The Bosun's Watch! The Fleetwood steam trawler Merisia.

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The Bosun's Watch

S.T. Merisia FD153

Information courtesy of Gil Mayes

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Additional information courtesy of Adrian Corkhill

Merisia

Technical

Official Number	132410
Yard Number	518
Launched	January 23 1912
Gross Tonnage	291
Net Tonnage	114
Length	130 ft
Breadth	23.5 ft
Draught	12 ft
Engine	90 hp T.3-cyl by Amos & Smith Ltd, Hull
Built	Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby, 1912
Owner	Fleetwood Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby

History

January 23 1912	Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.518) for Fleetwood Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby, (Messrs Moody & Kelly, managers) as MERISIA.
March 13 1912	Registered at Fleetwood (FD153).
March 1912	Completed.
September 1914	Requisitioned for war service and converted for minesweeping duties (Ad.No.127).
1919	Returned.
1922	Managers became George E. J. Moody, Grimsby.
1923	Manager became Sir George E. J. Moody.
193?	Manager became W. M. Kelly, Fleetwood.
1936	Sold to Alberic Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood (C. H. Friswell, manager).
October 1939	Off Western Isles, rescued 5 crew of tanker SLIEDRACHT adrift in open boat.
January 26 1940	Sailed for Irish Sea fishing grounds (Sk. Edgar Neve); eleven crew. Caught in storm conditions and in heavy snow driven onto rocks in Bulgham Bay, north of Laxey, Isle of Man. Ramsey lifeboat could not be launched due to weather, Port St Mary boat was launched but could not approach wreck. Ramsey Rocket Brigade attempted to establish contact with vessel as crew took to rigging; all twelve crew lost.
Note	Merisia left Fleetwood at 2.15 to fish the home water grounds, her skipper was Edgar Neave. During the night a snow storm came from the south east and drove her onto rocks in Bulgham Bay. Wind and sea conditions mde it impossible to launch the Ramsey lifeboat and the Douglas boat was out of service. It was left to the Port St. Mary boat to launch soon after 8:30, taking two hours to reach the scene of the stranding. Because of the conditions George Kelly, coxswain of the boat, was unable to locate the wreck or approach too close to the rocks where she was reported ashore. This left the Ramsey Rocket Brigade as the only option to rescue the crew and they would have to be lowered down the cliff face to a position from where they could work. In the meantime Merisia was filling with water and her decks were awash. Huge seas from the rising tide washed over her and she was badly holed. The crew of twelve climbed the rigging in desperation, washed by the waves. Mr. Crummey of the Ramsey Coastguard took his team down the cliff face with the salvage gear but was unfortunate enough to lose the rocket pistol that would be needed to get a line across to the stricken vessel. By 10:00 a replacement had been lowered and an attempt made to fire a rocket across but the strong winds prevented it from reaching Merisia. At 2:45 after several further abortive attempts Mr. Crummey reported that all the men had gone from the rigging and the rescue was called off. The following day the bodies of Edgar Neave, Hector Neave, Edward Crellin, Charles Mansell, James Mountford and William Hannon were washed up on the beach.

Edgar Neave	Skipper	Fleetwood
Hector Neave		Fleetwood
George Neave	Mate	Fleetwood
William Hannon		Oswaldtwistle
Edward Crellin		Fleetwood
James Mountford		Fleetwood
Charles Mansell		Fleetwood
Thomas Harrison	Boatswain	Fleetwood
Richard Bennett		Fleetwood
James Dryer		Fleetwood
Bernhard Hearty	Chief Engineer	Fleetwood
John Millet	Second Engineer	Fleetwood