Obviously this page is not so much a draft as just a selection of notes which I'll cobble together into a coherent article when I have time!
The steel, four masted barque Herzogin Cecilie was one of a number of large sailing ships that continued to trade up until the late 1930s, long after the advent of coal-powered ships heralded their demise. She took part in the so-called "grain-races" f the great sailing sailing ships that
Herzogin Cecilie
The Herzogin Cecilie was a four masted *barque*
Built Bremerhaven, Germany by Rickmers, Reismuhlen, Rhederei & Shiffbau AG, for Norddeutscher Lloyd.
Launched sometime in 1902?
as a sister ship to *Herzogin Sophie Charlotte* (which originally named *Albert Rickmers*)
Named after *Herzogin (Duchess) Cecilie von Mecklenburg-Schwerin*, a young woman who was betrothed to the eldest son of Kaiser Wilhelm II and who was therefore expected to be a future Empress of Germany (presumably didn't happen)
Both the Herzogin Sophie Charlotte and the Herzogin Cecilie were
Gross tonnage: 3,242t Length : 94.48m ( 310 ft ) Breadth : 14.02m ( 46 ft ) Depth : 7.53m ( 24.8 ft )
Max payload: c. 4,200 tons
Crew : typically 81 as German cadet ship, 25 when operated by Gustav Erikkson
Poop Length (orig 175ft, later 194ft)
Timeline
c.July 1902. Fatality - One of the ABs killed by a block c.Oct 1903. Fatality - Sailor lost his life while trying to make fast one of the foresails. c Nov 1906 Fatality - Crew member falls from rigging c.June 1935. Fatality - Donkey engine boiler explodes, killing two crew members, Belfast.
Crashes c. Aug 1913 Collision with steamer near Hamburg. 17 Oct 1935 Collision - Hit Danish motor ferry *Dan* near Copenhagen 18 Oct 1935 Collision - Hit German trawler *Rastede* near Copenhagen
18 June 1927 Run aground - off Vorupør, Denmark 25 April 1936: Run aground - Soar Mill Cove, near Salcombe.
c. Aug 1912: Refit - including Poop deck extended from 175ft to 194ft
2 Aug 1914 - 1 Oct 1920 "Stranded" in Chile due to the outbreak of World War I (firstly at Guaycan, later at Coquimbo)
Stowaway Fell over Race with Beatrice
Alternative Spellings:
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pommern_%28ship%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barque http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aland Gustav Erikkson Mariehamn Grain Races
"Herzogin Cecilie - the Life and Times of a Four Masted Barque" - Basil Greenhill & John Hackman, Pub 1991 Conway Maritime Press