Oakfield Technical Specification

In 1889/1900 the partnership of Maclean, Doughty & Co., was dissolved with Henry Doughty taking four steamers with him. He formed Doughty & Co,. in 1900 and changed the name to Doughty Shipping Co. Ltd. in 1901. Doughty also managed ships for the British Government during WW1. The company lost four steamers during WW1 and went out of business in 1919.

Family History:

Henry Doughty was born in 1859 at Middlesbrough. In the early 1890’s he volunteered and became captain in the 4^th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry and reached the rank of major. In 1881 Henry was living at Stranton and was listed as a commercial clerk in a shipping office. By 1891 He was living at Seaton Carew. In April 1908 he was given command of the newly organised Durham Royal Garrison Artillery and retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in May 1909. Henry joined the Board of Directors of Hartlepool Gas and Water Company in 1916.  He moved to Harrogate, probably after 1919.

Henry died on 13 July 1927 at Harrogate and was interred at Harlow Cemetery. In his will, apart from £12,000 in bequests, the majority of £315,855 was given to various charities.

LAUNCH AT WEST HARTLEPOOL

Northern Daily Mail, Feb 3/12

Yesterday, Messrs. William Gray and Company, Limited.  launched the handsome steel screw steamer Oakfield,  which they have built for the Doughty Shipping Co., Limited (Messrs H. Doughty and Company, West Hartlepool, managers).

She will take the highest class in Lloyd’s Register, and is of the following dimensions, viz.: Length over all, 371ft. 6in.; breadth, 5ft.; and depth, 25ft. 1 ½ in., with extra long bridge, poop, and top-gallant forecastle.

The saloon, staterooms, captain’s, officers, and engineers’ rooms, etc., will be fitted up in houses on the bridge deck, and the crew’s berths in the forecastle.

The hull is built with deep bulb-angle frames, cellular double bottom, and large aft peak ballast tank, eight steam winches, steam steering gear amidships, hand screw gear aft, patent direct steam windlass, shifting boards throughout, stockless anchors, telescopic masts, with fore and aft rig, boats on deck overhead, and all requirements for a first class cargo steamer.

Triple-expansion engines are being supplied by the Central Marine Engineering Works of the builders, having cylinders 25in., 40 ½ in., and 67in. diameter, with a piston stroke of 45in., and three large steel boilers for a working pressure of 180lbs. per square inch.

The ship and machinery have been built under the superintendence of Mr. H. Brandin, on behalf of the owners, and the ceremony of naming the steamer Oakfield was gracefully performed by Miss. Elizabeth Garmondsway Waldy, Darlington.

TRIAL TRIP

Northern Daily Mail, March 11/12    
    
On Saturday, the handsome steel screw steamer Oakfield, built by , Messrs. Wm Gray and Co., Ltd., for the Doughty Shipping Co., Limited (Messrs H. Doughty and Company, West Hartlepool, managers), had her trial trip.
    
The vessel has been built to the highest class in Lloyd’s Register, and her principal dimensions are: Length over all, 371ft. 6in.; breadth, 5ft.; and depth, 25ft. 1 ½ in.
    
Triple-expansion engines have been supplied from the Central Marine Engineering Works of the builders, having cylinders 25in., 40 ½ in., and 67in. diameter, with a piston stroke of 45in., and three large steel boilers for a working pressure of 180lbs. per square inch, evaporator, duplex feed and ballast pumps, etc.
    
The trial was a very successful one, an average speed of 11 ½ knots being obtained. Mr Brandon, who superintended the building of the vessel, was present on behalf of the owners, and Mr. James Innes represented Lloyd’s Registry.

The vessel afterwards proceeded on her voyage to her loading port.