RUSTENBURG CASTLE was built in 1946 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast with a tonnage of 8322grt, a length of 474ft 2in, a beam of 63ft 4in and a service speed of 16 knots.

1946 Original plans included accomodation for 36 passengers

Sister of the Riebeeck Castle she was delivered on 5th March 1946 to carry fruit from South Africa on the northbound voyage and general cargo on the southbound voyage.

1955 Replaced Stirling Castle for a North bound mail voyage

In 1971 she was sold to Chinese breakers for £147,500 and sailed on her final voyage from Singapore to Shanghai on 6th September 1971.

From an Email received June 2020 from Ray Catterall

The photo was taken in May 1962 by a late friend of mine named Andrew Douglas.  

Andy gave me this shot many years ago. It was taken by him whilst serving as a Cadet aboard ‘Rustenburg Castle’, and features his mentor 2/O, Sir W.A. ‘Bill’ Codrington (Bart), clutching a sanding block, and 3/O, Warwick Hyde standing in the lifeboat.  

I believe from what Andy told me that the Master’s name was Matthews.

Life at Sea - 1962

Tim Gunner

Did the final voyage on her to South Africa - full fruit cargo mostly grapes I recall - but Brian Spiller might remember more. Chatty but happy ship under  Capt Lofts. Stowaway for the last voyage.

Geoff Hatwell

I did that trip too, signed on 12/7/71 signed off 22/9/71 ...was EDH...think we flew home on the first Air France flight from Shanghai. Remember going on board first time in London, and saw wires all over the deck and thinking what a mess. Good trip though.

Brian Spiller

Yes remember the trip to Shanghai well and we had a great time there as booze was so cheap!!-----It all more or less tasted the same and resembled the smell from the river!!

I think we had something like 7 -10 days at The Peace Hotel waiting for a flight home (Paris)---Antony Wedgewood Benn was there at the time for some reason!!

Memorable trip especially going down the Malacca Straits and we thought we were being attacked by pirates but they were after scrap as word had got out we were on our way to Shanghai!!


Memories of her Final Voyage - 1971

Master

Date

Left

Destination

A G Patey

6/1946 - 11/1946



R S Davies

11/1946 - 12/1946



A C Black

12/1946 - 4/1947



A G Patey

4/1947 - 9/1947



W S Aldous

9/1947 - 10/1947



G D Fowler

10/1947 - 11/1947



A J Bidwell

11/1947 - 9/1948



J P Smythe

9/1948 - 9/1951



N M Lloyd

12/1952 - 10/1953



H L Holland

1954



A J Hort

1954 - 10/1955



G W Laurenson

10/1955 - 12/1955



A T Underdown

12/1955 - 1/1956



A A Freer

4/1956 - 6/1956



W C Swift

8/1956 - 8/1957



C E Lorains

9/1957 - 7/1958



G D Fowler

8/1958 - 12/1958



A E Payne

1/1959 - 8/1959



J M Lycett

9/1959

London

S Africa

A A Freer

3/1960

Immingham

S Africa


4/1960

Southampton

Oslo

S Africa


9/1960

Gravesend

E Africa

G S Cochrane

5/1961

Southampton

East London

G E Matthews

8/1961

London

S & E Africa


2/1962

London

S & E Africa


4/1962

Southampton

Cape Town


6/1962

London

Durban

G D Fowler

8/1962

London

Port Elizabeth


1/1963

North Shields

Cape Town

R H Pape

5/1963

Southampton

Port Elizabeth


7/1963

London

Lourenco Marques


10/1963

Birkenhead

E Africa


1/1964

Genoa

E & S Africa

W Graham

4/1964

Southampton

E Africa


6/1964

London

E Africa


8/1964

Liverpool

S Africa


10/1964

London

S & E Africa

D L’Estrange

5/1965

Southampton

S Africa

H M Walden

7/1965

Liverpool

S Africa

E C Martyn

12/1965

London

E & S Africa


3/1966

Southampton

S Africa

H N Dryden

5/1966

Southampton

S Africa


7/1966

Southampton

S Africa

E C Martyn

2/1967

Tyne

S Africa


4/1967

Southampton

S Africa


7/1967

Southampton

S Africa

D A Rees

12/1967

London

Walvis Bay


3/1968

Southampton

S Africa


5/1968

Southampton

S Africa

G S Gann

8/1968

Birkenhead

S Africa & Beira


11/1968

Genoa

S & E Africa

I M Shearer

7/1969

Cardiff

S Africa & Mauritius

N E Upham

12/1969

Birkenhead

S Africa & Beira

R S Olden

6/1970

London

Mauritius

R D Lofts

4/1971

Southampton

S Africa


7/1971


Shanghai

   Crew List    Crew List

Vessel

Built

Tonnage

Official No

Ship Builder

Engine Builder

Engine Type

HP

Screws

Rustenburg Castle

1946

8322

180893

Harland & Wolff

Belfast

Harland & Wolff

Belfast

Motor 8 Cyl

Burmeister & Wain

8000 BHP

1

Career Summary

Rustenburg Castle

GNGR

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