Ultra-modern cargo liners
of a new trend in merchant shipbuilding.
In 1947, John E Church, principal marine superintendent of South American Saint Line had been awarded the Watts Prize for a paper read before the Institute of Naval Architects on the subject of improved accommodation for ocean going cargo vessels. Many of his proposals were incorporated within the design of the line’s new ships.
St Essylt was launched from North Sands on September 15, 1947 by Lady Howard de Walden and Seaford, wife of the owners’ joint managing director.
The new ship kept alive the name of her predecessor - another Thompson’s ship torpedoed in 1943 while carrying supplies for the Sicily landings.
Lady Howard de Walden planned the entire interior decoration and furnishing of the passenger accommodation and staterooms for this and subsequent ships.
Speaking at the time, she said: “One ought to be able to enjoy home comforts when at sea. I find it very tiring to have to put up with multi-coloured patterns and modern designs and consequently go in for simplicity and harmony.”
While fitting out at Palmers Hill Quay, a gale caused St Essylt’s moorings to break, resulting in the 472-feet-long ship being blown athwart the river, striking a collier and the opposite quay.
Propelled by a five-cylinder Doxford oil engine, an unusual squat funnel was one of the vessel’s features.
After sea trial, St Essylt left the Wear in thick fog for Antwerp on June 15, 1948 to load glass and machinery for South America.
Identical in most respects, St Essylt’s sistership St Thomas slid down the ways at JL Thompson’s on March 24, 1948. She underwent trials the following November before leaving for Antwerp in December.
As a mark of its satisfaction with the two ships, Saint Line ordered a third from Thompson’s - the 6,889 gross tons St John, launched on September 22, 1953. She was the ninth ship built for the line and associated companies and required little alteration from the original design.