I can’t begin to tell you how delighted I am to be able to look at a photograph of The Apsleyhall, the ship that my grandfather enjoyed working on.
The ship was neither called The Apsleyhall when it launched nor when it was destroyed. My research therefore consisted of many many challenging hours.
The ship was launched in 1918 as The Ardgowan. It was called The Apsleyhall between 1925 and 1932 when it was owned and operated by West Hartlepool Steam Navigation Co Ltd. The ship was destroyed and sunk in 1940 off the south coast of Ireland by a German U-boat. By this time it was called Labud.
The only information I found about The Apsleyhall was at a website dedicated to documenting all u-boat activity. This can be found at www.uboat.net
Update: Further information can be found about this ship if you search for The Aspleyhall (we’re spelling it differently now but it’s the same ship!)
- wrecksite.eu
- The Ship’s List. West Hartlepool Steam Navigation Company
- The Ardgowan (It’s name when it was built)
- Scottish Ships: This site spells it Apsleyhall
I’m going to have to re-listen to those tapes and take careful note of the pronunciation!