Well I had a different version of this post all ready to be
published, including the answer to my davits question, when Brenden O’Connell contacted me. He first sent me a map from 1877
showing the Victoria Dock area (Photo 1021 courtesy Trinity College Dublin).
This
map was published at the time when Cormorant was being built and shows a lot of
detail –the positions of cranes, capstans etc. It also shows (the three maps
that make up this picture are high resolution) that the ‘fuzzy’ edges of the
docks – something I had seen on other maps – are in fact a series of lines. All
became clear when Brenden sent me his second consignment of delights – two wonderful
old photos of the Victoria dock in action (Photos 1022 and 1023).
These make it clear
that the sides of the dock were stepped, which accounted for those multiple
lines on the map. Photo 1023 is of an unknown vessel, but 1022 shows the paddle
steamer "America", which was the last tender to attend RMS Titanic
off Roche's Point at the mouth of Cork Harbour.
The PS America and its twin PS Ireland were a pair of tenders at Cobh
(then Queenstown) bringing passengers and baggage to and from the liners
at the mouth of the harbour. So thank you Brenden for those nuggets.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch,
one of Simon’s two ‘hangers on’ has finally been moved. Quite ugly and
obviously unloved, this abandoned project is now moored in front of Simon,
beyond the end of the catwalk (Photo 1024).
The second is due to be moved today
or tomorrow …. we shall see!
David
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