Κωνσταντίνος Τόγιας [Σίφνος - Mira, Iela, Konstantinos Togias, Sifnos]

[Nicholas Peppas]

I am starting today with the presentation of a number of passenger ships that were doing the South Evoikos routes, from Aliveri to Karystos and Kymi, often with stops (or starts) from Rafina. many were continuing to teh northern Cyclades islands. Several of these ships belonged to the Togias family and most of them are somewhat difficult to identify. Konstantinos Togias established a small shipping line in 1894 with basis in Karystos of Evoia. His first ship was the steamship Karystos of 130 tons. She was placed in the South Evoikos route. http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=71540

The second Karystos was named Karystos Togia and was short-lived although much bigger than the first one! She was built in 1869 and had 845 tons. (see http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthr...020#post233020)

Kostas was a small ship that seemed to have concentrated on the Southern Evoikos routes all the way to Karystos. She belonged to the Togias family and is often confused with Constantinos Togias! She was a small ship of 178 tons built in 1905.

Constantinos Togias was a small yacht with the name Mira in 1891. She belonged to F.G. Wynn of Carnarvon. She was sold to Constantinos Togias in 1915 and was named Iela (?). In 1922 she went to Evangelos Togias who named her Constantinos Togias.

Here is her Miramar entry

IDNo: 1092204 Year: 1891
Name: MIRA Launch Date: 25.4.91
Type: Yacht Date of completion: 4.91
Flag: GBR Keel:
Tons: 316 Link: 1374
DWT: Yard No: 206
Length overall: Ship Design:
LPP: 46.9 Country of build: GBR
Beam: 6.6 Builder: Dunlop
Material of build: Location of yard: Inch Yard
Number of screws/Mchy/ Speed(kn): 1T-
Owner as Completed: F.G. Wynn, Carnarvon
Subsequent History:15 IELA - 22 CONSTANTINOS TOGIAS - 33 SIFNOS
Disposal Data:sunk Suda Bay 26.4.41


Name Tons Change Main Owner
MIRA 316 1891 F.G. Wynn
IELA 316 1915 C. Toyias
C. TOGIAS 316 1922 E.K. Togias
SIFNOS 316 1933 Hellenic Coast Lines

Clydebuilt lists Mira as http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuil...p.asp?id=15590 and points out that she was built by David Dunlop of Glasgow. She had a length of 46.9 m and a width of 6.9 m. She was truly a small ship. {NB: the readers are warned that there was another Mira (of 1,152 tons) built also in 1891 and lost in 1941, albeit in the Lofoten islands in Norway.

Here is a short description of Mira from teh 1891 Marine engineer and naval architect
Mira.jpg
Her log book has been preserved http://www.gwynedd.gov.uk/DATRhagoro...byniad=canolig

The same site gives additional important information. It seems that she belonged to Frederick G Wynn of Carnarvon only from 1891 to 1897 and was transferred to the Prince of Naples from 1897 to 1900. It was then that the name Iela was given by Victor Emmanuel (1869-1947), the Prince of Naples, the future King. Then, she was with the King of Italy, known as Victor Emmanuel III, from 1900 (not 1901) to roughly 1912 and with the Italian Navy from 1912 to 1915.

Here is what the 1908 The Badminton Magazine of Sports & Pastimes says about her
Iela1.jpg