Rangitoto Ships' Graveyard

Duchess (Lady of the Gulf)

Duchess

Also known as the Lady of the Gulf, the Duchess was considered one of the finest passenger steamers on the harbour in the 1930s.

1896	The steamer Duchess (official number 10872) was built in steel by Mackie and Thomson, Govan, Glasgow in 1896. She measured 40.7x7.9m, with a gross tonnage of 308, and had two funnels.
1897	The vessel commenced service in Wellington and ran for many years in the Days Bay service. She was often engaged to tow sailing ships, on occasions as far as Picton and Lyttelton.
1928	Arrived in Auckland and was placed on the run to Kawau.
1931	Inaugurated the regular passenger service to Matiatia and Kawau. The Duchess was also used as a floating restaurant at Milford Beach.
1934	The ship was used for minesweeping trials for 12 weeks in 1934. She was commissioned as HMS Duchess II and then returned to the owners, Duchess S.S. Co. Ltd, Auckland (Watkin and Wallis).
1940	She was recommissioned on 8 July 1940 as a minesweeper (no T07), and then on 5 December sold to the Crown for £2670.
1942 - 1946	On 17 March 1942 she was used as an examination vessel, and on 2 February 1945 as a liberty and stores vessel and was finally paid off on 28 August 1946. During World War II the Duchess II was armed with a light machine gun.
Disposal	Wreck Bay 1951 - showing Duchess (left), Darford and Ngapuhi. Photo: Robin McWilliam The Duchess was sold in December 1946 to F. Appleton of Penrose for breaking up at the Viaduct. In 1947, the hull was stripped then towed to Rangitoto and beached at Wreck Bay, alongside the Dartford, on 11 June.
TODAY	The remains of the Duchess are likely to be present amongst the wreckage on the foreshore at Wreck Bay.