This vessel was built for William Porteus of Newcastle and launched on 4th July 1856 from the yard of Stephenson Chisholm of Howden on Tyne. The vessel was a wooden hulled steam paddle tug of 75 gross tons, 17 net tons which measured 91.4′ x 16.0′ x 8.7′. She was powered by a single cylinder longitudinal steam engine delivering 43 nominal horse power provided by J P Rennoldson of South Shields. She was sold to Clyde Shipping Company in May 1857 and remained in their ownership until her loss. Her official number was 14516.
Vessel of similar age, size and design.
Large sailing vessels entering and leaving the Firth of Clyde invariably used the services of a tug. This service saved time and even possible mishap while manoeuvring in the busy and restricted shipping lanes of the Upper Firth. It was not uncommon on days of little or no wind for departing vessels to be towed as far as Ailsa Craig, before unfurling their sails and setting off alone on their voyages round the world.
It was en route to find such work, south of the Cumbraes, that the Clyde Shipping Company tug Duke of Northumberland was lost in collision with the SS Thistle on Tuesday 18th May, 1858. The collision occurred in the early hours of the morning off the west coast of Great Cumbrae, the tug eventually sinking in 25 fathoms. The Thistle circled the scene of the accident for more than an hour, but could not find any survivors. Luckily the tug’s crew had made a quick escape in their boat and finally landed at Millport some one and a half hours later.
The wreck of the Duke of Northumberland can be found in position 55° 46.419’N, 004° 57.582’W. She lies on a mud seabed oriented 130°/310°. The remains generally consist of her machinery and vertical boiler, although we suspect that much of the keel and lower hull lies within the seabed.
Wreck location chart.(Note house on chart is actually Fintry Bay Cafe).
General seabed depths around the wreck are 54 metres, the wreck rises no more than 1-2 metres, a very small target and difficult to locate. The remains are certainly of a paddle steamship with timber hull, and although we have not found any conclusive proof of the wrecks identity, we believe taking the wreck’s location, design and construction that this is indeed the Duke of Northumberland.
