by magoonigal » Mon Jun 11, 2018 11:57 pm
Purchased by Hughes at auction for £39,000, nearly twice the opening bid of £20,000, on the 2nd April 1914.
Without the purchase of RENOWN shipbreaking at Blyth could have come to a premature end as no Merchant Ships were available. She was moored at the Motherbank, of the Isle of Wight and was towed around to Blyth , arriving towards the end of April. On arrival she was opened to the public in aid of local charities.
How much Hughes made on the deal is not known, however a memo dated 30th November 1914, suggests the return was not inconsiderable. Sales up to then amounted to £13,844 and it was calculated a further £44,000 was still to come.
Paul Hood. + WSS Tyneside Branch Hon Sec.