Ernest's Ships

As far as I know my grandfather, Ernest Haylett, commanded five ships. The first was Scruttons' Sargasso, launched in 1908 on the Tyne and bought from Scruttons by T&J Harrison when they took over Scruttons' shipping interests in 1920. The picture above is of her when she was the Laurent Schiaffino.

His next ship was the Sarstoon, left, which he took over before the First World War. She was launched in 1902 and named after the river which forms the border between Belize and Guatemala, Scruttons' trade being with South America.

Sarstoon was sold to O&W Williams & Co of Cardiff in 1915, when she was renamed Menevian (picture above).

During the First World War Ernest commanded Scrutton's Savan, seen above in her camouflage colours. She was built for Scruttons on the Tyne and launched in 1913. It was on this ship that Ernest won his Lloyd's medal - post here.

Sargasso, Sarstoon and Savan were all built by J Readhead and Sons of South Shields on the Tyne. Information about these ships courtesy 'Tyne Built Ships' website, link here.

These are the two 'mates' - first officer and second officer - of the Savan, while....

....this picture is of the Savan's gunners. After the war, in 1919 or '20, Scruttons' shipping interests were bought by Thomas and James Harrison and the Savan was renamed Speaker, seen....

....here in Rotterdam in 1921 in Harrison's livery.

Ernest then transferred to the Actor, and was in command of the Actor when my father went out to Port Sudan in 1923. Actor was built by D&W Henderson for T&J Harrison and launched on the Clyde in 1917. 

This picture shows an electric locomotive being offloaded from the Actor in Durban. Harrisons specialised in heavy cargo items, and in the company's last years built several impressive ships fitted with heavy lift derricks.

In his album, my father wrote a caption to this picture - "Actor in heavy seas". At first glance it appears to be quite a calm day but look closely: water is pouring off the forecastle onto the deck so the ship has just butted into a large wave.

Actor was sunk by an aerial torpedo in a German attack 4 miles east of Montrose, on passage from Buenos Aires to the Tyne with a cargo of wheat.

Ernest's last command was the Defender. She was built by Charles Connell & Company of Glasgow and launched on the Clyde in 1915. She was broken up at Barrow-in-Furness in 1952.

Information about Actor and Defender courtesy 'Scottish Built Ships' website here.