Casgliadau Arlein

Port broadside view of S.S. CORYTON at Cardiff Docks, c.1936.

John Cory was born in Padstow where he was already the owner of a number of sailing vessels before deciding to move to Cardiff in 1872. By 1900 his sons were operating a fleet of twenty-three steamers. The steamer Coryton pictured here was a 4,553 gross ton vessel built at West Hartlepool in 1928; she is seen here in the Roath Dock, c. 1936. She was named after the Cory family home, which by today has given the name Coryton to a suburb in north Cardiff.

Source: Shipping at Cardiff: Photographs from the Hansen Collection 1920-1975 by David Jenkins, 1993.

S.S. CORYTON (4553gt). Built 1928 by Wm. Gray & Son, West Hartlepool for John Cory & Sons of Cardiff. She had an uneventful career until 16 February 1941, when she was attacked by German aircraft off the Northumberland coast while en route to Hull. The damaged ship was taking on water and her crew attempted to beach her off Ross Sands. With the exception of her master, all the crew were safely evacuated. The weather quickly deteriorated, resulting in the CORYTON breaking up before Captain Evans could be rescued. His body was eventually washed up on a nearby beach. The CORYTON is one of the more interesting wrecks along this area of coastline, as it lies in shallow water, and is suitable for all levels of diver experience. The large boilers rise up to within a few metres of the surface. Nearby, half buried in the sand, you can find remains of the ship’s gun.