The ship was built by General Electric Co.Ltd at Haverton Hill shipyard with a gross tonnage of 10953. The keel was laid on 20th May 1926 and the ship was launched on 1st December 1948. There are views of the bridge, deck, different cabins, writing room, lounge and dining room. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
My grandfather, William Richard Tudor was a merchant seaman, I believe a stoker, on the SS Empire Gold. He was one of the casualties and sadly that is all I know about him.
My sister in law is Henry Cecil Cansdale” niece. Also Henry C´s Sister Violet Louise Cansdale´s Grand daughter and Henry C´s Aunt Katherine´s Great Grand Daughter. All three would love to make contact with Graeme Cansdale regarding family tree research. The Picture Stockton Team can provide you with my email address.
I have a copy of the: “ENGINEER OFFICER”S MANUAL for JOHN THOMPSON – LA MONT MAIN BOILERS (class A.1.) S.S. SAN SILVESTRE” It seems to have been retained by the John Thomson Water Tube Boilers Ltd. of Wolverhampton and has been annotated and updated in a couple of places. It”s a chunky manual with photos and diagrams and detailed technical maintenance texts. If anybody is interested in giving it a good home please ask the Picture Stockton Team to pass your details to me.
Hello Graeme Cansdale, If you read this please contact me at Billy1963@ntlworld.com I have a full size copy of the Empire Gold”s last crew list. My interest stems from 14 of her crew lost were local to were I live. I also have the names of the 4 survivors. I was in touch with one of them 3 years ago.
Re:Neil Dobson and “Empire Gold”. My Granfather (Henry Cecil)was skipper of the above named tanker. Just returned from a pilgrimage to his grave in Pornic War Cemetery(near St. Nazaire). I would be grateful if you could post me any details that you may find out about the ship and the circumstances surrounding its fate. At the same time, I may be able to help you (I know that somewhere my father has some plans of the ship and that some photos of my late grandfather and possibly, the ship, exist in a relatives possessions). It would be a pleasure to correspond with you and help in any little way with your research.
Dear Graeme, Apologies for lack of contact regarding the Empire Gold. I am now starting to write a paper on Convoy HX348 and the fate of the Cyrus H McCormack, the last Liberty ship sunk in the war and the Empire Gold, the last Empire ship sunk in the war. As a marine archaeologist doing survey work in the area of the sinking I have located both ships. I would be very interested in ship plans which to date I have not found and any photographs. I have convoy logs and other information that I have found in various archives.., You can contact me by asking Picture Stockton for my email address.
Dear Neil, My Uncle, John Harrison was killed on the Empire Gold and I am trying to find any additional information about this ship especially a photograph as I am just starting to prepare a history of the family. I would be particularly interested in your paper when complete as the surviving brother and sister, (my mother) are aging and I would love to present information to them about their much missed sibling.
Many thanks, Les Willis. If you would like to contact me, my email address is available by asking Picture Stockton.
Teesside archives apparently have the plans for Empire Gold.
This photo brought back memories of being taken as a child to watch ships being launched at the Furness Yard, Indeed if this ship was being launched in 1943 I may be the little girl in the photo being picked up to watch the launch. I was taken there, I think, because my grandfather and great grandfather worked at the Furness yard. My grandfather was William H Morris, who I believe must have worked in the offices, but my great grandfather, Tom. E. Morris worked as a “ships rigger” who I believe were the men who made the wooden structures around the ships. My great,great grandfather, William G. Morris ,is also listed as a “ships rigger” in various census returns, although as Furness Shipbuilding came into being in 1917, he can”t have worked for them.
Neil Dobson.The EMPIRE GOLD was I believe a steam ship, with triple expansion engines. Built for the ministry of War Transport, she was managed by Common Brothers, Newcastle.
Not sure if this will be any help Empire Gold Official No 164834 built 1941 There is a u-boat report http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/3495.html Log book and crew agreements at the TNA Kew http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/searchresults.asp?SearchInit=0&txtsearchterm=164834&txtfirstdate=&txtlastdate=&txtrestriction=&hdnsorttype=Reference&image1.x=0&image1.y=0 There are a couple of references to the Empire Gold at the National Archives Kew In ADM 1/15411 AUXILIARY VESSELS (4): S.S. EMPIRE GOLD: re-registration of vessel as Royal Fleet Auxiliary EPPINGDALE and ADM 1/30390 Awards to 5 Royal and Merchant Navy personnel of HM Rescue Ship Gothland for services during the rescue of 4 survivors of S/T Empire Gold torpedoed in convoy HX 348 by U1107 Apr 18 1945.
I am a marine archaeologist studying convoy rescue ships of WW11. In particular I am trying to find out as much as I can about the EMPIRE GOLD, 8,028 tons Motor Tanker built 1941 – Furness Shipbuilding Ltd, Haverton Hill-on-Tees company as a Ministry of War Transport. On a voyage Philadelphia and New York to Antwerp convoy HX-348 with a cargo 10278 tons of white spirits. Master Capt. Henry Cecil Cansdale casualties 43 lost from a complement of 47. Attacker U 1107 date 18.04.1945 time 1015 fate torpedoed position 47.47N/06.26W. I would be grateful for any information and photographs of the yard and anything on this ship.
There were in fact two “San Silvestre”:- Official No 135234…. ss “San Silvestre“ 9400 dwt built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Wallsend on Tyne, for The Eagle Oil Co,. Launched May 23rd 1913 by Mrs Purdy. Delivered July 3rd 1913, sold August 4th 1936 to P&W McLellen Ltd Glasgow for breaking Official No 183053….tes “San Silvestre” 15910 dwt the first ship to be built for the Eagle Oil & Shipping Co Ltd after the second world war with turbo-electric propulsion. Built by Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd Haverton Hill-on –Tees. Launched December 1st 1948 by Mrs G Leigh-Jones, Delivered July 21st 1949, since scrapped
Thank you to A.W.S for pointing out the error with the date of the launch. The San Silvestre was launched on 1st December 1928 not 1948.
I think there must be a mistake in the information about the building of the SAN SILVESTRE ref t566. it state`s that the keel was laid in 1926 and launched in 1948 ! 22 years. The average time to build was about 1 to 2 years!