John H Amos
Encyclopedia
John H Amos is a paddlewheel
tugboat
built in England
in 1931. The last paddlewheel tug built for private owners, now owned by the Medway Maritime Trust. She is one of only two surviving British-built paddle tugs, the other being Eppleton Hall
preserved at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
in San Francisco, California
.
Conservancy Commissioners and built by Bow, McLachlan and Company
Ltd. of Paisley
, Scotland
. She was named to honour of the Secretary to the Commissioners, John Hetherington Amos who died in 1934. Before completion Bow, McLachlan & Co. went into liquidation
and its yard was taken over by National Shipbuilders Securities
(NSS). NSS finished the work by using materials that were already available in the yard, which resulted n a variation to design specification: some parts where therefore better, while others were worse.
On first steaming, it was discovered that the boiler
s used could not supply enough steam for the diagonal compound engines, meaning she could only reach 11 knots instead of the intended 13 knots. She was completed in 1931 but the Tees Conservancy Commissioners did not accept her for another two years before remedial work was completed to bring her up to design specification.
, mate
, two engineers (one for each engine), a stoker and a deck hand.
Said to have been an inefficient boat as a tug, she was given a certificate for 144 passengers to make her more useful. In the mouth of the River Tees was pier known as the Fifth Buoy Light: when approaching the river, ships had the two lights in line they knew they were on the right course. In the middle of the structure was a building described as a dance hall
, which belonged to the Tees Commissioners, which the John H Amos was used to transport passengers to.
There were regular incidents of alcohol
smuggling
on the Tees, and in 1959 the boat was arrested for smuggling, having towed some off-shore barges into the river. The master was changed for a period, and the boat taken to court, although no individual was eventually charged.
Like all paddle steamers she had a shallow draught. When towing barges, they were always lashed alongside, and she would normally use only one paddle. Although wide, the configuration allowed efficient operation in shallow draught water, and hence why she worked for so long.
for "The People of Cleveland." In December 1971 she was moved from Middlesbrough
to Stockton
Corporation Quay, with a plan using trainee's to convert the tug into a floating museum.
based businessmen, who operated the UK's only steam powered tug fleet, purchased the boat for £3,500. After a dispute within the council at the sale, she left Stockton watched by a crowd of 400 to the accompaniment of Rule Britannia played by a local brass band
on March 4, 1976.
Renamed Hero she became part of the fleet of International Towing Ltd (ITL), based at Gun Wharf, Chatham Dockyard
. By the end of 1976, the partners split the ITL fleet, and John H Amos moved from Gun Wharf to Milton Creek, and then Faversham Creek.
When HMS Endurance
returned from the Falklands War
, the Royal Navy
offered the newly formed Medway Maritime Trust two buoys on which to moor their two boats.
, John H Amos to moved to a new berth on which she sat on a lump of concrete. Resultantly holed, the dockyard trust agreed she could be moored on a free slipway.
In November 1999, John H Amos was listed as part of the National Historic Fleet, Core Collection
as a vessel of "Pre-eminent National Significance" and among the most worthy vessels for preservation.
In 2001 the ownership was transferred to the Medway Maritime Trust, with funding from the Science Museum
. Restoration grant aid was given from the Heritage Lottery Fund
, National Historic Ships and Rochester Bridge Trust.
Due to be slipped in 2004, timing and contractual delays meant she stayed on the slipway. In 2006, the trust acquired Portal Narvik, the remains of the former Tank Landing Ship
HMS Narvik. After earning monies to pay for the lift of John H Amos, in May 2009 one of the largest sea cranes in Europe, the GPS Atlas, lifted John H Amos onto Portal Narvik.
The pair are now moored alongside the Historic Dockyard, awaiting funds for restoration of the boat.
In 2008 Chatham-born artist Billy Childish
made several paintings of the John H Amos.
Paddle steamer
A paddle steamer is a steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans...
tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
built in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1931. The last paddlewheel tug built for private owners, now owned by the Medway Maritime Trust. She is one of only two surviving British-built paddle tugs, the other being Eppleton Hall
Eppleton Hall (1914)
The Eppleton Hall is a paddlewheel tugboat built in England in 1914. The only remaining intact example of a River Tyne paddle tug, and one of only two surviving British-built paddle tugs , she is preserved at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park in San Francisco,...
preserved at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
The San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park is located in San Francisco, California, USA. The park includes a fleet of historic vessels, a visitor center, a maritime museum, and a library/research facility...
in San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Construction
John H Amos was commissioned for the River TeesRiver Tees
The River Tees is in Northern England. It rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the North Pennines, and flows eastwards for 85 miles to reach the North Sea between Hartlepool and Redcar.-Geography:...
Conservancy Commissioners and built by Bow, McLachlan and Company
Bow, McLachlan and Company
Bow, McLachlan and Company was a Scottish marine engineering and shipbuilding company that traded between 1872 and 1932.-1872-1914:In 1872 William Bow and John McLachlan founded the company at Abbotsinch, Renfrewshire, where it made steering gear and light marine steam engines. In 1900 the company...
Ltd. of Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. She was named to honour of the Secretary to the Commissioners, John Hetherington Amos who died in 1934. Before completion Bow, McLachlan & Co. went into liquidation
Liquidation
In law, liquidation is the process by which a company is brought to an end, and the assets and property of the company redistributed. Liquidation is also sometimes referred to as winding-up or dissolution, although dissolution technically refers to the last stage of liquidation...
and its yard was taken over by National Shipbuilders Securities
National Shipbuilders Securities
National Shipbuilders Securities was a UK Government body established in 1930 to remove over-capacity from the British shipbuilding industry. Between 1930 and 1938 it bought numerous shipbuilders that were in economic difficulties. It closed most of the yards it bought, including Bow, McLachlan and...
(NSS). NSS finished the work by using materials that were already available in the yard, which resulted n a variation to design specification: some parts where therefore better, while others were worse.
On first steaming, it was discovered that the boiler
Boiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
s used could not supply enough steam for the diagonal compound engines, meaning she could only reach 11 knots instead of the intended 13 knots. She was completed in 1931 but the Tees Conservancy Commissioners did not accept her for another two years before remedial work was completed to bring her up to design specification.
Operations
Between 1940 and 1967, the period covered by the Daily Towage Records at Teesside Archives, she took barges to dredgers and the dumping grounds, towed dredgers which had no propulsion of their own, and transferred the crews. She had a crew of six: masterCaptain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
, mate
Chief Mate
A Chief Mate or Chief Officer, usually also synonymous with the First Mate or First Officer , is a licensed member and head of the deck department of a merchant ship...
, two engineers (one for each engine), a stoker and a deck hand.
Said to have been an inefficient boat as a tug, she was given a certificate for 144 passengers to make her more useful. In the mouth of the River Tees was pier known as the Fifth Buoy Light: when approaching the river, ships had the two lights in line they knew they were on the right course. In the middle of the structure was a building described as a dance hall
Dance hall
Dance hall in its general meaning is a hall for dancing. From the earliest years of the twentieth century until the early 1960s, the dance hall was the popular forerunner of the discothèque or nightclub...
, which belonged to the Tees Commissioners, which the John H Amos was used to transport passengers to.
There were regular incidents of alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
on the Tees, and in 1959 the boat was arrested for smuggling, having towed some off-shore barges into the river. The master was changed for a period, and the boat taken to court, although no individual was eventually charged.
Like all paddle steamers she had a shallow draught. When towing barges, they were always lashed alongside, and she would normally use only one paddle. Although wide, the configuration allowed efficient operation in shallow draught water, and hence why she worked for so long.
First period of preservation
Withdrawn from service in 1967, two years later she was presented by the Tees and Hartlepool Ports Authority to the County Borough of TeessideCounty Borough of Teesside
Teesside was, from 1968 to 1974, a local government district in northern England. It comprised a conurbation that spanned both sides of the River Tees from which it took its name...
for "The People of Cleveland." In December 1971 she was moved from Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
to Stockton
Stockton
-Places:Australia:*Stockton, New South WalesNew Zealand:*Stockton, New ZealandUnited Kingdom:*Stockton, Cheshire*Stockton, Norfolk*Stockton, Warwickshire*Stockton, Wiltshire*Stockton-on-Tees*Stockton-on-Teme*Stockton-on-the-ForestUnited States:...
Corporation Quay, with a plan using trainee's to convert the tug into a floating museum.
1976–99
As a result of UK Government reorganisation of funding, the youth project based restoration was withdrawn and the boat put up for sale. Two River ThamesRiver Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
based businessmen, who operated the UK's only steam powered tug fleet, purchased the boat for £3,500. After a dispute within the council at the sale, she left Stockton watched by a crowd of 400 to the accompaniment of Rule Britannia played by a local brass band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
on March 4, 1976.
Renamed Hero she became part of the fleet of International Towing Ltd (ITL), based at Gun Wharf, Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Historic Dockyard
Chatham Historic Dockyard is a maritime museum on part of the site of the former royal/naval dockyard at Chatham in Kent, England.Chatham Dockyard covered 400 acres and was one of the Royal Navy's main facilities for several hundred years until it was closed in 1984. After closure the dockyard was...
. By the end of 1976, the partners split the ITL fleet, and John H Amos moved from Gun Wharf to Milton Creek, and then Faversham Creek.
When HMS Endurance
HMS Endurance (1967)
HMS Endurance was a Royal Navy ice patrol vessel that served from 1967 to 1991. She came to public notice when she was involved in the Falklands War of 1982.-Service history:...
returned from the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
, the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
offered the newly formed Medway Maritime Trust two buoys on which to moor their two boats.
Second period of preservation
John H Amos hence moved to Anchor Wharf, Historic Dockyard. When the Dockyard Trust acquired the submarine HMS Ocelot (S17)HMS Ocelot (S17)
HMS Ocelot was an Oberon-class diesel-electric submarine laid down by HM Dockyard at Chatham in Kent on 17 November 1960, launched on 5 May 1962 and commissioned on 31 January 1964. She joined the 3rd Flotilla based at HMNB Clyde, in Faslane...
, John H Amos to moved to a new berth on which she sat on a lump of concrete. Resultantly holed, the dockyard trust agreed she could be moored on a free slipway.
In November 1999, John H Amos was listed as part of the National Historic Fleet, Core Collection
National Historic Fleet, Core Collection
The National Historic Fleet, Core Collection is a list of museum ships located in the United Kingdom, under the National Historic Ships register.The vessels on the National Historic Fleet are distinguished by:...
as a vessel of "Pre-eminent National Significance" and among the most worthy vessels for preservation.
In 2001 the ownership was transferred to the Medway Maritime Trust, with funding from the Science Museum
Science museum
A science museum or a science centre is a museum devoted primarily to science. Older science museums tended to concentrate on static displays of objects related to natural history, paleontology, geology, industry and industrial machinery, etc. Modern trends in museology have broadened the range of...
. Restoration grant aid was given from the Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
, National Historic Ships and Rochester Bridge Trust.
Due to be slipped in 2004, timing and contractual delays meant she stayed on the slipway. In 2006, the trust acquired Portal Narvik, the remains of the former Tank Landing Ship
Tank landing ship
Landing Ship, Tank was the military designation for naval vessels created during World War II to support amphibious operations by carrying significant quantities of vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto an unimproved shore....
HMS Narvik. After earning monies to pay for the lift of John H Amos, in May 2009 one of the largest sea cranes in Europe, the GPS Atlas, lifted John H Amos onto Portal Narvik.
The pair are now moored alongside the Historic Dockyard, awaiting funds for restoration of the boat.
In 2008 Chatham-born artist Billy Childish
Billy Childish
Billy Childish is an English artist, painter, author, poet, photographer, film maker, singer and guitarist...
made several paintings of the John H Amos.