Last revised 16 December 2003
TEESSHIPS
A FAVOURITE SHIP
JEROEN
When I went along to the THPA Craft Depot (former Middlesbrough Wharf, former Tyne-Tees/Dents Wharves, originally area of Port Darlington) on 17 August 1973 my objective was to record the then brand new Port Authority grab dredger SEAL SANDS. Having done that my eye then wandered to another ship a little way along the quay on adjoining premises which turned out to be the veteran JEROEN.
She stayed around the port area for a while, but I cannot recall seeing her actually working at anything, and then moved over to Hartlepool where the above view was taken on 25 May 1975. Shortly thereafter she was broken up at Hartlepool.
As can be seen from the straight stem, she was something of a veteran. She had been built by E.J. Smit & Zoon of Hoogezand in 1930 as the ATLANTIC. She lasted under that name until renamed ODILE R in 1953; after which she became GEA-M in 1962, DESIREE in 1967, and JEROEN in 1969. Of a diminutive 221 gross tons the JEROEN was recorded as in the ownership of Hocra S.A., Panama flag. My understanding is that in arriving on the Tees she had been acquired by one of the local operators then in evidence on the river.
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1.3.01: Jaap de Roode has sent in this photo of the ship in her original guise as ATLANTIC. As he says - a beautiful, clean, brave little ship:
Thanks, Jaap.
16.12.03: Among a spate of interesting photos showing
on Riversea International (George Robinson) [see LINKS page] is this view
by Charlie Hill of the DESIREE on the River Ouse.
