Last Update: 16 March 2010

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Training Ship Mercury in Pictures

The Illovo

The Illovo was built in Aberdeen in 1867. Illovo was operated mainly on the London to Natal (South Africa) route transporting immigrants and was owned by John T Rennie & Sons. In 1885 she was sold to Charles Hoare (the founder of TS Mercury) and was renamed ‘Mercury’. She was moored off the Isle of Wight at Binstead until the move to Hamble in 1892. During the winter of 1888/1889, with a crew that included 132 boys,  she undertook a cruise to Villefranche in the south of France. She was replaced by HMS President (ex HMS Gannet) in June 1914 and finally departed the River Hamble in 1916. In 1917 she was lost off Cardiff whilst under tow.