The Solem, Swiggum & Austheim ship index - The S/S Norge of the Thingvalla Line

[DFDS 1866-1991, p. 236, shown by the kind permission of Søren Thorsøe]

The "Norge" was built by Alex. Stephen & Sons Ltd. Linthouse, Glasgow in 1881 (no. 252). Her tonnage was 3,310 tons gross, 2,441 under deck and 2,163 net. She 340.3 feet long x 40.8 ft. beam and holds 25 feet deep (length 103,71m x beam 12,43m). She was an iron construction, straight stem, one funnel and three masts which was schooner rigged. She had a single screw, 2 iron decks and partly iron awning deck, 4 tiers of beams and 6 cemented bulkheads. She had a compound engine with 2 inverted cylinders of 44 and 80 inches diameter respectively, stroke 48 inches; operating at 80 p.s.i. delivering 320 horsepower which gave her a service speed of 11 knots. There was double bottom, aft 92 feet long, under engine and boilers 62 feet, 330 tons. Midship Deep Tank 34 feet, 340 tons. and . She had accommodation for 50 1st class passengers, 150 2nd class and 900 3rd class passengers.

She was launched on 11th June 1881 as the "Pieter de Coninck" for the Engels Line of Antwerp as a passenger and cargo ship. On June 25th 1889 she left Antwerp on her maiden voyage. Service. Antwerp - New York/Boston. She was bought by the Thingvalla Line in February 1889 and renamed NORGE. She commenced her first voyage for this company on 2nd March 1889 when she sailed from Antwerp for New York (arr.23rd March, sailed 30th March) and Copenhagen. Form May 1st until August 28th 1889 she had extensive repairs at Antwerp to hull and machinery. On 11th September 1889 she commenced sailings from Copenhagen to Christiania (Oslo), Christiansand and New York. She commenced her last voyage for Thingvalla Line on 28th September 1898 when she sailed from Stettin for Copenhagen, Christiania, Christiansand and New York. She was then taken over, together with the rest of the Thingvalla fleet by the (DFDS) Scandinavian American Line and resumed the same service for her new owners on 29th November 1898. On 28th June 1904, on voyage Copenhagen - New York via Christiania and Christiansand, she struck Rockall off the Hebrides in foggy weather and sank. She was carrying 727 passengers and 68 crew, 582 passengers and 45 crew were lost. This id the worst disaster in Danish shipping history, and the worst disaster in the history of conveyance of emigrants from Norway. the loss of 620 lives.

Survivers of the S/S Norge

[North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.3,p.1051, subm. Ted Finch][Lloyd's registry of shipping, subm. Gilbert Provost][DFDS 1866-1991 by Søren Thorsøe a.o., p. 236]

Per Kristian Sebak is writing a book about the S/S NORGE disaster, and would be very interested to hear from relatives of the 727 passengers and 68 crew members. The book will give a comprehensive account of the ship and disaster, and include detailed information on passengers and crew members. Please contact Per at heseba@online.no

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