ARNOLD, FANNY (1882, Tug (Towboat))

Identification & Site Information:

•Vessel Name: ARNOLD, FANNY

•Also Known As: TUPPER PORTER

•Year of Build: 1882

•Official Number: 85322

Construction and Ownership

•Built at: Owen Sound, Ontario

•Vessel Type: Tug (Towboat)

•Hull Materials: Wood

•Number of Decks: 1

•Builder Name: J. Simpson

•Original Owner: Spanish River Lumber Co., Owen Sound, Ontario

•Ownership Notes: Benjamin W. Arnold, President, Albany, NY

Power and Propulsion

•Propulsion: Screw

•Engine Type: High Pressure (including HPNC)

•# of Cylinders: 1

•# of Propellers: 1

•Propulsion Notes: The vessel was powered by a 20 x 22”, 75hp engine built by Wm. Kennedy of Owen Sound in 1882.

Hull Dimensions

•Length: 89 feet

•Beam: 18 feet

•Depth: 9 feet

•Tonnage (Gross): 73 tons

•Tonnage (Net): 50 tons

Vessel Type

The Fanny Arnold was a wooden-hulled Tugboat built for towing operations, initially serving the Spanish River Lumber Company in Ontario. Tugboats like the Fanny Arnold were essential for transporting timber and other materials by towing large barges through the waters of Lake Ontario and the surrounding areas.

History

The Fanny Arnold was constructed in 1882 by J. Simpson in Owen Sound, Ontario, and was initially owned by the Spanish River Lumber Company. By 1930, the vessel was owned by The Spanish Mills Co. Ltd. of Cutler, Ontario, where it continued its service in towing operations.

In 1941, the vessel was renamed Tupper Porter and was operated by J.P. Porter & Sons Ltd. of Montreal. Throughout the 1940s, the Tug saw significant usage, including a major Rebuild in 1944 by the Toronto Dry Dock Company Ltd. Despite its extensive career, the vessel remained in active service until 1948.

Final Disposition

In 1949, the Fanny Arnold, now Tupper Porter, was scrapped in Toronto, Ontario, after nearly seven decades of service. Although there are no reports of dramatic accidents or sinkings, the vessel was likely worn out and no longer deemed economically viable, leading to its dismantling.

Located By & Date

There are no records of any recovery or remains of the Fanny Arnold, as the vessel was scrapped in Toronto, Ontario, in 1949.

NOTMARs & Advisories

There are no modern Navigation Hazards related to the Fanny Arnold, as it was fully dismantled and scrapped. The area around Toronto’s harbor has undergone significant development, and no parts of the vessel remain.

Resources & Links

For further information:

•Maritime History of the Great Lakes

•Great Lakes Ships Database

•Save Ontario Shipwrecks