SS Gracechurch
Encyclopedia
SS Gracechurch was built by William Doxford & Sons
at Pallion
on Wearside
in 1930. She was owned by Gracechurch Shipping Co of Newcastle and managed by James, Muers & Co of Cardiff
.
In 1933 she was sold to B.J. Sutherland & Co
who renamed her SS Peebles. In 1936 she was sold to a company controlled by Counties Ship Management
(an offshoot of the Rethymnis & Kulukundis shipbroking company of London) who renamed her SS Mill Hill.
On 16 August 1940 Mill Hill left Halifax, Nova Scotia
as a member of convoy HX-66A
laden with pig iron and scrap steel for Middlesbrough
, England. Between 0220 and 0248 hrs on 30 August 58 miles off Cape Wrath
in the north of Scotland torpedoed the convoy, sinking three ships. One was Mill Hill, which sank within a few minutes with the loss of all hands.
who renamed her Swanstream. In 1957 Westralian sold to J. Manners & Co. of Hong Kong
who renamed her San Fernando. In 1965 Manners sold to her to Yong & Lee Timber who renamed her Phoenician Star. She was scrapped at Hong Kong in 1967.
Gracechurch was the first of two ships that Counties Ship Management named Mill Hill. In 1947 CSM bought the 7,219 ton Liberty ship
SS Samdon and renamed her SS Mill Hill. Samdon had been built by New England Shipbuilding Corporation
of Portland, Maine
in 1943. In 1949 she was transferred from CSM to a new Rethymnis and Kulukundis company, London and Overseas Freighters, retaining the name Mill Hill. In 1951 LOF sold her to new owners who renamed her Educator. She was scrapped in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1961.
William Doxford & Sons
William Doxford & Sons Ltd, often referred to simply as Doxford, was a British shipbuilding company.-History:The Company was established by William Doxford in 1840. From 1870 it was based in Pallion, Sunderland, on the River Wear in Northeast England. The Company was managed by William Doxford's...
at Pallion
Pallion
Pallion is a suburb, civil parish and electoral ward of the City of Sunderland, in Tyne and Wear, England. Most of the buildings in the area were built during the Victorian Era and consist of large terraced houses built for wealthy shipbuilders, but also smaller one storey cottages in other areas...
on Wearside
River Wear
The River Wear is located in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards, mostly through County Durham, to the North Sea at Sunderland.-Geology and history:...
in 1930. She was owned by Gracechurch Shipping Co of Newcastle and managed by James, Muers & Co of Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
.
In 1933 she was sold to B.J. Sutherland & Co
Arthur Sutherland
Sir Arthur Munro Sutherland, 1st Baronet KBE , of Hethpool House, Kirknewton, Northumberland, was an English shipowner and philanthropist....
who renamed her SS Peebles. In 1936 she was sold to a company controlled by Counties Ship Management
Counties Ship Management
Counties Ship Management Co. Ltd. was an ocean-going merchant shipping company based in the United Kingdom. During the Second World War CSM merchant ships made a substantial contribution to supplying the British war effort, at a cost of 13 ships lost and 163 officers and men killed.-Founding of...
(an offshoot of the Rethymnis & Kulukundis shipbroking company of London) who renamed her SS Mill Hill.
On 16 August 1940 Mill Hill left Halifax, Nova Scotia
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
as a member of convoy HX-66A
HX convoys
The HX convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. They were east-bound convoys and originated in Halifax, Nova Scotia from where they sailed to ports in the United Kingdom...
laden with pig iron and scrap steel for Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
, England. Between 0220 and 0248 hrs on 30 August 58 miles off Cape Wrath
Cape Wrath
Cape Wrath is a cape in Sutherland, Highland, in northern Scotland. It is the most northwesterly point on the island of Great Britain. The land between the Kyle of Durness and the lighthouse that is situated right at the tip, is known as the Parph, two hundred and seven square kilometers of...
in the north of Scotland torpedoed the convoy, sinking three ships. One was Mill Hill, which sank within a few minutes with the loss of all hands.
Replacement ships
Gracechurch was the third of four ships that B.J. Sutherland & Co named Peebles. When Sutherland sold her in 1936, William Doxford & Sons completed a new 4,982 ton cargo ship MV Peebles for Sutherland. She survived the Second World War and in 1951 Sutherland sold her to Westralian Farmers TransportWesfarmers
Wesfarmers Limited is one of Australia’s largest public companies and one of Australia's largest retailers. Its headquarters are in Perth, Western Australia....
who renamed her Swanstream. In 1957 Westralian sold to J. Manners & Co. of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
who renamed her San Fernando. In 1965 Manners sold to her to Yong & Lee Timber who renamed her Phoenician Star. She was scrapped at Hong Kong in 1967.
Gracechurch was the first of two ships that Counties Ship Management named Mill Hill. In 1947 CSM bought the 7,219 ton Liberty ship
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
SS Samdon and renamed her SS Mill Hill. Samdon had been built by New England Shipbuilding Corporation
New England Shipbuilding Corporation
The New England Shipbuilding Corporation was a shipyard located in the city of South Portland, Maine, United States. The yard originated as two separate entities, the Todd-Bath Iron Shipbuilding Corporation and the South Portland Shipbuilding Corporation, which were created in 1940 and 1941...
of Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
in 1943. In 1949 she was transferred from CSM to a new Rethymnis and Kulukundis company, London and Overseas Freighters, retaining the name Mill Hill. In 1951 LOF sold her to new owners who renamed her Educator. She was scrapped in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1961.