Thornaby Gallery

In this section you will find information, photographs and stories relating to more than 260 Hartlepool seamen who lost their lives during during the First World War, and of the ships they served on.
To find a particular crewman, simply type his Surname in the Search Box at the top of the page.

This section will, in time, contain the stories of more than 450 merchant ships built or owned in the Hartlepools, and which were lost during the First World War. As an illustration of the truly global nature of shipbuilding, these ships were owned by companies from 22 different countries, including more than 30 sailing under the German flag at the outbreak of war.

Shields Daily Gazette, Friday, October 19^th, 1900:
A HARTLEPOOL STEAMER ASHORE. The steamer Thornaby, of West Hartlepool, 1,200 tons register, owned by Ropner and Company, from Archangel to Bordeaux with timber, in making Lowestoft for coal yesterday morning, ran ashore on the north beach. Two tugs went to her assistance, but did not succeed in moving her. Her deck cargo was jettisoned, and the vessel floated on the flood-tide. She was brought up in the south toads with a heavy list to port.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Monday, December 19^th, 1910:
LOCAL VESSEL’S BUFFETING. News reached South Shields on Saturday that the West Hartlepool steamer Thornaby, which is a local trader, and owned by Messrs. Robert Ropner and Son, had reached Brest after encountering the full blast the storm. The Thornaby, which was bound to Italy, was seen by the s.s. Kildonan Castle in distress some 40 miles from Ushant with hatches stove in. The master of the Kildonan Castle informed the owners of the Thornaby by means of a wireless message of their vessel’s predicament, and news arrived on Saturday that the Thornaby had made for Brest to effect repairs.