Name MV Lady Rose Launched 17 March 1937 | Yard number 997 Builder A. & J. Inglis | |
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Owner Initially Union Steamship Company of British Columbia Operator Union Steamship Co of BC, 1937–1951 Out of service After 2004 and before 2009 Status Awaiting restoration as a floating restaurant | ||
MV Lady Rose is a small, single-screw, diesel coastal vessel, which operated on the west coast of British Columbia, Canada.
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Design and construction
Originally a Union Steamship Company of British Columbia vessel, she was the smallest ship ever custom ordered for them. She was built 1937 at A. & J. Inglis in Glasgow and originally christened Lady Sylvia when launched in 1937. The ship was 104.8 feet long, with a 21.2 foot beam and 14.3 depth of hold. The ship's overall size was 199 gross tons. The original engines were built by the National Gas and Oil Company, an English firm, and consisted of the main unit, a 220 horsepower diesel engine with a 28-horsepower reserve unit, The ship's speed was 11.5 knots. The ship was licensed to carry 130 people in the summer and 70 in the winter. Cargo capacity was 25 tons.
Operations
Lady Rose was intended for the use on Barkley Sound.
She was designed for the sheltered coastal waters of British Columbia. However, this was the first diesel powered vessel to cross the Atlantic driven by a single propeller. She is the last survivor of the USS fleet. She operated on routes between Port Alberni, Bamfield and Ucluelet, all near or on Barkley Sound.
In 1951 Union Steamship sold Lady Rose to Harbour Navigation Company.
Owned by Lady Rose Marine Services, she remained a vital cargo link to Bamfield until the begin of the 21st century, although her primary cargo has always been passengers, as she was built as a day-tripper for Union Steamship. She was restored and used in Tofino as a floating restaurant at Jamie’s Whaling Station since 2012.
