SS Lagos Hercules
ex Hercules, DHB Lady Crundall
Roy Thornton Collection
Steam twin screw salvage steamer built in 1906 by J P Rennoldson & Co, South Shields (Yard No 246) for Dover Harbour Board
Technical Data
- Length: 39.62m (130.1 ft)
- Breadth of hull: 8.56m (28.1 ft)
- Depth: 4.21m (13.8 ft)
- Tonnage: 366 gross/146 net/deadweight
- Engines: 2 x 2-cylinder (22 & 46 x 30ins) J P Rennoldson comp
- Power: 235nhp, 1600ihp
- Winches: 5BH
- Speed: 12 knots
- Code/Call Sign:
- ID Number: 114905
- Registry: Dover
- Sister-ships: LADY BRASSEY
History
October 9th 1906: Launched.
November 1906: Completed as LADY CRUNDALL for Dover Harbour Board & South Eastern & Chatham Railway Co and arrived in Dover.
“the largest and most powerful tug in North Europe. She has accommodation for four hundred passengers. (Manchester Courier – 28th November 1906)
1910: To Dover Harbour Board still as LADY CRUNDALL.
Photoship
August 2nd 1914: Admiralty service at Dover.
Internet Source
“The Dover Harbour Board are inviting tenders for the purchase of the tug Lady Crundall and these are due by June 14th. The Lady Crundall has done very valuable salvage work at Dover, but now that it is being released by the Government and with the absence of any liner work at Dover, and the fact that owing the present loss of ships, shipping is now so reduced that there is not the probability of salvage work that there was in the past., the Harbour Board have decided sell the tug.”. (Dover Express – 30th May 1919)
“The Dover Harbour Board tug Lady Crundall has been sold to a colonial government, and will leave Dover this week end for Southampton be handed over. The Dover Harbour tugs are still under Admiralty employ, but as soon they are released the amount of work for them promises to be very small, whilst their cost, owing high wages, has tremendously increased.”. (Dover Express – 8th August 1919)
1919: Crown Agents for the Colonies, (Nigerian Government at Lagos); renamed HERCULES.
August 1st 1919: Returned to owners.
1922: Government of Nigeria
1923: Renamed LAGOS HERCULES.
July 5th 1925: Reportedly in a collision the steamer AKABO near Lagos and sank.
All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright.
Special thanks go to: John Hendy
My grandfather was Mate on this boat in 1919. I have a set of binoculars with an engraving commemorating the part he played in the rescue of the crew of USS Piave, which ran aground on the Goodwin Sands, on her maiden voyage from New Jersey to Rotterdam.