Press Secretary
John H. Luxton
236 Smithdown Road
Liverpool
L15 5AH
Tel: 07973363370
Email:
luxtonjh@btinternet.com
Daniel Adamson Arrives at
Historic Dry Dock
The Daniel Adamson
Preservation Society is pleased to announce the historic steam tug-tender
‘Daniel Adamson’ entered the former Cammell Laird (Monk’s Ferry) No. 4 Dry
Dock, Birkenhead on Thursday April 27.
During the dry-docking
‘Daniel Adamson’ will be fully surveyed as part of the project planning
phase supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The presence of the ‘Daniel
Adamson’ in No. 4 Dry Dock brings together a number of unique historical
maritime elements in the shadow of the historic Birkenhead Priory.
Birkenhead Priory is the oldest surviving building in the
area, dating from about 1190 and once home to the Benedictine monks who
established the first recorded 'ferry 'cross the Mersey'. Dominating the
priory site is St. Mary’s Tower.
Below the tower lies the recently refurbished 'Monk's Ferry
No.4 Dry Dock where construction of the infamous Confederate States Ship
'Alabama' took place amidst great secrecy to emerge as a 'commerce raider'
in the American Civil War.
Also present in the dry dock with ‘Daniel Adamson’ is the
steam tug 'Kerne' (www.tugkerne.co.uk)
built in Scotland
in 1913. For around the next two weeks the No.4 Dry Dock contains two of
Britain's oldest surviving steam vessels, with a combined age of 196 years!
By way of a contrast there is also a third vessel in Monk’s
Ferry Mo. 4 Dry Dock – the modern tug ‘Gladstone’
whose owners Adsteam Marine permitted the sharing of the No. 4 Dry Dock
during her refit.
Though the dock and vessels are not open to the public,
access is possible to Birkenhead Priory during opening hours. Climbing St.
Mary’s Tower, itself now dedicated as a memorial to those lost in the 1939
HMS Thetis disaster, provides an excellent view of No. 4 Dry Dock as well as
superb views up and down the River Mersey.
END
NOTES FOR EDITORS
v
The Heritage
Lottery Fund (HLF) enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn
more about our diverse heritage. From our great museums and historic
buildings to local parks and beauty spots or recording and celebrating
traditions, customs and history, HLF grants open up our nation’s heritage
for everyone to enjoy. Since its conception, HLF have supported 16,600
projects allocating over £3.3 billion across the UK.
v
The Daniel
Adamson is a unique twin-screw steam tug-tender (means built for both towing
barges and carrying passengers) constructed in 1903 for the Shropshire Union
Canal and Railway Company by the Tranmere Bay Development Company in
Birkenhead.
v
Originally
named “Ralph Brocklebank” the vessel was purchased by the Manchester Ship
Canal Company in 1921 where she served as the company’s hospitality tender
carrying directors, guests, dignitaries and potential users of their canal
on inspection tours of the canal until late 1984 when she was retired from
service. Since then until March 2004 she was a static exhibit at the Boat
Museum in Ellesmere Port.
v
The Daniel
Adamson Preservation Society was formed in 2004 as a registered charity,
with the objective of restoring her to her former glory and active passenger
carrying on the Merseyside and Cheshire and Manchester waterways.
v
Since then
members have expended over 11,000hours work on her towards full restoration.
v
During
2005 the Daniel Adamson was because of her importance placed on the
“Designated List” of craft on the National Register of Historic Vessels.
v
When
restored the “Daniel Adamson” will be the oldest operational Merseyside
built ship in the world.
v
The
Society acknowledges the support of Adsteam Marine UK, Carmet Tugs, Geoff
Heaps & Partners, James Walker Sealing Technology, John Tiere and Company,
JPS Scaffolding, and Liverpool Pilots. National Museums, Liverpool, Makita
UK, Mersey Docks and Harbour Company, Merseyside Fire Brigade Museum, North
Western Ship Repairers, Peel Holdings, Sealex Ltd, Sigma Coatings, Svitzer
Marine and Wymark Ltd.
v
For
further information please go to the society’s web site
www.danieladamson.co.uk. High-resolution photographs of the Daniel Adamson
suitable for reproduction can be downloaded from
www.danieladamson.co.uk/press/press.htm.
v
Details of
the Daniel Adamson Preservation Society can be obtained from Patrick
Crecraft at the address below.
Daniel Adamson Preservation Society
Contacts:
Chairman: Tony
Hirst, 39, Liverpool Road, Chester, CH2 1AB. Tel: 01244 373880
Email:
tony@thenterprises.fsnet.co.uk
Vice Chairman:
Dan Cross - 17 Cedardale Park, Barrows
Green, Widnes. Tel: 0151 4231393 Mobile: 07979865391. Email:
dan@uptonrocks.fsnet.co.uk
Society Secretary / Membership Secretary:
Patrick Crecraft, 8, Newlands, Naseby,
Northampton
NN6 6DE. Tel: 01604
740144 Email:
pat@pcrecraft.freeserve.co.uk
Registered
Charity: 1104681 
