LIBERTY yacht

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LIBERTY yacht

Post by shipstamps » Tue Dec 02, 2008 4:15 pm


To commemorate the 125th anniversary of the founding of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, Seychelles issued four stamps on 12 September 1988 depicting different types of transport used by the Red Cross in its early days. One of these stamps depicts the hospital ship Liberty.
From 24 Oct. 1914 the British Red Cross and the Order of St. John worked closely throughout the war. Many ships were chartered for hospital use, and conditions were often to prove extremely difficult.

The LIBERTY was built as a steel yacht by Ramage & Ferguson at Leith, England for the wealthy American, Joseph Pulitzer, owner of the following newspapers, New York World and the St. Louis Post Dispatch. His name is still remembered through the Pulitzer Prize.
She was designed by G.L. Watson & Co.
1908 Launched under the name LIBERTY, most probably named after the Statue of Liberty, the owner was a fundraiser for the pedestal on which the Statue of Liberty was placed. She was the seventh largest yacht in the world when launched
Tonnage 1.571 tons,. Dim. 304 x 36.5 x 16ft., (draught).
Two triple expansion steamengines hp? Speed ?

Pulitzer who was nearly blind and very sensitive to noise, for this reason the yacht was heavily insulated, and all sharp edges were reduced to curves, there were not many steps most steps were replaced by gentle slopes. One of the reasons for her later career as a hospital ship.

Mr. Pulitzer died on board the LIBERTY on 29 Oct. 1911 when she was berthed in the harbor of Charleston.

1912 She was sold to the Canadian, Mr. James Ross, he renamed the vessel GLENCAIRN, named after the large full-rigger GLENCAIRN which his late father had owned and commanded.
Mr. James Ross used the yacht during his holidays in the Mediterranean.
When Mr. Ross passed away on 20 Sept. 1913 the yacht was for sale again.
1914 Sold to Lord Tredegar, U.K. and he did give her the old name LIBERTY back.

01 Sept. 1915 hired as an auxiliary patrol vessel by the Royal Navy, named LIBERTY IV. I am not sure of she ever is used as a patrol vessel.
Shortly thereafter converted in a hospital ship, in use in this capacity from 1915 till Jan. 1919. On her hull as hospital ship is painted the no 10, on the photo depict in a book, I have.

1919 Sold to Sir Robert and Lady Houston. Not renamed.
Lady Houston will always be associated with the yacht, as she used her to display anti Government signs hung between the masts, when she was used during various regattas.

1937 She was broken up.

She was painted by Norman Wilkinson (1878-1971), evidently in 1915. A small black and white reproduction of the painting on which the stamp is based is in a book of marine paintings.

Seychelles 1989 2r sg 752 , scott 682.

Source Ships of the Royal Navy Vol II by J.J.Colledge. Watercraft Philately vol 37 page 33.
Steam Yachts by David Couling.

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