Canadian Ferry Purchase 1944 or 1945

[mjbollinger]

Perhaps one of my Canadian friends or someone else can help me...

In 1944 or 1945 the ferry Gov. Albert C. Ritchie (built in Newburgh, NY in 1883 as Newburgh) was sold by the state of Maryland. The US removed it from the register by January 1, 1946 with the notation "Canadian." My feeble attempts to search the Canadian vessel registers have been in vain.

Can anyone help me find out where this vessel ended up in Canada?

Thanks,

Marty

[davidships]

Probably Canadian razor-blades.
Miramar has disposal as "BU Sorel 1945 (?)"

[mjbollinger]

Many thanks, David.

This is plausible. The vessel had been condemned by authorities in the US, pending major repairs that the operator decided were not economically practical. Just a little surprising they would take it all of the way to Canada instead of breaking it up somewhere in the mid-Atlantic region.

Let me look into this further. Many thanks.

Marty

[davidships]

Found a little more, confirming buyer, in the Starke Schell index:

Sold 1945 to Marine Industries, Ltd., Sorel, P.Q. ffu.

ffu = final fate unknown

This opens the possibility that she was at least partly re-used, rather than just scrapped - perhaps as a pontoon or similar

[mjbollinger]

David,

Many thanks. I am embarrassed to admit that I didn't bother to check Miramar or similar sources. I didn't think a local ferry would have been in them. Now I know better.

I've got my Canadian contacts (Jan) checking and they can't find evidence of actual usage in Canada. I know that the sale was made before Feb 1945 but at that point delivery hadn't taken place. The vessel had failed inspection in the US due to structural deficiencies. Given that, a scrapping scenario makes sense.

Marty

[Jordi Comas]

Hi all,

From Register of Merchant Ships nuilt in 1883:

601. NEWBURGH (iron) US P/Beam
1,053 New York, West Shore & Buffalo Railway Co., New York 193.5 x 36.0
F Ward, Stanton & Co., Newburgh, N.Y. 130262
85 - West Shore Railroad Co., New York [New York Central Railway]
10 - Erie Railroad Co., New York
26 - GOV. ALBERT C. RITCHIE Claiborne-Annapolis Ferry, Inc., Annapolis, Md. – re-engined, conv. to double ended diesel twin screw ferry (2f2a) 747 grt
41 - Maryland State Roads Commission, Annapolis
Sold 1945 to Marine Industries, Ltd., Sorel, P.Q. ffu.

Regards