Additional information courtesy of David Slinger

Technical

Official Number: Part IV registered
Completed: 1903
Gross Tonnage: 98.4
Net Tonnage: 49.84
Length: 69.4 ft
Breadth: 18.4 ft
Depth: 9.9 ft
Built: Wm. Fulton, Pittenweem as a liner/seiner

History

1903: Completed by Wm. Fulton, Pittenweem for George Flett & W. McKechnie, Pittenweem as IMPREGNABLE. Registered at Methil (ML24).
Pre 1910: Auxiliary motor fitted.
3.5.1927: At Fleetwood landed 30 boxes.
10.5.1927: At Fleetwood landed 60 boxes.
5.1928: Sold to Frederick Newton, Bispham Road, Blackpool. Methil registry closed.
22.5.1928: Registered at Fleetwood (FD178).
15.6.1928: Sold to Sk. Frederick Newton, Bispham Road, Blackpool & Sk. Walter Holmes, 10 Lowther Rd, Fleetwood. Carried out seining trials on Kish Bank off east coast of Ireland. Returned after six days with no fish.
27.6.1928: Sailed for Clyde for further trials with the seine net; five crew all told.
9.7.1928: Returned to Fleetwood under sail having suffered damage to engine. Trials unsuccessful.
2.11.1928: Reported sold to Freetown (Sierra Leone) Cold Storage Co, Freetown (Mr F. A. Schumacher & Straumann, Swiss businessman) To be refitted under the supervision of Capt William Ellis who will be in command. New engine to be installed, hull copper sheathed, accommodation improved, stowage for 2,500 galls of bunker oil and a full suit of sails provided, all at a cost of about £2,000.
12.1928: Fitted with 4-cyl 60bhp two stroke heavy oil engine by Widdop & Co, Keighley.
1.1.1929: Because the directors of the Freetown (Sierra Leone) Cold Storage Co, Freetown were not British subjects the ship could not sail under the British flag.
19.1.1929: Fleetwood registry closed “Sold to foreigners (Belgian (sic) subjects)”. Registered in Switzerland as ADVENTURE.
24.1.1929: At 11.00am sailed Wyre Dock for Lune Deeps and compass adjustments with vessels in the dock sounding their sirens. On completion returned to North End and at 5.05pm sailed for Freetown, Sierra Leone (Capt William Ellis); six hands all told *. A distance of about 3,000 miles.
26.1.1929: Due to strong SW winds put into Newlyn at 2.30pm.
28.1.1929: Sailed Newlyn at 4.50am for Freetown via Las Palmas. After leaving Newlyn wind veered round to southward and freshened to gale force with heavy rain. Decided to turn back for Newlyn, arriving at 4.00pm.
3.2.1929: At 6.30am with more favourable weather forecast set out to cross the Bay of Biscay.
14.2.1929: At 8.10am arrived Las Palmas, Canary Islands.
16.2.1929: Sailed Las Palmas at 5.30pm for Freetown.
25.2.1929: Arrived off Freetown, laid off until daylight.
26.2.1929: At 10.30am ran into Freetown Harbour and anchored. Thirty-four days out of Fleetwood. The Underwriters were well pleased and their communication reads, “ The Underwriters express satisfaction at the quickness of her passage to Freetown and the excellent navigation on the part of the master (Capt W. Ellis) and her crew.”
4.3.1929: With only Capt Ellis, his son and William Hargreaves remaining in Murray Town (31/2 miles from Freetown), started fishing trials and crew training.
6.3.1929: Crew returning to Britain, joined Liverpool steamer BODNANT (5342grt/1919) for passage to Liverpool.
8.4.1929: Capt Ellis reported that the grounds are bare and no fish caught at all, the locals stating that there will be no fish until the rainy season starts. Crew training with various methods of fishing continued.
21.8.1929: Capt Ellis returned to Fleetwood. His son and William Hargreaves having already returned home. The boat is now in the hands of her local crew.

* Crew – Capt William Ellis, 4 Deepdale Road, Fleetwood, Master; Thomas Carpenter, 19 Walmsley Street, Fleetwood, Mate; Ernest Gathercole, 9 Longton Avenue, Thornton., Ch Eng; Mr Cliff, 4 Bramwell Avenue, Leigh (Widdop guarantee engineer); Thomas E. Ellis (Capt’s younger son) and James Hargreaves, Station House, Knott End, Deckhands.

Click to enlarge image

sv Impregnable FD178

Changelog
20/02/2009: Page published.
22/07/2016: Information added.
02/05/2019: Updated information.
20/02/2022: Updated history.