History of Ruth

Ruth was built in the Rää Shipyard in Sweden in 1914. She was baptised Ruth, by the owner Sven Petter Persson, after his wife. Her home port was originally Fortuna, Sweden. Her main cargo at the time was ceramic pots and stoneware, delivering for a famous Swedish company called Höganas. Ruth’s first engine was fitted on 20th February 1922, a 20 h.k.r. saffle. She continued to carry her cargoes and is said to have travelled as far as France and Iceland in the second world war.

In 1941 Ruth was sold to a company in Hamburgsund and again continued her work as a Baltic trading ship. By 1953 she was carrying all kinds of cargo offered to her and this often consisted of unwanted fish from the auction in Gothenburg.

She then lay idle until 1964, when she was rescued by the Bjork family and a restoration programme commenced in Fredriksunds shipyard in Denmark. She was re-registered as a private vessel and her new life as a sailing schooner began.

During a winter refit in 1984 the interior of Ruth was burnt when an oil stove caught the wooden life raft alight. Following the fire the Bjork family set out the cabins as they are today, allowing the guests the luxury of one and two berth cabins.

Ruth changed owners in 1992 when she was bought by brothers, Anders and Jan Hird. Restoration continued and the rig was restored to its original gaffe. Ruth was used by the Hird family for charter and educational trips around the Swedish coast until October 2004. During this time, there were five weddings on board the Ruth.

Once again this lovely Baltic trader has changed hands and can now be seen working out of Penzance, Cornwall, as a family-run charter business.