May Technical Specification

This section will, in time, contain the stories of more than 450 merchant ships built or owned in the Hartlepools, and which were lost during the First World War. As an illustration of the truly global nature of shipbuilding, these ships were owned by companies from 22 different countries, including more than 30 sailing under the German flag at the outbreak of war.

Fritz Herskind owned ships from the early 1870's. Herksind & Woods was formed in 1884 between Fritz and Peter Herskind and James Jabez Woods. The partnership was dissolved by mutual consent on the 20th August 1892. On 31st August 1892 the Company became known as Herskind & Co. with the main shareholders Fritz and his father Peter.

Five of Fritz's early ships were built by Matthew Pearse and two by Ropner. All of his subsequent ships were built in West Hartlepool and all appear to have been purchased new.

Official No. 65026: Code Letters JPLG: Code Letters HMGV.

Owners: 1870 Herskind & Co (Fritz Herskind & Woods) West Hartlepool: 1875 Red A/B Julius Caesar (I Hirsch) Stockholm-renamed Julius Caesar; 1882 Fornyade Angf. Svenska Lloyd-Gothenburg: 1898 Rederiaktieb Nordsjon (JC Hulthen) Helsingborg, Sweden: 1913 Angf Aktieb Malmen (Moller & Persson) Stockholm, Sweden-renamed Norrmalm; 1915 Red A/B Fylgia-Stockholm: 1915 CA Admunsson, Gothenburg-renamed Maj; 1916 A/B Margit (G Reuter) Gothenburg.

Masters: 1872 TD Turner: 1873 HGW Aaris (Master N. 29965); 1887-99 C G v Hamm: 1902 J Hall: 1906-07 SCH Hammargren: 1909-15 AW Nilsson: 1917 A Wimmerstedt.

Shields Daily News, Monday 16^th May, 1870:
LAUNCH AT WEST HARTLEPOOL. On Saturday afternoon, Messrs. Denton, Gray & Co., launched two fine and handsome screw steamers. The largest was the Blythwood, built for Messrs. Watts, Milvain, and Co., of Newcastle-on-Tyne for the Danube trade…The other ship, the May, to the order of Mr Herskind, of West Hartlepool and others. Her dimensions are 227 ft. in length, 29ft. breadth, 16½ ft. depth of hold, 862 tons gross register, 96 horse-power surface condensing engines, by Messrs. Richardson and Sons of Middleton Works; fitted for water ballast and to be schooner rigged. She is for the Mediterranean trade. As they glided from the stocks the christening ceremony was performed in the most graceful style by Miss Rose-Denton [possibly Rosa Denton] on the May, and Miss Nelly Gray on the Blythwood.

Shields Daily Gazette Friday 4^th June, 1970:
On Wednesday last, a very handsomely modelled screw-steamer, called the May (Captain Murrell), built by Messrs Denton, Gray, and Co., West Hartlepool, made her trial trip as far as Whitby. She is a vessel 856 tons gross, and about 1,280 burden ; and has been constructed for the Mediterranean trade, to the order of Messrs Herskind and Co., of West Hartlepool. Her engines are 96 horse power compound, and are supplied by Messrs Richardson and Sons, and the vessel is schooner rigged. The average speed attained was about 9½ knots, and the style in which she acquitted herself pleased all on board.

On 11 December 1872 a valuable telescope in a mahogany box was presented to the master of the May, T.D. Turner by William, the King of Prussia, for rescuing the crew of the Bebe of Stettin on 6 August 1872.

Northern Echo Thursday, November 20^th, 1873:
WRECK OF A WEST HARTLEPOOL STEAMER. Messrs Herskind and Co., of West Hartlepool, on Tuesday, received a telegram from Nykoping, Sweden, to the effect that, on Sunday, whilst in charge of a pilot, their new screw steamer the May, 1,400 tons, commanded by Captain Aarus, struck a hidden reef, whilst entering the river at Oxelsund, near Nykoping, on the east coast of Sweden, and sunk. The May was laden with a cargo of iron, and Das bound from the Tees to Oxelsund, but it is understood that the cargo was insured. The captain and crew are also said to be safe.

‘Inquiry held at the Naval Court at Norrkoping.
SS May was bound from Middlesbrough for Oxelosund with a cargo of railway material when she struck an unknown rock in the middle of the southern part of the Aspo Fiord on the passage from Kattelo to Granso pilot station, & in consequence was run ashore on the Ormoarne Rocks in a sinking state & became a total wreck. As the Court were satisfied that the rock on which the vessel struck was not marked on the chart they did not consider anyone was to blame for the loss of the vessel & therefore aquitted the master & officers of all blame & returned their certificates to them.

It was, however, proved that whilst the vessel was passing through the narrows of Rolsundet, in charge of pilot Berg, about 10 minutes previously to striking the sunken rock, she struck against Rotholmen, but did not sustain material damage, & as all the pilot’s orders as regarding steering etc had been implicitly obeyed, the Court considered him alone responsible for the casualty. They further felt surprised that the pilot should have assured the master that he could take a vessel of that length & draught of water of May through the inner channel from Kattelo northwards.

The Court expressed their opinion that the pilot, owing to his advanced age (nearly 70) was incapable of commanding sufficient nerve & energy to enable him to meet the various exigencies of his profession.

In conclusion, the Court suggested the masters of large British steamships should be cautioned against handing over the entire command of their vessels to the pilot when they navigate the inner & intricate channels of the Skargard Archipelago, as the pilots at some of the less frequented stations are not accustomed to the handling of large steamers.

The Court ordered that the whole of the expenses connected with the inquiry should be paid by the owners of the vessel.’

Bound from Gothenburg for London Maj was wrecked off Kvasheim lighthouse 28 October 1918.