Yearly Archives: 2009

sv Blue Bell FD266

Technical

O.N. Registered Part IV
Completed: 1902
Gross Tonnage: 16.68
Net Tonnage: 16.68
Length: 38.8 ft
Breadth: 11.5 ft
Depth: 5.3 ft
Rig: Smack
Built: Freckleton

History

Smack/aux motor – trawling

1902: Completed by ??, Freckleton for ?? as BLUE BELL.
By1937: Registered at Douglas (DO79). Owner J. Swindlehurst, Douglas, IoM.
1942: Sold to Robert Charles Newton, 60 Coniston Avenue, Fleetwood.
30.5.1942: Registered at Fleetwood (FD266).
3.11.1944: Stranded. Total loss.
6.12.1944 Fleetwood registry closed.

Changelog
20/12/2009: Page published.

S.T. Abronia GY112

In Parkes ownership. Did not fish from Fleetwood
Additional material courtesy of Bil Blow

Technical

Official Number: 122716
Yard Number: 356
Completed: 1906
Gross Tonnage: 242.27
Net Tonnage: 121.05
Length: 126.2 ft
Breadth: 22.0 ft
Depth: 11.4 ft
Built: Cochrane & Sons, Selby
Engine: 450ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull

History

28.11.1905: Launched by Cochrane & Sons, Selby (Yd.No.356) for The North Eastern Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby as ABRONIA.
8.2.1906: Registered at Grimsby (GY112).
8.2.1906: Sir George Doughty designated manager.
9.2.1906: Completed.
26.8.1907: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The Law Guarantee Trust & Accident Society Ltd, London (A).
31.12.1908: Mortgage (A) discharged.
31.12.1908: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The Law Guarantee Trust & Accident Society Ltd, London (B).
1910: The Law Guarantee Trust & Accident Society Ltd, London in liquidation following takeover by Ocean Accident & Guarantee Corporation Ltd, London which in turn was taken over by Commercial Union Assurance Co Ltd, London.
26.1.1914: Mortgage (B) discharged.
12.5.1914: Henry Morris designated manager.
11.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-6pdr) (Ad.No.704). Based Aegean Sea. Post12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Grimsby.
26.11.1919: The North Eastern Steam Fishing Co Ltd in liquidation. Arthur John Downs, Grimsby appointed Official Liquidator.
29.11.1919: Sold to Thomas William Baskcomb (64/64), Grimsby.
1.12.1919: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Barclays Bank Ltd, London (C).
2.12.1919: Thomas William Baskcomb designated manager.
1924: Homeward, in thick fog stranded on the Ness of Duncansby. Refloated with the assistance of Stroma fisherman and proceeded.
21.12.1934: In North Sea net fouled whilst fishing and deckhands George Yarborough and David Wilkin dragged overboard. Wilkin was recovered injured but Yarborough who was apparently knocked unconscious was not seen again.
22.10.1935: Sold by order of the mortgagee under mortgage (C) to Fred Parkes (64/64), Fleetwood & Blackpool.
24.10.1935: Sold to T. C. & F. Moss Ltd (64/64), Grimsby.
29.10.1935: Basil Arthur Parkes, Cleveleys designated manager.
6.11.1935: William Thomas Moss designated manager. 26.11.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (P.No.FY.734).
7.9.1940: Foundered in the River Thames (Ty/Sk. H. Kerrison, RNR). Five crewmen lost*. Grimsby register closed.
1941: Salved and acquired by MOWT.
7.10.1941 – 20.6.1943: Ty/Sk. Edward W.B. Norton RNR.
20.6.1943 – 20.10.1944: Ty/Sk. Arthur Beamont RNR. 20.10.1944 – 6.1945: Ty/Sk. L. R. Matthews RNR. Laid up.
31.1.1947: Sold to The Admiralty. Sold to J. R. Hepworth & Co (Paull) Ltd, Paull for breaking up. 3.10.1947: Grimsby registry closed.
(* Killed – Cyril C. G. Burrows, Wireman. Died – William L. Union, 2nd Hand.
MPK – David Ross, Engineman; William L. Langler, Seamen/cook; John T. Morey, Ord Signalman; Warwick L. Noseworthy, O/S.)

Click to enlarge image

HMT Abronia

HMT Abronia
Picture reproduced under IWM Non-Commercial Licence

S.T. Abronia GY112

S.T. Abronia GY112
Picture courtesy of The Peter Green Collection

Changelog

16/12/2009: Page published. 5 updates since then.
22/06/2018: Removed FMHT watermarks from images.
02/06/2019: Minor history update.

I Never Met My Brother

Information courtesy of John McLaughlin

Barney McLaughlin

I never met my brother

During the 2nd World War a white pigeon landed on our house, he sat on the windowsill and, because a white pigeon near the house was supposed to be unlucky, my mother tried to chase it away. Our house was in Rosshead, Glenhead, by the sea. From the window we could see the cliffs, the fishing rocks and the sea stretching across to Portrush and Rathlin Island.

I came from a family of twelve children. The oldest boy was called Barney, and, being the first born, I always felt that he was my mother’s favourite. I often heard people talk about him but I’d never met him as he lived in England. He was the oldest and I was the youngest and he’d left Ireland before I was born. The reason that he’s left was that he’d been distilling and making poiteen, he had been charged by the Gardi and sent to Mountjoy jail, Dublin for three months. Upon his release he went to live in England, never to return.

During the war I remember a telegram arriving at our house from the War Office, saying that Barney’s ship had been torpedoed by the Germans. The whole family was devastated and my mother was heartbroken for a week until another telegram arrived from the War Office. They told us that there had been a mistake, Barney was not on the ship he should have been on. Seemingly that day he’d missed the ship because he’d got drunk. Because he did this he was jailed for one week, this was looked on as a serious crime as fishermen were fishing for food for the nation.

As far as I know he kept his roots and remained a fisherman for the rest of his life. He died 25 years ago and is buried in Hull. Since then I’ve met his son and daughter but I will never meet my brother. Every time that I see a white pigeon I think of Barney.

S.T. Beatrice M212

Additional information courtesy of Peter Bell

Technical

Official Number: 127408
Yard Number: 362
Completed: 1907
Gross Tonnage: 239
Net Tonnage: 73
Length: 120.3 ft
Breadth: 21.6 ft
Depth: 11.6 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by MacColl & Pollock Ltd, Sunderland
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd North Shields

History

2.10.1907: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd North Shields (Yd. No.362) for John Thomas, Milford Haven (managing owner) as BEATRICE.
11.1907: Completed.
30.11.1907: Registered at Milford (M212).
8.1914: Requisitioned for war service.
13.8.1914: Arrived Devonport for Special Trawler Reserve; when stored to sail for Lowestoft.
13.11.1914: At Lowestoft, parent ship HALCYON. Later based on the Tyne.
12.1914: Renamed BEATRICE II (Ad.No.362)
1.1915: Arrived Devonport to fit out for Mediterranean as a minesweeper (1-3pdr) (Ad.No.362).
27.1.1915: Ordered to sail from Devonport to Mediterranean.
1915: Dardanelles Campaign.
8.3.1915: Sweeping near Yeni Cale, Dardnelles, paired with OKINO (Lieut. Geoffrey T. Whitehouse RNR)(Ad.No.285) (GY4). Leaving area OKINO mined and foundered in two minutes; four survivors including the CO. Damaged by shelling, Ch Eng. William Holland, Milford, suffered head injuries from shrapnel. Operated on and recovered.
20.12.1915: Dardanelles (Gallipoli) evacuation completed. Redeployed.
16.10.1917: Sold to The Wyre Steam Trawling Co Ltd Fleetwood (Magnus B. J. Wedum, manager).
14.3.1918: Sold to Walter Harold Beesley, Grimsby (managing owner).
8.4.1918: Milford registry closed.
10.4.1918: Registered at Grimsby as BEATRICE (GY1114).
Post 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Grimsby.
3.1919: Sold to The Middleton Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hartlepool (Harry Middleton, manager).
4.4.1919: Grimsby registry closed.
4.1919: Registered at Hartlepool (HL16).
1927: Sold to N.V. Maats “Petten”, IJmuiden (L & J Schager, managers).
1927: Hartlepool registry closed.
1927: Re-measured 236g 71n.
1927: Registered at IJmuiden as BERGEN (IJM16).
By 1930: N.V. Vissch. Maats “Petten”, IJmuiden (L & J Schager, managers).
6.1940: Requisitioned for war service under Dutch Naval Control (P.No.6C).
8.1940: Fitting out at Milford.
9.1940: At Holyhead with M/S Group 66.
11.1941: Group moved to Milford.
1.6.1942: Group moved to Portsmouth under Admiralty control (P.No.FY.932).
7.1942: Paid off.
9.1942: At Southampton as a minesweeper fitting out with oropesa sweeps.
03-04.1943: Not listed.
5.1943: Fitting out as a single line gate vessel.
6.1943: Last recorded, still fitting out.
1945: Laid up in Southampton (did not return to IJmuiden).
1947: Sold for breaking up.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Bergen IJM16

S.T. Bergen IJM16
Picture courtesy of The Jan Hartveld Collection

Changelog
25/10/2009: Page published. 3 updates since then.
14/09/2015: Information updated.
19/06/2018: Removed FMHT watermark from image.
12/08/2019: Updated information.

S.T. Janus II GY64

In Parkes (Fleetwood) ownership. Did not fish from Fleetwood
Additional information courtesy of Bill Blow

Technical

Official Number: 122692
Yard Number 342
Completed: 1905
Gross Tonnage: 240.45
Net Tonnage: 98.24
Length: 123.6 ft
Breadth: 22.0 ft
Depth: 11.5 ft
Built: Cochrane & Sons, Selby
Engine: 500ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by Great Central Co-operative Engineering & Ship Repairing Co Ltd, Grimsby

History

22.4.1905: Launched by Cochrane & Sons, Selby (Yd.No.342) for Orient Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby as JANUS.
23.6.1905: Completed.
24.6.1905: Registered at Grimsby (GY64).
24.6.1905: Frank Barratt appointed manager.
7.1.1907: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Jack Sutcliffe, Grimsby and Christopher Barber, Sheffield (joint mortgagees) for the sum of £6,000 with interest at 41/2% (A).
7.8.1913: Jack Sutcliffe died.
9.8.1914: Mortgagee became Christopher Barber.
25.8.1914: Mortgage (A) discharged.
25.8.1914: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Ernest Sutcliffe, Grimsby and Christopher Barber, Sheffield (joint mortgagees) for the sum of £6,000 with interest at 41/2% (B).
8.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-3pdr) (Ad.No.325).
13.11.1914: At Lowestoft, parent ship HALCYON.
30.12.1914: Registered at Grimsby as JANUS II (GY64) (BoT Minute RG/M 849/1914).
10.9.1919: Mortgage (B) discharged.
1920: Returned to owner.
19.2.1920: Sold to Direct Fish Supplies Ltd, London.
19.2.1920: George William Payne Margarson appointed manager.
20.2.1920: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Barclays Bank Ltd, London (C).
3.12.1920: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Barclays Bank Ltd, London (D).
10.12.1920: Mortgage (C) discharged.
23.3.1922: Direct Fish Supplies Ltd in voluntary liquidation.
10.8.1922: Placed in compulsory liquidation.
6.9.1922: Sold by order of the mortgagee under mortgage (D) to Thomas William Baskcomb, Grimsby.
6.9.1920: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Barclays Bank Ltd, London (E).
12.9.1922: Thomas William Baskcomb designated managing owner.
22.10.1935: Sold by order of the mortgagee under mortgage (E) to Fred Parkes (64/64), Blackpool and Fleetwood.
19.10.1935: Basil A. Parkes, Cleveleys appointed manager.
4.1936: Following survey, sold to shipbreakers.

Changelog
26/09/2009: Page published. 2 updates since then.
04/03/2015: Information updated.
19/02/2021: Updated history.