Other Names #
- TYNEVILLE 149467
The Tragic Loss of the JOHN J. BOLAND JR. (formerly TYNEVILLE): A Stormy End for a Bulk Freighter #
The John J. Boland Jr., previously known as the Tyneville, was a steel bulk freighter that met a tragic fate on Lake Erie. Constructed in 1928 by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson in Newcastle, England, this propeller-driven vessel had a brief but eventful history. On October 5, 1932, while carrying a cargo of coal from Erie, Pennsylvania, to Hamilton, Ontario, the John J. Boland Jr. capsized and foundered during a violent gale. This article delves into the vessel’s construction and specifications, its ownership and name changes, the circumstances surrounding its loss, and the tragic loss of life that accompanied the sinking.
The John J. Boland Jr., originally named the Tyneville, was built in 1928 at Newcastle-on-Tyne, United Kingdom. Constructed with a steel hull, the vessel measured 253 feet in length, 44 feet in beam, and 24 feet in depth. It had a gross tonnage of 1939 and was powered by a screw propulsion system. The engine consisted of a triple expansion configuration with cylinder dimensions of 15 inches, 25 inches, and 40 inches, and a stroke of 33 inches.
The vessel was initially registered under the British official number 149467 as the Tyneville. However, it underwent a name change to John J. Boland Jr. in 1929 when it was acquired by Sarnia Steamship of St. Catharines, Canada.
On October 5, 1932, the John J. Boland Jr., loaded with coal, was en route from Erie, Pennsylvania, to Hamilton, Ontario. While sailing through a severe storm, the vessel encountered treacherous conditions that caused it to capsize and subsequently founder. The crew, consisting of 19 individuals, faced a swift and catastrophic end as the ship sank rapidly. Tragically, only 15 crew members managed to find refuge on an upturned lifeboat and eventually made it ashore. Regrettably, four crew members lost their lives, unable to escape the sinking vessel in time.
The John J. Boland Jr., formerly known as the Tyneville, was a steel bulk freighter that met a tragic end on Lake Erie. The vessel, constructed in 1928, fell victim to a violent storm on October 5, 1932, when it capsized and foundered while carrying a cargo of coal. The rapid sinking of the ship left little time for the crew to launch lifeboats, resulting in the loss of four lives. The sinking of the John J. Boland Jr. stands as a somber reminder of the unpredictable and perilous conditions faced by mariners on the Great Lakes.
