George Brown

Vessel name on Arrival: George Brown

Original Builder: S. McKnight of Ayr

Original Yard No: 10

Official Number: 20240

Vessel Type: Tug

GRT: 99

Year Built: 1887

Arrival Date: 14/01/1957

Breakup Started: 07/02/1957

Date First Beached: 08/02/1957

Date Breakup Completed: 08/04/1957

Draught For’d: 06' 00"

Draught Aft: 06' 08"

Name Changes:

Other Information:

Steam Paddle Tug for Irvine Harbour service                         Launched on 11-01-1887

Gave a 70 year life span at Irvine Harbour and the Ayrshire coastline

The lower picture shows the steam paddle tug sandwiched between two other vessels under demolition. This was the Inner Basin at Troon (that is now a Yacht Marina) where ships were taken when all the topworks and engines had been already removed at the main Harbour East Breakwater berths and the lightened hull could be dragged up by shore steam cranes  and demoilition continued at low water when the Basin almost dried out – a primary reason why J. J. King decided on this site for his business in 1904.

The vessel astern of GEORGE BROWN is the 1909-built BANNQUEEN, ex-WHEATFIELD, J.F. V  and FENCHURCH, and the vessel ahead of her is, I think, either the MALLOWDALE or the BALLYBEG, which vessels were also undergoing demolition at that same time, i.e. around February/March 1957.