# Kingston Shipyards

Kingston Shipyards was a Canadian shipbuilder and ship repair company that operated from 1910 to 1968. The facility was located on the Kingston waterfront property known as Mississauga Point, which is the now the site of the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston.

## History
### Marine Railway Company

In 1836 the British Board of Ordnance transferred control of the Kingston waterfront property, Mississauga Point, from the military to local businessmen. John Counter, Henry Gildersleeve, and Thomas Kirkpatrick created the Marine Railway Company to service the shipping traffic on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.
By 1839 the company had built a small dry dock, an engine foundry, two wharves and a marine railway. In 1848 a large three storey warehouse was constructed. Steam power was added to the marine railway in 1851 and additional stone outbuildings were constructed in 1854.
The Marine Railway Company advertised its facilities in 1862. The company claimed to own a marine railway with steam sawmill, workshops and offices, sixteen stone cottages, a large foundry known as the Ontario foundry, five large three and four storey fireproof warehouses and many wharves. Over two hundred men were employed to overhaul and service seven vessels at a time. At its time, it was the largest shipbuilding effort west of Quebec.

### First World War

In 1910 Collingwood Shipyards opened a subsidiary shipbuilding and repair plant in Kingston. The government dry dock was rented and purchased, and three government contracts for ships were secured. Several small jobs followed until the First World War in 1915. War contracts required 8 minesweepers for the Royal Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy and thus the workforce increased to over 1000 workers.

### Depression

Manager D. Thompson headed the firm during the Great Depression keeping a crew of six to eight men onsite. Parties of workers were hired on the spot on a jobbed basis.

### Second World War

The first three corvettes were ordered to be constructed in 1940. This was the first construction contract since 1923. The workforce grew to over 1500 as corvette and minesweeper construction progressed. The last wartime contracts were for seven seagoing steam tugs which were finished after the war had ended.

### Canada Steamship Lines takes over

In 1947 the yard was bought by the Canada Steamship Lines. This rejuvenated the shipyard business as the fleet of canallers owned by the Canada Steamship Lines provided repair work for the yard. The Kingston Shipyards throughout the 1950s was occupied with building tugs, barges and pontoons.

### Final years

The opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959 made the fleet of canallers obsolete. With no canaller fleet wintering in Kingston, the yard lost the majority of its work. In 1967 Canada Steamship Lines shut down the site and all the equipment was to be sold or transferred to Collingwood Shipyards. The property was sold in 1968, and in 1974 acquired by the establishment of the current Marine Museum of the Great lakes at Kingston.

### Shipbuilding history

Ships built at Kingston Shipyards :
| Hull # | Original name | Original owner | Type | Gross tonnage | Date built | Disposition |
| 1 | Polana | Dept. of Agriculture | Quarantine cutter | 278 | 1911 | 1927: renamed Jalobert 1955: renamed Macassa 1965: renamed Queen City |
| 3 | Bellechasse | Coast Guard | Icebreaker and buoy tender | 417 | 1912 | 1954: scrapped |
| 4 | Dollard | Coast Guard | Buoy tender | 761 | 1913 | 1970: scrapped |
| 5 | P.W.D. No. 17 | Dept. of Public Works | Dump scow | 398 | 1913 | 1938: no trace of ship records past this date. |
| 6 | P.W.D. No.18 | Dept. of Public Works | Dump scow | 398 | 1913 | 1985: possibly broken up. |
| 7 | HMCS Thiepval | Royal Canadian Navy | Minesweeper | 440d | 1918 | 1920: decommissioned 1923: recommissioned 1930: struck a rock and sank |
| 8 | HMCS Loos | Royal Canadian Navy | Minesweeper | 440d | 1918 | 1920: decommissioned 1940: recommissioned 1949: broken up |
| 9 | HMCS TR-19 | Royal Navy | Minesweeper | 360d | 1918 | 1926: renamed Almeria 1928: renamed Goolgwai 1939: HMAS Goolgwai 1945: decommissioned 1955: wrecked near Sydney, Australia |
| 10 | HMCS TR-20 | Royal Navy | Minesweeper | 360d | 1918 | 1920: renamed Seville 1926: renamed Durraween 1940: HMAS Durraween 1952: broken up |
| 11 | HMCS TR-54 | Royal Navy | Minesweeper | 360d | 1918 | 1925: renamed Table Bay 1937: renamed Mary Mortimer |
| 12 | HMCS TR-55 | Royal Navy | Minesweeper | 360d | 1918 | 1920: renamed Marie Jacqueline 1927: Svalbard II 1939: HNoMS Scorpion (Royal Norwegian Navy) 1940: captured by Germans, renamed NN02 Scorpion 1945: surrendered and returned to previous Norwegian owners 1946: Svalbard II 1956: Baxel 1966: sold for scrap |
| 13 | HMCS TR-56 | Royal Navy | Minesweeper | 360d | 1918 | 1919: renamed CT56 (USN) 1921: renamed Romanita |
| 14 | HMCS TR-57 | Royal Navy | Minesweeper | 360d | 1919 | 1920: renamed Colonel Roosevelt 1926: renamed Texas 1941: HMT Texas 1944: lost in a collision off Jamaica |
| 15 | Canadian Beaver | Canadian Govt. | Cargo ship | 2,410 | 1920 | 1934: renamed Shinai (Japan Govt.) 1941: renamed Shinai Maru 1944: sunk by an American mine off the coast of Celebes. |
| 16 | Canadian Coaster | Canadian Govt. | Cargo ship | 2,422 | 1921 | 1929: renamed Kingsley 1943: renamed Silvestre 1950: renamed Santa Lucia 1966: scrapped for parts |
| | J. A. Cornett | Canadian Dredging | Tug | 60 | 1937 | 2015: moored near Port Dover harbour |
| 17 | HMCS Napanee | Royal Canadian Navy | Corvette | 940d | 1941 | 1942: sinks enemy ship U-356 1943: sinks enemy ship U-163 1946: sold and scrapped |
| 18 | HMCS Prescott | Royal Canadian Navy | Corvette | 940d | 1941 | 1943: sinks enemy ship U-163 1946: sold 1951: scrapped |
| 19 | HMCS Sudbury | vRoyal Canadian Navy | Corvette | 940d | 1941 | 1946: sold and converted to tug 1967: scrapped |
| 20 | HMCS Charlottetown | Royal Canadian Navy | Corvette | 940d | 1941 | 1942: Torpedoed and sunk by U-517 in the St. Lawrence River near Cap-Chat, Quebec. |
| 21 | HMS Ironbound | Royal Navy | Minesweeper | 545d | 1942 | 1946: renamed Turoy 1949: renamed Christina 1954: renamed Korso 1957: sunk by a mine off Portugal |
| 22 | HMS Liscomb | Royal Navy | Minesweeper | 545d | 1942 | 1946: renamed Aalesund 1967: renamed Lars Nyvoll 1978: renamed Jan Mayen |
| 23 | USS Brisk / HMS Flax | U.S. Navy / Royal Navy | Corvette | 980d | 1942 | 1947: renamed HMS Flax 1951: renamed Ariana 1955: renamed Arvida Bay 1963: renamed Zaida |
| 24 | USS Caprice / HMS Honesty | U.S. Navy / Royal Navy | Corvette | 980d | 1942 | 1943: renamed HMS Honesty 1946: renamed USS Caprice 1961: scrapped |
| 25 | USS Splendor / HMS Rosebay | U.S. Navy / Royal Navy | Corvette | 980d | 1943 | 1943: renamed HMS Rosebay 1947: renamed Benmark 1950: renamed Frida 1954: scrapped |
| 26 | HMCS Frontenac | Royal Canadian Navy | Corvette | 980d | 1943 | 1945: sold to United Ship Corp. of New York for merchant service |
| 27 | HMCS Trentonian | Royal Canadian Navy | Corvette | 980d | 1943 | 1945: Torpedoed and sunk by U-1004 in the English Channel |
| 28 | HMCS Peterborough | Royal Canadian Navy | Corvette | 980d | 1944 | 1947: renamed Gerardo Jansen (Dominican Republic Navy) 1972: scrapped |
| 29 | HMCS Belleville | Royal Canadian Navy | Corvette | 980d | 1943 | 1947: renamed Juan Bautista Combiaso (Dominican Republic Navy) 1972: broken up |
| 30 | HMCS Smiths Falls | Royal Canadian Navy | Corvette | 980d | 1943 | 1950: renamed Olympic Lightning (Honduran-flagged whale-catcher) 1956: renamed Otori Maru No. 16 (Japanese vessel) 1961: renamed Kyo Maru No. 23 (Japanese vessel) |
| 31-38 | Carleton, Listowel, Aydon Castle, Barnwell Castle, Beeston Castle, Bowes Castle, Devizes Castle, Egremont Castle | Royal Canadian Navy | Corvette | 980d | | Cancelled |
| 33 | Rockglen | British Ministry of War Transport | Tug | 233 | 1945 | 1948: renamed Freedom |
| 34 | Rockforest | British Ministry of War Transport | Tug | 233 | 1945 | 1946: renamed Aramco 202 1948: renamed Abqaiq 1 |
| 35 | Rockpigeon | British Ministry of War Transport | Tug | 233 | 1945 | 1947: renamed Flaunt 1959: renamed St. Merryn 1984: scrapped |
| 36 | Rockdoe | British Ministry of War Transport | Tug | 233 | 1945 | 1947: renamed Hoedic 1967: renamed Atlantico 1977: scrapped |
| 37 | Rockswift | British Ministry of War Transport | Tug | 233 | 1945 | 1946: renamed Ocean Rockswift 1967: collides with Silver King I killing 6 fishermen 1995: sold |
| 38 | Rockelm | British Ministry of War Transport | Tug | 233 | 1946 | 1952: renamed Kalid |
| 39 | Rockswift | British Ministry of War Transport | Tug | 233 | 1946 | 1949: renamed Pemex XI |
| 40 | Kingston | Canada Steamship Lines | Passenger vessel | | | Cancelled |
| 41 | | Canada Steamship Lines | Canaller | | | Cancelled |
| 42 | N.H.B.M. Hopper No. 1 | National Harbour Board | Dump scow | 135 | 1948 | 2015: active |
| 43 | N.H.B.M. Hopper No. 2 | National Harbour Board | Dump scow | 135 | 1948 | 2015: active |
| 44 | HMCS Resolute | Royal Canadian Navy | Minesweeper | 412d | 1954 | 1966: scrapped |
| 45 | D. C. Everest | Marathon Corp. | Pulpwood carrier | 2,196 | 1953 | 1981: renamed Condarrell 1989: renamed D. C. Everest 2000: renamed Condarrell 2006: scrapped |
| 46 | St. Lawrence II | Brigantine Inc. | Sailing vessel | 34 | 1953 | 2015: active |
| 47 | Windmill Point | Toronto Port Auth. | Ferry | 118 | 1954 | 2015: active |
| 48 | Amherst Islander | Ont. Dept. of Hwys | Ferry | 184 | 1955 | 2015: active |
| 49 | Seeley’s Bay Ferry | Leeds and Lansdowne | Ferry | | 1955 | |
| 50 | D.O.T. 11 | Dept. of Transport | Landing craft | 27 | 1955 | |
| 51 | D.O.T. 12 | Dept. of Transport | Landing craft | 27 | 1955 | |
| 52 | | Royal Canadian Navy | Landing craft | | 1955 | |
| 53 | S.L.S. 81 | St. Lawrence Seaway | Sweep scow | 102 | 1955 | 2015: active |
| 54 | YLV 600 | Royal Canadian Navy | Flat deck scow | 220 | 1955 | |
| 55 | YLV 601 | Royal Canadian Navy | Flat deck scow | 220 | 1955 | |
| 56 | Baffin One | Canadian Hydro Svce. | Landing barge | 4 | 1956 | For CSS Baffin |
| 57 | Baffin Two | Canadian Hydro Svce. | Landing barge | 4 | 1956 | For CSS Baffin |
| 58 | D.O.T. 49 | Dept. of Transport | Landing craft | 27 | 1956 | |
| 59 | D.O.T. 50 | Dept. of Transport | Landing craft | 27 | 1956 | |
| 60 | D.O.T. 51 | Dept. of Transport | Landing craft | 27 | 1956 | |
| 61 | Pitts Merrit | C.A. Pitts Contractors | Dredge | 883 | 1957 | 1977: Lost off Newfoundland |
| 62 | Fort Steele (MP 34) | R.C.M.P. | Patrol cutter | 215 | 1958 | 1973: to RCNR, renamed HMCS Fort Steele 140 1996: renamed Marie T. Splinter 1996: renamed Longway |
| 63 | Kenora II (MP 94) | R.C.M.P. | Patrol cutter | 119 | 1957 | |
| 64 | S.L.S. 86 | St. Lawrence Seaway | Scow | 422 | 1958 | |
| 65 | S.L.S. 87 | St. Lawrence Seaway | Scow | 422 | 1958 | |
| 66 | T.H.C. No. 50 | Toronto Harbour Comm. | Barge | 385 | 1958 | 2004: active |
| 67 | William B. Dilly | McNamara Construction | Dredge | 473 | 1957 | 2015: active |
| 68 | McNco No. 30 | McNamara Construction | Scow | 321 | 1958 | 2015: active |
| 69 | McNco No. 31 | McNamara Construction | Scow | 306 | 1958 | |
| 70 | D.O.T. | Dept. of Transport | Landing craft | 27 | 1958 | |
| 71 | D.O.T. | Dept. of Transport | Landing craft | 27 | 1958 | |
| 72 | D.O.T. | Dept. of Transport | Landing craft | 27 | 1958 | |
| 73 | Scirocco | Gulfs & Lakes Navigation | Yacht | 57 | 1959 | 1969: renamed Esmau 1982: renamed Un Monde Different 2008: deleted |
| 74 | Lightship No. 4 | Dept. of Transport | Lightship | 520 | 1959 | 1969: renamed CCGS Mikula 1995: renamed Kormoran |
| 75 | RCL D-35 | Russel Construction | Scow | 235 | 1958 | later: renamed J.P.P. No. 501 later: renamed H.M.D.C. No. 2 later: scrapped |
| 76 | RCL D-36 | Russel Construction | Scow | 307 | 1958 | Later: renamed J.P.P. No. 501 1998: H.M.D.C. No. 3 2006: closed |
| 77 | D.O.T. | Dept. of Transport | Landing craft | 27 | 1958 | |
| 78 | D.O.T. | Dept. of Transport | Landing craft | 27 | 1958 | |
| 79 | D.O.T. | Dept. of Transport | Landing craft | 27 | 1958 | |
| 80 | D.O.T. | Dept. of Transport | Landing craft | 27 | 1958 | |
| 81 | | Grayco Canada | Pontoons | | 1958 | |
| 82 | Marguerite | St. Lawrence Seaway | Wooden boat | | 1959 | Display boat for Upper Canada Village |
| 83 | McNco No. 1 | McNamara Construction | Scow | 223 | 1959 | |
| 84 | McNco No. 2 | McNamara Construction | Scow | 224 | 1959 | |
| 85 | McNco No. 3 | McNamara Construction | Scow | 225 | 1959 | |
| 86 | McNco No. 4 | McNamara Construction | Scow | 223 | 1959 | |
| 87 | Miss Cornwall | Cornwall Boat Tours | Tour boat | 44 | 1960 | later: renamed L’Aventure II active? |
| 88 | Pilot Boat No. 9 | Dept. of Transport | Pilot launch | 44 | 1960 | 1984: renamed Claudin Riverin 2007: renamed Navsea |
| 89 | Churchill 61 | National Harbour Board | Dump scow | 331 | 1961 | 1983: renamed Pitts No. 18 2004: deleted |
| 90 | Endiang | John P. Labatt | Ketch | 72 | 1962 | 1969: deleted |
| 91 | Pitts No. 1 | C. A. Pitts Contracting | Dump scow | 532 | 1962 | |
| 92 | Pitts No. 2 | C. A. Pitts Contracting | Dump scow | 532 | 1962 | |
| 93 | Relay | Coast Guard | SAR cutter | 143 | 1963 | 1989: stripped and abandoned |
| 94 | Shiwassie | City of Toronto | Ferry | 62 | 1962 | 1982: renamed Torontonian |
| 95 | YSD 1 | Royal Canadian Navy | Driving float | | 1963 | |
| 96 | YSD 2 | Royal Canadian Navy | Driving float | | 1963 | |
| 97 | S.T.V. Pathfinder | Toronto Brigantine Inc. | Brigantine | 35 | 1963 | 2015: active |
| 98 | Hudson One | Dept. of Mines | Landing craft | | 1963 | for: CSS Hudson |
| 99 | | Bayswater Shipping | Barge | 808 | 1963 | |
| 100 | Cargomaster | Hamilton Harbour Comm. | Derrick scow | 562 | 1964 | |
| 101 | HBC 1000 | Hudson Bay Company | Barge | 1151 | 1964 | 2006: Lost in James Bay |
| 102 | | Dept. of Public Works | Floats | | 1965 | |
| 103 | | Dept. of Public Transport | Ferry barge | 15 | 1965 | |
| 104 | Louis S. St. Laurent One | Coast Guard | Landing barge | 35 | 1967 | For CCGS Louis S. St. Laurent |
| 105 | Louis S. St Laurent Two | Coast Guard | Landing barge | 35 | 1967 | For CCGS Louis S. St. Laurent |
| 106 | Alexbow | Alexbow Ltd. | Icebreaking barge | 81 | 1967 | 1969: Lost in the Arctic |
| 107 | Jean Bourdon | Coast Guard | Survey vessel | 81 | 1968 | 1995: renamed 801 |
| 108 | Scow No. 108 | Dept. of Transport | Flat deck scow | 50 | 1967 | |