Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: W. T. Robb
- Type: Timber Tugboat
- Year Built: 1864
- Builder: George Hardison, Stromness, Ontario
- Dimensions: Length: 120 ft (36.6 m); Beam: 20 ft (6.1 m); Depth: 10 ft (3.0 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 243 gross tons / 88 net tons
- Location: East of Silverbirch Avenue, Toronto, Ontario (Lake Ontario shoreline)
- Original Owners: Senator McCallum, Capt. Wm. Hall, Alderman Davies
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The W. T. Robb was a carvel-planked wooden tugboat, purpose-built for towing heavy timber rafts from Lake Erie to Quebec. Her hull and draught suited the high-demand timber trade of the 19th century. Later modifications included an upper deck and accommodations, potentially for troop movement during the 1866 Fenian Raids.
Description
Commissioned by Senator McCallum and launched in 1864, the W. T. Robb served as both a commercial tug and a naval auxiliary during the Fenian crisis. Armed with a nine-pounder gun, she patrolled the Welland River in defense of Canadian borders.
Post-raid, the tug returned to private freight service under Capt. Wm. Hall, towing timber-laden schooners. As commercial demand declined, her utility diminished. In 1891, with engines removed and hull stripped, Alderman Davies repurposed her as a groyne at Victoria Park to protect the nearby pier.
For decades, her beached hull served as a windbreak and playground fixture before disintegrating into the shoreline.
History
Declared unseaworthy and beached in 1891, the W. T. Robb was intentionally grounded to act as a groyne. Her structural remains deteriorated slowly under wave action, sand burial, and scavenging. Only sections of her stern-bearing and ribs remain visible.
Significant Incidents
- No current NOTMARs issued. Caution is advised for small craft nearshore east of Toronto’s waterworks due to possible submerged wood debris.
Final Disposition
Local historians and Toronto Marine Historical Society members have long known of her remains. No formal underwater documentation exists, but her general position near Silverbirch Avenue and the former Victoria Park pier is well known.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The W. T. Robb encapsulates a multifaceted maritime legacy: timber trade workhorse, coastal defender during the Fenian Raids, and finally, a coastal engineering feature. Though no longer structurally intact, her story is embedded in Toronto’s shoreline, maritime defense, and industrial-era adaptation.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”w-t-robb-1864″ title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]
As divers, remember to respect the site and its history. Leave only bubbles, take only memories, and consider removing any garbage to leave the area better than you found it.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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