Wartime Shipbuilding in Kingston

In both World Wars, Canada devoted massive industrial resources to war production, and most Kingston plants were involved. Regular production was suspended or reduced while war work contracts took precedence. Warships were built at Esquimalt, Victoria, North Vancouver, Port Arthur, Collingwood, Kingston, Sorel, Levis, Quebec and Saint John. Though inland shipyards were limited in the size and scope of vessel production they could undertake, the Allied navies still required smaller vessels that could be constructed at several inland points. Kingston was one of several on the Great Lakes. The Kingston Shipyards and Canadian Dredge & Dock built 28 ships between them during both World Wars. This post summarizes that production that was vital to the war effort. A huge crowd turns out to see the launch of HMCS Napanee on August 31, 1940 (top photo - Queen's University Archives).

WORLD WAR I

Back in World War I, two Battle-class trawlers were the seventh and eighth vessels built by the Kingston Shipyards. For Royal Canadian Navy service, part of the program referred to as the Canadian Vickers or Norcross trawlers, the vessels would patrol the Atlantic Coast against German U-boats as part of the Canadian Department of Naval Service. The program was approved in February, 1917. Vickers subcontracted construction of two hulls to Kingston. (J.W. Norcross and Roy Wolvin would make several acquisitions leading to the formation of Canada Steamship Lines.)

The Thiepval broke free after launching, ending up at the LaSalle Causinseway adue to heavy winds! These vessels were 139 feet in length, 25 feet wide by 14 feet in height and were completed in Montreal. The cost of each trawler was listed in various accounts as $75,000 or, more likely $150,000. 

• HMCS Loos launched September 27, 1917(see telegram below); commissioned Aug 1 1918; decommissioned 1920; in government ervice;  recommissioned December 12, 1940 as a gate vessel at Shelburne, NS; paid off 1945; broken up 1949.
• HMCS Thiepval commissioned July 24, 1918; transited to Esquimalt via the Panama Canal in 1919; paid off 1920; recommissioned 1923 and widely-travelled in Pacific service; wrecked and sank off British Columbia on February 27, 1930.

The shipyard also built six smaller minesweepers for the Royal Navy in 1917-19 : TR-19 (launched Dec.  22, 1917), -20, -54, -55, -56, and -57. These RN vessels were five feet shorter and narrower than the first two built by the Shipyards.

WORLD WAR II

 * * CORVETTES * * 

In World War II, at Kingston Shipyards, twelve corvettes were built at Kingston between 1941 and 1943: HMCS Napanee, Prescott, Sudbury, Frontenac, Trentonian, Peterborough, Charlottetown, Belleville and Smiths Falls; reverse lend-lease USS Brisk (initially named HMS Flax launched June 15, 1942) for the U.S. Navy; lend-lease HMS Rosebay (initially named USS Splendor launched February 11, 1943) and HMS Honesty (initially named USS Caprice launched September 28, 1942 delayed one day by weather conditions) for the Royal Navy. 

The need for speed in shipbuilding for the war effort meant that one ship's keel would be laid and hull rising from the stocks, another afloat being outfitted, and a third undergoing lake trials. Or, one on the stocks and half of another alongside, ready to take to the stocks when the first launched. In 1943, for the first time, following deepening of the south-end slip by CD&D, two vessels were under construction for the first time simultaneously. While the slip was being deepened, CD&D's Dredge No. 5 sank in a storm on November 10, 1942 and was raised by Pyke Salvage Co.

Launch, commissioning, paid-off and disposition dates for the Kingston-built RCN corvettes:

• HMCS Napanee K118 was launched on August 31, 1940 though not commissioned in Montreal until May 12, 1941. Paid off July 12, 1945, scrapped at Stelco Hamilton in June, 1946. The corvette is still minus its pennant (hull classification) number and deck guns: (above - Morse/Litwiller collection photo).
• HMCS Prescott K161 was launched on 7 Jan 1941 into a frozen Lake Ontario; sailed to Prescott for commissioning 26 Jun 1941, paid off 20 Jul 1945 and scrapped in Hamilton, 1951. The only spectators were the shipyard workmen.
• HMCS Sudbury K162 was launched 31 May 1941, commissioned 15 Oct 1941, paid off: 28 Aug 1945, converted to a salvage tug in 1949, broken up at Victoria, B.C., in 1967.
• HMCS Charlottetown K244 was launched 10 Sep 1941, commissioned in Quebec City 13 Dec 1941, sunk by torpedo in the St Lawrence River near Cap-Chat, QC on 11 Sep 1942 (see photo below)
• HMCS Frontenac K335 was launched 02 Jun 1943, commissioned 26 Oct 1943, paid off 22 Jul 1945 arrived at Sorel in July, 1945 and sold to United Ship Corp.in Oct 1945. Final disposition unknown.
• HMCS Trentonian K368 was launched 1 Sep 1943, commissioned 01 Dec 1943, sunk on 22 Feb 1945 by U-1004, the tenth RCN corvette sunk in the war.
• HMCS Peterborough K342 was launched 15 Jan 1944, commissioned 01 Jun 1944, paid off 19 Jul 1945, sold to the Dominican Republic in 1947, scrapped in 1972. 
• HMCS Belleville K332 was launched 17 Jun 1944, commissioned 19 Oct 1944, paid off 05 Jul 1945, sold to the Dominican Republic in 1947, scrapped in 1972.
• HMCS Smiths Falls K345 was launched 19 Aug 1944, commissioned:28 Nov 1944, paid off 08 Jul 1945, to be towed from Port Weller in 1950 then converted and operated by Honduran and Japanese owners until 1978.

Some corvettes was not able to sail downriver until ice break-up in the spring of 1941. There was a problem taking at least one of the Kingston-built corvettes down the Seaway, requiring subsequent repair. HMCS Napanee sailed for Montreal on November 30, 1940 in a powerful winter storm. The existing system of canals and locks could just handle a corvette if the ship was not fully ballasted. The limits of clearance over the sills of the locks was the main reason why all the final fitting out of Ontario-built corvettes took place in Quebec yards and why no larger vessels—like frigates—were built there. Napanee encountered difficulty in the Morrisburg Canal. Making contact with the bottom, her propeller and rudder were damaged and the hull began to leak. She returned to Kingston for repairs, successfully heading downriver again in the spring of 1941!

A common vantage point for corvette launch photos, near the pilot house:

A less common view, looking toward Ontario Street, shows the stern of the Charlottetown.

* * TUGBOATS * *

Seven ocean-going 105-foot long Warrior-class Rock-series tugboats would be built in 1945, some serving in Singapore and Australia. Two keels for two tugs were laid simultaneously in late-September 1944. With 1000-hp engines, tugs Rockglen (May 30, 1945), Rockforest, Rockpigeon, Rockswift (Dec. 5, 1945) and Rockdoe (Oct. 19, 1945) were launched before Rockelm was on Dec. 15, 1945. The Rockglen and Rockforest were already working in Australia. Rockwarrior would be launched in the spring of 1946 and Rockbird on October 21, 1946. Originally ordered by the British Ministry of Transport, after the end of hostilities, the tugs were to completed per contract. The first four tugs were estimated to be worth $1,500,000. Rockdoe was being tested on October 20, 1945:

(Whig clippings, above and below)

* * TRAWLERS * * 

Two Western Isles trawlers, 164-foot long vessels patrolled the St. Lawrence River. Loaned to the RCN, crewed by RN personnel and never commissioned by the RCN: 

• HMS Ironbound T284 launched September 25, 1942; decommissioned June 17, 1945 in Plymouth, England; sold 1946.
• HMS Liscomb T285 launched March 23, 1942; decommissioned also June 17, 1945; sold to Norwegian interests in 1946.

The two trawlers (above - posted to Vintage Kingston Facebook) were christened on the same day as HMS Flax, at the shipyards on June 15, 1942. Both trawlers had been launched but were being completed while tied at the dock. Flax was being sent down the ways. Both names are places on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia.

* * CANADIAN DREDGE & DOCK * *

At Canadian Dredge & Dock, five of 170-ton steel, diesel-powered tugs fot the RCN. Glenfield, Glenvalley and Glenella in 1944; Glenkeen and Gleneagle in 1945. As well, six 120-foot derrick barges, and seven gate vessels were built for the RCN. 

One of the Glen-class tugs in overall grey, pennant number W67 would make it the Glenkeen. RMC visible in background of this undated photo (below - Queen's University Archives):

Ontario shipyards in Collingwood, Kingston, Midland and Port Arthur were justly proud of their contributions to the war effort as illustrated in this September 26, 1942 National Post advertisement:

* * POST-WAR * * 

In peacetime construction, the Kingston Shipyards' minesweeper HMCS Resolute was in a local class by herself, launched June 20, 1953.

Imperial Oil Limestone Warehouse Views from 1962 to 2020

1962 - Queen's University Archives

While blogging John Woolhead's 1976 view of the Imperial Oil limestone warehouse at the foot of North Street, it was apparent that I had a range of views of this unique structure. I've added them to this post with appropriate photo credit to those who've captured these images in the era before my own photos. The warehouse is currently being repurposed to living space by ABNA Investmenets Ltd.

1976 - David Woodhead

CN and CP tracks cross North Street (above) but CN has been truncated (below).

1980 - Hans Boldt

1982 - Don McQueen

April, 1986 - Scott Haskill

CN trackage visible at stopblock (above) and removed (below):

October, 1986 - Scott Haskill

2014

2017

2018

Repurposing underway (above) and walls rebuilt (below):

July, 2020

April, 2023

The Future - ABNA Investments

Inner Harbour Photographs by David Woodhead

Imperial Oil tanks and limestone warehouse, Rideau at North Streets

One year ago, following a Zoom slideshow presentation I'd given to the Toronto Railway Supper Club, participant David Woodhead kindly sent me some photos he'd taken in Kingston during his touring days as a musician. These photos give an interesting and unvarnished view of the waterfront industries along the Inner Harbour, albeit in an era during which their prime had just passed. An era which seems to be under-photographed and one which these photos that David generously shared poignantly portray. These industrial operations pass into history as the sun sets upon them, figuratively and literally, in the late-afternoon sunrays and shadows of September, 1976 evening.

Crossbucks and crossing,  CN and CP tracks at the foot of North Street

Looking north at North Street crossing with tank car unloading track

Looking north at Wellington and Bay Streets

Looking south at North Street, Canadian Dredge & Dock and CP section house at left, Anglin at right

One of four views of the Bajus Brewery

Unused CP roundhouse, track to Shell Oil at left

Treehouse with causeway in background

North to Cataraqui Street crossing

River Street bridge with CN/CP diamond

 

Concise History of Canadian Dredge & Dock

From Canadian Dredge & Dock Collection Finding Aid, 1991.

Billboards are Signs of the Times

Looking back on some past posts on billboards for my Hanley Spur layout, I've definitely increased the quantity, and I think quality and certainly local content. The top photo shows the whole collection. Some are freelanced, some are more generic, even from American prototypes snipped from magazines or online photos (like Burger King!). They also represent a variety of eras from 1940's to 1990's. Like signature buildings, rolling stock and vehicles, billboards and signage not only give the layout a sense of place, but also a sense of time.

Since I have two billboards on the layout, some designs fit the small one better, some fit the large one. I've labelled the photo to reflect this - small on the left, large on the right. In the centre there is a reverse view of one, showing how each printed image is tape-rollered onto a piece of acetate, with adhesive magnetic strips. Also, I write 'small' or 'large' on the reverse and store them separately. Less time sorting, more time displaying! I've found that the magnets allow me to keep changing the billboards regularly. My short attention span just does not allow me to keep one permanently displayed when I keep finding and creating more!

Recently, I've been gleaning intensely local images from the Whig, matchbooks and online photos. Today, I printed some that are boringly black & white onto coloured cardstock, labelled at centre. These should brighten up the billboards, potentially catching the eye of passing HO-scale motorists, visitors and train crews!

 

Corps of Engineers in Drydock

This beautiful, clear and well-lit George Lilley image shows a muddy-hulled vessel seemingly named 'Corps of Engineers' dated June 2, 1949. When I came across it in the Queen's University Archives, it was a mystery! 

The story behind the photo: this is the US Army Corps of Engineers seagoing trailing suction hopper dredge Taylor, 200 feet in length with a 1500-ton capacity, a crew of 30 and a draft of 17 feet when loaded. Launched as the Willets Point in New Jersey in 1925 and renamed Taylor in 1932, the dredge was based in Buffalo, responsible for lake dredging by the Corps between Ogdensburg and Detroit. At the Kingston shipyards for a starboard propeller replacement and other work over the course of four days, the Taylor was decomissioned five years later.

 

It's a Marine Railway!

When I came across these photos in the Queen's University Archives, there were several reasons I was interested in them. One, the muddy, mucky and disorganized nature of the waterfront scene. Two, the clothing of the workers and their postures. Both of these contributed to my view of the Shipyards in their waning years. But just what were they building? I captioned them 'workers launching something at the shipyards' then the date of August, 1951. Was it some sort of scow or dock being built?

Well, it turns out this is a marine railway. In other words, a 'track' used to build, carry, transpost and/or launch a ship extending into water. There were several views, so I photographed negatives in strips together:

I realize that most recent posts on this blog seem to be centred on the water. Well, I've been searching for, and finding, answers to many questions raised by archival photos, so I'm riding the wave!

In September, 1951 Canadian Shipbuilding & Engineering was fulfilling a contract for construction of a wooden minesweeping vessel for the Royal Canadian Navy. Contractually-obligated to build the minesweeper indoors, the end wall of a large structure was removed and the marine railway attached outside it, leading to the beckoning lake. This construction enabled an end launch into water of sufficient depth of the completed ship. These September 18, 1951 Whig clippings detail the revolutionary ways built under the leadership of T.G. Bishop:

(as always, click on image for a larger version)

The keel of the eighth of fourteen Bay-class minesweeper was laid on August 29, 1951. Three Queen's University Archives photos showing the launch of the HMCS Resolute on June 20, 1953:

Flag-bedecked hull sliding down the marine railway.

Timbers everywhere, with tug standing by.

The aluminum-ribbed but wood-sheathed Resolute was commissioned on September 16, 1954 to start her career which only lasted ten years. She returned to its birthplace in 1955 with other vessels of the First Canadian Minesweeping Flotilla -  HMCS Gaspe, Trinity and Ungava, with Resolute likely at right of this Wallace Berry photo taken from the shipyards crane: