Leith built Treasure Ship Found

As this is the last post of the year 2013 it should be a special one and this is news about an old Leith built Ship with a tremendous and varied history which now due to the efforts of  Dr Lee Spence the well known maritime expert and discoverer of shipwrecks we can tell you about the wreck of the
SS CRAIGALLION  Ship No 29 from the R & F Shipbuilders yard (later to be known as Ramage & Ferguson Ltd)
The SS CRAIGALLION was launched from the Leith Shipyards in May of 1881 and she was to go on to have many adventures most of them would be very politically un-correct to-day, but she was involved in everything from towing a dredge to work on the Panama Canal build to gun running and supply of bullion and money to fund uprisings in Caribbean countries along with being previously wrecked before she became a "Prize" was refitted out and re-named as the SS OZAMA
Named after a river and not to be confused with any other connotation of the ships name.

Artefacts brought to the surface from the wreck of the SS OZAMA ex SS CRAIGALLION and shown here by the kind permission of Dr Lee Spence who was responsible for the discovery of the old Leith built Ship

For a whole lot more on the history and the discovery of this amazing ship with a real treasure tale to tell visit http://shipwrecks.com/ss-ozama/  and read for yourself.
There will be a whole lot of features on more of the ships built at Leith through-out the course of next year so keep checking back and wishing everyone the best for 2014

Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas and good health to all contributors and visitors to the Blog and website
The numbers are now well over 150,000 for both since this project started so a big thank you to all.
Lets also spare a thought for all who may not get to spend Christmas at home this year.


HMS LOTUS Ship No 317 during the Second World War

We will have lots more about the ships built at the Leith Shipyards next year along with some job openings if you happen to be looking for work in shipbuilding so keep checking back and a Happy New Year to all..

Remembrance Day 2013

Poem by Geraldine Durrant titled Ypres


visit the Royal British Legion

Shipbuilding to cease in Portsmouth

Well BEA systems? have finally made a decision and part of this decision is that after more than 500 years of Naval Shipbuilding at Portsmouth they will no longer have the capability to build warships at Portsmouth some time in 2015
While this is devastating news for the guys who will lose there jobs the suits at BEA systems? are saying that along with the further loss of jobs on the Clyde (approx. 900) the two remaining yards on the Clyde will be used to build the Navy's future combat ships once design is finalised.
Again crazy to think that the U.K. is an island which imports around 80% of its needs and they no longer even have a shipbuilding capability to build a cargo vessel, this is politics and shipbuilding once more and this has to be one of the only industries there is where the harder and better you work the closer you are to losing your job.
Still they do build lots of ships in China now, perhaps Salmond can arrange for some of the lost jobs to be transferred?
The politics behind this decision are very suspect given the political climate in Scotland at the moment and of course it just happens to be another Tory government in power for now.
For more on this story see the BBC link

Philip Hammond told the Commons the job cuts were regrettable but inevitable (Spoken like a real politician?)

The following is a little bit of history about Shipbuilding on the River Clyde in Scotland

S.S.SOUTH STEYNE is 75 years old this year

Even if a bit late in the year it was brought to my attention by a couple of knowledgeable Australians who had spent many a happy voyage on this famous old ferry across Darling Harbour and up to Manly and beyond that the SS SOUTH STEYNE Ship No 267was launched from the Leith Shipyards of Henry Robb Ltd 75 years ago this year. She was launched into the sea at Leith in the April of 1938. Interestingly she was but one of ten (10) ships launched by the shipyard that year.

Two very well known Sydney sights one being built during the 1960's (Sydney opera house) and the famous old ferry much used by Sidneysiders the SS SOUTH STYNE built at the Leith Shipyards of Henry Robb Ltd in 1938
(Photo credit unknown for now)

Update on the MV CUBAHAMA

A mahogany name plate which was retrieved from the MV CUBAHAMA sometime in the late 1980's by Edwin McGee who found her laid up near Galveston Texas. The photograph is show here by kind permission and is taken from the blog at Sonsofsavages.



The MV CUBAHAMA Ship No 262

The wherebouts of this old "Special Ship" built at the Leith Shipyards of Henry Robb Ltd in 1938 can no be revealed thanks to Edwin Mcgee and his father who re-discovered her in the late 1980's laid up and half sunk in an inlet in the Sothern States of America.
You can read all about the MV CUBAHAMA and her eventual fate by clicking on the highlighted link which will take you to Edwin's blog.

RSS BRANSFIELD The Bransfield at Halley Bay, Antarctica

The BRANSFIELD unloading much needed stores at Halley Bay-Photograph by Graham Mawdsley and shown by permission


There are more stories and photographs on this pretty special ship No 508 built at the Leith Shipyards of Henry Robb and launched as RSS BRANSFIELD in Dec 1970

Along with much more about all the ships built at the shipyard with more information being kindly supplied all the time the ships pages are becoming a must visit for researchers and interested people alike.