MS HARTISMERE

[David Harrison]

Has anyone any information about the merchant ship Hartismere. I know she was sailing in the late 1950s and was adopted by Wykebeck school, Leeds UK. Which Company was she owned by? What happened to her?
Thanking in anticipation

regards Glencairn  :-)  :-)

[John31]

I sailed on the Hartismere in August of 1948,she was about nine months old. Great ship and crew,we tramped all over,Egypt,East Africa, Seychelles,Hong Kong,Ceylon,Indonesia,USA,Germany,a few more places then back to England. She was owned by Harrison's of London,had a large black H on the funnel.Hope this info helped you.

John31

[David Harrison]

Hi John 31

Many thanks for the info. Great to hear from someone who sailed in her. You was on board her before my old school adopted her. What kind of cargo did she generally carry?

[Alastair Sutherland]

Hartismere was built in 1947, 5,719 Tons Gross, Length 457', Breadth 60', motor ship, single screw, service speed 12 knots. Described as a General Cargo vessel so pretty much a tramp steamer carrying almost anything except liquids. Still with J & C Harrison in 1958 but no longer listed with the company by 1964. By then the company was running 4 sister ships all of 9,100 GRT, 2 built in 1958 and the others in 1959. I don't know what the Hartismere's eventual fate was, my reference library doesn't provide any more details. Hope the foregoing is of some interest.
Regards,
Alastair

[David Harrison]

Hi Alastair

Excellent info, much appreciated. I like the idea of service speed of 12 knots. That's my type of speed I like to be at sea, not racing from port to port like they do now. 8-)

[John31]

glencairn,  sorry I did not get back to you with your question, but it looks like its been answered. She was a gen cargo ship,sometimes called a TRAMP, I sailed from Avonmouth on her to USA in August 1948 then to Egypt,Mombasa,Ceylon,Seychelles,Mauritius,Hong Kong,Malaya,Indonesia,USA,Hamburg,and then we paid off in New Castle in Oct 1949,nice long voyage,great crew and a fine ship. Our cargo ranged from cars,trucks,rice,army equipment,bauxite ore,and sulfur. We hit a Typhoon after we left Hong Kong,ship took quite a beating,lost our refrigeration and fresh meat,no fresh water for days,caught rain water in a canvas. Still a good ship and all who sailed in her.
john31

[David Harrison]

Hi John 31
 Many thanks for the excellent info. I wish I had been on her.   Several members of the crew would visit my old school (Wykebeck), in the 1950s, and tell many a tale. :lol: