The British-flagged steam vessel sank with the loss of 10 men and has lain on the seabed ever since.
But her name has now been remembered with the help of international efforts by the Deputy Receiver of Wreck, Andrea Bailey.
Andrea has found a new home in Denmark for an important artefact brought up to the surface by a diver exploring her wreck many years later.
The maker's plate, which carries the date and location of the SS Birgitte's construction, has joined the exhibits at the Maritime Museum of Denmark in Elsinore – back where the ship was built in 1930.
Andrea played a key role in helping the story of the vessel to be told to the public by establishing ownership and enabling the diver to donate his find.
Originally a Danish vessel, the SS Birgitte was seized during the Second World War by the British in Gibraltar when Denmark fell in 1940. She was put to work carrying vital supplies.
On the night of her sinking, she was part of a convoy on its way to Swansea to pick up cargo, having left Southampton two days earlier on 17 November. She never reached her destination.
Her story emerged again in 2008 when a diver exploring the wreck brought up the maker's plate. Following the rules, he declared the find to the Receiver of Wreck's office.
Investigations showed the article was the property of the British state, as formal owner of the ship, but its Danish links inspired the piece to be donated.
The Covid pandemic interrupted the final presentation but on 24 September 2024 – 82 years since the SS Birgitte was lost – her maker’s plate was safely delivered to the Maritime Museum of Denmark.
The Receiver of Wreck Steve White said: “It’s a great result to be able to return a part of the SS Birgitte to the town where she was constructed back in 1930.
“This example helps to show how the role of the Receiver of Wreck is not just about awarding salvage fees.
“It's often also about protecting maritime heritage and putting artefacts on display for the public to appreciate and enjoy for generations to come."
Curator Thorbjørn Thaarup: “At the M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark we’re happy and humble to receive the maker’s plate from the SS Birgitte. The story about the ship, its crew, and thousands of men like them is important in Danish history and integral to our museum.
“It feels right to have the maker’s plate back at the very site, where the ship was built back in 1930 as an homage to the sailors who, themselves, would never return.”
Main photo: From left are Curators Jannik Hartrup and Curator Thorbjorn Thaarup, and Museum Assistant Mette Ebbesen in front of a model of the SS Viola, sister ship to the SS Birgitte.
