REDFERN CONSTRUCTION

Toronto ON

Most recent update: July 14, 2021.
This shipyard operated under at least nine different names over the course of a 55-year life, in which it built some 160 vessels.  It was started in 1890 by the well known Doty Engine Works and was taken over by Bertram Engineering Works in 1893.  Bertram began numbering their hulls at #10 while there is no evidence that Doty actually assigned hull numbers.  In 1905 the yard was sold to the Canadian Shipbuilding Company, which had just started an "Upper Lakes" shipyard in Bridgeburg, Ontario.  Canadian SB completed the contracts awarded to Bertram and began their own hull numbering sequence starting at 100.  Canadian SB failed in 1908 but was taken over and renamed Toronto Shipyards, carrying on the same hull numbering sequence.   Toronto Shipyards closed in 1910.  The abandoned site was taken over in 1913 by Thor Iron Works, who started a new series of hull numbers.  In 1917, Thor was in turn bought out and the yard was expanded and renamed Dominion Shipbuilding, moving to a new and larger yard nearby.  Dominion completed the vessels being built by Thor at the time of the purchase but then started another new hull number sequence for their own contracts.  This yard failed in July 1920 during a general strike and the ships then under construction (Hulls 10 and 11) were completed by Collingwood Shipyards, in Toronto, being given Collingwood's hull numbers 69 and 70.  The site then lay idle until World War II, when it was reactivated as Dufferin Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., but in October 1941 it was taken over by the Canadian Government and renamed Toronto Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.   It then became Redfern Construction Co., Ltd., in August 1943, but closed for good after the war.  The yard was located at Lake Shore Boulevard and Spadina Avenue: see it from the air on Google here.
Hull # O.N. Original Name Original Owner Vessel Type GT Built Disposition
Built by John Doty & Sons
  94990 Primrose Toronto Ferry Co Paddle Ferry 189 1890 Rebuilt as barge 1938
  94987 Mayflower Toronto Ferry Co Paddle Ferry 189 1890 Rebuilt as barge 1938
  100854 Mistassini E. F. Wurtele  Paddle Steamer 249 1891 Frame and mcy, assembled at Roberval PQ, retired 1908
  100035 Garden City Thomas Nihan Paddle Ferry 637 1892 Broken up 1936
  96917 Petrel Collins Bay Raft Co Screw Steamer 346 1892 Frame only, assembled at Collins Bay ON, RCN service 1915-1921, retired 1927
  100754 Medora Musk. & Geo. Bay Nav Co Paddle Steamer 299 1893 Frame and mcy, assembled at Gravenhurst ON, rebuilt 1902, retired 1930, broken up 1941
Built by Bertram Engineering Works Company
10 103434 Pembroke Upper Ottawa Imp Co Paddle Towboat 194 1895 Assembled at Pembroke ON, broken up 1950
11 103445 E. H. Bronson Upper Ottawa Imp Co Paddle Towboat 285 1895 Assembled at Pembroke ON, converted to screw 1918, scrapped 1949
  100768 Hiawatha Royal Canadian YC Tender 46 1895 Active
13             Not used ?
14 103842 Hamilton Upper Ottawa Imp Co Paddle Towboat 320 1896 Assembled at Sand Point ON, converted to screw 1921, scrapped 1948
15 103882 G. B. Greene Upper Ottawa Imp Co Paddle Towboat 255 1896 Assembled at Quyon QC, scrapped 1947
16 103673 Corona Niagara Nav Co Ltd Passenger Ship 1,274 1896 Scrapped 1937
  103672 Ahmic Musk. & Geo. Bay Nav Co Excursion Boat 77 1896 Frame and mcy, assembled at Gravenhurst ON, rebuilt 1903 and 1905, scrapped 1951
  96863 Ethel St. Lawrence Term Co Barge 349 1897 Scrapped 1965
  96865 Edith St. Lawrence Term Co Barge 353 1897 Believed scrapped
  96866 Madge St. Lawrence Term Co Barge 335 1897 Scrapped 1951
  96868 Belle St. Lawrence Term Co Barge 349 1897 Later Coteau, scrapped 1957
  103681 Undine Rainy River Nav Co Composite Tug 9 1897  
23 103680 Keenora Rainy River Nav Co Passenger/Cargo 486 1897 Assembled at Kenora ON, rebuilt 1917, museum ship in Selkirk MB 1967
  107084 Meteor  A. Lumsden Paddle Towboat 299 1897 Frame and mcy, assembled at Opemican QC, burnt 1911
  96870 Hilda St. Lawrence Term Co Barge 418 1898 Scuttled 1967
  107681 Nadine St. Lawrence Term Co Barge 484 1898  
  107453 Minto Canadian Pacific Rly Co. Sternwheeler 829 1898 Assembled at Nakusp BC, retired 1955, burnt 1968
  107454 Moyie Canadian Pacific Rly Co. Sternwheeler 835 1898 Assembled at Nelson BC, retired 1957, preserved as a museum ship
29 107412 Toronto Richelieu & Ont Nav Co Passenger Ship 2,779 1899 Scrapped 1948
   107695 Helen S Collins Inlet Lumber Co Tug 86 1899 Assembled at Collins Inlet ON, converted to sail 1975
  107815 Empress Wm. V. Reynolds Steamer 84 1899 Frame only, assembled at Lakefield ON, burnt 1908
  116691 Era Hislop & Nagle Riverboat 50 1900 Frame and mcy, assembled at Resolution NT
  111979 York Canadian Pacific Rly Co. Steamer 134 1901 Assembled at Okanogan Landing BC, abandoned 1932
35 111443 Ottawa Canada Atlantic Transit Cargo Ship 2,431 1900 Foundered off Passage Is, Lake Superior 1909
36 111855 Tadenac St. Lawrence & Chi SN Co Cargo Ship 2,359 1902 The Iroquois 1903, Colorado 1920, Dornoch 1922, Brookton 1922, George Hindman 1940, Brookdale 1952, scrapped 1966
37 111654 Kingston Richelieu & Ont Nav Co Passenger Ship 2,925 1901 Scrapped 1950
38 116600 Montreal Richelieu & Ont Nav Co Passenger Ship 4,282 1904 Completed at Sorel by owner, burned near Sorel 1926
39 112180 Gypsy Collins Inlet Lumber Co Tug 11 1902 Sold in the USA
40 116263 Tadousac J. Waldie & Co Cargo Ship 2,359 1903 Doric 1906, Buffalo 1917, torpedoed off St Agnes Head 1918
41 116340 Alexandra Upper Ottawa Imp Co Paddle Towboat 417 1903 Assembled at Temiscamingue QC, converted to screw 1922, scrapped 1951
42 116641 Lady Minto Upper Ottawa Imp Co Paddle Towboat 403 1903 Assembled at Temiscamingue QC, converetd to screw 1929, burnt 1968
43 116764 Haddington Bertram Engine Works Co Cargo Ship 1,749 1904 Maplehill 1921, Oakbranch 1938, Empire Lizard 1945, Basingbrook 1947, scrapped 1949
  116647 G.B. Pattee II Upper Ottawa Imp Co Tug 51 1904 Assembled at Quyon QC, later Black Jack, active as yacht
  116673 Tom Fawcett Township of Wolfe Island Composite Ferry 224 1904 Wolfe Islander, condemned and beached 1946
  111831 Stoney Lake Patrick C Young Passenger 156 1904 Assembled at Young's Point ON, later Island Queen, broken up 1954
  116985 Kingfisher Rat Portage Lumber Co Tug 77 1904 Assembled at Kenora ON
  121831 Ludlow City of Saint John Ferry 534 1905 Assembled at Saint John NB, broken up 1935
49 117196 Archibald Mike Noonan Tug 20 1904 Assembled at Gold Rock ON
  117071 Geneva W. Thompson Steamer 92 1905 Assembled at Orillia by Davis Dry Dock, abandoned 1925
  121710 Scow No. 36 Great Lakes Dredging Co Dump scow 421 1905  
  121841 Scow No. 37 Great Lakes Dredging Co Dump scow 421 1905  
53 121709 James Whalen Canadian Towing Co Tug 313 1905 Denise V 1977, burnt off Matane 1987 but salvaged, now a museum in Thunder Bay ON
54 117193 Mather Keewatin Lumber Co Tug 145 1905 Assembled at Lake of the Woods ON, broken up 1965
  130346 P.W.D. No. 9 Dept. of Public Works Dredge 368 1906 Completed by Canadian SB
  156708 P.W.D. Stonelifter No. 1 Dept. of Public Works Stonelifter   1906 Completed by John Inglis Co.
  122260 Alice Govt of Canada Passenger/Cargo 402 1906 Completed by Canadian SB, later Hibou 1928, foundered off Chile 1953
Built by Canadian Shipbuilding Company
100 122219 Cayuga Niagara Navigation Co Passenger Ship 2,196 1907 Scrapped 1961
101 125977 E. B. Osler St. Lawrence & Chi SN Co Laker 6,787 1908 Built at Bridgeburg ON, later Osler, R. O. Petman, scrapped 1968
  125973 Cherokee Muskoka Lakes Nav Co Passenger Ship 328 1907 Assembled at Gravenhurst ON, rebuilt as barge 1961 scrapped 1962
103 122218 Sagamo Muskoka Lakes Nav Co Passenger Ship 744 1906 Assembled at Gravenhurst ON, floating restaurant 1958, burnt 1969
  125983 Ontario No. 1 Ontario Car Ferry Co Ferry 5,146 1907 Scrapped 1950
105             Cancelled
106 122407 Rapids King Richelieu & Ont Nav Co Passenger Ship 1,801 1907 Scrapped 1951
  122475 Pollux Upper Ottawa Imp Co   88 1907  
  122476 Castor Upper Ottawa Imp Co   88 1907  
  122646 C. J. Booth John R. Booth   86 1907 Rebuilt as scow 1940
  122647 J. F. Booth  John R. Booth   90 1907 NLD 1999
Built by Toronto Shipyards Ltd (? Part of or related to Doty Engine Company of Goderich?)
  126410 Silverland Haileybury Nav Co Steamer 92 1909 Frame and mcy, assembled at Haileybury ON, burnt 1927
  126415 Queen of Temagami Temagami Steamboat Co Steamer 36 1909 Frame and mcy, assembled at Temagami ON, scrapped 1948
113 130418 Rapids Prince Richelieu & Ont Nav Co Passenger Ship 1384 1910 Rebuilt 1929, broken up 1951
   176161 P.W.D. No. 38 Dept. of Public Works Dump Scow 215 1909 Later McLean No. 38,  McNco No. 11
  171020 P.W.D. No. 39 Dept. of Public Works Dump Scow 215 1909 Later McLean No. 39,  McNco No. 12
  130271 Amelia Mac Arctic Ice Company Tug 64 1909 Frame only, assembled at Winnipeg
  126413 Newminko Wm. Hannah & Co. Supply Vessel 121 1910 Frame only, assembled at Gravenhurst ON, retired 1941, burnt 1954
  130272 Rosamond Billett Hugh Sutherland Sand Dredge 679 1910 Assembled at Winnipeg, later T. P. Phelan, Howard S. Gerken, lost in storm off Buffalo 1926
Built by Thor Iron Works Ltd.
1 134450 La Salle John E. Russell Yacht 85 1914 Later Strathbell, sold 1954
2 134452 Donald Mac Andrew Quinn  Fishing Vessel 69 1914 Rebult 1921 and 1961
3 134458 Emily Stewart Canadian Stewart Co Tug 104 1914 Later T. H. C. Tug No. 1, A. M. Macaulay
4 138211 Angoul�me Donald Steamship Co. Cargo Ship 2,716 Feb-18  
5 138215 Troja Troja Steamship Co Ltd Cargo Ship 2,716 Jun-18 Tello 1924, Erol 1935, wrecked off Cape Yasun, Samsun 1944
6 TR 13   Royal Navy Minesweeper 288 Jun-18  
7 TR 14   Royal Navy  Minesweeper 288 Jun-18  
8 137909 St. Mihiel Maple Leaf Steamship Co Cargo Ship 2,742 Dec-18 St. Priest 1924, Marionga II 1928, wrecked off Arzew 1929
9 137910 Le Quesnoy Nova Scotia Tptn Co Cargo Ship 2,716 May-19 Tencho Maru 1922, torpedoed off Djakarta 1945
Built by Dominion Shipbuilding & Repair Co., Ltd.
1 140993 General Currie Nova Scotia Steamships Cargo Ship 2,490 May-19 Braaland 1927, Choyo Maru 1927, mined off Rashin 1945
2 140995 General Morrison Dominion Shipbuilding Co Cargo Ship 2,490 Jun-19 Bygdones 1920, Nordhav 1922, Noshiro Maru 1924, torpedoed 1944
3 140996 General Turner Dominion Shipbuilding Co Cargo Ship 2,490 Aug-19 Scuttled off Cape Kalyakriya 1921 (fraud)
4 140997 General Williams Dominion Shipbuilding Co Cargo Ship 2,489 Sep-19 Saga 1919, Certo 1919, Krasnoarmeets 1935, deleted 1960
5 export Hessa Aalsunds Dampskibs Cargo Ship 2,366 Oct-19 Bestum 1934, San Pedro 1955, scrapped 1960
6 export Skolma Skibs A/S Gr�m Cargo Ship 2,447 Nov-19 Wrecked N Bornholm Is 1929
7 141663 Torontonian Black Sea Shipping Co. Cargo Ship 2,239 Jun-20 Spolanne 1929, Hai Wah 1933, wrecked Yunuisan, near Tsingtao 1935
8 141662 T. L. Church T. L. Church Steamship Cargo Ship 2,264 May-20 Mabay 1923, Nautic 1929, foundered 1940
9 154878 Oriole IV Geo. H. Goodereham Yacht 68 1921 Completed in the US by Geo. S. Lawley, now HMCS Oriole (KC 480)
10 150355 Canadian Pathfinder Canadian Govt. Cargo Ship 2,374 Jul-21 Norman M. Paterson 1925, Novadoc 1926, Holmewood 1927, Mathiasen Trader 1934, Holmewood 1934, Ara 1936, sunk by mine 1942
11 150367 Canadian Engineer Canadian Govt. Cargo Ship 2,281 Aug-21 Donald E. McKay 1925, Newbrundoc 1926, Ashington 1927, Erling 1931, Salvatore 1933, Sabine 1943, sunk by bomb 1944
12             Keel laid on spec, vessel broken up on ways
13             Keel laid on spec, vessel broken up on ways
14 Mexico Gonzaba/Washington Mexican Govt. Cargo Ship 1,669 1920 Scrapped 1934
15 Mexico Floraba/Bolivar Mexican Govt. Cargo Ship 1,655 Sep-20 Scrapped 1934
Built by Dufferin Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., later Toronto Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.  
15 MS 15 Nipigon (J 154) Royal Canadian Navy Minesweeper 672 11-Aug-41 To Turkey 1957 as Bafra, scrapped 1972
16 MS 16 Burlington (J 250) Royal Canadian Navy Minesweeper 672 6-Sep-41 Scrapped 1946
17 MS 17 Georgian (J 144) Royal Canadian Navy Minesweeper 672 23-Sep-41 Scrapped 1946
18 MS 18 Thunder (J 156) Royal Canadian Navy Minesweeper 672 14-Oct-41 Scrapped 1947
19 CN 114 Gananoque (J 259) Royal Canadian Navy Minesweeper 672 8.-Nov-41 Scrapped 1959
20 CN 115 Goderich (J 260) Royal Canadian Navy Minesweeper 672 23-Nov-41 Scrapped 1959
21 CN 150 Mingan/Fort York (J 119) Royal Canadian Navy Minesweeper 672 27-Feb-42 To Portugal 1950 as Comandante Almeida Carvalho, Cacheu 1965, scrapped 1971
22 CN 151 Parrsborough (J 117) Royal Canadian Navy Minesweeper 672 27-May-42 Scrapped 1948
23 CN 152 Qualicum (J 138) Royal Canadian Navy Minesweeper 672 13-May-42 Scrapped 1949
24 CN 153 Shippigan (J 212) Royal Canadian Navy Minesweeper 672 17-Jun-42 Scrapped 1949
25 CN 154 Tadoussac (J 220) Royal Canadian Navy Minesweeper 672 28-Mar-42 Sold 1946 as Alexandre, hulked in Greece 1952
26 CN 155 Wedgeport (J 139) Royal Canadian Navy Minesweeper 672 21-Apr-42 To Egypt 1946 as Sollum, foundered off Alexandria 1953
27 CN 172 Port Hope (J 280) Royal Canadian Navy Minesweeper 672 30-Jul-42 Scrapped 1959
28 CN 173 Sarnia (J 309) Royal Canadian Navy Minesweeper 672 13-Aug-42 To Turkey 1958 as Buyukdere, scrapped 1972
29 CN 174 Stratford (J 310) Royal Canadian Navy Minesweeper 672 29-Aug-42 In collision near Halifax NS and scrapped 1946
30 CN 175 Westmount (J 318) Royal Canadian Navy Minesweeper 672 15-Sep-42 To Turkey 1958 as Bornova, scrapped 1972
Built by Redfern Construction Co., Ltd.
31 CN 319 Antares (J 282) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 23-Aug-43 Scrapped 1947
32 CN 320 Arcturus (J 283) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 23-Oct-43 To Greece as Pyrpolitis 1947
33 CN 321 Aries (J 284) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 17-Jul-43 To Greece as Armatolos 1947
34 CN 322 Clinton (J 286) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 25-Aug-43 Scrapped 1947
35 CN 323 Friendship (J 398) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 15-Sep-43 Scrapped 1947
36 CN 324 Gozo (J 287) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 9-Sep-43 To Greece as Polemistis 1947
37 CN 325 Lightfoot (J 288) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 19-Oct-43 To Greece as Navmachos 1947
38 CN 326 Melita (J 289) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 20-Dec-43 Sold as Satellite 1947, Melita 1951, scrapped 1959
39 CN 327 Octavia (J 290) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 24-Feb-44 Scrapped 1950
40 CN 328 Persian (J 347) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 12-Nov-43 To Greece as Kikiades 1947
41 CN 329 Postillion (J 297) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 25-Nov-43 To Greece as Machitis 1947
42 CN 330 Skipjack (J 300) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 29-Apr-44 Scrapped 1950
43 CN 331 Thisbe (J 302) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 8-Jun-44 Scrapped 1957
44 CN 332 Truelove (J 303) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 3-Apr-44 Scrapped 1957
45 CN 333 Welfare (J 356) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 4-Apr-44 Scrapped 1957
46 CN 498 Mary Rose (J 360) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 24-Apr-44 Later HMCS Toronto, scrapped 1957
47 CN 499 Moon (J 329) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 6-Jul-44 Later HMCS Mimico, scrapped 1957
48 CN 500 Providence (J 325) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 15-May-44 Later HMCS Forrest Hill, scrapped 1958
49 CN 501 Regulus (J 327) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 20-May-44 Later HMCS Longbranch, sunk by mine off Sista Is 1945
50 CN 502 Seabear (J 333) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 22-Jun-44 Later HMCS St. Thomas, scrapped 1958
51 CN 503 Serene (J 354) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 14-Sep-44 Later HMCS Leaside, scrapped 1959
52 CN 543 Coquette (J 350) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 13-Jul-44 Scrapped 1958
53 CN 544 Courier (J 349) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 31-Aug-44 Scrapped 1959
54 CN 545 Felicity (J 369) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 10-Aug-44 Sold as Fairfree 1947, scrapped 1957
55 CN 546 Flying Fish (J 370) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 14-Oct-44 Later HMCS Tillsonburg, to Ceylon as Vijaya 1949, scrapped 1964
56 CN 547 Golden Fleece (J 376) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 29-Aug-44 Scrapped 1960
57 CN 548 Lioness (J 377) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 11-Dec-44 Scrapped 1856
58 CN 549 Prompt (J 378) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 29-Sep-44 Later HMCS Huntsville, mined off Ostend 1945 and scrapped 1947
59 CN 664 Jaseur (J 428) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 27-Oct-44 Scrapped 1956
60 CN 665 Laertes (J 433) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 9-Dec-44 Scrapped 1959
61 CN 666 Maenad (J 335) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 16-Nov-44 Scrapped 1957
62 CN 667 Magicienne (J 436) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 11-May-45 Scrapped 1956
63 CN 668 Mameluke (J 437) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 19-Mar-45 Scrapped 1950
64 CN 669 Mandate (J 438) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 22-Mar-45 Scrapped 1957
65 CN 670 Marvel (J 443) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 2-Apr-45 Scrapped 1958
66 CN 671 Michael (J 444) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 20-May-45 Scrapped 1956
67 CN 672 Minstrel (J 445) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 7-Jun-45 To Thailand as Phosampton 1947
68 CN 673 Myrmidon (J 454) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 9-Jul-45 Scrapped 1958
69 CN 674 Mystic (J 455) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 2-Aug-45 Scrapped 1958
70 CN 675 Nerissa (J 456) Royal Navy Minesweeper 1,010 28-Aug-45 Scrapped 1960
71 CN 676 Nicator (J 457) Royal Navy Minesweeper 950   Cancelled
72 CN 677 Niger (J 442) Royal Navy Minesweeper 950   Cancelled
73 CN 678 Nonpareil (J 459) Royal Navy Minesweeper 950   Cancelled
74 CN 679 Nox (J 453) Royal Navy Minesweeper 950   Cancelled
75 CN 680 Odin (J 460) Royal Navy Minesweeper 950   Cancelled