Both photos copyright Rauma Maritime Museum - with their permission
Built in 1908 and launched as the "Fernhill" at the South Stockton Shipyard of Ricahrdson, Duck and Co. Ltd. she was renamed "Rowanburn" in 1926 when acquired by Smith, Hogg & Co.Ltd., Hartlepool. In 1932 she became the Finnish flagged "Union", retaining this name until demolition in 1936.
The following is an extract from the unpublished memoirs of Herbert Laurence Hogg, printed with kind permision of his grandson, Nigel:-
"The "Rowanburn" was sold to Cardiff owners in 1929 and they attempted to lose her by putting her ashore on the Norwegian coast. She came to Tyne Dock Engineering for repairs and we had to foreclose - which we should have done at port of discharge when we could have collared the freight. As it was we had to put her through (Lloyds Register) survey, which cost £6,000, and, since she could make no money under British flag owing to high insurance costs, we put her under Finnish flag, calling her "Union". We made money and got our losses back and sold her for breaking in 1936.
As "Union" she is shown in Lloyds Register as owned by A/B Union S.S. Co., managed by A/B Nielsen & Thorden O/Y, with whom Smith Hogg had a relationship. Smith, Hogg's "Groveburn" was also, for a time, reflagged with the same registered owners and managers.
"Union" having been built as the "Fernhill" by Richardson, Duck, the following article published in the Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail (12th May, 1936) caught the eye:-
Tees built ship to be broken up in yard where created - the 4,000 deadweight vessel "Union" will arrive in the Tees tonight on its way to the South Stockton Shipbreaking Co.'s yard to be broken up and it will provide one of the rare instances of a vessel meeting its doom at the same yard as that at which it was created...."
The South Stockton Shipbreaking Co. Ltd. leased the Richardson, Duck site in late 1932, plant and equipment having been auctioned off in 1929. One of its first Directors was F.H.Verrill, who had previously been a DIrector and one time Company Secretary of Richardson, Duck.
I cannot readily think of other examples of ships ending their days at their birthplace and this prompted checking press shipping reports, as previously Hartlepool has been named as her place of demolition. These reports confirm the following sequence. She arrived in ballast at Hartlepool on 3rd April 1936, entering drydock. About 10 days later she undocked and laid by in Swainson Dock, before sailing lightship on 13th May, bound for the Tees. She entered the River Tees, berthing at "South Dock".There she remained until the last entry on 22nd July, with no record of departure, suggesting demolition was complete at the site of her launching 28 years earlier