The iron steamship West Riding was launched from the Sunderland yard of William Doxford and Sons Ltd on 6th July 1871. She measured 218.2′ x 29.2′ x 16.7′ and her tonnage was 894 gross tons, 577 net tons. She was powered by a compound steam engine by Hawks, Crawshaw and Sons Ltd., Gateshead delivering 90 registered horse power.
Lloyds survey report West Riding
Lloyds register (West Riding) 1894
Built for Messrs Pope and Pearson, Hull she was first registered in this port on 13th January 1872. In 1879 she was purchased by Mr William Cawthorn of Hull and she continued to operate from the Humber despite a further ownership change, this time to Messrs Good Flodman and Duncan in 1881. Finally, she was purchased by Bugge and Co of Mandal, Norway in 1895 who renamed her Jorgen Bugge. Her career for these new owners was to be very brief.
On 7th June, 1895 she was en route from Sundswall, Norway to Fleetwood with a cargo of wood pulp under the command of Captain C Emanuelson. The details of her loss in contemporary records are not well recorded. For some unexplained reason she ran aground near Scarsferry, Caithness and became a total wreck. As the wreck lay close to the shore the crew managed to escape safely.
Presumably the wreck, lying in relatively shallow water close to the shore line was subject to substantial salvage but there is still significant wreckage lying where she grounded in approximate position 58° 39.279′ N, 03° 16.144′ W. Wreckage is reported in depths of up to 12 metres with some parts of the engine visible at most states of the tide.
Scattered wreckage of Jorgen Bugge off Scarsferry
