Both of these cargo liners were built by the Greenock Dockyard,builders of most Clan/British and Commonwealth ships over the years.ROTHERWICK came in 1959 and ROTHESAY in 1960.
The pix were taken in the mid 70s in Glasgow/s King George V Dock and passing downriver at Govan.
Both went to the breakers in about 1983.
Rotherwick Castle became the Liberian flagged Sea Fortune in 1975; Panamanian flagged Silver Rays in 1980 and was scrapped in Bangladesh in 1983. Rothesay Castle was also sold in 1975 and became the Uraguayan flagged Laura until she was sold in 1980 for scrapping in Pakistan.
I did my first trip to sea as a Junior R/O straight out of Norwood Tech in the Rothesay, general from London & NW Europe to the usual Cape range up to Beira, then deciduous fruit from PE and Cape Town back to Le Havre and Southampton. I have three abiding memories of that 4 month voyage.
First, she never stopped rolling - some wags on board reckoned she'd roll in a drydock, and I'd tend to agree.
Second, there seemed to be a fire in the main engine scavenge spaces at least once a week (big bang, lots of black smoke and silence apart from the alarms ringing)
Third, a huge headache after my 21st birthday on passage from Le Havre across to Southampton. Most of the evening passed in a blur, partly 'cos I mislaid my glasses !
A good friendly & helpful crowd for my first trip, made a good start to my career at sea with B&C
Next time I saw her was in Cape Town alongside the repair jetty as a very shabby 'Laura' - sad to have seen the deterioration in her condition.
I joined the "Rotherwick" in 1961 and the "Rothesay" in 1962. I thought they were great little ships with good accommodation. The only problem I had was when in port as my cabin was on the forepart and when the hatches were opened they made my cabin shake. Overall though, good jobs.
Vindi Phil.
We had a lay up of six weeks in East London on the Ranald, a great time was had by all.
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