SS Dragonfly
{{Short description|British steamship (1883-1889)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=The steamship Dragonfly underway, by V. Luzzo Venice, 1884 H3948-L24677438.jpg |Ship caption=SS Dragonfly in 1884; painted by Vincenzo Luzzo }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country= United Kingdom |Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|UK|civil}} |Ship name= Dragonfly |Ship namesake= Dragonfly |Ship owner= Galbraith, Pembroke & Co., London |Ship operator= |Ship route= |Ship ordered= |Ship builder=William Gray & Company, West Hartlepool |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched= 23 April 1883 |Ship completed= |Ship acquired= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= 9 December 1889 |Ship registry= |Ship identification=*NCN ID: 19702 |Ship fate= Stranded and wrecked, December 1889 |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= |Ship type= |Ship tonnage={{GRT|1761}} |Ship displacement= |Ship length= {{convert|78.5|m|abbr=on}} |Ship beam= {{convert|10.5|m|abbr=on}} |Ship draught= |Ship depth= |Ship decks= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion= |Ship speed= |Ship capacity= |Ship armament= |Ship sensors= |Ship notes= }} |
SS Dragonfly was a British cargo steamship. She was built by William Gray & Company in West Hartlepool and launched on 23 April 1883. The ship was owned by Galbraith, Pembroke & Co. in London.
The ship stranded and wrecked in the Netherlands in December 1889. The crew was rescued.
Building
SS Dragonfly was built by William Gray & Company in West Hartlepool in 1883. She was made of steel and was assessed at {{GRT|1761}}. She was {{convert|78.5|m|abbr=on}} long and had a beam of {{convert|10.5|m|abbr=on}}.{{cite web |url= https://marsdiep.mudware.nl/?p=586 |title=SS Dragonfly |website=marsdiep.mudware.nl |language=nl |access-date=2 March 2024}}
History and fate
The ship was launched on 23 April 1883 and was owned by Galbraith, Pembroke & Co..
{{location map
|Netherlands
|relief=1
|width=
|lat= 52.96
|long= 4.63
|caption= Map of the Netherlands with position of Dragonfly{{'}}s wreck
}}
In December 1889 she was on a voyage with a cargo of rye from Taganrog, Russia to Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands under command of captain J. Howling.{{cite news |url= https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=MMKB23:001424141:mpeg21:a00033|title=Laatste Berichten. |work=Het Vaderland|date=11 December 1889 |via=Delpher|access-date=2 March 2024|language=nl}}
While approaching her final destination, it was not possible to get a pilot on board. Because of that the ship returned back to the sea.{{cite news |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010973727:mpeg21:a0112|title=Vervolg der nieuwstijdingen|work=Algemeen Handelsblad|date=12 December 1889 |via=Delpher|access-date=2 March 2024|language=nl}} Through dense mist, she was driven ashore at “Pannekoek” in the Nieuwediep, the Netherlands.{{cite news |url= https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010138299:mpeg21:a0072|title=Nieuwediep, 10 Dec. |work=Het Nieuws van den Dag|date=11 December 1889 |via=Delpher|access-date=2 March 2024|language=nl}} They let off flares as a distress signal. It was seen by tug “Hercules” that was in the neighborhood near stranded ship “Karoon”. “Hercules” sailed to the harbor and returned after two hours together with a lifeboat. The rescue operation was difficult due to the weather and darkness, but all 22 crew members were rescued during by two voyages of the lifeboat.{{cite news |url= https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=MMKB08:000118864:mpeg21:p002|title=Binnenlandsche Berichten|work=Delftsche Courant|date=13 December 1889 |via=Delpher|access-date=2 March 2024|language=nl}} The crew was brought at around 3AM (local time) into the “Hercules” and brought ashore.{{cite news |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=MMKB19:003598190:mpeg21:a00052|title=Scheepstijdingen {{!}} Nieuwediep, 10 Dec.|work=Dagblad van Zuidholland en 's Gravenhage|date=12 December 1889 |via=Delpher|access-date=2 March 2024|language=nl}}{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Latest Shipping Intelligence |date=11 December 1889 |issue=32879 |page=10|column=F }}
On 9 December the ship floated to Noorderhaaks during high tide, which was very unfavorable for the ship. During the morning of 10 December at least five boats started unloading cargo of rye. The ships stopped during high tide.{{cite news |url= https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010973724:mpeg21:a0030|title=Dragonfly.|work=Algemeen Handelsblad|date=11 December 1889 |via=Delpher|access-date=2 March 2024|language=nl}} A Belgian tug and two {{ill|Blazer (ship)|nl|Blazer (schip)|lt=blazer}} ships were able to refloat the ship. However, because they sailed in the wrong direction, the ship stranded again. The tugs “Hercules” and “Simson” were not able during the evening to refloat her.{{cite news |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=MMKB23:001424142:mpeg21:a00025|title=Zeetijdingen.|work=Het Vaderland|date=12 December 1889 |via=Delpher|access-date=3 March 2024|language=nl}} The ship sank into the sand with only the chimney still visible. Research revealed that the ship broke and was considered lost.{{cite news |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=KBDDD02:000208829:mpeg21:a0011|title=Dragonfly.|work=Algemeen Handelsblad|date=12 December 1889 |via=Delpher|access-date=3 March 2024|language=nl}}{{cite news |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010138301:mpeg21:a0070|title=Nieuwediep, 11 Dec.|work=Het Nieuws van den Dag|date=13 December 1889 |via=Delpher|access-date=3 March 2024|language=nl}} The ship broke into two pieces and sank further into the sand. At low tide the bow and stern surfaced a little.{{cite news |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=KBDDD02:000208864:mpeg21:a0062|title=Dragonfly.|work=Algemeen Handelsblad|date=17 December 1889 |via=Delpher|access-date=3 March 2024|language=nl}}{{cite news |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=MMKB23:001424147:mpeg21:a00023|title=Nieuwediep, 16 Dec.|work=Het Vaderland|date=18 December 1889 |via=Delpher|access-date=3 March 2024|language=nl}}{{cite news |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011103733:mpeg21:a0027|title=Hollandsche Nieuwtjes|work=Sumatra Courant|date=4 February 1890 |via=Delpher|access-date=3 March 2024|language=nl}}
On 11 December a small black painted boat marked “SS Dragonfy” washes ashore on Texel.{{cite news |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=MMKB19:003598194:mpeg21:a00044|title=Texel, 12 Dec.|work=Dagblad van Zuidholland en 's Gravenhage|date=14 December 1889 |via=Delpher|access-date=3 March 2024|language=nl}}{{cite news |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011009974:mpeg21:a0072|title=Later bericht |work=Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad|date=14 December 1889 |via=Delpher|access-date=3 March 2024|language=nl}} A mast and shutters also washed ashore.
On 20 December a public sale took place of the savaged inventory and the wreck with the remaining cargo. The inventory had a revenue of f 1000 and the wreck was bought by L.W.F. Oudenhoven for f 444.{{cite news|url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010973745:mpeg21:a0115|title=Dragonfly. |work=Algemeen Handelsblad|date=22 December 1889 |via=Delpher|access-date=3 March 2024|language=nl}}
In January 1890 {{ill|Blazer (ship)|nl|Blazer (schip)|lt=blazer}} “TX 25”, that spent several days investigating the ship, salvaged three davits and a chain. As the ship was too far under water (12 foot), nothing of the cargo could be salvaged.{{cite news|url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010142615:mpeg21:a0032|title=Dragonfly. |work=Algemeen Handelsblad|date=7 January 1890 |via=Delpher|access-date=3 March 2024|language=nl}}{{cite news|url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011009992:mpeg21:a0086|title=Tessel, 6 Jan. |work=Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad|date=8 January 1890 |via=Delpher|access-date=3 March 2024|language=nl}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{1889 shipwrecks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dragonfly, SS}}
Category:Ships built in the United Kingdom
Category:Maritime incidents in December 1889
Category:Shipwrecks of the Netherlands
Category:Merchant ships of the United Kingdom
Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom