg of Stockholm in 1913 for £5300 who named her Birka.
SS Orchis quayside in Cyprus
Lloyd’s register 1915
On 5th January 1916 Birka set out from Swansea for Gothenburg with a cargo of 2219 tons of coal. She was under command of Captain Carl S Bennet who had a crew of eighteen including one woman aboard. By 4:00pm on 10th January Birka was seen between Noup Head and Bow Skerries, Westray steaming slowly north east into a severe gale and very heavy seas. This was the last sighting of the ship. One and a half hours later two distress flares were spotted from ashore but their was little anyone could do to assist in the terrible weather conditions. The following morning a search revealed substantial quantities of wreckage coming ashore and the bow of the ship protruding from the surf visible on the outer side of Bow Skerry. Over the following days bodies of some of the crew came ashore at various locations and five, including the female aboard Betty Raag, were buried in the graveyard of St Boniface on Papa Westray.
Two white crosses mark graves of crew in St Boniface cemetery Papa Westray
The scattered broken wreckage of the Birka lies in approximate position 59° 21.856’N, 02° 57.014’W on the north side of Bow Skerry. The site was surveyed by Sula Diving, Orkney using a magnetometer and side scan apparatus which revealed the wreck of a large vessel scattered on a rocky seabed along the north side of Bow Skerry.
Wreck location near Bow Skerry
We’d like to acknowledge the research by Sula Diving and Kevin Heath used in preparation on this article. More details of the vessel, the wreck and the research can be found at lostinwatersdeep.co.uk.
