Nelcebee, Birkenhead

Designed & built in Glasgow in 1883, transported in pieces on the “City of York” to Port Adelaide where she was reassembled for use as a tug & lighter in Port Pirie. Sold 1927, converted into a ketch with a diesel engine & 2 masts and served in SA’s coastal ports loading overseas ships with wool, wheat, barley & other goods for export. She was often in the news for running aground or being rammed and requiring repairs. Sold again 1962, she supplied Kangaroo Island until her retirement in 1982, she was removed from the water 2005 and now stands on shore adjacent to the “City of Adelaide’. [Photo from State Library of SA: PRG 1373/37/43 (1883). Nelcebee being constructed on Cruikshank’s slip, Birkenhead.]

 

“Much inconvenience is felt on account of having no steam-tug in the Port. I believe Captain Wilson, late owner of the craft Star of Hope, has gone to England to purchase a suitable tug in time for next season.” [Port Augusta Dispatch 23 Aug 1882]

 

“Captain Wilson. . . another vessel to take the place of his Star of Hope. . . The hull, deckhouses, and decks are of iron, and the machinery is of the most modern description, the vessel having compound engines, with horizontal tubular boiler. The vessel is intended for towing and lighterage purposes, and during the construction had been supervised by Captain Wilson. The hull was built in the yard, and when put together the various plates and pieces were marked and numbered to facilitate fixing her up again on arrival here. The material was shipped on board the City of York, and directly it is landed here it will be put together and the craft launched as quickly as possible, when she will take up the old berth at Port Pirie.” [Register 20 Feb 1883]

 

“A boiler and engines were landed from the ship City of York on Thursday afternoon for a huge steam-tug to be employed at Port Pirie. The hull was also imported in pieces, and the vessel will be put together and rigged out at Port Adelaide.” [Advertiser 13 Apr 1883]

 

“The new steamer for Captain Wilson, which lately came out from Scotland in sections, is now being put together in Mr. Cruikshank's ship-building yard at Birkenhead, Port Adelaide. It is the largest vessel ever seen is the course of construction on a Port cradle. . .The vessel was designed and built by Messrs. T. B. Seath & Co., of Rutherglen, Glasgow, and is the 229th steamer constructed by them during the last quarter of a century. Seath & Co. are the shipbuilders for the Trinity Board of London, and are considered to be one of the best firms on the Clyde for the building of steamships.” [Advertiser 26 Apr 1883]

 

“the steamer Nelcebee, destined for the Spencer's Gulf trade, was launched from Cruickshank's shipbuilding-yard. The Nelcebee is an iron-built screw-steamer, 115 feet long, 19 feet beam, and 9 ft. 6 in. depth, and was the 229th boat designed by Mr. Seth, at Glasgow, where she was fitted up. She was sent out in pieces, and put together for Captain Wilson by Mr. Cruickshank.” [Evening Journal 21 Jun 1883]

 

“Fears are entertained at Port Adelaide in respect to the safety of the steamer Nelcebee, now more than a week overdue from Tasmania. She left Port Adelaide for Circular Head in ballast on August 1, arriving there safely in two or three days. She loaded 12 tons of potatoes for Mr. Charlick, of Port Adelaide, and steamed away in apparently good trim and condition on Tuesday, August 7, since which time she has not been heard of.” [Advertiser 20 Aug 1883]

 

“Kingscote, August 23. The missing steamer Nelcebee arrived here at 12 o'clock to-day. Captain Wilson reports that he left Circular Head on the 7th August. The wind having veered to the west-north-west he was obliged to go into Sea Elephant Bay, King's Island.” [Register 24 Aug 1883]

 

“The Nelcebee.— This steamer arrived at the Semaphore on Sunday, having been twenty days out from Circular Head, with a cargo of potatoes. . . all were well on board and had been so throughout. It further transpired that the reason for her non-arrival was the fact that during some very heavy weather the pumps choked with chips and rubbish, to such an extent that on returning to shelter there were seventeen buckets of rubbish and a bucket and a half of rivets taken from the bilges and pump-pipes.” [Register 27 Aug 1883]

 

“The steamer Nelcebee started for Port Pirie on Saturday. If the prospects of the harvest are only partly confirmed she will prove a valuable adjunct to the trade of that port, as she is adapted specially for towage and lighterage purposes.” [Advertiser 3 Sep 1883]

 

“Port Augusta. . . The City of Adelaide, for the United kingdom, was towed out on Saturday morning by the Nelcebee.” [Register 22 Oct 1883]

 

“Port Augusta. . . The last wool ship, the Ascalon, cleared this morning in tow of the Nelcebee. Her cargo, which consists of 4,502 bales of wool, besides several tons of horns, hoofs, and scrap iron, is estimated to be worth about £70,000, being the most valuable sent home this season.” [Weekly Chronicle 27 Oct 1883]

 

“Port Germein. . . The steamer Nelcebee, with an iron barge in tow, arrived safely with her charge this afternoon. The barge will hold 800 bags of wheat, and will be invaluable for lighterage purposes. The arrival of the Nelcebee and the Parliamentary party at the same time caused a little mild excitement.” [Advertiser 29 Nov 1883]

 

“Marine excursions seem to have taken on with the public during the last few months, owing, no doubt, to the very hot weather we have been experiencing. St. Patrick's Literary Society having decided to try one, the Steam Tug Company's boat, ‘Nelcebee’, was engaged for Tuesday, when a large crowd left the Semaphore Jetty, their route being towards Brighton, passing the anchorage, thus giving those on board an opportunity of seeing the English Mail Steamer.” [Southern Cross 19 Feb 1897]

 

“The old favourite Elder Liner Torrens was fully equipped for the homeward voyage on Wednesday, and in the latter part of the afternoon was towed out by the tug Nelcebee. The Torrens takes away a large assorted cargo for London, including 7,135 bags bark, 6.S02 bags concentrates, 1,789 ingots spelter, 1,016 bales wool, a quantity of skins and tallow, and 480 ingots copper. For St. Helena, where the vessel calls en route, she has a large quantity of grain, comprising 1,400 bags flour, 340 bags oats, and some bags of wheat and barley. There is also a consignment of dripping for St. Helena, comprising 340 cases. The Torrens, which left in charge of Captain Angel, had five passengers on board for London.” [Evening Journal 25 Mar 1897]

 

“Port Pirie. . . Whilst towing the Chiltonford out to-day the Nelcebee swung athwart the stream, and before she could be straightened the Chiltonford drifted on her forcing the Nelcebee's bow through a plate of the Clackmannanshire.” [Advertiser 8 Jun 1897]

 

“The Adelaide Steamtug Company is said to have entered into a contract with the Broken Hill Proprietary Company to convey about 1,000 tons of ironstone flux from Iron Knob to Port Pirie weekly. It is expected that the hulks York and Urebus, along with the tug Nelcebee, will shortly be dispatched to Port Pirie for this purpose.” [Evening Journal 12 Aug 1901]

 

“Port Pirie. . . The tug Nelcebee, which left here yesterday for south-east ports to engage in lightering wool, is reported to be ashore on Bird Island, near Wallaroo.” [Register 29 Oct 1901]

 

“the steamer Nelcebee, which was stranded on Bird Island in heavy weather on Monday last, had been floated. She was got off at 7 o'clock on Friday morning, and left in tow of the launch Mermaid for Wallaroo.” [Advertiser 2 Nov 1901]

 

“Tugboat Nelcebee collides with dolphin. . . The Nelcebee, with Captain Anderson in charge, left the jetty at Hummocks Hill at .midnight with about nine passengers on board and a barge in tow. A strong ebb tide was running at the time, and this swept the Nelcebee close into the dolphin, some feet away from the jetty, and the vessel hit the obstruction when passing. The captain and crew were so busy attending to the barge that the mishap was not noticed at the time. . . The first mate had a boat lowered, and conveyed the passengers to the jetty. . . When the tide rose there was four feet of water in the cabins and mess room.” [Port Pirie Recorder 29 Feb 1916]

 

“the Adelaide Steamtug Company's Nelcebee, which has been carrying passengers and cargo between Port Pirie and Whyalla, and was being withdrawn for overhaul.” [Chronicle 5 Jun 1926]

 

“Wharf visitors at Port Adelaide have expressed curiosity concerning a grey-painted vessel with steamer lines, but having the sailer rig, lying at Darling's Wharf, Birkenhead. A complete transformation. . . few would recognise the craft as the former steamer Nelcebee, which for many years did yeoman service in Spencer's Gulf.” [News 19 Jan 1928]

 

“Two vessels that changed hands recently were slipped today for repainting below waters mark and to permit other work being done. They are the Eleanor and Nelcebee. Both ships were at one time steam driven and were used for towing purposes. They are now sail rigged, and in both vessels motor engines are to be fitted to provide auxiliary power.” [News 21 Jan 1928]

 

“A collision occurred in the Port River yesterday afternoon between the Coast Steamship Company's small steamer Warrawee and the ketch Nelcebee, owned by Captain E. Hipkins. . . both vessels escaped without serious damage. At the time of the mishap the Warrawee was preparing to berth at McLaren wharf after completing the passage from Edithburgh, and the ketch was passing from the Basin through Robinson-bridge on her way down to the steamer Anglo Saxon, berthed at Queen's wharf.” [Advertiser 20 Jan 1931]

 

“The sight of the old Nelcebee — now privately owned and converted into an auxiliary craft-chugging its way down the river on Thursday morning roused recollections of the days when this boat was on the run between here and Hummocky Hill (as Whyalla was then called) under the command of Captain Benton. At least two trips a week used to be made in those times, and probably many will have painful memories of their experiences as passengers. In rough weather the Nelcebee used to have the reputation of being able to do anything but stand on her bow.” [Recorder, Port Pirie 11 Apr 1931]

 

“Port Victoria. . . Serious consequences were narrowly averted when the schooner Gerard and motor lighter Nelcebee came into collision last night. . . The Nelcebee had loaded 2,100 bags of wheat at Tumby Bay, and was bound for the barque Padua here. . . the Neleelbee's crew was transferred to the Gerard. Captain Hipkins stood by his ship, and when it was seen that there was hope of saving her the crew was recalled. Two hundred and fifty bags of wheat were hastily jettisoned, and with the Gerard standing by, the craft was steered for Wardang Island with all speed. Here the vessel was beached at one a.m. . . Much of the wheat will be damaged.” [Advertiser 27 Jan 1934]

 

“Temporarily patched up, the Nelcebee has returned to Port Adelaide and is now undergoing extensive repairs on the central slip at Birkenhead. No estimate of the damage has been prepared, but costs of repairs are expected to be heavy. The vessel was damaged six inches below the waterline, just forward of the bridge, and considerable damage was done to the upper decking.” [News 3 Feb 1934]

 

“The first Court of Marine Enquiry to sit in South Australia since 1918 began the hearing today of serious charges against the masters of two ketches, the Gerard and the Nelcebee.” [News 23 Apr 1934]

 

“Edward Henry Hipkins, jun., master of the ketch Nelcebee, was found guilty of culpable negligence, and his certificate of competency was suspended for six months. The court added a recommendation that during the period of suspension he should be granted a mate's certificate. Gustav Reinhold Emanuel Bergland, master of the auxiliary schooner Gerard, was found guilty of a technical offence, which in no way reflected upon his competency as a seaman. He was severely censured for not having kept a better look-out.” [News 5 May 1934]

 

“in the Supreme Court. . . opened the case for Caroline Hipkins, owner of the ship Nelcebee, who sued for £1200 damages from the captain and owners of the ship Gerard, which collided with the Nelcebee near Wardang Island, off Port Victoria, about midnight on January 25. The defendants, Oscar Einar Olsson, of first avenue, Cheltenham, Gustaf R. E. Bergland, of Bower road, Glanville, R. Fricker & Co., Ltd., of Lipson street, Port Adelaide, David Deex, of Durham terrace, Franklin, Percy R. Flicker, of Port Adelaide, and Doreen May Fricker, of Port Adelaide, counterclaimed £900 damages.” [Advertiser 18 May 1934]

 

“in the Supreme Court in Admiralty Jurisdiction Mr. Justice Piper found that the ship Nelcebee was free from blame in the collision with the Gerard. . . the master of the Gerard was to blame for not having had and maintained a proper look-out, and that the collision was caused by the negligent navigation of the Gerard. Judgment was given for Caroline Hipkins, owner of the Nelcebee, for damages to be decided by the Registrar, and costs to be decided by the court. . . The claim was for £1,200 damages, and by consent it was amended today to £1,800 damages.” [Recorder, Port Pirie 29 Jun 1934]

 

“Sydney. . . the High Court today dismissed with costs the appeal from Mr. Justice Piper's decision in favor of Caroline Hipkins, owner of the schooner Nelcebee, She had claimed £1,800 damages from the master and owners of the schooner Gerard. . . The master and owners of the Gerard counterclaimed for £900. Mr. Justice Starke considered that both vessels should be held to blame, with the result that the loss should be divided.” [News 29 Dec 1934]

 

“The fourth court proceedings regarding a collision at sea, near Wardang Island, between the schooners Nelcebee and Gerard, shortly before midnight on January 25, 1934, were begun yesterday, before a specially constituted Court of Marine Enquiry, at the Port Adelaide Courthouse.” [Advertiser 1 Jul 1936]

 

“The dismissal yesterday of charges against Capt. Edward H. Hipkins, jun., master of the auxiliary schooner Nelcebee, by the Court of Marine Inquiry presided over by Mr. President Kelly, marked the end of a long fight to have his name cleared, following a collision between his vessel and the auxiliary schooner Gerard off Port Victoria on January 25, 1934. . . The Court of Marine Inquiry. . . will report to the Harbors Board. It has no power to order that the certificate endorsement be expunged. . . request for this to be done would be considered by the members of the board.” [The Mail 18 Jul 1936]

 

“The Minister of Marine (Mr. Hudd) promised to have investigations made as to whether the endorsement on the certificate of the master of the Nelcebee, as a result of the collision with the Gerard, had been removed, in view of his exoneration by the Supreme and High Courts and a second Marine Court.” [Advertiser 29 Jul 1936]

 

“Additions to Port Nautical Museum. . . Capt. E. H. Hipkins has presented the key of the tug Nelcebee's propeller, taken out when the boiler and engine of that tug were removed, and she was converted to an auxiliary schooner.” [The Mail 1 May 1937]

 

“The Nelcebee which sailed out of Pirie in the past was a steam tug, and it came back yesterday as an auxiliary schooner. With two masts and a diminutive funnel abaft, the regenerated Nelcebee is for the moment on His Majesty's service, inspecting navigational lights and beacons. . . Now a privately owned vessel, the Nelcebee has been chartered by South Australian Harbors Board for her present trip. . . Her chief employment now is as a carrier of wheat and barley.” [Recorder, Port Pirie 20 Oct 1938]

 

“the old Nelcebee is still puffing her way round the coast of South Australia with wheat and other cargoes, and occasionally visits Pirie, the port in which, during her prime, she moved and tugged shipping amounting to many hundreds of thousands of tons.” [Recorder, Port Pirie 8 Apr 1939]

 

“Shipping at Port Vincent. The Nelcebee lifted 1,200 bags of barley on account of T. H. Webb.” [Pioneer, Yorketown 10 May 1940]

 

“The ketches Nelcebee and John Lewis have been busy lightering the remainder of last season's wheat to overseas ships anchored at Port Lincoln.” [Advertiser 9 Oct 1946]

 

“The Nelcebee ran aground on rocks and coral 200 yards from the shore about four miles west of Port Turton Jetty about 3 a.m. today. The vessel is holed near the bows, and the forward hold is flooded. Six people in the ketch are unharmed. They are the master (Capt. Brahdford), his wife, and two-year-old daughter, and three crew members.” [The Mail 9 Jun 1951]

 

“The 168-ton ketch Nelcebee, stranded on a reef off Point Turton, Yorke Peninsula, may be abandoned as a total loss. Further attempts to get the Nelcebee off the reef have been left until Monday, when there will be a very low tide.” [News 14 Jun 1951]

 

“Nelcebee was towed off the rocks near Point Turton today, 12 days after it went aground. After the hull had been packed with 400 empty sealed drums and a canvas had been placed over the holed forward section, two other ketches, the Hawk and John Lewis, towed the Nelcebee to a sandy shore near Point Turton. The ketch was beached and an examination will be made to see if it is safe to tow it back to Port Adelaide.” [Advertiser 22 Jun 1951]

 

“The ketch Nelcebee will begin fortnightly cargo runs from Port Adelaide to Cowell on Monday week. . . A spokesman for the Nelcebee's owners, M. B. Crouch & Co., said today: 'The ketch will carry about 150 tons of cargo and will take about 36 hours each way. It has Diesel engines and a sail. The crew of six will be commanded by Captain A. H, Branford. The Nelcebee is well known in the SA coastal lightering trade. For many years it has carried grain from small ports to Port Lincoln, Wallaroo, and Port Pirie.” [The Mail 12 Jul 1952]

 

“Cowell. . . The Nelcebee arrived this week with 50 tons of general cargo and sailed with 400 bales of wool.” [Advertiser 9 Aug 1952]

 

 

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