Military Wiki
SS Fenella (1881)
Fenella 1-01
Fenella
Career Civil Ensign of the Isle of Man
Name: Fenella.
Owner: 1881-1929: Isle of Man Steam Packet Company
Operator: 1881-1929: IOMSPCo.
Port of registry: Douglas, Isle of Man
Builder: Barrow Shipbuilding Company, Barrow-in-Furness
Cost: £18,750 (£1,689,270 as of 2025).[1]
Way number: 76303
Launched: 9th June, 1881
Maiden voyage: 1881
Out of service: 1929
Identification: Official Number 76303
Code Letters J C T G
ICS JulietICS CharlieICS TangoICS Golf
[2]
Fate: Sold 1929, Scrapped at Newport
Status: Scrapped
General characteristics
Type: Packet Steamer
Tonnage: 564 gross register tons (GRT)
Length: 200 feet (61 m)
Beam: 26 feet (7.9 m)
Depth: 13 feet (4.0 m)
Installed power: 1,200 shp (890 kW)
Propulsion: Two sets of vertical compound engines, working at 85 pounds per square inch (590 kPa), producing an indicated horsepower of 1,200 shp (890 kW)
Speed: 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Capacity: 504 passengers
Crew: 28

SS (RMS) Fenella (I) No.76303, was an Iron twin-screw steamer operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, and was the first ship in the Company's history to bear the name.

Construction and dimensions[]

Fenella was built by the Barrow Shipbuilding Company of Barrow-in-Furness and was launched on Thursday 9 June 1881. Tonnage 564 GRT; length 200'; beam 26'; depth 13'. The vessel cost £18,750 (£1,689,270 as of 2025)[1] and was certificated for a crew of 28 and 504 passengers. She had an indicated horsepower of 1,200 and a speed of 14 knots, with a boiler pressure of 85 psi. She was driven by two sets of vertical compound engines each with cylinder bores of 23 and 42 inches, with a stroke of 24 inches.

Service life[]

Fenella served with the Steam Packet fleet for 48 years, including serving the Island during the First World War. At least one mercantile authority considers that from a steamship development viewpoint the Fenella was the most interesting vessel built for the Company since the first vessel, Mona's Isle in 1830.

Fenella.

Fenella.

Her work demonstrated that high steam pressure with compound engines, having a higher piston speed than would have been practical in a paddle steamer, gave her greater economy in performance.

She was overhauled in 1894 and a full electric light system fitted - 56 lights in all. The installation was carried out by J. W. Holmes of Liverpool, who also installed electric lighting in the Peveril at the same time. The cost of the work for the two vessels was £505 (£51,357 as of 2025).[1]

Primarily a cargo ship, intended to do passenger runs as a relief service in winter, it could possibly be claimed that she worked harder than any other of the Company's ships in her day. She served on every route the Steam Packet Company then operated, including the Peel-Belfast run which is one of a number no longer operated.

On one occasion she made six round trips between Douglas and Liverpool and then took troops to Kingstown, all in three days.

Fenella was the first Manx ship to lose a life from the deck, when on 4 January 1899, three passengers were carried overboard by a wave in heavy seas, after refusing to go below.

War service[]

Although not requisitioned for war service, Fenella together with the Tynwald shared the Douglas - Liverpool route throughout the 1914-18 war. Even though she was not directly involved in the war, Fenella had a number of close encounters with floating mines but was never hit; the minesweepers worked day and night to keep the approaches to Liverpool open, and although there were casualties, they were relatively few.

Incidents.[]

Fenella pictured aground at the Menai Bridge (1884)

Fenella pictured aground at the Menai Bridge, September 9, 1884.

Fenella's long service was not without incident. On 9 September 1884, she went aground at the Menai Bridge.

Disposal[]

After 48 successful years with the Company, Fenella was sold for £2,290 in 1929 (£124,338 as of 2025).[1] Fenella was broken up at Newport, Mons.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 UK CPI inflation numbers based on data available from Gregory Clark (2013), "What Were the British Earnings and Prices Then? (New Series)" MeasuringWorth.
  2. Ships of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company (Fred Henry) p.66
Bibliography
  • Chappell, Connery (1980). Island Lifeline. T.Stephenson & Sons Ltd. ISBN 0-901314-20-X. 
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