Court Line - the company and its ships

Cressington Court (3)

 

Court Line used the name Cressington Court for four ships:

 

· Cressington Court (1) - a cargo ship launched in 1908

· Cressington Court (2) - a cargo ship launched in 1929

· Cressington Court (3) - a cargo ship launched as Empire Earl in 1942

· Cressington Court (4) - a bulk carrier launched as Hector Halcyon in 1961

 

Cressington Court (3) was in service for 26 years during which time she served in WW2 convoys in her original name of Empire Earl and after several changes of owners, name and management was broken up in 1970.

Basic Data

Type: Cargo ship

Registered owners,managers and operators:

Ministry of War Transport (MOWT)

Managers Dodd Thompson & Co. Ltd.

Builders: William Doxford & Sons Ltd.

Yard: Pallion, Sunderland

Country: UK

Yard number: 713

Registry: N/K

Official number: 180132

Signal letters: N/K

Call sign: N/K

Classification society: N/K

Gross tonnage: 7,359

Net tonnage: 5,207

Deadweight: N/K

Length: 431 ft

Breadth: 56.5 ft

Depth: 35.5 ft

Draught: N/K

Engines: 3 Cylinder 2S.C.S.A oil engine

Engine builders: William Doxford & Sons Ltd.

Works: Sunderland

Country: UK

Power: N/K

Propulsion: N/K

Speed: N/K

Cargo capacity: N/K

Crew: N/K

Service Post WW2

 

Very little information is available other than the changes of ownership and management recorded under Career Highlights.

 

Images

 

1. Images #1 and #2 from the Webmaster’s personal photo and postcard collection

Participation in WW2 Convoys as Empire Earl

 

Empire Earl took part in 43 convoys according to information shown in the table below which is provided courtesy of Convoyweb   - see  Ext. Ref. #5.

Image 1

Image 2

Career Highlights

Date

Event

8 Dec 1943

Launched as Empire Earl

May 1944

Completed

1945

Acquired by the United British Steam Ship Co. Ltd. - Managers Haldin and Phillipps and renamed Cressington Court

1948

Owners restyled Court Line Ltd. - Managers Haldin & Co. Ltd London

1959

Sold to West Wales Steamship Co. Ltd. Newport Mon. - Managers Gibbs & Co. and renamed East Wales

1966

Sold to Dalkeith Shipping Co. Ltd. Newport Mon. - Managers Newport International Steamship Co. Ltd. Hong Kong, and renamed Universal Skipper

25 Aug 1970

Delivered to be broken up by Chinese mainland shipbreakers at Whampoa

Convoy No.

Route

Convoy No.

Route

ETM.3

Jun 1944: Southend - Seine Bay

ETM.10

Jun 1944: Southend - Seine Bay

ETM.18

Jun 1944: Southend - Seine Bay

FTM.12

Jun 1944: Seine Bay - Southend

FTM.23

Jun 1944: Seine Bay - Southend

FTM.30

Jul 1944: Seine Bay - Southend

FTM.37

Jul 1944: Seine Bay - Southend

FTM.47

Jul 1944: Seine Bay - Southend

ETM.26

Jul 1944: Southend - Seine Bay

ETM.32

Jul 1944: Southend - Seine Bay

ETM.40

Jul 1944: Southend - Seine Bay

ETM.52

Aug 1944: Southend - Seine Bay

ETM.64

Aug 1944: Southend - Seine Bay

FTM.59

Aug 1944: Seine Bay - Southend

FTM.76

Aug 1944: Seine Bay - Southend

FN.1526

Oct 1944: Southend - Methil

FS.1646

Nov 1944: Methil - Southend

ATM.9

Dec 1944: Antwerp - Southend

ATM.24

Dec 1944: Antwerp - Southend

TAM.10

Dec 1944: Southend - Antwerp

TAM.26

Dec 1944: Southend - Antwerp

ATM.36

Jan 1945: Antwerp - Southend

ATM.46

Jan 1945: Antwerp - Southend

TAM.43

Jan 1945: Southend - Antwerp

TAM.56

Jan 1945: Southend - Antwerp

TAM.71

Feb 1945: Southend - Antwerp

ATM.59

Feb 1945: Antwerp - Southend

ATM.85

Mar 1945: Antwerp - Southend

ATM.100

Mar 1945: Antwerp - Southend

ATM.110

Mar 1945: Antwerp - Southend

TAM.97

Mar 1945: Southend - Antwerp

TAM.111

Mar 1945: Southend - Antwerp

TAM.122

Mar 1945: Southend - Antwerp

TAM.133

Apr 1945: Southend - Antwerp

TAM.146

Apr 1945: Southend - Antwerp

ATM.121

Apr 1945: Antwerp - Southend

ATM.135

Apr 1945: Antwerp - Southend

ATM.143

May 1945: Antwerp - Southend

ATM.154

May 1945: Antwerp - Southend

ATM.168

May 1945: Antwerp - Southend

TAM.155

May 1945: Southend - Antwerp

TAM.166

May 1945: Southend - Antwerp

TAM.180

May 1945: Southend - Antwerp