SS Gothic (1947)

SS Gothic was a cargo liner launched in 1947. She was the fourth and final of the Corinthic-class liners ordered by the Shaw, Savill & Albion Steamship Co. in 1946—her sister ships being SS Corinthic (1946), SS Athenic (1946) and SS Ceramic (1947).

The quartet would join the much larger QSMV Dominion Monarch on the UK to New Zealand service. Each ship would be around 15,000 GRT and accommodate 85 first class passengers. Each had 6 large holds, with space for 668000 cuft of cargo, of which 510000 cuft was for refrigerated goods.

Gothic was built by Swan Hunter, Wallsend-on-Tyne (yard 1759) and became the most famous of the quartet—becoming Royal Yacht in 1952–3. She was launched on 12 December 1947, completed in December 1948, and departed on her maiden voyage on 23 December 1948, sailing from Liverpool to Sydney.

Royal Yacht
In 1952, Gothic was sent to Cammell Laird shipyards to be refitted to become the Royal yacht for a tour of Australia and New Zealand. Although the tour was cancelled due to the death of King George VI, considerable work had already been completed and she returned in 1953 to complete the refit—which included a white-painted hull.

She was then used for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation world tour in 1954.