Roper ships – SS Danby. Photograph courtesy of Stan Laundon 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Roper ships – SS Danby. Photograph courtesy of Stan Laundon
The SS Danby was a ship owned by the Ropner Shipping Co. Billy Mcgee a Stockton lad has just published a book, Ropner’s Navy ISBN 978- 0- 9558593-5-9 in which is another photograph of the Danby, and its history along with the history of the Ropner Company and its fleet, an interesting read for any one that may have served with the company or had relations who have done so
Barry and I have since exchanged a few emails on the Danby. He believes the photograph might have been taken in St. George”s Dock, in London.
I was delighted to find this photograph as my grandfather Frederick John Peat served as chief steward on SS Danby before and during the war. On one trip my grandmother was aboard when they collided with another ship in dense fog.
While I was serving my apprenticeship in Mechanical Dentistry with C.V.Armitage of Norton. Mr John Atkinson had just completed a new metal denture for Sir John Ropner. The workshop door opened and in came Mr Armitage with Sir John Ropner who said to Mr Atkinson ” am a metal man myself ya know” I thought that was a nice touch. John Atkinson of Norton was a true craftsman in metal and taught me many examples which helped me in later life in my job at Leeds Dental School.
I was interested to read the comments and thoughts about Roper Ships within these pages. My own father, Walter Wharton Laundon, served on the SS Danby during the second world war. The vessel was built in West Hartlepool by William Gray. I did a little research about the ship which was 4,258 tons. It was sold to a company in Spain in 1952 and renamed “Astro.” It was sold again in 1971 when it was renamed “Gopegui.” Five years later it was scrapped. I am not sure where this photograph was taken….any ideas?