Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Kathleen
- Type: Two-decked screw steamer ferry
- Year Built: 1886
- Builder: George Dickson, Toronto
- Dimensions: Approx. 84 ft (25.6 m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: Not specified
- Location: Moored in Toronto Harbour, Ontario
- Coordinates: Toronto Harbour (site of ferry operations; specific coordinates not recorded)
- Official Number: Not specified in current sources
- Original Owners: A. J. Tymon Ferry Co. / Toronto Ferry Company
- Number of Masts: Not recorded
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Kathleen was a two-decked screw steamer ferry, 84 ft long with a capacity of around 200 passengers. Built in 1886 by George Dickson in Toronto for the A. J. Tymon Ferry Co., she later became part of the Toronto Ferry Company fleet. Designed to serve inner-Harbour commuter and leisure routes, she featured dual passenger decks, likely with wooden or steel-planked hull construction typical of the era.
Description
The Kathleen was a **two-decked screw steamer ferry**, 84 ft long with a capacity of around 200 passengers. Built in 1886 by George Dickson in Toronto for the A. J. Tymon Ferry Co., she later became part of the Toronto Ferry Company fleet. Designed to serve inner-Harbour commuter and leisure routes, she featured dual passenger decks, likely with wooden or steel-planked hull construction typical of the era.
History
From her launch in **1886**, the Kathleen operated ferry services across Toronto Harbour, facilitating movement between the city and Toronto Islands. Alongside numerous contemporaries in the Tymon and Toronto Ferry Company fleets, she provided vital urban marine transit over three decades.
Significant Incidents
On **12 March 1918**, Kathleen was **destroyed by fire** while moored in Toronto Harbour—simultaneously with her sister ferry, Island Queen. The blaze likely consumed both vessels while docked or stationary, resulting in total losses. There are no recorded casualties or fatalities associated with the incident.
Final Disposition
This was not a submerged wreck rediscovered later; the fire occurred openly in 1918. Any remains (if any persisted) were presumably removed or salvaged shortly after the incident.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Access: N/A — vessel destroyed at dock, likely no remains accessible for dive
Entry Point: Toronto Harbour
Conditions: N/A
Depth Range: N/A
Emergency Contacts: N/A
Permits: N/A
Dive Support: N/A
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”kathleen” title=”References & Links”]
No records indicate casualties among crew or passengers. No dedicated memorials have been identified. Further investigation in local archives or newspapers may clarify any personnel impact.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
Other Names: None recorded
Official Number: Not specified in current sources
Registry: Canada (A. J. Tymon Ferry Co., later Toronto Ferry Company)
Vessel Type: Two-decked screw (propeller) steamer ferry
Builder: George Dickson, Toronto
Year Built: 1886
Dimensions: Approx. 84 ft length, capacity approx. 200 passengers
Gross Tonnage: Not specified — passenger capacity known (~200)
Cargo on Final Voyage: Passenger ferry — not carrying freight
Date of Loss: 12 March 1918 — destroyed by fire alongside Island Queen
Location: Moored in Toronto Harbour, Ontario
Coordinates: Toronto Harbour (site of ferry operations; specific coordinates not recorded)
Depth: N/A — destroyed while docked
Home Port: Toronto Harbour
Owners: A. J. Tymon Ferry Co. / Toronto Ferry Company
Crew: Not recorded
Casualties: Not documented — no reports of loss of life}
Description
The *Kathleen* was a **two-decked screw steamer ferry**, 84 ft long with a capacity of around 200 passengers. Built in 1886 by George Dickson in Toronto for the A. J. Tymon Ferry Co., she later became part of the Toronto Ferry Company fleet. Designed to serve inner-Harbour commuter and leisure routes, she featured dual passenger decks, likely with wooden or steel-planked hull construction typical of the era.
History
From her launch in **1886**, the *Kathleen* operated ferry services across Toronto Harbour, facilitating movement between the city and Toronto Islands. Alongside numerous contemporaries in the Tymon and Toronto Ferry Company fleets, she provided vital urban marine transit over three decades.
Final Dispositions
On **12 March 1918**, *Kathleen* was **destroyed by fire** while moored in Toronto Harbour—simultaneously with her sister ferry, *Island Queen*. The blaze likely consumed both vessels while docked or stationary, resulting in total losses. There are no recorded casualties or fatalities associated with the incident.
Located By & Date Found
This was not a submerged wreck rediscovered later; the fire occurred openly in 1918. Any remains (if any persisted) were presumably removed or salvaged shortly after the incident.
Notmars & Advisories
No notices to mariners or navigational advisories appear in public records for this event. The fire appears to have been localized and did not pose an extended hazard to harbour traffic.
Dive Information
Access: N/A — vessel destroyed at dock, likely no remains accessible for dive
Entry Point: Toronto Harbour
Conditions: N/A
Depth Range: N/A
Emergency Contacts: N/A
Permits: N/A
Dive Support: N/A
Crew & Casualty Memorials
No records indicate casualties among crew or passengers. No dedicated memorials have been identified. Further investigation in local archives or newspapers may clarify any personnel impact.
Documented Statements & Extracts
No direct eyewitness quotes or period newspaper excerpts found in current sources. Archival newspapers from March 1918 may contain contemporaneous accounts.
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
The *Kathleen*’s enrollment and hull specifics likely appear in period Canadian Steamship Registers or vessel registries. Insurance records may be accessible via Toronto Harbour Commission or maritime insurance archives.
Site Documentation & Imaging
No known photographs or detailed records of the fire or wreck site currently accessible. Toronto archives or local newspapers may hold period imagery or reports.
Image Gallery
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Vessels Database (BGSU/HCGL)
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Chronicling America (Library of Congress)
- Newspapers.com
- Find A Grave
- City of Toronto Archives
References
- Fleet listing: *Kathleen*, built 1886, two-decked screw steamer, 84 ft, 200 passengers; destroyed by fire 1918
NOAA/WHS Shipwreck Record Card
Other Names: None known
Official Number: Unknown
Coordinates: Toronto Harbour, Ontario (approximate)
Depth: N/A — dockside
Location Description: Moored in Toronto Harbour, Toronto, Ontario
Vessel Type: Two-decked screw steamer ferry
Material: Likely wooden or steel-planked hull
Dimensions: ~84 ft, ~200 passenger capacity
Condition: Destroyed by fire while docked
Cause of Loss: Harbour fire (March 12, 1918)
Discovery Date: 12 March 1918 (incident date)
Discovered By: Harbour operators and witnesses
Method: Fire event at mooring
Legal Notes: None recorded
Hazards: None long-term noted
Permits Required: N/A