SS Valdivia (1886)

SS Valdivia was a passenger ship that was built in England and launched in 1886 as Tijuca. She was renamed Valdivia in 1896, Tom G Corpi in 1908 and Flandre in 1909. She had a succession of German owners until 1909, when she was bought by a French shipping company. She was scrapped in 1927.

Valdivia in 1898
History
Name	1886: Tijuca 1896: Valdivia 1908: Tom G Corpi 1909: Flandre
Namesake	1886: Tijuca 1896: Valdivia 1909: Flanders
Owner	1886: Hamburg Süd 1896: HAPAG 1908: Peter R Hinsch 1909: Soc Gén des Transports Maritimes à Vap
Port of registry	1886: Hamburg 1909: Marseille
Builder	Armstrong, Mitchell & Co, Low Walker
Yard number	496
Launched	28 August 1886
Completed	October 1886
Identification	1909: code letters JGMW
Fate	Scrapped, 1927
General characteristics
Type	Passenger ship
Tonnage	2,179 GRT, 1,372 NRT
Length	309.1 ft (94.2 m)
Beam	36.8 ft (11.2 m)
Depth	24.0 ft (7.3 m)
Decks	2
Installed power	265 NHP
Propulsion	triple-expansion engine
Capacity	40 × first class 280 × steerage class

Valdivia is notable as the ship in which the German marine biologist Carl Chun undertook the Valdivia Expedition in 1898–99.^[1]

Building

Armstrong, Mitchell & Co built Tijuca in its shipyard at Low Walker as yard number 496 for Hamburg Südamerikanische DG. She was launched in 28 August 1886 and completed that October. Her registered length was 309.1 ft (94.2 m), her beam was 36.8 ft (11.2 m) and her depth was 24.0 ft (7.3 m). She had berths for 40 first class and 280 steerage class passengers,^[2] and her tonnages were 2,179 GRT and 1,372 NRT.^[3]

The Wallsend Slipway & Engineering Company built her three-cylinder triple-expansion engine, which was rated at 265 NHP.^[3]

Throughout her German ownership, the ship was registered in Hamburg.^[2]

Changes of ownership and name

In 1896 Hamburg America Line bought Tijuca and renamed her Valdivia,^[2] after the Chilean city of Valdivia, which had a German emigré community.

In 1908 Peter R Hinsch of Hamburg bought Valdivia and renamed her Tom G Corpi. In 1909 the Société Générale de Transports Maritimes à Vapeur bought Tom G Corpi and renamed her Flandre. She was registered in Marseille^[2] and her French code letters were JGMW.^[3]

In January 1927 Flandre was scrapped at La Seyne-sur-Mer.^[2]

References

1. "Prof. Dr. phil., Dr. med. h. c. Carl Chun". Leipzig University. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
2. "Tijuca". Tyne Built Ships. Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
3. "Steamers and Motorships". Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Vol. I. London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1914.