SS Haverford
 Postcard of SS Haverford from 1920 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Owner: |
|
| Builder: | John Brown & Company |
| Launched: | 4 May 1901 |
| In service: | 1901 |
| Out of service: | 1924 |
| Fate: | Scrapped 1925 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Transatlantic liner |
| Tonnage: | 11,635 tons |
| Length: | 531 feet |
| Beam: | 59.2 feet |
| Speed: | 14 knots |
| Notes: | One funnel; Four masts; Twin screws |
The SS Haverford was an American transatlantic liner commissioned in 1901 for American Line, and also used by other lines in the International Mercantile Marine Company. During World War One, the SS Haverford was utilized as a troop transport vessel in the North Atlantic Ocean. In 1917, the ship suffered heavy damage in a torpedo attack, was repaired and then damaged again in 1918. Following the war, the White Star Line purchased and restored the SS Haverford in 1920 for use as a passenger ship. She was decommissioned in 1924 and scrapped in 1925.
History
The SS Haverford was constructed by John Brown & Company of Clydebank, Scotland and funded by Clement Griscom, Director of the International Navigation Company. She was launched as a passenger ship on May 4, 1901, six months prior to the launch of her sister ship, the SS Merion. The Haverford and Merion were identical in design and named after suburbs of Philadelphia, PA where Griscom lived. After briefly, serving the Southampton to New York route, the SS Haverford was transferred to the Liverpool - Philadelphia route by 1903. The ship also occasionally served for the Red Star Line ( Antwerp-New York route) and Dominion Line (Liverpool-Halifax-Portland). [1]
During World War I, the SS Haverford was used as a transport ship for British troops, beginning in 1915. In 1917, she was attacked off the coast of Ireland by the German U-boat, U-94, sustaining heavy damage. In 1918, after a six-month hiatus for repairs, the ship was again attacked by a German submarine in the North Atlantic Ocean, surviving with far less damage.[2]
The SS Haverford returned to passenger service, making its first voyage in August, 1920 from Liverpool to Philadelphia, regularly docking at Pier 53 on the Delaware River, the former location of the Washington Avenue Immigration Station. The ship was purchased by White Star Line in 1921 and retained the original ship name. This was unusual for White Star, as most of their vessels had names ending in "-ic". The ship was assigned to the Liverpool-Philadelphia route as well as the Hamburg-New York route. The ship experienced problems in 1924, relegating it to dry dock. After making its final voyage to Philadelphia, the SS Haverford was decommissioned in 1924 and moved to Italy, where it was scrapped in 1925.
References
- ↑ Kinghorn, Jonathan (2005–2014). "S.S. Haverford". www.atlantictransportline.us. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
- ↑ http://www.norwayheritage.com/p_ship.asp?sh=have1