Volume One - Into the Victorian Age - The Penarth Shipbuilding & Ship Repairing Company Limited . . .

1887 - Steam tug - 'Hawk'

The Penarth Ship Building and Repairing Company Limited yard also built the steam tug 'Hawk' which was launched by one Miss Lizzie Monroe on 15th August 1887. She was a steel hulled twin screw vessel of 51 gross register tons being 70'- 4" long x 15' - 0" breath x 8' - 1" depth. Her steam engine was a twin cylinder compound of 500 indicated horsepower which gave her a speed of 11 knots. The engine was built by John Stewart & Co. of Blackwall, London. She was delivered to her owners, James Watkins of London in January 1888 and passed between a variety of owners, including, in 1888, Thomas A. Walker, the contractor for the Penarth Dock Extension Works. In 1899 she was reported as being in South America. In 1913 she was dismantled and used as a hulk for a number of years. [019] [246]

The Glamorgan Archives [599] have a booklet record of the crew and owners during October to December 1898 when the 'Hawk' was owned by William Henry Tucker of Cardiff and the master was John Rayer also of Cardiff. [Archive reference : DCA/1898/109775]

1887 - Launch at Penarth - 'On Thursday there was launched from the yard of the Penarth Shipbuilding and ship-repairing Company (Limited), situated at Penarth Dock, the hull if a steel screw tugboat, built to the order of Messrs. Watkins and Company, 121, Fenchurch-street, London, E.C. The following are her leading dimensions, viz.:- Length between perpendiculars, 70ft. ; breath, 15ft. ; and depth of hold, 8ft. The vessel has been built under the personal superintendence of Lloyd's surveyor, and will be classed 100 A1 for towing purposes. She has also been built in accordance with the Board of Trade regulations for passenger certificate. She is ketch-rigged, has splendid towing gear, of Messrs. Watkins and Co.'s special design, and is fitted out in every respect in a first-class manner. She was gracefully christened " Hawk " by Miss Lizzie Mourse (Monroe), the daughter of the manager of the Penarth Shipbuilding company, and as the vessel left the ways hearty cheers were given by the workmen and spectators. Messrs. Watkins and Company had sent round one of their powerful tugs to tow her to London, whither she immediately proceeded, to receive her engines and boiler. This is the second vessel which has been launched from the Penarth Shipbuilding Company's yard this year.' - The Western Mail - [036] [361] - 16th September 1887.