RICHARDSON, DUCK & COMPANY, THORNABY

The following article by the late Jim Layton appeared in 'Tees Packet', the journal of the Teesside Ship Society / WSS Tees branch, reproduced here by permission:-

THE ‘TEES’ (1893)

            Many ships have carried the name ‘TEES’ across the oceans of the world but I doubt if any have had a more varied career than the Tees Union Shipping Co’s vessel of that name.           

She was launched from the yard of Messrs. Richardson Duck & Co. on March 18^th 1893 and entered service early in May of that year. A steel ship of 569 gross tons with dimensions 172.6ft x 26ft x 10.7ft. She had accommodation for 30 first class, 22 2^nd class and 23 deck passengers. Her triple expansion engine built by Blair & Co. gave her a speed of about 10 knots. Electric lighting was installed and this no doubt added to her appeal as a passenger ship. 

She traded regularly along the East coast until April 1896 when she was sold to the Hudson Bay Co. She steamed out to Victoria B.C. where she hoisted the flag of the Canadian Pacific Navigation Co., who placed her on the mail and passenger service along the west coast of Vancouver Island. Hardly had she settled on this run when she was diverted to transport the gold hungry masses to the Alaskan gold fields. She returned to her normal service in 1899 and remained so until 1917 when she was relegated to the role of reserve ship. In August 1918 she was chartered by the British Columbia Salvage Co., for 12 months and then reverted to her role of reserve ship. A further charter to the Pacific Salvage Co. in 1923 was followed by a period of lying up, prior to being sold to that company in September 1925. 

During the re-fit which preceeded her entry into service as a salvage tug her after deck house was removed and a towing winch installed. Her name was also changed to ‘SALVAGE QUEEN’. She remained in the salvage business until about 1934 when she changed hands for the last time. Her new owners the Island Tug & Barge Ltd., used her for towing barges in the waters around British Columbria. These barges were converted sailing ships and it was whilst towing one of these that ‘SALVAGE QUEEN’ met her end. 

In Dec. 1936 with the barge ‘ISLAND GATHERER’ (ex ‘Walkure’) in tow she was crossing Queen Charlotte Sound when she was caught in a heavy storm. The towing spring parted and due to the mountainous sea running it could not be reconnected, but her crew of four were rescued. Soon after the barge disappeared and was not seen again. The ‘SALVAGE QUEEN’, her superstructure wrecked and her hull pierced set course for Victoria which she reached under her own power. She was surveyed by her owners and underwriters and written off as a constructive total loss. She was broken up soon afterwards.

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