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SS ''Daphne'' was a ship which sank moments after her launching at the
SS 'Daphne' Memorial
Art UK
''Daphne''-inspired poem
Shipwrecks of Scotland History of Glasgow Shipwrecks in rivers Maritime incidents in July 1883 1883 ships Ships built on the River Clyde {{ship-stub
SS ''Daphne'' was a ship which sank moments after her launching at the shipyard
A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance a ...
of Alexander Stephen and Sons
Alexander Stephen and Sons Limited, often referred to simply as Alex Stephens or just Stephens, was a Scottish shipbuilding company based in Linthouse, Glasgow, on the River Clyde and, initially, on the east coast of Scotland.
History
The comp ...
in Govan
Govan ( ; Cumbric?: ''Gwovan'?''; Scots: ''Gouan''; Scottish Gaelic: ''Baile a' Ghobhainn'') is a district, parish, and former burgh now part of south-west City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south ba ...
, Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
, on 3 July 1883.
Background
Around 200 workmen were on board the ship at the time it was launched, ready to beginfitting out
Fitting out, or outfitting, is the process in shipbuilding that follows the float-out/launching of a vessel and precedes sea trials. It is the period when all the remaining construction of the ship is completed and readied for delivery to her o ...
work as soon as she was properly afloat. According to the usual practice during a launching, anchor
An anchor is a device, normally made of metal , used to secure a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the craft from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ''ancora'', which itself comes from the Greek ἄγ ...
s were attached by cable to each side of the ship. As the ''Daphne'' moved into the river, the anchors failed to stop the ship's forward progress. The starboard
Port and starboard are nautical terms for watercraft and aircraft, referring respectively to the left and right sides of the vessel, when aboard and facing the bow (front).
Vessels with bilateral symmetry have left and right halves which are ...
anchor moved only 6 to 7 yards (5.5 to 6.4 meters), but the port anchor was dragged 60 yards (55 meters). The current of the river caught ''Daphne'' and flipped her over onto her port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
side, sinking her in deep water.
124 people died including many young boys. 70 lives were saved. It took more than a fortnight for the bodies of those who died to be recovered.
Inquiry
An inquiry was held afterward; the shipyard owners were held blameless, which led to claims of a cover-up. The cause of the disaster was reported to be little initial stability combined with too much loose gear and too many people on board. One of the outcomes of the disaster was the limiting of personnel aboard to only those necessary for mooring the ship after the launch. The ''Daphne'' was later raised, repaired, and renamed the ''Rose''.Memorials
The principal memorial to the Daphne is inCraigton Cemetery
Craigton Cemetery is a cemetery in south-west Glasgow dating from the mid-19th century. It stands on Berryknowes Road.
The cemetery has a Jewish section containing 230 graves. The cemetery also contains 251 commonwealth war graves from the Fir ...
where around 50 of the victims are buried. It was designed by William Robin and erected in 1885. The monument faces east onto the eastern path and is one of the larger monuments in this section.
Two further and later memorials, to what was known at the time as the "Linthouse Disaster", exist; one erected in Victoria Park Victoria Park may refer to:
Places Australia
* Victoria Park Nature Reserve, a protected area in Northern Rivers region, New South Wales
* Victoria Park, Adelaide, a park and racecourse
* Victoria Park, Brisbane, a public park and former golf ...
, Whiteinch
Whiteinch ( gd, Innis Bhàn) is an area in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated directly north of the River Clyde, between the Partick and Scotstoun areas of the city. Whiteinch was at one stage part of the burgh of Partick, until that ...
in 1996 and another in Elder Park, Govan
Elder Park is a public park in the Govan area of Glasgow, Scotland, located a short distance south of the River Clyde, to the east of the Linthouse neighbourhood. It contains , a boating pond, the original Fairfield farmhouse, and Linthouse Ma ...
.Art UK
See also
*List of United Kingdom disasters by death toll
The following list of disasters in Great Britain and Ireland is a list of major disasters (excluding acts of war) which relate to the United Kingdom or Ireland, or to the states that preceded them, or that involved their citizens, in a definable ...
References
External links
''Daphne''-inspired poem
Shipwrecks of Scotland History of Glasgow Shipwrecks in rivers Maritime incidents in July 1883 1883 ships Ships built on the River Clyde {{ship-stub