The SS Fort Townshend was built in 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland by the Blythswood Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. The ship’s first owner was Furness Withy & Co. Ltd, London. It was a sister ship of the SS Fort Amherst. It served as a passenger and cargo ship. In 1940 the ship entered war service in Canadian coastal convoys as a commordore ship. In 1952 she was sold for conversion into a yacht. It exchanged owners a couple of times before it was broken up in Belgium in 1962.

On Sunday, August 11, 1940 the SS Fort Townshend sailed from St. John’s Harbour to New York. My mother, Frances Roberts, (1920 – 2011) aged 20 was one of the passengers on the ship on that day. Two of Mom’s friends were also passengers, Mary Shea, aged 31, from Pouch Cove and Charlotte Maud Squires, aged 28, from Harbour Main. The three women were heading to Brooklyn, New York. Mary may have been a resident of Brooklyn then. Charlotte resided in Chamberlains. The ship’s papers indicated that Mary’s mother was Alice Shea, Pouch Cove, Charlotte’s mother was Caroline Squires. Mom’s mother was Mary Roberts, George Street, St. John’s. Mom was joining her friend, Mary at 87- 89th Street, Brooklyn. Charlotte was visiting her sister Mrs. D. Stone, on the same street, 305- 89th Street, Brooklyn.

The picture below taken on board the ship on August 11, 1940 shows left to right, Mary Shea, Frances Roberts and Charlotte Maud Squires. If anyone has any information on Mary or Charlotte, please contact me. Frances worked as a Nanny in New York for two years. She returned home in 1942, following the death of her father, Thomas in May 1942. He was killed in an industrial accident while working as a longshoreman on the St. John’s Waterfront. Later in St. John’s, Frances was employed as a clerk typist at the St. John’s Telegraph Office.

Submitted by: Pat Walsh