The Purvis Marine tug Anglian Lady dates from 1953. The 122′ 10″ by 30′ 1″ by 14′, 318 gross-ton-vessel was built by J. I. Thornycroft & Co. of Southampton, England, as Hull 4151.
Originally the Hamtun, the ship operated for the Southampton, Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. from 1953 to 1972. It was sold to Union de Remorquage et de Salvage S.A. of Belgium and sailed as Nathalie Letzer until 1987.
The tug was repowered and rebuilt in 1974 by Pieter Shipbuilding at Hemixen, Belgium, and returned to service measuring 136′ 6″ x 40′ 1″ x 14′. The 398 gross ton tug received two 12-cylinder Klockner-Humboldt-Deutz diesel engines, 220 mm x 280 mm that developed 3,500 horsepower. They replaced the two triple-expansion engines of 13.5-21.5-35×27 of 1,500 ihp that were installed when the ship was built.
In 1987 the vessel joined Klyne Tugs Ltd. and returned to England as Anglian Lady. The ship was sold to Purvis Marine Ltd. in 1988 and registered in Canada with the official number of (C706139). It cleared Lowestoft, UK, for the Great Lakes on April 13, 1988 and arrived at Sault Ste. Marie on May 3.
Anglian Lady sustained fire damage at Sault Ste. Marie on Dec. 5, 1988, but it was quickly extinguished by the crew. The vessel is often used to power company barges, but in 1995 it was chartered to push the barge McAsphalt 401.
Adapted with permission from “The Ships of the Purvis Marine Fleet” by Buck Longhurst, Skip Gillham.
| Tug Particulars | |
| Length | 132′ 00″ (40.23m) |
| Beam | 31′ 00″ (9.45m) |
| Depth | 14′ 00″ (4.27m) |
| Engine Power | 3,500 bhp diesel |
| Previous Names | |
| Hamtun | 1953 – 1972 |
| Nathalie Letzer | 1972 – 1988 |
| Anglian Lady | 1988 – Today |