| Name: | JOHN PATERSON |
| Launched: | 05/09/1882 |
| Completed: | 1882 |
| Builder: | Hepple & Co, North Shields |
| Yard Number: | 361 |
| Dimensions: | 99grt, 12nrt, 92.6 x 18.6 x 9.7ft |
| Engines: | 2cyl, diagonal, 36nhp |
| Engines by: | Hepple & Co, South Shields |
| Propulsion: | Paddle |
| Construction: | Wood |
| Reg Number: | 48055 |
| History: | |
| 1882 | Commissioners for the Management of the Harbour of Port Elizabeth, Cape of Good Hope |
| 26/07/1883 | Registered at Port Elizabeth |
| 1892 | W Anderson, Cape Town; registered at Cape Town |
| by 1893 | Alfred L Blackburn, Cape Town |
| 1898 | Table Bay Harbour Commission, Cape Town |
| 02/12/1904 | Dudley Lincoln Dixon Wilbur, Cape Town |
| 17/06/1906 | Abandoned |
| Comments: | 1892: David Reynolds wrote: "Even the proud commissioners of the Port Elizabeth Harbour Board |
| had to confess that they had bought a 'lemon' in the JOHN PATERSON, a cranky, ill-tempered wooden paddle steamer with controls so complicated as to be almost unworkable. Within ten years of her arrival in the bay on 11/12/1882 she was put up for sale, with particular emphasis on the 'no reserve' provision" | |
| 1904: Converted for pleasure cruises with promenade deck, unofficially known as CAPE GIRL | |
| 17/06/1906: Presumed sunk after being abandoned by all her crew, except the Captain | |
| Thanks to David Asprey for the above details |
Above photo is copyright of the South African Railways
Above photo is copyright of Cape Province Archives
Above description of the demise of JOHN PATERSON is courtesy of David Asprey