Last of the Iron Boats
Blastermind - Track 9
Date - 1975 - 1980
The ship mentioned in the story has had various names over the years.
She was built by McIlwaine, Lewis & Co. Ltd; Belfast for the Wigan Coal & Iron Co. Ltd; Liverpool and named after Lord Balniel, owner of the Wigan Mines.
She was Launched in July 1886 as the "Balniel" renamed the "Londoner" in 1910 and apart from being renamed "Mountjoy II" briefly in 1914 was given the name that would see her through the rest of her life the "SS Clyde Valley" in 1912. before Blaster got his hands on her in sometime between 1975 and 1980
Blastermind - Track 9
Date - 1975 - 1980
The ship mentioned in the story has had various names over the years.
She was built by McIlwaine, Lewis & Co. Ltd; Belfast for the Wigan Coal & Iron Co. Ltd; Liverpool and named after Lord Balniel, owner of the Wigan Mines.
She was Launched in July 1886 as the "Balniel" renamed the "Londoner" in 1910 and apart from being renamed "Mountjoy II" briefly in 1914 was given the name that would see her through the rest of her life the "SS Clyde Valley" in 1912. before Blaster got his hands on her in sometime between 1975 and 1980
Final Resting place of the ClydeValley at St Georges quay on the River Lune
Click for a closer look
Click for a closer look
Official no.93690.
174' x 26'.1'' x 12'.
622. 223nt
Gross Tonnage 460gt.
Original Engine power 80hp. (Steam)
Max Speed 8 knots.
174' x 26'.1'' x 12'.
622. 223nt
Gross Tonnage 460gt.
Original Engine power 80hp. (Steam)
Max Speed 8 knots.
The Steam Ship Clyde Valley prior to her 1942 conversion to oil.
1886 July The Balniel is Launched.
1909 Sold to Clydeside SS Co. Ltd; Glasgow and registered Glasgow,
1910 renamed Londoner
1912 Same owners rename her Clyde Valley
1914 Sold to Hugh Crawford, Glasgow
1909 Sold to Clydeside SS Co. Ltd; Glasgow and registered Glasgow,
1910 renamed Londoner
1912 Same owners rename her Clyde Valley
1914 Sold to Hugh Crawford, Glasgow
She is said to have sunk a submarine in the first world war and to commemorate this a brass star was added to her black funnel.
1914 August She was seized in Hamburg.
1916 April She is recorded as a German Army Transport.
1919 January She was returned and bought by Richard J. Cowser, Glasgow.
1920 Sold to Norman Canning, Glasgow and registered at Larne.
1927 Sold to G. Barry, Glasgow.
1928 Sold to C. Maguire of Colonial Shippers Ltd; Guysboro, Nova Scotia and used to run coal to Trinidad and salt back.
1940 Sold to A.S.Publicover, Luneenburg, Nova Scotia, having been abandoned and aground on a sandbank since the slump six years earlier..
1942 Converted to a motor vessel.
1943 or 1945 Sold to Halifax Fisheries, Ltd; Halifax, Nova Scotia and traded unescorted to the West Indias during the war.
One event on a run to Haiti and Puerto Rico delivering fish and returning with raw sugar and rum. During the trip back home a hurricane hit and disabled her, She drifted for days. The crew took 4-hour shifts being tied to the ships wheel to steer her. The captain of this ship at this time was Ernest Landry.
She was later chartered to the Canadian National Railways and survived a number of strandings etc.
1947 or 1948 Sold to Riverport SS Co. Ltd; Halifax, Nova Scotia. (may have been Riverport)
1955 or 1959 Sold to Lake Shipping Co. Ltd; Halifax, Nova Scotia. (may have been St. John’s Nfld)
1966 Offered for sale
1914 August She was seized in Hamburg.
1916 April She is recorded as a German Army Transport.
1919 January She was returned and bought by Richard J. Cowser, Glasgow.
1920 Sold to Norman Canning, Glasgow and registered at Larne.
1927 Sold to G. Barry, Glasgow.
1928 Sold to C. Maguire of Colonial Shippers Ltd; Guysboro, Nova Scotia and used to run coal to Trinidad and salt back.
1940 Sold to A.S.Publicover, Luneenburg, Nova Scotia, having been abandoned and aground on a sandbank since the slump six years earlier..
1942 Converted to a motor vessel.
1943 or 1945 Sold to Halifax Fisheries, Ltd; Halifax, Nova Scotia and traded unescorted to the West Indias during the war.
One event on a run to Haiti and Puerto Rico delivering fish and returning with raw sugar and rum. During the trip back home a hurricane hit and disabled her, She drifted for days. The crew took 4-hour shifts being tied to the ships wheel to steer her. The captain of this ship at this time was Ernest Landry.
She was later chartered to the Canadian National Railways and survived a number of strandings etc.
1947 or 1948 Sold to Riverport SS Co. Ltd; Halifax, Nova Scotia. (may have been Riverport)
1955 or 1959 Sold to Lake Shipping Co. Ltd; Halifax, Nova Scotia. (may have been St. John’s Nfld)
1966 Offered for sale
Gun Running
1914 April she was acquired by Major Frederick Crawford at Glasgow on behalf of the UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force) for the purpose of running guns and ammunition into northern Ireland as she had been carrying coal from Scotland to Belfast for some months providing the perfect cover.
1914 19th-20th April During the night she rendezvoused with the coaster HMS Fanny in a welsh bay the two ships lashed together one showing a port light and the other a starboard light. A cargo of 30,000 rifles and 5 million rounds of ammunition from Hamburg were transferred to her hold.
1914 24th April She was briefly renamed Mountjoy II, being named after the Mountjoy which broke the boom across the Foyle in 1689 and thus a more appropriate historic and name of good omen to Ulster ears given the activities she was about to embark apon. This was achieved by using strips of canvas 6 feet long which were cut and painted with white letters on a black back ground, and affixed to her bows and stern. This was done primarily so the men waiting at Copeland would know who and what the ship was.
At 10:30pm she steamed into Larn. While she was unloading on the quay, she was at the same time transhipping a smaller quantity of arms into a motor-boat, moored against her side, which when laden hurried off to Donaghadee.
At 5am she left for Bangor arriving at 7.30am to successfully unload the rest of her cargo.
The cargo was distributed to arms dumps all over the North of Ireland by almost every available motor vehicle.
On leaving Bangor she set a course for the Clyde discarding the canvas name and becoming the familiar coal ship.
As luck would have it fog came down and she changed course to meet up with the Fanny to bring back the Ulstermen of her crew.
The full story can be read in "Ulster's Stand For Union" by Ronald John McNeill and downloaded from Project Gutenberg or our mirror
1914 April she was acquired by Major Frederick Crawford at Glasgow on behalf of the UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force) for the purpose of running guns and ammunition into northern Ireland as she had been carrying coal from Scotland to Belfast for some months providing the perfect cover.
1914 19th-20th April During the night she rendezvoused with the coaster HMS Fanny in a welsh bay the two ships lashed together one showing a port light and the other a starboard light. A cargo of 30,000 rifles and 5 million rounds of ammunition from Hamburg were transferred to her hold.
1914 24th April She was briefly renamed Mountjoy II, being named after the Mountjoy which broke the boom across the Foyle in 1689 and thus a more appropriate historic and name of good omen to Ulster ears given the activities she was about to embark apon. This was achieved by using strips of canvas 6 feet long which were cut and painted with white letters on a black back ground, and affixed to her bows and stern. This was done primarily so the men waiting at Copeland would know who and what the ship was.
At 10:30pm she steamed into Larn. While she was unloading on the quay, she was at the same time transhipping a smaller quantity of arms into a motor-boat, moored against her side, which when laden hurried off to Donaghadee.
At 5am she left for Bangor arriving at 7.30am to successfully unload the rest of her cargo.
The cargo was distributed to arms dumps all over the North of Ireland by almost every available motor vehicle.
On leaving Bangor she set a course for the Clyde discarding the canvas name and becoming the familiar coal ship.
As luck would have it fog came down and she changed course to meet up with the Fanny to bring back the Ulstermen of her crew.
The full story can be read in "Ulster's Stand For Union" by Ronald John McNeill and downloaded from Project Gutenberg or our mirror
This page is un-finished, there are more details to add regarding her proposed conversion to a floating museum around 1970 and her involvement with gun running .
As you can see there are a few bits of conflicting information and as yet we are not sure exactly when she was finally blown up. If you have any information please get in touch
For those who have found themselves here by a search engine after searching for the Steamship ClydeValley the connection here is demolition expert and comedian Blaster Bates (see rest of site) who tells the story of breaking her up on his album Blastermind.
Although he never mentioned the ClydeValley by name there was enough information to make the connection.
As you can see there are a few bits of conflicting information and as yet we are not sure exactly when she was finally blown up. If you have any information please get in touch
For those who have found themselves here by a search engine after searching for the Steamship ClydeValley the connection here is demolition expert and comedian Blaster Bates (see rest of site) who tells the story of breaking her up on his album Blastermind.
Although he never mentioned the ClydeValley by name there was enough information to make the connection.
1969 Acquired by Samuel J.Campbell, Whitehead,Co. Antrim, and others, Belfast who had started a fund to raise £10,000 to buy and preserve her possibly as a floating museum attached to The Ulster folk and transport museum. A crew of ex-Merchant Navy seamen sailed her home to Carrick Fergus Captained by John Rose (most recently from North Sydney, NS, previously from Newfoundland) .
See this article from The Northern Constitution 25th March 1967
1974 23rd August Not enough money was raised to renovate her so she was sold as scrap and towed to Lancaster to be broken up.
1974 24th August (Date assumed - Reported in The Lancaster Gardian 30th August 1974) Flying the Pennant of Northern Ireland, decked out in bunting from stem to stern she sliped into Lancaster during the night. Piloted by Mr Harold Gardener and towed by the M/V Antonio Miguel she was navigated from the Lune deeps to Marsh point near Carlisle bridge and was tied up at St Georges quay near the last row of Cottages ending her final voyage.
1974 27th August Demolition officaly commenced by R Taylor & sons of Bury. Exporters and scrap merchants. Over seen by Mr C.B. Nutter (Owner of R Taylor & sons) and Mr Grub. Although it would be some months before work began.
1975 21st March A newspaper article from the Lancaster Guardian tells of the Clyde Valleys "reprieve" from being scraped when it turned out that R Taylor & sons needed planning permission to cut her up at the quay. During a council planning meeting held on 17th March local councillors fearing the company could lodge an appeal further delaying the removal of the ship it was finally agreed permission should be granted and a time limit of one year was imposed to get the job done halving the two years recommended by council officers.
1975 22nd August Another article in the Lancaster guardian reports that on the 15th of August firemen were called to tackle a fire started by a spark from an oxyacetylene torch (used for cutting metal) ignited waste oil in her hold. It took thee pumps, a tender from Lancaster fire station and another pump from Bolton-le-sands two and a half hours to put the fire out using what at the time was a new type of high-expansion foam.
1977 1st July A letter printed, again in the Lancaster Guardian from a local resident which mentions that workers at customs house may have watched the final end of the "SS River Clyde" which was used as a troop-lander at Anzac-Suvla bay (Gallipoli). He says "I saw to my sorrow last week that there are now only left some buckled plates and the four-cylinder engine still in good shape with its propeller-shaft coupling clearly visible".
There are a couple of things which lead us to believe the writer was mistaken and in fact what he was seeing was the remains of the Clyde Valley. Firstly the River Clyde was a ship of some 4000 tons (almost 10 times the Clyde Valley) and would have a somewhat larger engine. Secondly from what we can find the Clyde River was broken up at Avilés,
Spain in 1966.
1975-1980 (by John Hill)
After arriving at Lancaster she silted up in the mud on St Georges quay opposite the last row of cottages.
Blaster Bates was called in to see wheather it was possible to blow silt away from the hull plates, but Blaster explained that it would blow the nearest hardest object, that being the ships hull plates and it would be a failed attempt, the tide came in and Blaster and Colin Nutter (owner of the Clyde Valley) had water up to their waists.
The Clyde Valley was bought by Mr Nutter for the sum of £2,000 from the Irish government, other tenders were Catholic organisations who wanted to immortalise the ship and turn it into a war monument.
So at some point Blaster was brought in to break her up with explosives and the bits taken away for scrap. At this point we are not quite sure when it was. It must have been after 1975 when she was still afloat (as she wasn't when Blaster was brought in to "write her off") and 1980 when Blastermind was released.
See this article from The Northern Constitution 25th March 1967
1974 23rd August Not enough money was raised to renovate her so she was sold as scrap and towed to Lancaster to be broken up.
1974 24th August (Date assumed - Reported in The Lancaster Gardian 30th August 1974) Flying the Pennant of Northern Ireland, decked out in bunting from stem to stern she sliped into Lancaster during the night. Piloted by Mr Harold Gardener and towed by the M/V Antonio Miguel she was navigated from the Lune deeps to Marsh point near Carlisle bridge and was tied up at St Georges quay near the last row of Cottages ending her final voyage.
1974 27th August Demolition officaly commenced by R Taylor & sons of Bury. Exporters and scrap merchants. Over seen by Mr C.B. Nutter (Owner of R Taylor & sons) and Mr Grub. Although it would be some months before work began.
1975 21st March A newspaper article from the Lancaster Guardian tells of the Clyde Valleys "reprieve" from being scraped when it turned out that R Taylor & sons needed planning permission to cut her up at the quay. During a council planning meeting held on 17th March local councillors fearing the company could lodge an appeal further delaying the removal of the ship it was finally agreed permission should be granted and a time limit of one year was imposed to get the job done halving the two years recommended by council officers.
1975 22nd August Another article in the Lancaster guardian reports that on the 15th of August firemen were called to tackle a fire started by a spark from an oxyacetylene torch (used for cutting metal) ignited waste oil in her hold. It took thee pumps, a tender from Lancaster fire station and another pump from Bolton-le-sands two and a half hours to put the fire out using what at the time was a new type of high-expansion foam.
1977 1st July A letter printed, again in the Lancaster Guardian from a local resident which mentions that workers at customs house may have watched the final end of the "SS River Clyde" which was used as a troop-lander at Anzac-Suvla bay (Gallipoli). He says "I saw to my sorrow last week that there are now only left some buckled plates and the four-cylinder engine still in good shape with its propeller-shaft coupling clearly visible".
There are a couple of things which lead us to believe the writer was mistaken and in fact what he was seeing was the remains of the Clyde Valley. Firstly the River Clyde was a ship of some 4000 tons (almost 10 times the Clyde Valley) and would have a somewhat larger engine. Secondly from what we can find the Clyde River was broken up at Avilés,
Spain in 1966.
1975-1980 (by John Hill)
After arriving at Lancaster she silted up in the mud on St Georges quay opposite the last row of cottages.
Blaster Bates was called in to see wheather it was possible to blow silt away from the hull plates, but Blaster explained that it would blow the nearest hardest object, that being the ships hull plates and it would be a failed attempt, the tide came in and Blaster and Colin Nutter (owner of the Clyde Valley) had water up to their waists.
The Clyde Valley was bought by Mr Nutter for the sum of £2,000 from the Irish government, other tenders were Catholic organisations who wanted to immortalise the ship and turn it into a war monument.
So at some point Blaster was brought in to break her up with explosives and the bits taken away for scrap. At this point we are not quite sure when it was. It must have been after 1975 when she was still afloat (as she wasn't when Blaster was brought in to "write her off") and 1980 when Blastermind was released.
Links, places to visit and our thanks
Special thanks go to Mr Stalker of Lancaster for his help and time.
The Ulster folk and transport museum
Merseyside Maritime Museum
Lancaster Maritime Museum
Norman Craig's flickr page
Glasson Dock
Ship Nostalgia Thanks go to member Galtra from who much of the ship owners information came from.
The Lancaster Library Reference and Information Service.
Lloyds Register
Mr Hawkins of Lancaster
The Lancaster Guardian
The Alpha Newspaper group / The Northern Constitution, Ireland
Special thanks go to Mr Stalker of Lancaster for his help and time.
The Ulster folk and transport museum
Merseyside Maritime Museum
Lancaster Maritime Museum
Norman Craig's flickr page
Glasson Dock
Ship Nostalgia Thanks go to member Galtra from who much of the ship owners information came from.
The Lancaster Library Reference and Information Service.
Lloyds Register
Mr Hawkins of Lancaster
The Lancaster Guardian
The Alpha Newspaper group / The Northern Constitution, Ireland
The Clyde Valley Circa 1970 in Carrick Fergus harbour, Northern Ireland - Pictures by Norman Craig
Final Days
Please note this site is subject to Copyright
