[Ken Glasdir]

Originally Posted by Alfmurphy

My late father in law was Kevin Duggan, he spoke for years about the Indorita, Fleurita and Normanby Hall which he was aboard at time it sank. Does anybody remember him please? I have a very small poor quality photo of him aboard Indorita, does anyone have any better pics please? Alf

Hi Alf: Sorry to hear of Kevin's passing. I have a good photo of him aged about 18 along with me and Joe Keane of Cobh. Make contact if you wish:
[email protected]

[Ken Glasdir]

Hi Alf: Sorry to hear of Kevin's passing. I have a good photo of him aged about 18 along with me and Joe Keane of Cobh. Make contact if you wish:
[email protected]

[Ken Glasdir]

Originally Posted by Alfmurphy

My late father in law was Kevin Duggan, he spoke for years about the Indorita, Fleurita and Normanby Hall which he was aboard at time it sank. Does anybody remember him please? I have a very small poor quality photo of him aboard Indorita, does anyone have any better pics please? Alf

Knew Kevin well and have a good photo, Alf
Look forward to hearing from you
[email protected]

[batchman]

Originally Posted by walshproperty

when I was on the indorita in 65/66 she was skippered by frank sweet, mate was jack cathrine, any news on this?
mike ex engineer indorita

Remember Frank Sweet and the Indorita very well. From 1963 to about 1968, I worked for Frank Armitt & Son in Runcorn (Agents/brokers). I remember the first time I went on board. She was berthed at a high wall in the docks (about the same height as the top of her masts). The dock ladder was nearly non existent, and the only way I could get on board was to ask the stevedores to hoist me with the crane.Happy days. Health & safety didn't exist in those days. She was a regular at Runcorn loading bagged salt for Ireland.

[Barrie Youde]

In terms of nostalgia, of which all of us here are guilty, the significance of Coppack's Indorita and Normanby Hall is that they were (as far as I know) the last two sea-going commercial traders registered in Chester, in a line of trade from there since Roman times. Trade to and from the Dee continues (if sporadically) to the present day, not least via the export of Airbus wings from Broughton to Toulouse for the construction of aircraft. Broughton and its loading-berth are, however, at some distance downstream below Chester, where Indorita and Normanby Hall were both registered.

I've never met any of the Coppack family but I'm pleased to confirm (and dammit, I'm proud, too) to confirm that my own ancestors also were Chester shipowners in the early nineteenth century, via my twice-great grandfather Captain John Gorham, who was owner of the topsail-schooner Cheshire Lass and also the schooner May (originally of Pugwash, Nova Scotia), both of which were engaged then in the trade in Cheshire cheese from the then enormous dairy-farm otherwise known as the county of Cheshire, exporting into all of northern Europe. All of the cheese was loaded at the Crane Wharf in Chester, which wharf is adjacent to the Lock into the Shropshire Union Canal. ( The ancient Cheshire Cheese tavern in Fleet Street, London is well-known. I wonder how it got its name? I have been there many times in salutation of the name of John Gorham.)

Such are the quirks, foibles and variations of family life that I knew virtually nothing of this until a little more than fifteen years ago (about 2004). It was brought to my attention through the research of some distant cousins. My father (in 2004) was aged 94, with eyes locked on the future and with scant regard for history - and even for family history. When I challenged my Dad then (razor-sharp, but in the last months of his life) about the Gorhams, Dad simply piped up, "Oh yes, we owned the cheese-boats."

Cunard we were not, nor Holt nor Vestey nor Weir nor Ellerman. But we could look the Coppacks in the eye!

[capkelly]

Eldorita brings back memories, docked here Youghal a few times and Michael one of the O'Brien brothers ( Willie and Jack were mainly deep sea, sailed with both) was on her for a few years. All fine fishermen/seamen now unfortunately crossed the bar.

[batchman]

Originally Posted by walshproperty

when I was on the indorita in 65/66 she was skippered by frank sweet, mate was jack cathrine, any news on this?
mike ex engineer indorita

Hi Mike, sorry for delay in replying - I was a young lad working for Frank Armitt & Son in Runcorn. We always had the agency when the Indorita came to Runcorn area. From memory, she had a dwcc of about 250 tons, and her nett tonnage was 110.28. Strange how you remember things like that - I've got to think what I had for breakfast today. She was loading bag salt once, when I was only about 16, and the dock wall was so high at one berth, even the top of the masts didn't reach the quay. The dock ladders were nearly non existent. The crane driver got me to sit on a pallet of salt and "loaded" me on to the ship, and off after I'd seen Frank. Health & Safety?? Happy days.

[BillH]

FLEURITA
O.N. 124627 171g 92n 103.2 x 22.1 x 8.3_feet
2-cyl. 2SCSA oil engine by J. och C.G. Bolinders Mekaniska Verksted, Stockholm, Sweden.
1913: Completed by I.J. Abdela and Mitchell Ltd., Queensferry (Yard No.351) for John Summers and Sons Ltd., Queensferry as FLEURITA.
1945: Sold to Coppacks of Connah's Quay.
1961: Fitted with 4-cyl. 2SCSA oil engine made by Crossley Brothers Ltd., Manchester.
1961: Sold to Civil and Marine Ltd., London.
29.1.1965: Foundered one and a half miles north east of the Barrow Deep Lightvessel after being abandoned by her crew two miles south southwest of the Gunfleet Light when she developed a leak in heavy seas whilst on a voyage from Felixstowe to London with a cargo of sand and stone.

INDORITA
O.N. 144884 201g 99n 108.6 x 22.1 x 9.4_feet
2-cyl. 2SCSA oil engine by J. och C.G. Bolinders Mekaniska Verksted, Stockholm, Sweden.
8.1920: Completed by I.J. Abdela and Mitchell Ltd., Queensferry (Yard No.408) for John Summers and Sons Ltd., Queensferry as INDORITA.
1946: Sold to Coppacks of Connah's Quay.
1958: Fitted with 6-cyl. 2SCSA oil engine made by Crossley Brothers Ltd., Manchester. Tonnages became 203g and 110n.
1971: Sold to J.A. Hind, Birkenhead.
26.3.1974: Arrived at Gijon in tow to be broken up by Desguaces Hevia, who began work next day.

ELDORITA
O.N. 145689 201g 99n 108.6 x 22.1 x 9.4 feet
2-cyl. 2SCSA oil engine by J. och C.G. Bolinders Mekaniska Verksted, Stockholm, Sweden.
9.1920: Completed by I.J. Abdela and Mitchell Ltd., Queensferry (Yard No.409) for John Summers and Sons Ltd., Shotton as ELDORITA.
1946: Sold to Hugh Shaw, Arlingham, Gloucester.
1949: Fitted with 4-cyl. 4SCSA oil engine made in 1935 by Ruston and Hornsby, Lincoln.
1963: Sold to the Colchester Shipping Co. (Richard S. Banyard, manager), Tiptree, Essex.
12.12.1966: Foundered in position 52.06N, 03.00E after developing leaks about thirty five miles north north west of the Hook of Holland whilst on a voyage from Scunthorpe to Utrecht with a cargo of beans.