13 Whaling Season 1952/1953

 

The Norwegian whalers worked not only in the Arctic continent, but also on the open sea with floating factories. These floating factories operated in the open sea south of South Africa and north of the Antarctic continent.

Aerogram sent from Sandefjord 02.01.1953 to Thoralf Hystad, operating on a floating whale factory called: Thorshammer ". He was on board Radio officer. Sent by airmail to Cape Town South Africa. The recipient in Cape Town was the agent of the whaling factory. and he arranged for this Aerogram to be delivered on the transport ship "Polaris" which carried fuel oil and mail to Thorshammer. 

Tanker Thorshamer 1928-1962 Build 1914: in Sunderland U.K. by William Doxford & Son. As a Oil Transport ship. Sold 1928 to Bryde & Dahl Hvalfangerselskap A/S Sandefjord. Converted to a factory ship . Extensively modernished in 1932 by Wilton-Fijenoord Rotterdam 1962 sold to Italian shipbreakers.

 “Plarbris” build 1951 as Oil Tanker by Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd., Glasgow. Owner Polaris A/S - Melsom &   Melsom, Larvik. 


This telegram is sent directly from Sir James Clark Ross (II), being on the whaling ground in Antarctic, to radio, Bergen, Norway. From Bergen the telegram would be sent by post to the addresse in Sandefjord. Sent on 29. March 1953, it was sent on one of the very last days of the 1952/53 season.


Whale factory ship Sir James Clark Ross (2) 1930-1965

Whale oil factory, built by Furness Shipbuilding Co., Middlesbrough in 1930. Owner Hvalfangerselskapet Rosshavet A/S Sandefjord.


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