'SS Robin'

Awaiting a permanent home.

The 'SS Robin' is the world's only surviving complete Victorian steamship.

Along with her sister ship, 'SS Rook', 'SS Robin' was built at Orchard House Yard, in 1889, launching in September 1890. 

Orchard House Yards, and much of the banks of the River Thames, were considered the world centre for shipbuilding, at the time, with the proud tradition going back many hundreds of years. This made London a global trading empire, whilst also supplying the bulk of ships for the Royal and Merchant Navies.

One of the largest yards in the country, The Thames Iron Works, would build some of the biggest ships, either side of the River Lea, at Bow Creek.

By 1890, however, the northeast coast of England and shipbuilders in Scotland had become the leading shipbuilders, with their lower overheads, resulting in The Thames Iron Works closing in 1912.

Robin and Rook.

Robert Thomson, a ship broker and owner, ordered both ships constructed on slipways and built by Ditchburn & Mare, in 1845. Ditchburn & Mare was later owned by The Thames Iron Works and Ship Building Company, who then leased the yard to shipwright William Jolly, a Thames barge builder. 

He started construction before selling the business shortly after to Mackenzie, McAlpine and Company. Both builders were inexperienced, ill equipped and struggled to complete the orders to a standard high enough to satisfy Lloyd’s. 

Robert Thompson took over the work himself, eventually, paying a naval architect superintendent to complete the ships on his behalf. The ships were complete to Lloyd’s highest class of 100A1. 

'Robin' and 'Rook' were to be the last ships built at the yard, which closed immediately after.

Following their launch they went to the East India Docks, which were nearby, for final fitting out. 'Robin' was later towed to Dundee where her boiler, triple expansion engine and ancillary machinery were installed, by Gourlay Brothers & Company Limited. 

Although rigged as an auxiliary three-masted schooner she was designed to carry sails, should they be needed. 

SS Robin and Lightship 93, at the Royal Docks.

Maiden Voyage.

Having been sold into the service of Arthur C. Ponsonby & Company of Newport, South Wales, her first voyage was from Liverpool to Bayonne, France, in 1890. Her crew consisted of twelve men.

Her next voyage began in Swansea, in 1891, and saw her visit Rouen, the Mersey, Plymouth, Deauville, Guernsey, London, Rochester, Newport, Bristol, Swansea, Cherbourg, and back again to the Thames. This would be her trading route for the following years, carrying bulk cargoes of china clay, coal, grain, iron ore, railway rail and scrap steel, as well as general cargoes of baled and casked goods. 

The Spanish Connection.

Following multiple owners trading her and after suffering an engine breakdown, she was sold to Spanish owners, in 1900, and left the U.K., via Liverpool, for the last time. She was renamed 'Maria' and was registered in Bilbao.

The company Hermanos Blanco Fábrica de Sidra, which would become Sidrería Blanco, Saro y Cía, used 'Maria' to transport apples to their cider making factory at Ribadesella, Asturias and carry the finished cider, Calvados and some other spirits out to distributors and customers on the Atlantic coasts of France, Belgium, England and Norway.  

During World War I she was escorted by two navy destroyers, to protect her, while she carried iron slabs for the French Government from a foundry at Santiago to Bayonne and Bordeaux.

In 1929, while moored at St Jean-de-Luz, she broke from her moorings and was stranded ashore with hull damage amidships. 

In 1934 she became stranded alongside a quay after she ran aground at Bayonne. A week later she struck the jetty at Adour and was holed in two places. She was deliberately beached at Montbrun, to prevent her sinking, but she broke her moorings, capsized and sank. She was salvaged and repaired.

In 1935 she was sold briefly to Mr Diaz Romeral of Castro Urdiales. 

In 1936 the Spanish Geovernment commandeered her, until General Franco’s forces took the port at Santander, in 1937.

From 1942-1965 'Maria' was chartered by various firms, transporting coal and iron ore.

Eduardo de la Sota Poveda, of Bilbao, purchased 'Maria', in 1965, and set about carrying out the first major alterations, to her structure, since her launch in 1890. This included strengthening her hull.

For the next nine years she took coal from Gijon to Bilbao, returning with iron ore.

In 1974, at the age of 84, 'Maria' unloaded her final cargo at Bilbao, and was laid up to be sold for scrap. Although few knew it at the time, 'Maria' was unique, being the only Victorian era steamship left, following the destruction of thousands of ships like her being obsolete and sunk or hit by mines or torpedoes during the war.

Thankfully, the Maritime Trust recognised her importance and, with financial help from the Science Museum, saved her from being scrapped. Still operational 'Maria' left Bilbao, in 1974, and headed to Rochester and the Doust & Company’s Slipway yard was located. Here, lifted from the water, she was restored and returned to her original appearance, over the course of several years.

In 1980, under her own steam, she made her way to St Katherine Docks, where she joined the Maritime Trust’s Historic Ship Collection.

In 1986 the collection was closed and dispersed, as the docks were to undergo redevelopment, with 'Robin' being moved to South Quay, West India Docks.

In 1991 she sprang a leak and was moved to Chatham and placed in dry-dock for repair. While here some of her hull plates were repaired and her masts, which were made of wood and rotting, were replaced with steel ones.

On her return from Chatham the developers of Canary Wharf paid for 'Robin' to be moved to West India Quay. With no revenue coming in the Maritime Trust used maintenance crew from Cutty Sark to keep her maintained to a basic level.

SS Robin at Trinity Buoy Wharf.

In 2002 she was taken into the care of David & Nishani Kampfner, who used her as a maritime museum and photography gallery. They later set up the SS Robin Trust, as a registered charity.

In 2008, after being awarded a large Heritage Lottery Fund Grant, 'Robin' was moved to Lowestoft, where she was fully restored and refurbished.

In 2011 she was to be moored aboard her purpose built pontoon in the North Dock, outside the Museum of London Docklands. However, with the Cross Rail construction taking place, these plans were thwarted, so she was instead berthed at the Royal Docks.

In 2019 plans were put in place to revitalise Trinity Buoy Wharf as a community arts and culture destination, which the area badly needed.

In 2023 'SS Robin' moved from the Royal Docks to Trinity Buoy Wharf, and is now berthed less than 150 metres from where she was built, sitting three metres above the water on her pontoon.

SS Robin