SS Gothic (1947)

SS Gothic was a passenger-cargo liner launched in December 1947, though not completed until a year later. She became the most famous of the quartet when she was designated a royal yacht from 1952 to 1954.

For other ships with the same name, see SS Gothic.

History
United Kingdom
Name: SS Gothic
Owner: Shaw, Savill & Albion Steamship Co.
Builder: Swan Hunter
Yard number: 1759
Launched: 12 December 1947
Completed: December 1948
Maiden voyage: 23 December 1948
Out of service: 1954
Identification:
Fate: Arrived at Kaohsiung, Taiwan for scrapping, 13 August 1969
General characteristics
Type: Passenger-cargo liner
Tonnage: 15,902
Length: 561 ft (171 m)
Beam: 72.2 ft (22.0 m)
Draft: 29.7 ft (9.1 m)
Decks: 4
Installed power: Geared steam turbines 14,000 shp (10,000 kW)
Propulsion: Twin screws
Speed: 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph)
Crew: 95

Construction and commercial service

Gothic was built by Swan Hunter, Wallsend-on-Tyne (yard 1759), the fourth and final of the Corinthic-class liners ordered by the Shaw, Savill & Albion Line in 1946. Her sister ships were Corinthic, Athenic and Ceramic. She was launched on 12 December 1947, completed in December 1948, and departed on her maiden voyage on 23 December 1948, sailing from Liverpool to Sydney.[1]

The quartet joined the much larger QSMV Dominion Monarch on the UK to New Zealand service. Each ship was around 15,000 GRT and accommodated 85 first class passengers. Each had 6 large holds, with space for 668,000 cubic feet (18,900 m3) of cargo, of which 510,000 cubic feet (14,000 m3) was for refrigerated goods.

In 1969 she was sold to China Steel Corp and arrived at Kaohsiung for demolition on 13 August that year.[1]

Royal Yacht

In 1952, Gothic was sent to Cammell Laird shipyards to be refitted to become the royal yacht for a tour of Australia and New Zealand. Although the tour was cancelled due to the death of King George VI, considerable work had already been completed and she returned in 1953 to complete the refit, which included a white-painted hull. In 1954 the Queen's visit to Australia occurred and Gothic was used for the visit. The Australian Government film The Queen in Australia 1954 featured the ship in Sydney on arrival and Fremantle on departure three months later. This visit was part of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation world tour in 1954.[2]

References
  1. "Gothic (5134088)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  2. Madge, Tim (1997). Royal Yachts of the World. Thomas Reed Publications. pp. 146–7. ISBN 0-901281-74-3.
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