Ilala I
Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 4:01 pm
the Ilala, first of the name, built in 1875 at Poplar by Yarrow, who also built the Ilala previously mentioned in these articles. It had been an often-expressed wish of the famous missionary and explorer, David Livingstone, that a vessel would be built for putting down the slave trade on Lake Nyasa. His wish was fulfilled by the Ilala, named after the spot where Livingston's heart lay buried.
Like many Yarrow-built vessels for inland lakes abroard, the Ilala was built for re-erection on the spot. The hull was erected and bolt-assembled at the Yarrow shipyard and every piece marked and numbered to ensure that the work of re-erection would be simple, capable of being carried out by semi-skilled or unskilled labour under the supervision of the company's staff. After shipment to Africa in pieces, she was assembled and sailed up the Zambesi River as far as the rapids, where she was again dismantled and transported in pieces overland. In October 1875 the Ilala entered Lake Nyasa, and was believed to be the first steamer launched on an African lake.
Sea Breezes 5/68 SG277