Additional information courtesy of Granton Trawlers
Technical
Official Number: 148968
Yard Number: 621
Completed: 1930
Gross Tonnage: 211
Net Tonnage: 91
Length: 115.3 ft
Breadth: 22.6 ft
Depth: 12.2 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by A. Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen
Built: A. Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen
History
18.12.1929: Launched by A. Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Yd.No.621) for Great Western Fishing Co Ltd, Aberdeen as PITSTRUAN.
15.1.1930: Registered at Aberdeen (A86).
2.1930: Completed. John Doig appointed manager.
7.1.1935: Sailed Aberdeen for Faroe grounds (Sk. George Abernethy).
20.1.1935: Stopped fishing and set course for home.
21.1.1935: At about 2.30am. when some 80 miles south of the Faroe Islands, with heavy seas and and gale force winds, struck by a very heavy sea that swept the ship, carrying away the wheelhouse, stoving in the steel base, knocking down the port stoke hole ventilator and carrying away the boat. Inside the remains of the wheelhouse was the mate, William Shepherd and the skipper’s son, deckhand George Abernethy Jnr, both with only minor injuries but also carried away and lost was the compass and clock and the wheel was damaged. A canvas dodger was rigged around the base of the wheelhouse but after running about fifty miles this was ripped off by the gale force wind. The trawler was hove to for ten hours awaiting a weather forecast and a more substantial screen was then constructed. The forecast was for southerly gales and heading into the wind they steamed slowly southwards until a light beam was observed which proved to be Noup Head, NW Orkney. When daylight came they were able to make their way through Westray Firth and once clear, set a SE course until they picked up Kinnaird Head.
24.1.1935: Arrived Aberdeen.
1.1.1937: Arrived Aberdeen with storm damage and landed 220 boxes and four score of cod. Reported that they had experienced very stormy weather when on the fishing grounds resulting in the boat being carried away and several wheelhouse windows smashed by the heavy seas.
25.5.1940: Requisitioned for war service and employed on miscellaneous duties (Hire rate £104.12.5d/month).
11.1940: Fitted out as a minesweeper (P.No.FY.1791). Based Swansea with M/S Group 155.
14.4.1941: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood. Basil Arthur Parkes, Cleveleys designated manager.
4.1944: Fitted out as a smoke making trawler and assigned to Operation Neptune – Normandy landings.
9.6.1944: Arrived Mulberry A from Yarmouth with Group A1. Employed smoke making with replenishment at Portland.
3.7.1944: Operation Neptune ended. Fitted out to a fuel carrier (Esso).
11.1944: Returned.
24.7.1945: Sold to Ardrossan Trawling Co Ltd, Ardrossan.
5.4.1946: Aberdeen registry closed.
4.1946: Registered at Glasgow as GRACE PATON (GW12). Walter K. Paton designated manager.
1958: Sold to Thomas L. Devlin & Sons Ltd, Granton. Glasgow registry closed. Registered at Granton as CONQUISTADOR (GN1).
1961: Sold to BISCO (£2532) and allocated to Shipbreaking Industries Ltd, Charlestown, Fife for breaking up (Contract No.5F).
20.12.1961: Delivered Charlestown from Granton under own power.
12.2.1962: Breaking up commenced. Granton registry closed.
Click to enlarge image
S.T. Conquistador GN1
Picture courtesy of Shetland Museum
Changelog
29/04/2009: Page published. 6 updates since then.
18/03/2017: Updated information.