Penarth Dock, South Wales - the heritage and legacy

Volume Ten - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - Even more aspects - The Lloyd's Register at Penarth Dock . . .

'Chimu'


Clive Carter's catalogue of disasters 'Cornish Shipwrecks - The North Coast' [810] features the above photograph of the loss of the s.s. 'Chimu' and states : 'The 4,259-ton London steamer 'Chimu', Barry (should read Penarth) to Venice with coal, struck the Brisons during fog at 3 a.m. on 17th August 1919. She ran for St Ives but filled so quickly that she was beached off Pendeen Cove. The 'Chimu', ex-'Cimbal' (should read ex-'Cumbal'), launched by the Northumberland Shipbuilding Company in April 1900 for the Newcastle, New York & Pacific Steamship Company became a total wreck.'

The s.s. 'Cumbal' was a steel hulled, single screw, cargo vessel built at the Howdon yard of the Northumberland Shipbuilding Company Limited on the Tyne having been launched during February 1900. She was handed over to her owners New York & Pacific Steamship Company Limited of London in April. She was of 4,259 gross, 2,781 net register tons being 360.0 ft. long x 48.0 ft. breath x 20.3 ft. depth. She changed names in 1910 to 'Chimu' and in the same year of her loss changed ownership to the Northern & Mediterranean Lines Limited, also of London. [102]