Additional information courtesy of Bill Blow

Technical

Admiralty Number: 4415
Official Number: 143889
Yard Number: 642
Completed: 1918
Gross Tonnage: 203
Net Tonnage: 87
Length: 115.4 ft
Breadth: 22.1 ft
Depth: 12.1 ft
Built: Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen
Engine: Engine: 430ihp T.3-cyl by James Abernethy & Co, Aberdeen (built 1917)
Boiler: Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen

History

9.9.1918: Launched by Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Yd. No.642)(“Strath” class) for Admiralty as THOMAS BURNHAM (Ad.No.4415).
29.9.1918: Completed (1-12pdr).
27.11.1919: Registered by The Admiralty at London (Part I) as THOMAS BURNHAM O.N.143889.
1919: Allocated to Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries and engaged in commercial trawling.
01.01.1920: Landed at Milford.
1920: Allocated to the National Fishery Scheme for the setting up of the Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society Ltd, London.
13.08.1920: Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society Ltd, London registered.
08.1920: At HM Dockyard, Pembroke completed fitting out for fishing under Special Survey of Lloyd’s Register and classed 100A1 Stm Trawler at Milford.
13.08.1920: Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society Ltd, London registered.
24.08.1920: Registered by The Admiralty at London (Part IV) (LO446).
11.1921: Sold to Consolidated Steam Fishing & Ice Co (Grimsby) Ltd (64/64), Grimsby. John Denton Marsden desgnated manager.
28.11.1921: London registry closed.
7.12.1921: Registered at Grimsby (GY1325).
13.2.1922: Registered at Grimsby as FLORIBELLE (GY1325) (BoT Minute M/R.G.36930 dated 20.1.1922)
15.11.1923: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to London Joint City & Midland Bank Ltd, London (A).
27.11.1923: Mortgagee restyled Midland Bank Ltd, London.
4.3.1924: John D. Marsden knighted.
29.6.1927: Owners re-styled Consolidated Fisheries Ltd, Grimsby (Sir John D. Marsden, Bart, manager).
24.7.1928: Mortgage (A) discharged.
25.7.1928: Sold to Archibald Glen Brown (64/64), Granton.
26.7.1928: Grimsby registry closed.
26.7.1928: Registered at Granton (GN80).
26.7.1928: Archibald Glen Brown designated managing owner.
1932: Sold to Alexander W. Gardner, North Shields. Alexander W. Gardner designated managing owner.
1933: Registered at North Shields as COPIEUX (GN80).
1933: Granton registry closed.
21.4.1933: Registered at North Shields (SN157).
3.1938: Sold to George Cormack, Aberdeen. George Cormack desgnated managing owner.
25.2.1938: North Shields registry closed.
28.2.1938: Registered at Aberdeen (A465).
27.11.1939: Requisitioned for war service designated as a minesweeper (Hire rate £60.18.0d/month).
3.2.1940: Returned to owner.
10.1942: Sold to Milford Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Milford Haven.
5.10.1942: Aberdeen registry closed.
12.10.1942: Registered at Milford (M183). James C. Ward designated manager.
6.1945: Sold to The River Ness Fishing Co Ltd, Aberdeen for £12,500.
2.9.1945: Milford registry closed.
4.10.1945: Registered at Aberdeen (A599). George Craig designated manager.
13.5.1949: Sold to Mellings Ltd, Fleetwood .
17.5.1949: Aberdeen registry closed.
18.5.1949: Registered at Fleetwood (FD25). William Melling, designated manager.
7.7.1949: First landing at Fleetwood, 177 boxes, £718 gross.
7.1949: Registered at Fleetwood as NELLIE MELLING (FD25).
20.7.1949: First landing, 276 boxes, £1056 gross.
1.2.1954: Fishing off Isle of Man (Sk. Harry Buckley). On hauling found body in trawl. Skipper ordered body to be put back in water. (Body believed to be one of seven airman from RAF B29 Washington aircraft missing in area, 5.1.1954).
3.1955: Sold to Alexander Hay & John Main, Aberdeen.
25.3.1955: Fleetwood registry closed.
26.5.1955: Registered at Aberdeen (A17). Alexander Hay designated managing owner.
5.7.1955: Registered at Aberdeen as GIRDLENESS (A17) (MoT&C.A. Minute R.S.S.8/1/0494 dated 18.6.1955).
4.7.1957: Stranded near Cantick Head; Longhope lifeboat stood by.
7.7.1957: Refloated after jettisoning most of her bunkers. Returned to Aberdeen but declared CTL.
8.1957: Sold BISCO and allocated to G. & W. Brunton, Grangemouth for breaking up.
11.9.1957: Arrived Grangemouth under tow from Aberdeen.
25.9.1957: Delivered.
3.12.1957: Aberdeen registry closed “Vessel broken up at Grangemouth.”

(Thomas Burnham, AB (volunteer), age 30, b. Fareham. Hampshire – ROYAL SOVEREIGN (SB400))

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Girdle Ness A17
Picture courtesy of Grimsby Reference Library

Changelog
29/12/2008: Page published. 6 updates since then.
09/11/2011: Removed FMHT watermarks from image.
20/06/2021: Updated history.