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 . . .

s.s. 'Abonema'

s.s. 'Abonema' c.1908 - A photograph of the steamer 'Abonema' of the Elder Dempster Lines of Liverpool being loaded with a cargo of coal in Penarth Dock at tip numbers 19 and 20. The lower image has been colourised. [000] [002]

She was built in Hartlepool, launched during May 1907 and was of 3,969 gross and 2,600 net register tons. She met her fate in the Atlantic during May 1942, when she was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine whilst en-route whilst carrying United States Government stores from New York to Agentia, Newfoundland with the loss of nine crew.

s.s. 'Abonema' - The builders half-hull model of the vessel recently on sale on a well known auction website. [872] The model confirms the identity of the vessel seen above at Penarth Dock except, perhaps the half-hull model has a shorter funnel. However, there does seen to be a discrepancy as to her fate and confusion regarding her name changes and ownership. These names include, 'Sapele' (1920); 'San Jorge' (1929); 'Santa Catharina' (1934); 'Sirio' and finally 'Kitty’s Brook' in 1941, having been seized from the Italian Government. Photographs of s.s. 'Kitty's Brook' reveal a vessel of similar size and shape but with substantial differences to her superstructure, hence, I have reservation about her true identity and fate. Assistance to verify the foregoing statements would be greatly appreciated!