WHITE COMMODORE 1949 – 1951 On 181966
Owner Commodore Cruises Ltd.
Builder Upham Ltd., Brixham 1941
Tonnage 125grt 69nrt
Dimensions 108.4 17.8 9.5
Propulsion Twin screw, General Motors Corp., Detroit., each 225 hp,
speed 14 knots. oil engines 450 HP
The vessel was built as ML 445 in 1941, and was registered in London to Commodore Cruises Ltd on July 22 1948. WHITE COMMODORE arrived in Guernsey from Newhaven on April 14 1949. but only operated until June 30 1949 when she departed for Weymouth.
The vessel returned to Guernsey on March 25 1950 arriving from Newhaven, and at the end of the season moved from St. Peter Port to St. Sampson’s on October 12.
In 1951 she opened the service to Sark, but after only one week sailed to Ramsgate
on March 26, and the vessel was not seen again. She was replaced by FLEET COMMODORE.
By Bill of Sale dated April 15 1952 the vessel passed to Walter Fletcher CBE MP (co
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Picture : WSPL
Entering St. Peter Port. 301w 580k
Picture :
Arriving at La Maseline Harbour, Sark. Card post marked 28 July 1950.
305w 597k
VIGILANT
Owner Abraham J. Bird.
Builder South Shields June 1857
Tonnage 129gr 39net
Dimensions 112.6(rl) 18.95 10.25 , and the vessel had iron plating.
Propulsion Paddles 60HP
WONDER was built in 1857 for four partners Joseph Shield (20 shares), William John Gray (20 shares), Arthur Alexander (22 shares) and George William Harrison (2 shares) and the vessel was registered in Belfast on June 13 1857.
On May 25 1864 the vessel was registered in Liverpool to Thomas Smith, and the Register states that she was sold by the mortgages in June 1886 to French buyers and renamed VIGILAND.
A year later on May 26 1887, WONDER is registered in Jersey to Abraham John Bird, of Route Neuve, St.Brieuc, France, the master being Henry Colan.
Interestingly the above information is not the same as recorded in the Mercantile Navy List, which sates that in 1875 the owner was Abraham Buchanan of Liverpool, and by the 1884 edition the owner was William Bird jun of Guernsey, but the vessel was still registered in Liverpool.
The above would tie in with a news item in the Jersey Times newspaper of August 20
1883 which stated “The s.s. WONDER is the property of Mr. William W. Bird Jun of
Guernsey. She has been bought in pursuance of a contract which he has made with the
States of Jersey to furnish a tug. Mr. Walter Bird the brother and agent here of
the owner has organised excursions for the vessel”. An advert in the paper gave the
following -
WONDER will operate on
Monday 13th to Les Ecrehose 2s/6d
Tues Round the Island 2s/6d
Wed St. Aubin’s Bay 1s
Thurs St. Aubin’s Bay 1s
Fri Sark 2s/6d
Sat St. Aubin’s Bay 1s
The newspaper of April 2 1884 stated that the vessel had brought to Jersey the R.N.L.I. lifeboat from Alderney, and which was now to be stationed in Jersey.
WONDER continued in service until December 27 1885, and it is interesting to note that a vessel named TERRIBLE owned by William Warren Bird Jun, was auctioned in St. Helier Harbour by the Officer of Justice on November 17 1885..
The Register of WONDER at Liverpool was cancelled in June 1886 upon being sold to French buyers and renamed VIGILAND or VIGILANT.
VIGILANT made four trips to Jersey in September 1886, and as such traded until May 1887, it being noted on May 11 that year that she with WELLINGTON were being used in the salvage of MERA at the Minquiers.
Within days on May 25 1887 the ship arrived in Jersey as WONDER and was registered in the port the next day, the owner being Abraham J. Bird.
The newspaper had her trading as VIGILANT during August to November 1887, then reverted to WONDER in November, and her end came April 23 1888 when she sank seven miles South West of Corbiere.
The exact name and ownership has been difficult to trace, and to help, below are the newspaper items printed at the time of the ships loss.
Jersey Times 24 April 1888 reported. “The vessel owned by Mr. M. Dupuy of St. Brieuc, sailed from St. Brieuc at 1600 on 23th with a cargo of hay. Due to fog the vessel anchored about 7 miles SW of Corbiere at about 2115. The vessel then started making water and the crew of 7 and the 3 passengers took to the boats. Last year between August and November the vessel was thoroughly overhauled and a new boiler fitted. It will be remembered that for some years the WONDER acted as a tug boat in Jersey”.
Guernsey Star on 24 April stated “The vessel formerly belonged to Mr. W.W. Bird and has traded between the islands for some time past, being recently sold to a French company”.
THIS VESSEL IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE MAIL STEAMER OF THE SAME NAME
Picture :
WONDER seen in St. Helier Harbour with Commercial Buildings and Fort Regent in the background.