SS HOLMSIDE
Type ... Cargo vessel. Plumb bow, counter stern, machinery midships
Port of registration ... London
Position ... 52 50 992 N / 001 35 006 E
Official number ... 65614
Built ... 1871
Tonnage ... Net 515, Gross 814, under deck 738
Builder ... Readhead, Softly & Co , South Shields
Engine builder ... Readhead, Softly & Co, South Shields
Dimensions ... 64.3 x 8.7 x 5.1 mtrs /// Quarter deck 26 feet / Forecastle 34 feet
Construction ... Iron
Double bottom ... No
Engine ... 2 cylinder compound 98hp. Cylinders Hp 26 - Lp 49 x 33 inch stroke
Boilers ... x2 drum type fire tube boilers. Dimensions ... Diameter 10 feet / Length 10 feet 6 inches
Donkey boiler ... Vertical ... Height 10 feet 6 inches - Diameter 4 feet 6 inches
Furnaces ... x2 furnaces per boiler / Furnace diameter 37 inches
Screw ... Diameter 13 feet 9 inches / Pitch 14 feet / x4 blades
Shaft length ... 92 feet
Lost ... 6th January 1889
Cause ... Collision
Casualties ... 0
Depth ... 15mtrs
A little bit of confusion on this one. Some sources have the Holmside as being lost a few miles off the eastern side of Haisborough Sands, however the book by Ayer Tikus (Ship Wrecks Off North East Norfolk) has the Holmside as being a couple of miles or so off Haisborough at position 52 50 992N / 001 35 006E. At present this position is officially listed / charted as an unknown. From what I can ascertain the confusion is regarding the official loss report that states the Holmside was lost two miles off the Haisborough light. It would appear that regarding the Haisborough Sands location it was assumed this was two miles off the Haisborough Sands light. Research has shown that the light being referred to in the loss report is in fact that of the Haisborough lighthouse. Having dived the site listed as the Holmside in the book by Ayer Tikus I can confirm that from approximate measurements of the machinery and visual observations this is highly likely to be the site of the Holmside.
Machinery
Research has shown that at the time of build the Holmside was fitted with a single drum / cylindrical type fire tube boiler complete with three furnaces. In 1880, this being nine years after her build the single boiler was removed and replaced with two smaller drum / cylindrical type fire tube boilers. Each boiler was fitted with two furnaces (specifications at head of page) In addition, when the new boilers were fitted the engine of the Holmside received a complete overhaul.
Below ... Drum / cylindrical type fire tube boiler fitted with three furnaces, as was fitted in the Holmside at the time of build. The replacement boilers as fitted in 1880 would have been of smaller dimension and were fitted with just two furnaces per boiler.
Circumstances of loss
Collided with the steamer Braemar in thick fog whilst en route from Shields to London with a cargo of coal. All nineteen of the Holmside's crew were saved and taken aboard the Braemar and landed at Yarmouth.
Readhead, Softly & Co, builders of the Holmside
In 1865 John Readhead and John Softley went in to partnership under the company name of Readhead, Softley & Co . The company was dissolved in 1872. During this seven year period the company built 87 vessels.
Below ... Two cylinder compound engine as would have been fitted in the Holmside.
Below ... The Shields Gazette dated 2/8/1871 reporting the launch of the Holmside. Of note .. In the report below it states that the Holmside was fitted with a pair of compound engines. This is an error on the part of the Shields Gazette as research has shown that the Holmside was fitted out with just one two cylinder compound engine at the time of her build, this in turn remained with the Homeside until the time of her loss.
Ownership history
Built in 1871 for A. P. Harrison & Co who in turn retained ownership up until the time of the Homeside's loss in 1889.
The Holmside today (2024)
The site shows signs as to having been dispersed. In saying this there is very little in the way of bent or twisted metal work as most of the structures appear to be intact but all jumbled about as if they had been picked up, shaken and dropped on the seabed. The two boilers are intact but no longer side by side. The two cylinder compound engine has toppled over. At the base of the engine can be seen the condenser. The end plate of this has come off and now reveals the nest of water tubes within. The exhaust pipe from the low pressure cylinder to the condenser is also still in situe. The vertical donkey boiler has also toppled over and now lies next to one of the boilers. There are several admiralty anchors on the site, these having a shank length of about seven feet. At the bow area is a pile of anchor chain plus an anchor. Next to the engine is a long length of chain that runs out from the site, probably worth a look as to see if there is an anchor at the end of it. Additional features of the site include winches, prop shaft and sections of the masts. The whole site is well exposed with large sections of the hull walls lying at a slight angle to the seabed. These have fallen inwards, ie the outer plate is facing upwards. All in all the Holmside makes for a very interesting dive and is ideal for when conditions do not allow anything further off shore.