SS Norwich City

{{short description|British cargo steamship that was built in 1911 and wrecked in 1929}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Use British English|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox ship |section1={{Infobox ship/image |image= |image_caption= }}

|section2={{Infobox ship/career |hide_header= |country= United Kingdom |flag= {{shipboxflag|UK|civil}} |name= *1911: ''Normanby'' *1919: ''Norwich City'' |namesake= *1911: [[Normanby, Redcar and Cleveland|Normanby]] *1919: [[Norwich City F.C.]] |owner= *1911: London & Northern SS Co *1917: St Just SS Co *1929: [[William Reardon Smith|Reardon Smith Line]] |operator= *1911: Pyman Brothers *1917: [[William Reardon Smith|Wm Reardon Smith & Sons]] |registry= *1911: [[Port of London|London]] *1919: [[Bideford]] |route= |ordered= |builder= [[William Gray & Company|Wm Gray & Co]], [[West Hartlepool]] |original_cost= |yard_number= 792 |laid_down= 9 February 1911 |launched= 12 July 1911 |completed= August 1911 |acquired= |maiden_voyage= |refit= |identification= *UK [[official number]] 132596 *[[code letters]] HTJF *{{ICS|Hotel}}{{ICS|Tango}}{{ICS|Juliet}}{{ICS|Foxtrot}} |fate= Grounded, 29 November 1929 |notes= }}

|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics |hide_header= |header_caption= |class= |type= |tonnage= {{GRT|4219}}, {{NRT|2598}} |displacement= 8,730 tons |length= {{cvt|397.0|ft|abbr=on}} |beam= {{cvt|53.5|ft|abbr=on}} |draught= |depth= {{cvt|23.0|ft|abbr=on}} |decks= 1 |power= 412 [[Horsepower#Nominal horsepower|NHP]] |propulsion= *1 × [[Propeller|screw]] *1 × [[Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|triple-expansion engine]] |speed= {{convert|11|kn|km/h}} |capacity= |crew= 35 |armament= First World War: [[Defensively equipped merchant ship|DEMS]] |sensors= |notes= [[sister ship]]: ''Cloughton'' }} }}

'''SS ''Norwich City''''' was a [[Great Britain|British]] [[Cargo ship|cargo]] [[steamship]]. It was built in 1911 as '''''Normanby''''', and renamed ''[[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]]'' in 1919. It was wrecked in the [[Pacific Ocean]] in 1929. For many years, its wreck was a [[sea mark]] on the [[atoll]] of [[Nikumaroro]]. The wreck is now largely broken up.

==Building== In 1911, Pyman Brothers, a [[ship management]] company based in [[London]], had a pair of cargo ships built at shipyards on the [[River Tees]]. [[William Gray & Company]] at [[West Hartlepool]] built ''Normanby'' as yard number 792.<ref name=TBS>{{cite web |url= http://www.teesbuiltships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=167044&vessel=NORMANBY |title=Normanby |work=Tees Built Ships |publisher=Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust |access-date=29 July 2023}}</ref> It was laid down on 9 February 1911,{{citation needed|date=July 2023}} launched on 12 July, and completed that August.<ref name=TBS/> [[Richardson, Duck and Company]] at [[Thornaby-on-Tees]] built its [[sister ship]] ''Cloughton'' as yard number 620, launching it on 9 September and completing it that October.<ref name=Cloughton>{{cite web |url= http://www.teesbuiltships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=167055&vessel=CLOUGHTON |title=Cloughton |work=Tees Built Ships |publisher=Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust |access-date=29 July 2023}}</ref> The ships were named after the villages of [[Normanby, Redcar and Cleveland|Normanby]] and [[Cloughton]] on the coast of the [[North Riding of Yorkshire]].

''Normanby''{{'}}s registered length was {{cvt|397.0|ft|abbr=on}}, its beam was {{cvt|53.5|ft|abbr=on}} and its depth was {{cvt|23.0|ft|abbr=on}}.{{sfn|''Lloyd's Register'' 1912|loc=NOR}} It had six holds for cargo.{{sfn|Lott|1929}} Its [[tonnage]]s were {{GRT|4219}} and {{NRT|2598}}.{{sfn|''Lloyd's Register'' 1912|loc=NOR}}

It had a single [[Propeller|screw]], driven by a three-cylinder [[Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|triple-expansion steam engine]] built by William Gray's Central Marine Engine Works. It was rated at 412 [[Horsepower#Nominal horsepower|NHP]],{{sfn|''Lloyd's Register'' 1912|loc=NOR}} and gave it a speed of {{convert|11|kn|km/h}}.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?108286 |title=SS Norwich City [+1929] |work=Wrecksite |access-date=29 July 2023}}</ref>

==Management, registry and ownership== ''Normanby''{{'}}s first owner was Pyman Brothers' London and Northern Steamship Company. She was [[Ship registration|registered]] in [[Port of London|London]]. Her [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|United Kingdom]] [[official number]] was 132596 and her [[code letters]] were HTJF.{{sfn|''Mercantile Navy List'' 1913|p=397}}

In 1917, [[William Reardon Smith]]'s St Just Steamship Company bought eight of London and Northern's ships, including ''Normanby'' and ''Cloughton''.<ref>{{harvnb|Fenton|2018|p=}}{{page needed|date=July 2023}}</ref> In 1919 Reardon Smith renamed the ships ''Norwich City'' and ''Orient City'' respectively, and registered them in [[Bideford]] in [[Devon]].<ref name=Cloughton/>{{sfn|''Mercantile Navy List'' 1920|p=427}} In 1929 the St Just Steamship Co was renamed Reardon Smith Line.<ref>{{harvnb|Fenton|2018|p=}}{{page needed|date=July 2023}}</ref>

By 1919, ''Norwich City'' was equipped with [[wireless telegraphy]].{{sfn|''Lloyd's Register'' 1919|loc=NOR}} By 1924, her furnaces had been converted to [[Heavy fuel oil|oil fuel]].{{sfn|''Lloyd's Register'' 1924|loc=NOR}}

==1928 collision== [[File:Second Narrows Bridge - View of raised bascule span from south end of bridge.jpg|thumb|The original [[Second Narrows Rail Bridge]]]] On 23 April 1928, ''Norwich City'' collided with the original [[Second Narrows Rail Bridge]] in [[Vancouver]],<ref name=Vancouver>{{cite web |url= http://vancouverhistory.ca/chronology1928.htm |title=1928 |work=The History of Metropolitan Vancouver |accessdate=4 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240120105943/https://vancouverhistory.ca/chronology/chronology-1928/ |archive-date=2024-01-20 |url-status=dead}}</ref> which at that time was a [[bascule bridge]]. She lost her masts and funnel, and her [[superstructure]] was damaged. The [[Burrard Dry Dock]] Company repaired her.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Casualty reports |date=26 April 1928 |page=27 |issue=44877 |column=G}}</ref>

This was the eighteenth incident with the bridge since it had been built in 1925. Shipping companies sued the bridge company, and the [[King's Privy Council for Canada|Privy Council]] found in their favour.<ref name=Vancouver/>

==Loss== [[File:Nikumaroro Atoll.jpg|thumb|Map of [[Nikumaroro]] atoll]] On 16 November 1929, ''Norwich City'' left [[Port of Melbourne|Melbourne]] in [[Sailing ballast|ballast]] for [[Port of Vancouver|Vancouver]] via [[Honolulu Harbor|Honolulu]].<ref name=Samoanische-Zeitung>{{cite news |title=Wreck of the "Norwich City" |newspaper=[[Samoanische Zeitung]] |page=7 |date=6 December 1929 |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SAMZ19291206.2.22 |via=[[National Library of New Zealand#Papers Past|Papers Past]]}}</ref><ref name=NZH>{{cite news |title=Magnificent rescue.|newspaper=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |page=12 |date=23 December 1929 |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19291223.2.91 |via=[[National Library of New Zealand#Papers Past|Papers Past]]}}</ref> In a storm at night on 29 November she was driven off course. At 2305 hrs that night she ran aground{{sfn|Lott|1929}} on a [[coral reef]] at position {{Coord|4|39|39|S|174|32|40|W|display=inline,title}} off Gardner Island, now Nikumaroro, which is an uninhabited atoll in the [[Phoenix Islands]].

Her [[Master mariner|Master]], [[Sea Captain|Captain]] Daniel Hamer, ordered that the ship's two lifeboats be prepared for launching, but not yet lowered into the water. He sent his [[Second mate|Second Officer]], Henry Lott, to check the condition of the ship's cargo holds. Lott reported that holds 1, 2, 3 and 4 were dry, there was water in hold 6, and water was starting to enter hold 5. Captain Hamer feared that the ship could break her back. He ordered everyone to stay near the [[Galley (kitchen)|galley]], and no-one to go forward of the funnel,{{sfn|Lott|1929}} in order to be near the lifeboats case they needed to abandon ship.{{sfn|Hamer|1929}}

Later, Lott discovered that a fire had started in hold 3. He reported this to the engineers,{{sfn|Lott|1929}} who discovered that the engine room was on fire.{{sfn|Hamer|1929}} The ship's lee side was starboard, so the starboard lifeboat was lowered until it was level with her [[gunwale]]. The port side was exposed to the storm, so it was planned to lower the port lifeboat and then tow it to the starboard side. But as the boat was lowered, a "huge wave" bent one of the davits and swept away the port lifeboat.{{sfn|Lott|1929}} At the same time, about 0430 hrs, Captain Hamer was swept overboard and fell about {{convert|40|ft}} into the sea. He tried to swim back to his ship, but the surf swept him away from the ship and toward the shore. Unable to return to his ship, Hamer found himself in shallow water and waded ashore.{{sfn|Hamer|1929}}

Aboard ''Norwich City'', the [[Chief mate|Chief Officer]], J Thomas, took command, and ordered that the starboard lifeboat be lowered into the water and towed clear of the fire. His plan was for the crew to remain on the ship until dawn, but explosions started below decks, so he gave the order to abandon ship. The crew boarded the starboard boat, and were just ready to let go the lines, when a wave swept the boat aft and capsized it, throwing everyone into the water.{{sfn|Lott|1929}}{{sfn|Hamer|1929}}

11 men were killed, by either drowning, being dashed by the heavy sea against the coral reef, or sharks. They were the [[Third engineer|Third Engineer]], [[Fourth engineer|Fourth Engineer]], [[Chief steward|steward]], ship's [[Carpentry|carpenter]], one [[ordinary seaman]], and six [[Arabs|Arab]] [[Fireman (steam engine)|firemen]].{{sfn|Crew List}} Survivors either swam ashore or were swept ashore by the sea. Both lifeboats washed ashore.{{sfn|Lott|1929}} Four men were trapped under the capsized starboard boat. One drowned, but other survivors cut open the bottom of the boat and rescued the three men who were still alive.{{sfn|Hamer|1929}}

The boats were provisioned with survival rations, including drinking water, [[hardtack]], canned [[corned beef]], and [[condensed milk]], which the survivors retrieved. They buried three men ashore: the steward, an Arab who had been trapped under the capsized boat, and later the ship's carpenter. Bodies of the other eight men were never found.{{sfn|Lott|1929}} The beach was exposed, so the survivors took the provisions about {{convert|100|yard}} inland, where they made a camp, sheltered by the lifeboats' sails. Second Officer Lott and some of the men explored the atoll, and found a pond and coconuts. The pond water was brackish, so it was boiled before drinking.{{sfn|Hamer|1929}}

==Rescue== When ''Norwich City'' ran aground, her [[Radio operator|wireless telegraphist]], T Clark, almost immediately started transmitting distress messages, but there was very bad [[Radio noise|static]]. After three hours, he got a reply from the wireless telegraph station in [[Apia]] in [[Western Samoa Trust Territory|Western Samoa]], {{convert|575|nmi|km}} away. He remained at his post until he had to go to his boat station to abandon ship. In his final message, he told Apia that ''Norwich City'' was on fire.{{sfn|Hamer|1929}}

A British cargo steamship, Turnbull, Scott and Co's ''Trongate'', was in port at Apia. At 0600 hrs on 30 November she was ordered to raise steam, ready to go to Gardner Island to rescue survivors. For the rescue she embarked a [[surfboat]] with a crew of six indigenous islanders: a [[coxswain]] from [[Tuvalu]], four boatmen from [[Niue]], and one boatman from [[Tokelau]]. She sailed at 1400 hrs that day. On 2 December she liaised with a [[Norway|Norwegian]] [[Motor ship|motor]] [[Tanker (ship)|tanker]], T Dannevig's ''Lincoln Ellsworth''. On the morning of 3 December the two ships arrived off Gardner Island, and ''Trongate'' sent the islanders ashore in their surfboat, carrying provisions for the survivors.{{sfn|Swindell|1929}}

However, crossing the reef on that part of the coast was hazardous even with a surfboat. The islanders were concerned that if the boat capsized, all of its occupants would be at risk from sharks.{{sfn|Swindell|1929}} They took the surfboat to the lee side of the island,{{sfn|Lott|1929}} about {{convert|1+1/2|mi}} south of the wreck,{{sfn|Hamer|1929}} but the sea there was not much calmer. They made one trip, taking three survivors out beyond the reef, where they were transferred to one of ''Trongate''{{'}}s lifeboats.{{sfn|Lott|1929}} The three men were the [[Second engineer|Second Engineer]], wireless operator, and [[cabin boy]].<ref name=Samoanische-Zeitung/><ref name=NZH/> On the islanders' recommendation, the rescue operation was suspended until the next day.{{sfn|Lott|1929}} The islanders caught land crabs and seabirds for food, and lit a fire after the survivors had run out of matches.{{sfn|Hamer|1929}}

On 4 December, sea conditions were a little better, but the islanders took the remaining survivors off the atoll. They made several trips with their surfboat, taking three survivors on each trip.{{sfn|Swindell|1929}} Beyond the reef, they transferred them to ''Lincoln Ellsworth''{{'}}s motor launch.<ref name=NZH/> ''Lincoln Ellsworth'' embarked 12 survivors, including Captain Hamer. She made for [[Port Jackson|Sydney]], where the survivors transferred to the [[Clan Line]] ship ''Clan Graham'', which left on 7 December for Britain. ''Trongate'' embarked the other 12, and returned to Apia, where she arrived on 7 December, and two of the Arab survivors were hospitalised.<ref>{{cite news |title=Local and General. |newspaper=Samoanische Zeitung |page=4 |date=13 December 1929 |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SAMZ19291213.2.8 |via=Papers Past}}</ref>

On 29 December 1929, representatives of the [[Board of Trade]] in Apia held a court of inquiry into the loss of the ship. Both Second Officer Lott and ''Trongate''{{'}}s Master told the court that the rescue would have been impossible without the islanders, and the skill and bravery with which they handled their surfboat.{{sfn|Swindell|1929}} The court unanimously concurred.{{sfn|Lott|1929}} The [[Royal Humane Society of Australasia]] awarded each of the indigenous boatmen [[Pound sterling|£]]5 for their boatmanship in the rescue. The award was presented by Administrator of the [[Gilbert and Ellice Islands]], Colonel HH Allen.<ref name=NZH/>

==Wreck== ''Norwich City''{{'}}s wreck remained a sea mark on the reef for decades. However, by 1989, only her keel, engine, two [[Bunkering|bunker]] tanks, and one of her boilers remained. By 2010, the boiler had gone, and by 2016 her engine had also disappeared. The sea detached both bunker tanks from the wreck, driving them shoreward.<ref>{{ cite web |url= https://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Research/Bulletins/80_LongFarewell/80_LongFarewellNC.html |title=Research Bulletin #80: The Long Farewell of the Norwich City |publisher=The Earhart Project |date=9 January 2017 |access-date=}}</ref>

==See also== * [[Speculation on the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan]], of which one hypothesis is that the duo landed on a reef near ''Norwich City''

==References== {{reflist}}

==Bibliography== *{{cite web |year=1929 |title=Crew List of the S.S. Norwich City |publisher=[[Board of Trade]] |url=https://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Documents/Norwich_City/NorwichCity5.html |via=Ameliapedia |ref={{harvid|Crew List}} }} – at the foot of the webpage, below the statement of First Officer J Thomas *{{cite magazine |last=Fenton |first=Roy |title=Reardon Smith: Forging a Reputation in Cardiff Shipping |date=October 2018 |magazine=Ships Monthly |pages=46–50}} *{{cite web |last=Hamer |first=Daniel |year=1929 |title=Statement of Daniel Hamer, Master, S.S. Norwich City |publisher=[[Board of Trade]] |url= https://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Documents/Norwich_City/NorwichCity3.html |via=Ameliapedia}} *{{cite web |last=Lott |first=Henry Cleveland |year=1929 |title=Statement of Henry Cleveland Lott, Second Officer, S.S. Norwich City |publisher=[[Board of Trade]] |url= https://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Documents/Norwich_City/NorwichCity.html |via=Ameliapedia}} *{{cite book |year=1912 |title=Lloyd's Register of British and Foreign Shipping |volume=II.–Steamers |place=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]] of Shipping |url= https://archive.org/details/HECROS1913ST/page/n775/mode/1up |via=[[Internet Archive]] |ref={{harvid|''Lloyd's Register'' 1912}} }} *{{cite book |year=1919 |title=Lloyd's Register of Shipping |volume=II.–Steamers |place=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]] of Shipping |url= https://archive.org/details/HECROS1920ST/ROS1920ST%20Combined/page/n763/mode/1up |via=Internet Archive |ref={{harvid|''Lloyd's Register'' 1919}} }} *{{cite book |year=1924 |title=Lloyd's Register of Shipping |volume=II.–Steamers and Motorships |place=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]] of Shipping |url= https://archive.org/details/HECROS1925ST/page/n842/mode/1up |via=Internet Archive |ref={{harvid|''Lloyd's Register'' 1924}} }} *{{cite book |year=1913 |title=Mercantile Navy List |place=London |url= https://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/viewimages?name=Normanby&year=1913&submit=Enter |via=Crew List Index Project |ref={{harvid|''Mercantile Navy List'' 1913}} }} *{{cite book |year=1920 |title=Mercantile Navy List |place=London |url= https://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/viewimages?name=Norwith+City&year=1920&submit=Enter |via=Crew List Index Project |ref={{harvid|''Mercantile Navy List'' 1920}} }} *{{cite web |last=Swindell |first=John Harry |year=1929 |title=Statutory declaration of J.H. Swindell, Master, S.S. Trongate |publisher=[[Board of Trade]] |url= https://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Documents/Norwich_City/NorwichCity4.html |via=Ameliapedia}} *{{cite web |last=Thomas |first=J. |year=1929 |title=Statement of J. Thomas, First Officer, S.S. Norwich City |publisher=[[Board of Trade]] |url= https://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Documents/Norwich_City/NorwichCity5.html |via=Ameliapedia}}

==External links== *{{cite web |url= https://tighar.org/wiki/SS_Norwich_City |title=SS Norwich City |work=Ameliapedia}} – includes photographs of damage after 1928 collision *{{cite web |url= https://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Expeditions/NikuV/gallery/NorwichCity/norwichcity.html |title=The wreckage of the Norwich City |work=Ameliapedia}} – photograph of the wreck in 2007

[[Category:1911 ships]] [[Category:1920s in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands]] [[Category:Cargo ships of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Maritime incidents in 1928]] [[Category:Maritime incidents in 1929]] [[Category:Phoenix Islands]] [[Category:Ships built on the River Tees]] [[Category:Shipwrecks in the Pacific Ocean]] [[Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom]]