SS Stephano

SS Stephano was a passenger liner and sealing ship, owned by Bowring Brothers and operated in their Red Cross Line of Arctic steamships. Stephano is most notable for her role in the 1914 Newfoundland Sealing Disaster, under the command of Captain Abram Kean. Stephano was the sister ship to the SS Florizel.

History
United Kingdom
NameStephano
OwnerBowring Brothers
BuilderCharles Cornell & Co. Ltd. Scotstoun
Yard number341
Launched2 May 1911 Glasgow, Scotland
CompletedJune 1911
In service1911
Out of service8 October 1916
IdentificationOfficial Number 131350
FateTorpedoed and sunk near Nantucket, United States
General characteristics
Tonnage
Length326.1 ft (99.4 m)[1]
Beam46.3 ft (14.1 m)
Depth19.9 ft (6.1 m)
Installed power1 × 3 cyl. triple expansion steam engine, single shaft. output: 577 nhp[2]
Propulsion1 screw
Speed13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)
Capacity
  • 180 1st class passengers
  • 60 2nd class passengers

History

Early career

Stephano served in Bowring Brothers' Red Cross Line as a passenger steamer, and cargo vessel, between New York City and St. John's, Newfoundland, from 1911 until her sinking in 1916.[3]

1914 Newfoundland Sealing Disaster

During the 1914 sealing season, Stephano was under the command of Captain Abram Kean, a renowned sealing captain with a reputation of bringing home record breaking hauls of seal. Capt. Kean's son, Westbury Kean, was the captain of the SS Newfoundland at the time, and the two agreed to alert each other of the locations of packs of seal, despite working for separate companies.

After becoming stuck in the ice, Westbury Kean ordered his crew onto the ice to travel to the Stephano. Upon reaching the Stephano, the crew of the Newfoundland were welcomed onboard and fed lunch. Abram Kean then moved the Stephano to a pack of seals and ordered the Newfoundland crew over the side. Kean left the crew and the Stephano traveled elsewhere. The crew of the Newfoundland were left on the ice for two days and nights, during a major storm, resulting in the deaths of 77 men.[4]

First World War

On 20 March 1915, Stephano transported D Company of the First Newfoundland Regiment to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where they boarded the SS Orduña to Great Britain.[5]

Sinking

On 8 October 1916, Stephano was torpedoed by the German submarine, SM U-53, 2.5 miles (4.0 km) east-north-east of Nantucket, Massachusetts. As a result, the vessel sunk; however, there were no casualties of the 94 passengers. Stephano was one of five vessels sunk by U-53 that day.[6]

References
  1. "Screw Steamer STEPHANO built by Charles Connell & Company in 1911 for New York, Newfoundland & Halifax S.S. Co.LTD. - C.T.Bowring & Co. LTD., Liverpool, Passenger / Cargo". www.clydeships.co.uk.
  2. "SS Stephano (+1916)". wrecksite.eu. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  3. ""S.S. "Stephano" entering St. John's, Newfoundland, passing Cabot Tower, Signal Hill"". mha.mun.ca.
  4. "The 1914 Sealing Disaster". www.heritage.nf.ca.
  5. "Troop Transports, Royal Newfoundland Regiment in the First World War". www.heritage.nf.ca.
  6. "Passenger steamer Stephano - Ships hit by U-boats - German and Austrian U-boats of World War One - Kaiserliche Marine". uboat.net.

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