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SS King Orry (1842)
King Orry (1842)
King Orry
Career Civil Ensign of the Isle of Man
Name: King Orry
Owner: 1842–1858: IOMSPCo
Operator: 1842–1858: IOMSPCo
Port of registry: Douglas, Isle of Man
Builder: J. Winram and Robert Napier & Co.
Cost: £10,763 (£904,898 as of 2025).[1]
Way number: 21923
Launched: 10 February 1842
In service: 1842
Out of service: 1858
Identification: Official Number 21923
Code Letters N J H M
ICS NovemberICS JulietICS HotelICS Mike
Fate: Sold to Robert Napier & Co. as part payment for Douglas. Sold by Napier to Greek interests
Status: Scrapped
General characteristics
Type: Paddle Steamer
Tonnage: 433 gross register tons (GRT)
Length: 140 ft 0 in (42.7 m)
Beam: 23 ft 3 in (7.1 m)
Depth: 14 ft 3 in (4.3 m)
Installed power: 108 shp (81 kW)
Propulsion: Side Lever engine.
Speed: 9.5 knots (17.6 km/h; 10.9 mph)

PS (RMS) King Orry (I) No. 21923 - the first vessel in the line's history to be so named - was a wooden paddle-steamer which served with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.

King Orry is of special interest, as she was the only ship in the Company's history to be built in Douglas. Although the John Winram yard gets the credit for her construction, it is probable that the building was supervised by Aitken of Liverpool, and the Douglas yard merely carried out the construction. Later in 1842, she was taken under tow by Mona's Isle to Glasgow, for her engines to be fitted by Robert Napier & Co.

Dimensions[]

File:Diagram of the Beam Engine of King Orry.jpg

Diagram of the Beam Engine of King Orry

King Orry was the last wooden built vessel in the Steam Packet fleet. Carvel built with a standing bowsprit, square sterned with sham galleries. King Orry had two masts, was schooner rigged with a male figurehead. She had a registered tonnage of 433 GRT; length 140'; beam 23'3"; depth 14'3". Her engine developed a nominal horse-power of 108 h.p, and this gave her a speed of approximately 9-10 knots. Her purchase cost was £10,763 (£904,898 as of 2025).[1]

Service life[]

King Orry, Mona's Queen & Tynwald

An 1856 image of King Orry, Mona's Queen & Tynwald.

On joining the fleet her fastest run between Douglas and Liverpool was 6hrs 20mins, and her average about 7hrs.

She was re-boilered in 1847 for £3,000 (£244,854 as of 2025).[1]

Disposal[]

In 1858, King Orry was taken over by Robert Napier & Co. of Glasgow in part payment for the Douglas. The sum of £5,000 (£449,411 as of 2025)[1] was allowed as her value. She was then sold to the Greeks by Napier and traded in the eastern Mediterranean.

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.
Bibliography
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