Norway Heritage logo
S/S Thingvalla, Thingvalla Line Main Page >>

BurdenBuiltShipowner or operator Dimensions
2,524 gross 1873 at Copenhagen, Denamrk by Burmeister & Wain Thingvalla Line 301.5ft x 37.4ft x 21.6ft 
 Year Departure ArrivalRemarks
 1873  Built for A/S Sejl- og Dampskibsselskabet af 1873 (F.W. Kiørebo, Copenhagen)Atlantic Journey ID 4987
 1873  Oct. 25, launched, but delivery was delayed till June 20, 1874Atlantic Journey ID 5010
 1874  Her first service was in the East Asian tradeAtlantic Journey ID 4989
 1877  Chartered to Compagnie Générale Transatlantique to replace the Amerique on their passenger and post route between Le Havre and New York. She was in this service for 7 moths before returning to East Asian trade again. Atlantic Journey ID 4990
 1879  May 24, arrived to Burmeister & Wain from BremerhafenAtlantic Journey ID 4991
 1879  Aug. 8, arrived at Thameshaven with live stockAtlantic Journey ID 5014
 1879  Oct 25, departed from Copenhagen on her first voyage with passengers for Thingvalla Line, calling at Newcastle on way to New York where she arrived Nov. 11Atlantic Journey ID 5015
 1880  Feb 8: departed from New-York Capt. Molson, arrived at Copenhagen ca. Feb 22. She landed at the Isle of Wight the crew of the ship Alexander Marshall, Capt. Gardner, which was abandoned leaky and dismantled. Nothing was saved.Atlantic Journey ID 9166
 1880  Mar 9, arrived to Burmeister & Wain for repairsAtlantic Journey ID 5016
 1880  Apr. 14, departed Newcastle - Apr. 24 fell in with a lot of small icebergs just southeast of Nova ScotiaAtlantic Journey ID 5017
 1880  May 7, arrived to Boston requiring repairs after loosing her screw, the passengers proceeded to New York by train, Thingvalla departed Boston May 11, - arrived New York May 13Atlantic Journey ID 5018
 1881  Jan. 31, arrived Kristiansand with leaks after striking an underwater rock in thick snowAtlantic Journey ID 5019
 1881  Christiania - New York   
 1881  Christiania  June 23  New York  July 07 Transatlantc ID
 1881  Christiania  Aug. 15  New York  Aug. 30 Transatlantc ID
 1881  Christiania  Oct. 08  New York  Oct. 26 Reported to have left Christiania the 9thTransatlantc ID
 1881  Christiania  Dec. 01  New York  Dec. 22 Transatlantc ID
 1882  Christiania  Dec. 01  New York  Jan. 17 Transatlantc ID
 1882  Jan 23, arrived Burmeister & Wain for repairsAtlantic Journey ID 5020
 1882  Christiania  Feb. 05  New York  Feb. 21 Capt. Laub from Christiania with emigrants and cargo of 5,000kg wood pulp, 1,000kg books and 88kg tinned productsTransatlantc ID
 1882  Left New York March 5 and arrived in Christiania March 19. At Newfoundland they was stocked in the ice where she had to stay for one night when after she had to sail some 70 mile around the iceAtlantic Journey ID 4965
 1882  Mar. 27, arrived Burmeister & Wain for repairsAtlantic Journey ID 5021
 1882  Christiania  Apr. 13  New York  Apr. 28 Capt. Laub from Copenhagen with emigrants. Within 2 – 3 hours in Christiania another 206 emigrants embarked and 50,000kg wood pulp loadedTransatlantc ID
 1882  Christiania - New York   
 1882  Christiania  June 01  New York  June 16 Capt. Laub from Christiania with 268 emigrants. Cargo loaded: 500 barrels anchovies and 15 barrels of medicine fish oilTransatlantc ID
 1882  Christiania  July 27  New York  Aug. 13 Capt. LaubTransatlantc ID
 1882  Christiania  Sept. 21  New York  Oct. 07 221 Norwegian passengersTransatlantc ID
 1882  Christiania  Nov. 16  New York  Dec. 04 Capt. Laub in Christiania some 50 Norwegian passengers embarked. Cargo loaded herring and cheese.Transatlantc ID
 1883  Jan. 6 - Mar. 30, refitted with new cabins and new deck by Burmeister & WainAtlantic Journey ID 5022
 1883  Christiania  Apr. 05  New York  Apr. 21 319 Norwegian passengersTransatlantc ID
 1883  Christiania - Christiansand - New York   
 1883  Christiania  May 31  New York  June 16 329 Norwegian passengers - Also reported arrive 1883-06-15Transatlantc ID
 1883  Christiania  July 26  New York  Aug. 10 202 Norwegian passengersTransatlantc ID
 1883  Christiania  Sept. 20  New York  Oct. 05 204 Norwegian passengersTransatlantc ID
 1883  Christiania  Nov. 15  New York  Dec. 03 Transatlantc ID
 1884  Christiania  Jan. 10  New York  Jan. 29 Transatlantc ID
 1884  Christiania  Mar. 06  New York  Mar. 22 Transatlantc ID
 1884  Christiania - Christiansand - New York   
 1884  Christiania  May 01  New York  May 17 Also reported arrive 1884-05-16 - 383 Norwegian passengersTransatlantc ID
 1884  Christiania  June 26  New York  July 12 110 emigrants from Copenhagen and loaded 136 emigrants in ChristianiaTransatlantc ID
 1884  Aug. 8, arrived Burmeister & Wain for repairsAtlantic Journey ID 5023
 1884  Christiania  Aug. 21  New York  Sept. 07 205 Norwegian passengersTransatlantc ID
 1884  Christiania  Oct. 07  New York  Oct. 21 13 days at seaTransatlantc ID
 1884  Christiania  Nov. 27  New York  Dec. 15 Transatlantc ID
 1884  Dec. 23, returned to New York on way to Copenhagen after the cargo had shiftedAtlantic Journey ID 5024
 1885  Christiania  Jan. 22  New York  Feb. 07 Capt. Laub from Christiania with passengers. Cargo 464,000kg wood pulp and 16 barrels of anchoviesTransatlantc ID
 1885  Christiania  Mar. 19  New York  Apr. 05 Capt. Laub arrived in Christiania with 188 emigrants and goods from Copenhagen. Left Christiania with another 80 emigrants and cargo of 275,000kg wood pulpTransatlantc ID
 1885  April 27, at 06:00 morning, run aground the island of Hovedøya in Christiania. She was afloat after all goods were unloaded. She could continue her journey for Copenhagen after 3 daysAtlantic Journey ID 4957
 1885  Christiania - Christiansand - New York   
 1885  May 4 - May 16, repairs at burmeister & WainAtlantic Journey ID 5025
 1885  Christiania  May 19  New York  June 02 Capt. Laub from Christiania with 200 emigrants. Some 300 followed from Copenhagen and another 50 embarked in ChristiansandTransatlantc ID
 1885  Christiania  July 09  New York  July 24 Transatlantc ID
 1885  Christiania  Sept. 04  New York  Sept. 19 Transatlantc ID
 1885  Christiania  Oct. 29  New York  Nov. 15 Transatlantc ID
 1886  Christiania  Dec. 24  New York  Jan. 13 Transatlantc ID
 1886  Christiania  Feb. 18  New York  Mar. 06 Transatlantc ID
 1886  Christiania  Apr. 15  New York  Apr. 30 350 Norwegian passengersTransatlantc ID
 1886  Christiania - Christiansand - New York   
 1886  Christiania  June 10  New York  June 25 408 Norwegian passengersTransatlantc ID
 1886  Christiania  Aug. 05  New York  Aug. 20 Transatlantc ID
 1886  Christiania  Sept. 28  New York  Oct. 13 Transatlantc ID
 1886  Christiania  Nov. 23  New York  Dec. 11 Transatlantc ID
 1887  Christiania  Mar. 17  New York  Apr. 05 Transatlantc ID
 1887  Christiania - Christiansand - New York   
 1887  Christiania  May 12  New York  May 29 Capt. Laub, from Christiania some 260 emigrants embarked and a cargo of 481.000-kilo wood pulp, 120.000-kilo chemical pulp loaded. In Christiansand another 180 emigrants embarked. Total 778 persons followed the ship.Transatlantc ID
 1887  Christiania  July 07  New York  July 21 Transatlantc ID
 1887  Christiania  Sept. 01  New York  Sept. 16 Transatlantc ID
 1887  Christiania  Oct. 27  New York  Nov. 13 Transatlantc ID
 1888  Christiania  Dec. 22  New York  Jan. 08 Transatlantc ID
 1888  Christiania  Feb. 16  New York  Mar. 03 Feeder ship left Bergen 1888-02-17Transatlantc ID
 1888  Christiania  Apr. 12  New York  Apr. 27 Transatlantc ID
 1888  Christiania - Christiansand - New York   
 1888  Christiania  June 07  New York  June 22 Passengers from Bergen embarked in KristiansandTransatlantc ID
 1888  Christiania  Aug. 02    Aug. 14 Collided with and sank the Thingvalla Line vessel "Geiser" off Sable Island with the loss of 105 lives. Passengers arrived in Halifax 2 days laterTransatlantc ID
 1888  Christiania  Aug. 02  New York  Aug. 16 The passengers arrived in New York, Steamship Thingvalla arrived in HalifaxTransatlantc ID
 1889  Christiania  Dec. 20  New York  Jan. 10 Transatlantc ID
 1889  Christiania  Feb. 07  New York  Feb. 25 Capt. Larsen from Christiania with 28 passengers. Cargo; 89 barrels brisling, 160 barrels of herring, 15 barrels fish oil, 7000kg fresh herring, 806 liter beer, 490.200kg wood pulp and 3.760kg skinTransatlantc ID
 1889  March 16; arrived in Christiania from New York with cargo of meat, oil, tobacco and syrupAtlantic Journey ID 4939
 1889  Christiania  Apr. 04  New York  Apr. 18 Capt. Laub from Copenhagen with 284 passengers, in Christiania another 91 embarked. Cargo loaded: 308.200kg wood pulp, 42 barrels of herring, 2.010kg fish skin and 1.160kg tinned productsTransatlantc ID
 1889  Christiania - Christiansand - New York   
 1889  Christiania  May 30  New York  June 15 Capt. Laub from Christiania with 512 emigrants. 262 followed from Copenhagen. Cargo: 110 barrels of herring, 959 barrels of anchovies, 38,290kg Oxalic acid and 510.400kg wood pulpTransatlantc ID
 1889  Christiania  July 18  New York  Aug. 03 Transatlantc ID
 1889  Christiania  Sept. 19  New York  Oct. 04 Transatlantc ID
 1889  December, the 3rd mate was washed over board during a heavy storm in the Atlantic on way New York - KristianiaAtlantic Journey ID 5026
 1890  Christiania  Mar. 13  New York  Apr. 01 Transatlantc ID
 1890  Christiania - Christiansand - New York   
 1890  Christiania  May 08  New York  May 20 Collided with an iceberg the 19th in a foggy morning, 20 feet high and 100 feet long. No personal injury and only minor damage to the ship.Transatlantc ID
 1890  Christiania  July 24  New York  Aug. 09 Transatlantc ID
 1890  Christiania  Sept. 18  New York  Oct. 05 Transatlantc ID
 1890  Christiania  Nov. 13  New York  Dec. 01 Transatlantc ID
 1891  Christiania  Mar. 05  New York  Mar. 22 Transatlantc ID
 1891  Christiania - Christiansand - New York   
 1891  Christiania  Apr. 30  New York  May 17 Transatlantc ID
 1891  Christiania  June 25  New York  July 08 Transatlantc ID
 1891  Christiania  Aug. 20  New York  Sept. 04 Capt. Laub with 682 passengers, 155 emigrants embarked in Christiania loading 210500kg wood pulp and 1008litre of beer.Transatlantc ID
 1891  Christiania  Oct. 15  New York  Oct. 31 Transatlantc ID
 1891  Christiania  Dec. 10  New York  Dec. 27 Transatlantc ID
 1892  Christiania  Feb. 04  New York  Feb. 19 Transatlantc ID
 1892  Christiania  Mar. 31  New York  Apr. 15 Transatlantc ID
 1892  Christiania - Christiansand - New York   
 1892  Christiania  May 26  New York  June 09 Transatlantc ID
 1892  Christiania  July 21  New York  Aug. 04 Capt. S. J. H. Laub. - Also reported arrive August 2 and 3Transatlantc ID
 1892  Christiania  Sept. 22  New York  Oct. 09 Capt. LaubTransatlantc ID
 1892  Christiania  Nov. 10  New York  Nov. 25 Capt. Laub. Also reported arrive 1892-11-24Transatlantc ID
 1893  Christiania  Jan. 12  New York  Jan. 29 Transatlantc ID
 1893  Feb. 22, damages to screw and hull due to ice in the Kristianiafjord (Oslofjord), went to Burmeister & Wain for repairsAtlantic Journey ID 5027
 1893  Christiania  Mar. 30  New York  Apr. 15 Capt. Laub (see also S/S Siberian 1893-04-19). Cargo; 75 packages of exhibit objects, 13.229kg oxalis acid, 1.524 liter beerTransatlantc ID
 1893  Christiania - Christiansand - New York   
 1893  Christiania  May 22  New York  June 06 Capt. Berentzen with passengers. Cargo loaded in Kristiania: 73.000 kg marble, 153.000 kg wood pulp, 672 liter beerTransatlantc ID
 1893  Christiania  July 20  New York  Aug. 04 Capt. BerentsenTransatlantc ID
 1893  Christiania  Sept. 14  New York  Sept. 27 Capt. Berendsen. Also reported arrive 1893-09-28Transatlantc ID
 1893  Christiania  Nov. 09  New York  Nov. 23 Capt. Berentsen. 188 emigrants from Christiania. - Also reported arrive 1893-11-24Transatlantc ID
 1894  Christiania  Jan. 04  New York  Jan. 19 Capt. BerentsenTransatlantc ID
 1894  Christiania - Christiansand - New York   
 1894    May 11  New York  May 22 Capt. LaubTransatlantc ID
 1894  Christiania  July 05  New York  July 21 Capt. BerentsenTransatlantc ID
 1894  Christiania  Sept. 06  New York  Sept. 21 Capt. BerendsenTransatlantc ID
 1894  Christiania  Nov. 01  New York  Nov. 20 Capt. LaubTransatlantc ID
 1895  Christiania  Jan. 04  New York  Jan. 20 Transatlantc ID
 1895  Christiania - Christiansand - New York   
 1895  Christiania  May 02  New York  May 16 Transatlantc ID
 1895  Christiania  June 27  New York  July 13 Transatlantc ID
 1895  Christiania  Aug. 22  New York  Sept. 06 Transatlantc ID
 1895  Christiania  Oct. 17  New York  Oct. 30 Also reported arrive 1895-10-31Transatlantc ID
 1896  Christiania  Feb. 06  New York  Feb. 25 Transatlantc ID
 1896  Christiania - Christiansand - New York   
 1896  Christiania  May 29  New York  June 11 Also reported arrive 1896-06-12Transatlantc ID
 1896  Christiania  July 23  New York  Aug. 06 Transatlantc ID
 1896  Christiania  Sept. 17  New York  Oct. 02 Also reported arrive 1896-10-03Transatlantc ID
 1896  Oct. 29; Arrived in Kristiania with 3 flags at half-mast, Norway, Denmark and United States. One sailor died after heavy sea off Scotland on the journey eastbound. The sailor was to be buried in KristianiaAtlantic Journey ID 4806
 1896  Christiania  Nov. 19  New York  Dec. 05 Transatlantc ID
 1897       New York  Feb. 07 Transatlantc ID
 1897  Christiania  Mar. 18  New York  Apr. 02 Capt. Berentzen left Kristiania with general goodsTransatlantc ID
 1897  Kristiania - Kristiansand - New York   
 1897  Christiania  July 01  New York  July 16 Capt. Berentzen from Kristiania with passengers and general cargoTransatlantc ID
 1897  Kristiania - Kristiansand  Aug. 26  New York  Sept. 08 Capt. Berentzen from Kristiania with passengers and 178 barrels of fish oil. 120 Norwegian passengersTransatlantc ID
 1898  Christiania  Feb. 10  New York  Feb. 27 Transatlantc ID
 1898  Christiania  Apr. 07  New York  Apr. 26 Transatlantc ID
 1898  Kristiania - Kristiansand - New York   
 1898  Christiania  June 02  New York  June 17 Transatlantc ID
 1898       New York  Aug. 11 Transatlantc ID
 1898  Christiania  Sept. 22  New York  Oct. 06 Capt. Laub. From Kristiania with 175 barrels of fish oil and 259 barrels mackerelTransatlantc ID
 1898  Oct. 10, sold to DFDS, transferred to Scandinavian America LineAtlantic Journey ID 5028
 1900  Sold to Norwegian ownersAtlantic Journey ID 5029
 1903  September, stranded at Torgfjord, sold and scrappedAtlantic Journey ID 5030
The information listed above is not the complete record of the ship. The information was collected from a multitude of sources, and new information will be added as it emerges

Her tonnage was 2,524 tons gross, 1,745 under deck and 1,630 net. She had one funnel and three masts. Originally she was rigged as a bark, later probably as a barquentine. in the 1887-88 Lloyd's Registry of Shipping, she is listed as being schooner rigged. She was an iron construction, and had a single screw. She had 2 decks and spar deck, 6 cemented bulkheads and partial double bottom 600 tons. Aft Peak Tank and Forward Peak Tank. She had a compound engine with 2 inverted cylinders of 30 and 60 inches diameter respectively, stroke 36 inches, operating at 60 p.s.i. delivering 225 horsepower (900 indicated horsepower) giving her a speed of 10 knots. The engine was built by the same company as the hull. There was passenger accommodation for 50-1st, 50-2nd and 900-3rd class. The ship was named after the field in Iceland where the old assemblies of the people were held according to Norse custom and usage, and where resolutions were passed for the benefit of their commonwealth. The year 1874 when the "Thingvalla" was built marked the 10th centenary of settlement in Iceland.

In 1888 the S/S Thingvalla collided with and sank the Thingvalla Line vessel "Geiser" off Sable Island with the loss of 105 lives:


[DFDS 1866-1991, p. 236, shown by the kind permission of Søren Thorsøe]


S/S Thingvalla after the collision with S/S Geiser

Sources: [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.3,p.1050,][Lloyd's registry of shipping] [Skandinavien-Amerika Linien, DFDS' passager- og fragtfart på Amerika, Søren Thorsøe, Simonsen, Krogh-Andersen, Frederichsen][DFDS 1866-1991 by Søren Thorsøe a.o., p. 236]

S.S. Thingvalla, Scandinavian America Line steamship
The S.S. Thingvalla in Scandinavian America Line colors. - Photographer: Unknown, colorized by Børge Solem. - Source: Norway Heritage Collection - This work is licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 - Support the Norway Heritage Project: Make a donation

Topics related to this ship in the NorwayHeritage community forums:
-ID 38 Thingvalla 1880

THING
Emigrant Ship databases
Agents & Shipping lines
Shipping lines, Norwegian agents, authorizations, routes and fleets.
Emigrant ship Arrivals
 Trond Austheim's database of emigrant ship arrivals around the world, 1870-1894.
Norwegian departures
100 Years of Emigrant Ships from Norway - indexed by year 1825-1925
Passenger lists
Norwegian Emigrants 1825-1875 Pre 1875 Norwegian emigrants, passenger lists
Images
Categories:
  >> Steamships
       arranged by shipping line
  >> Sailing ships
  >> Historic Documents
       & passenger lists
  >> The Voyage
  >> Ports - harbors
  >> Yards & Construction
  >> Miscellaneous
  >> Pioneers & Settlements
 
Images added during the last 14 days
You can add images of ships and other related motives by using the "Upload Image" link within the appropriate category.
Articles
A selection of articles dedicated to help you in your genealogy search for your Norwegian ancestors. Transcripts and pictures of historic documents in connection with the ships and emigration. Also including articles about Pioneers & Norwegian Settlements Around the World
Articles about selected ships ships and special events in their history. Descriptions of some of the great maritime disasters involving emigrant ships, like the wrecking of the steamer Atlantic of the White Star Line, sinking of the ocean liner Empress of Ireland and the Thingvalla line steamer Norge disaster. Check this section if you have an interest in shipwrecks.
This section contains articles describing the transatlantic voyage, the condition of the steerage accommodations and the experience of an ocean travel on an emigrant ship. You will find in-depth studies concerning the emigration process, statistics and facts, and information about the immigration processing centers line Castle Garden and Ellis Island.
Forum
10 last postings: