Duchess of Norfolk was a paddle steamer built in 1911 for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and London and South Western Railway, who operated a joint service to the Isle of Wight. She was requisitioned by the Royal Navy for use as minesweeper HMS Duchess of Norfolk during the First World War, returning to her owners after the war ended. She passed to the Southern Railway on 1 January 1923.
In 1937, she was sold to Cosens & Co Ltd and renamed Embassy. During the Second World War, she was again requisitioned for use as a minesweeper, this time being named HMS Ambassador. Postwar she was returned to her owners, and regained her former name Embassy. She served until 1966. She was scrapped in 1967.
Description
The ship was built by D & W Henderson Ltd, Glasgow. She was yard number 475 and was launched on 25 July 1911 with completion in August 1911.[1] The ship was 190 ft long, with a beam of 26 ft and a depth of 8 ft. She was powered by a compound steam engine, which had cylinders of 27 in and 51 in bore by 54 in stroke.[2]