Herzogin Cecilie facts for kids
Herzogin Cecilie
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Quick facts for kids History |
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| Name | Herzogin Cecilie |
| Owner |
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| Port of registry |
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| Builder | Rickmers Schiffbau AG, Bremerhaven |
| Yard number | 122 |
| Launched | 22 April 1902 |
| Completed | 7 June 1902 |
| Out of service | 25 April 1936 |
| Identification |
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| Fate | Sank, 18 January 1939 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage |
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| Length | 334 ft 8 in (102.01 m) |
| Beam | 46 ft 3 in (14.10 m) |
| Height | 175 ft 6 in (53.49 m) |
| Draught | 24 ft 2 in (7.37 m) |
| Propulsion | sails |
| Sail plan | 4-masted barque, 38,000 square feet (3,530 m2) sail area |
| Crew |
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The Herzogin Cecilie was a famous German-built four-mast barque. A barque is a type of sailing ship with at least three masts. This ship was named after Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, who was a German Crown Princess. The word Herzogin means Duchess in German. The ship sailed under the flags of Germany, France, and Finland during its life.
Contents
A Ship's Journey: History of the Herzogin Cecilie
The Herzogin Cecilie was built in 1902 by Rickmers Schiffbau AG in Bremerhaven, Germany. It was launched on April 22, 1902, and finished building on June 7 of that year. The ship was about 102 meters (334 feet) long. It was 14 meters (46 feet) wide and had a depth of 7.3 meters (24 feet).
The ship was built for a company called Norddeutscher Lloyd. Unlike many other German merchant sailing ships of its time, the Herzogin Cecilie was painted white. It was known as one of the fastest windjammers ever built. A windjammer is a large sailing ship. It could reach speeds of 21 knots (about 39 kilometers or 24 miles per hour).
Sailing the World's Trade Routes
At that time, large sailing ships like the Herzogin Cecilie were still important for long trade routes. They were especially useful where steamers (ships powered by engines) had trouble getting enough coal. Two main routes were the Chilean nitrate trade and the Australian wheat trade.
The nitrate trade involved carrying saltpeter from Chile to Europe. The wheat trade brought grain from Australia to Europe. Both routes required sailing around Cape Horn, a very difficult and stormy area at the southern tip of South America.
The Herzogin Cecilie was one of the fastest merchant sailing ships. It was as fast as the famous Flying-P-Liners. In 1903, it sailed from Portland, Oregon to The Lizard in England in just 106 days. This was a very fast trip for a sailing ship.
Changes of Ownership and the Grain Races
When World War I started, the ship was held in Chile. It returned to Germany in 1920. After the war, it was given to France as a form of payment for damages. Later, it was sold to Gustaf Erikson of Finland for £4250. Its home port became Mariehamn.
After the war, the price of saltpeter dropped. So, Gustaf Erikson used the ship to carry grain from Australia to Europe. This led to exciting "grain races." In these races, several tall ships would try to be the first to arrive in Europe. The first ship to arrive could sell its cargo for a higher price.
Ships usually loaded grain in places like Port Victoria, South Australia. Then they sailed to Europe, often aiming for ports in the British Isles like Falmouth, Cornwall. The Herzogin Cecilie was very good at these races. It won the grain race four times between 1926 and 1936.
In 1927, the ship sailed from Port Lincoln, Australia, to Falmouth, England. It won a race against a Swedish ship called Beatrice. A writer named Alan Villiers was on board during this trip. His experience led him to write a book called Falmouth for Orders.
The Final Voyage and Wreck
On January 21, 1935, the Herzogin Cecilie left Port Lincoln, Australia. It was carrying a cargo of wheat. The ship was captained by Sven Erikson, with Elis Karlsson as first mate. It took a more southerly route than usual. On May 18, it reached Falmouth, England, in just 86 days. This was the second fastest trip ever recorded for this route.
However, on April 25, 1936, the ship ran into trouble. It was sailing towards Ipswich in thick fog. It hit Ham Stone Rock and then drifted onto the cliffs of Bolt Head on the south Devon coast in England.
After some of its cargo was removed, the ship floated again. In June 1936, it was towed to Starhole Bay, near Salcombe, and left there. Sadly, on January 18, 1939, the ship capsized (flipped over) and sank. The remains of the ship now rest about 7 meters (23 feet) deep in the water.
Preserving the Ship's Memory
Even though the ship sank, parts of it were saved. The wood and brass portholes from the ship's chart room were used to build a small room in the Cottage Hotel at Hope Cove. You can still visit this room today. It has many photos and newspaper clippings about the wreck.
There is also a collection of items from the ship in a small museum. This museum is at Sven Eriksson's family home in Lemland, Finland. The most beautiful item saved from the ship is the captain's saloon (a fancy living room). The owner saved it before the ship was abandoned. It is now beautifully restored and displayed in the Åland Maritime Museum in Mariehamn, Finland.
The ship and its last journey were even remembered in a folk song by Ken Stephens, called Herzogin Cecile.
Ship Identification Numbers
Before IMO Numbers were used, ships had Official Numbers. The Herzogin Cecilie had the Finnish Official Number 703. It also used the Code Letters TPMK for communication.
Images for kids
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Herzogin Cecilie, photographed at Queensland, Australia
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The restored captain's saloon, in the Åland Maritime Museum
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Wreck of the Herzogin Cecilie
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Wreck of the Herzogin Cecilie in south Devon
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Duchess Cecilie, Crown Princess of Prussia, in 1908, for whom the vessel was named.
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