She served on the route to Murmansk, Russia, but was sunk by a U-boat in 1917 while traversing the North Channel 10 miles east of the entrance to Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland.

The Stephen Furness was ordered by the Tyne Tees Steam Shipping Company (TTSSC) as a larger replacement for the New Londoner, on the Newcastle-London passenger route.

The larger capacity steamer Richard Welford had joined the New Londoner on the route a few years before and TTSSC were looking for a vessel of comparable size.

Tenders were invited in October 1909 and the bidding process was won by Irvine's Shipbuilding & Drydock Company of West Hartlepool for a price of £43,500.

Below decks she had a cargo hold at the fore and aft with a central engine room, separated by watertight bulkheads.

[6] On 13 December she was spotted by German submarine UB-64 while in the North Channel, 10 miles east of the entrance to Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland.