One for the Naval Buffs

[Frank Schofield]

On a RP postcard of HMS Warspite, addressed to Bromley, Kent, the message is headed HMS "Hartington", Devonport Dkyd, 18th Oct 1937.
Problem:  I cannot find this ship in any of my reference books.

Unlisted in Ships of the Royal Navy (Colledge & Warlow)
Unlisted in Vol 2 Ships of the Royal Navy (Colledge)
Unlisted Shore Establishments of the Royal Navy (Warlow)
Unlisted in June 1937 Navy List
The internet only comes up with a HMS Dartington, but the heading is definitely a 'H'
All I can think is that her name was possibly changed after launching at Devonport Dockyard, but College usually lists any name changes.
Over to you.

Frank Schofield

[Howard Weinert]

Frank,

There was a British merchant ship named Hartington which was sunk by a U-boat in 1942.

[Nick Colley]

Frank, all I've found (which I'm sure you did, too) is a British merchant vessel named Hartington, sunk by U521 in 1942.

Just a thought, though, but the sender signs himself as 'Dad', so we know his surname. That might give another lead?

chrs
N

[Frank Schofield]

Gents

Yes I found the Merchant ship Hartington, but nothing to tie her down as H.M.S.

Would a merchant ship be using the Naval Devonport Dockyard?

Frank

[Robert Hurst]

Frank,

It appears there was a small vessel, the Marquis of Hartington, which was built in 1886, and scrapped in September 1957. According to the web page I found (http://www.tynebuiltships.co.uk/M-Ships/marquisofhartington1886.html) the ship was owned by the War Office and was used for the transport of guns, ammunition and other stores. Is this a candidate for your H.M.S. Hartington ?

Robert

[Frank Schofield]

Robert

Thanks for that, it could be a possible answer
She is not listed under the small ships  in June 1937 Navy List
The fact she was owned by the War Office suggests she was Army and not HMS

Frank
[/quote]

[Alan Baker]

You would imagine that there would be little difficulty tracing someone with the name of Shoebridge, even without a first name. FWR has over 300 entries for inter-war years and none look promising.

On Ancestry, there are over 2300 with similar names, many in the area of Kent or Surrey. I have found an Eric J Shoebridge who was married in Bromley in 1962, born in 1936, although it is perhaps doubtful whether his father would have written about "helping mother" if he was only 1 yr-old. I'm afraid this is a dead end

I do wonder why you have this card Frank. Is it the Warspite connection?

[Frank Schofield]

Alan

Saw the Warspite connection, but have two copies of this particular view in my Warspite collection

Thanks for trying

Frank

[Alan Baker]

Don't tell me you passed it up? I thought you had everything on the market with a Warspite connection

[Frank Schofield]

Alan

Had a rethink and have added the item to the "Warspite" collection

Frank

[Frank Schofield]

Alan

Just noticed daft mistake in the write up, hopefully now corrected

Frank