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. 'Harpalus'

WEEK-END TOLL. Formidable List of U Boat Victims. - London steamer Harpalus (1,145 tons, Cory Bros., Ltd., London). Crew landed. The steamer was torpedoed. Crew, numbering 18, got away in three boats, and were subsequently rescued by another London steamer. The Harpalus remained afloat fifteen minutes. - The Cambria Daily Leader [816] [361] 4th December 1916.

The s.s. 'Harpalus' was of 1,455 gross and 907 net register tons and built in 1895 at the yard of J. L. Thompson, North Sands, Sunderland, in 1895-96 for J. & C. Harrison of London. Her owners at the date of her loss were Wm. Cory & Son of Cardiff and London. She was a regular visitor to Penarth Dock She was on a voyage from Penarth (agent Mr. D. Thomas, Federated Coal & Shipping) to Nantes with a cargo of coal when 34 miles off Galley Head, County Cork, on the 2nd December 1916, the UB23 sunk the 'Harpalus' probably using a torpedo. Her crew thankfully survived their ordeal. Another account suggests that the vessel was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean off Galley Head.


1899 - Report of Survey for Repairs, &c for Harpalus - 28th November 1899 - She was surveyed afloat at Cory's Derricks and appeared to be generally in good order. - [© Lloyd's Register Foundation : Unique Reference Code : LRF-PUN-LON688-0040-R] [760]

1897 - SHIPS IN COLLISION IN THE BRISTOL CHANNEL. - On Thursday night, the 23rd ultimo, the steamer Harpalus, bound from Penarth for London, was proceeding down Channel, and when off the Nash collided heavily in thick weather with a barque. The latter immediately dis- appeared, but whether she went down or got clear is not known. The captain of the Harpalus, after standing by for some time, decided to put back to Barry Roads, and found that the steamer had sustained severe damage to her bows, and several plates on the starboard side were stove in. The Harpalus docked at Barry on Friday evening, and went under repairs by Messrs C. H. Bailey & Co. at the Commercial Graving Dock. Nothing has since been heard of the barque. - Barry Dock News [140] [361] 1st October 1897.