S.T. Ashlyn FD1

Additional information courtesy of Granton Trawlers and Christine Simm
Technical

Official Number: 132420
Yard Number: 400
Completed: 1914
Gross Tonnage: 304
Net Tonnage: 112
Length: 125.8 ft
Breadth: 23.4 ft
Depth: 13.8 ft
Built: J. Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co, Aberdeen
Engine: 530ihp T.3-cyl by J. Abernethy & Co, Aberdeen

History

12.3.1914: Launched by J. Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co, Aberdeen (Yd.No.400) for the The Brooklyn Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood as ASHLYN.
9.4.1914: Registered at Fleetwood (FD1). Richard W. Mason designated manager.
4.1914: Completed.
20.4.1914: Landed at Fleetwood from maiden trip.
29.5.1914: Landed 200 boxes.
9.6.1914: Arrived Fleetwood from fishing grounds. Following representations made by the skipper and after consulting with the Superintendent Engineer, the managing owners discharged the Ch Eng, Fry, by giving him the usual and legal discharge.
10.6.1914: Landed her catch. The Ch Eng feeling unfairly dismissed, sought the help of Mr Storey, secretary of the Fleetwood branch of the Humber Amalgamated Steam Trawlers Engineers’ and Firemen’s Union. As a result an ultimatum was given to the Fleetwood Fishing Vessel Association, of which the managing owners were members, that the Union had decided to let no union member sail in the trawler until such time as the matter was investigated. They also endeavoured to stop the ASHLYN from sailing on the midnight tide as planned. Sailed for the fishing grounds.
11.6.1914: The Union informed the Association that they were withdrawing all their men from vessels owned or managed by the Brooklyn Fishing Co.
16.6.1914: The Union further informed the Association that until the Ch Eng was re-instated and recompensed for the time he had been ashore they would not man any of the trawlers ‘held up’. The Association responded and said that they could not accept the suggestion but were quite willing to investigate the case when all vessels controlled by the managing owners and ‘held up’ by the action of the Union had gone to sea.
18.6.1914: The Union representatives met with the Association with a view to settling the dispute but owing to the attitude taken by the representatives it was later decided at a full meeting of the Association to give notice that unless trawlers ‘held up’ put to sea before midnight on the 19th, all trawlers arriving would held over until the dispute was settled.
19.6.1914: Union men rejected offer of Association to hold an inquiry with owners. Proposed a meeting with two men from owners, two from the Association, two from the Union and Mr Turner of the Board of Trade as chairman or his nominee. Trawlers, coaled, iced and provisioned and ‘held over’.
21.6.1914: A meeting of the Union was held to institute picketing but this was not accepted by all members and 30 of the 90 members signed off.
23.6.1914: Returned to Fleetwood from fishing grounds. Meeting of Union at Dock Gates. Mr Threlfall and George Yates, Fleetwood branch spoke to members. In the afternoon Fleetwood Fish Buyers Association Ltd held a meeting to discuss situation. Sub Committee formed to engage the Association offering to mediate.
24.6.1914: Shortly before noon the Union received a message from the owners stating that they would meet them. In consequence a meeting was convened at 3.00pm. The owners represented by Mr C. Hudson. President of the Association; Mr J. A. Robertson, Mr W. C. Frith, Capt Olney and Mr R. Jackson, secretary. The men were represented by Mr Joseph Rapson of the Hull executive of the Union, Mr Storey, Fleetwood branch and Messrs Rogerson, Monaghan and Cahill. Before any evidence was taken or any matter in the dispute considered the men’s leaders generously signed an agreement allowing vessels to sail at once, on the undertaking given by the Association that a full inquiry should be held immediately. At 5.00pm the meeting commenced. Revealed that the original dismissal was as a result of personal disagreement between the skipper and the Ch Eng. The outcome was to re-instate Ch Eng Fry and compensate him. Withdrawal of labour and all other actions ceased. Another matter agreed was a re-structuring of the pay scale to be introduced based on port conditions, to run for 12 months. Meeting ended at 9.00pm.
25.6.1914: Thirty-four trawlers sailed on morning tide.
6.11.1914: Landed 230 boxes.
11.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-6pdr) (Ad.No.191).
1917: Thomas Cardwell designated manager. Based Clyde.
Post 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Fleetwood.
29.1.1920: Landed 156 boxes.
28.7.1920: Landed 300 boxes.
30.11.1920: Landed 250 boxes.
3.1.1921: Landed 545 boxes.
25.7.1921: Landed 390 boxes.
19.12.1921: Landed 120 boxes.
22.01.1922: Delivered Killybegs, Co Donegal by steam trawler AUREA (FD300) having been picked up disabled whilst fishing the Donegal Bay grounds.
23.1.1922: Arrived Londonderry in tow of AUREA for repairs.
26.1.1922: Both trawlers sailed Londonderry for fishing grounds.
7.2.1922: Landed 80 boxes.
9.5.1922: At Fleetwood Magistrates Court, William Roberts of Douglas, IoM deckhand, was charged with failing to join the ship having “had a drop to drink”. The trawler was delayed for one hour and proceeded to sea short handed. Roberts had taken his 5s advance and spent it on drink, The Chairman said the advance was like putting orange peel and banana skins in the way of the men causing them to trip up. It was money advanced to them for their own good not for mischief. Roberts, with four previous convictions, was remitted to prison for 28 days hard labour.
19.6.1922: Landed 200 boxes.
21.12.1922: Landed 290 boxes.
13.2.1923: Landed 160 boxes.
13.8.1923: Landed 350 boxes.
30.11.1923: Landed 243 boxes.
4.2.1924: Landed 220 boxes.
27.10.1924: Landed 217 boxes.
1.1.1924: Landed 50 boxes.
11.9.1925: Landed 170 boxes.
12.9.1925: At Fleetwood Police Court, Joseph Harrison, was fined 20s for failing to join the trawler. When contacted by the ship’s husband, Gilbert Wright he said that he was not going to sea as another crew man told him he had been sacked by the mate. Harrison went to see the mate who denied having made the statement. When he offered to go to sea he was not allowed to do so.
24.9.1925: Landed 270 boxes.
22.1.1926: Landed 280 boxes.
16.7.1926: Landed 240 boxes.
15.11.1926: Landed 220 boxes.
15.8.1927: Landed 380 boxes.
27.12.1927: Landed 500 boxes.
11.4.1928: Landed 118 boxes.
18.9.1928: Landed 575 boxes of herring.
21.1.1929: Landed 250 boxes.
12.8.1929: Landed 195 boxes.
5.4.1930: On arrival at Fleetwood from the Rockall grounds, the skipper reported the loss on Friday afternoon off the Mull of Galloway of a deckhand, Sidney Smith (28) of 143 Poulton Road who was hauled overboard by the net and drowned. His body was not recovered. Landed 280 boxes.
9.12.1930: Landed 183 boxes including two sturgeon, one of 7ft 4in at 7st the other at 3st. Both were purchased by Mr J. D. Clarke for the continental market.
16.3.1931: Last landing at Fleetwood, 153 boxes.
3.1931: Sold to A. A. Gueulle-Bourgain, Boulogne-sur-Mer (Albert Arthur Gueulle-Bourgain).
1931: Re-measured 38.22 (125.4) x 6.89 (22.6) x 4.21 (13.8) metres (feet) 302g.
20.3.1931: Sailed Fleetwood for Boulogne-sur-Mer (Sk. Dan Haig): Fleetwood crew.
21.3.1931: Delivered and crew returned to Fleetwood by steamer and rail.
22.3.1931: When the the Euston-Liverpool train was near Atherstone, Warwickshire, Harry Bentley (41) 63 Belmont Road, 2nd Eng, somehow fell out of the train receiving fatal injuries from a passing train. At the subsequent Coroner’s Court at Tamworth a verdict of Accidental Death was recorded.
23.3.1931: Fleetwood registry closed.
3.1931: Registered at Boulogne as BERNADETTE (B1488).
1933: Company restyled Veuve Gueulle-Bourgain & Fils, Boulogne-sur-Mer.
1937: Sold to Gueulle-Germe et Gueulle-Wattez (Pierre Gueulle-Germe and Alfred Gueulle-Wattez).
3.7.1940: Seized at Dover. Transferred to The Admiralty.
11.1940: Fitted out for boom defence duties (P.No. Z.175).
12.1945: Returned to owner.
1951: Sold to Gueulle-Frères, Boulogne-sur-Mer.
1953: Removed from registry.
1955: Broken up.

Click to enlarge image
S.T. Ashlyn FD1 in dock

Changelog
14/01/2009: Page published. 3 updates since then.
05/03/2017: Information updated.
19/07/2019: Information updated.
07/11/2021: Major information update.