Roker, Stag (formerly Wellington)

A steel 148 ton British steam tug. 28m long, 6.1m beam and 3.2m draught. She was built as the Wellington at Inverkeithing by B. Cummings & Ellis in 1897 for the Alexandra Towing Co. Ltd. She was purchased by R.L. Cook Towage Co. Ltd at Sunderland in 1924 and renamed the Stag. Her single propeller was powered by a two-cylinder, compiund-expansion steam engine. Her machinery was built by J. Cran & Co. at Leith. In the last months of the Second World War Stag was on charter to France Fenwick Tyne & Wear Co. Ltd and operated on the River Tyne. She had a white funnel with a red star. In November 1947 the R.L. Cook Towage Co. was taken over by France Fenwick Tyne & Wear Co. Ltd. On 11 February 1950 the Stag was towing the steamship City of Manchester with six other tugs. A strong force eight wind pulled over the Stag and she sank. Four of the crew were drowned. A year later a memorial service was held on the company's steam-paddletug Eppleton Hall over the site of the tragedy. The wreck site was found by the Seaham Sub Aqua Club with a magnetometer. The wreck sits on a seabed of mud, sand and black shells at a depth of 50m. It is standing upright and is intact apart from the chimney which is missing. The stern section is covered in trawl nets and the top bridge and bows are covered in soft corals. N 54 53 520 W 001 08 070 or N 54 53 430 W 001 08 410. Seven miles ESE of Roker lighthouse. Grid reference conversion made 14.11.09 with http://www.nearby.org.uk/coord-ll-cgi with WGS84 Lat/Lon.