Yearly Archives: 2009

S.T. Romulus FD128

Additional information courtesy of David Slinger and Bill Blow

Technical

Official Number: 93068
Yard Number: 11
Completed: 1885
Gross Tonnage: 159
Net Tonnage: 76
Length: 109 ft
Breadth: 20.2 ft
Depth: 10.6 ft
Engine: 180ihp C.2-cyl and boiler by C. D. Holmes & Co, Hull
Built: Cochrane, Cooper & Schofield, Beverley

History

24.12.1885: Launched by Cochrane, Cooper & Schofield, Beverley (Yd.No.11) for Christopher Pickering & Samuel L. Haldane, Hull (managing owners) as ROMULUS.
1.3.1886: Completed.
4.3.1886: Registered at Hull (H1483). Chartered to John Sheriff Ellis, Scarborough and fishing from Scarborough.
1890: Sold to Pickering & Haldane’s Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull (Henry A. L. Russell, manager).
1901: New boiler by Amos & Smith, Hull fitted.
24.5.1906: Re registered (H1483).
22.10.1910: Chartered to James Herbert Marr, Fleetwood (managing owner).
24.11.1910: Hull registry closed.
28.11.1910: Registered at Fleetwood (FD128).
29.1.1911: Arrived Fleetwood and reported that deckhand, Thomas Tate, Kent St, Fleetwood had been lost overboard.
14.3.1911: In collision with steam trawler BELMONT (FD64) in Wyre Channel when outwards for the fishing grounds.
30.3.1911: Sold to James Herbert Marr, Fleetwood (managing owner).
29.8.1912: Sold to The Active Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood (James A. Robertson, manager).
10.1915: Requisitioned for war service as a boom defence trawler (Ad.No.NI).
29.10.1916: Sold to Arthur Walker, Aberdeen (managing owner).
20.4.1918: Sold to Nelson Blow (64/64), Grimsby.
25.6.1918: Nelson Blow appointed manager. Based Buncrana, Co. Donegal.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Grimsby.
20.3.1919: Fleetwood registry closed.
26.3.1919: Registered at Grimsby (GY146).
19.7.1920: Sold to Frederick Ernest Peters (64/64), Bristol.
25.7.1920: Frederick Ernest Peters appointed manager.
28.7.1920: Grimsby fishing registry closed “now used for cargo”.
30.7.1920: Alteration of tonnage and other particulars following conversion to cargo. Certificate of Survey at Grimsby dated 30.7.1920. Re measured 170.36g 69.78n.
22.12.1920: Grimsby registry closed. Registered at Bristol.
1924: Sold to Bristol Sand & Gravel Co Ltd, Bristol (Frederick E. Peters, manager). At Bristol converted for sand dredging in Severn Estuary.
1935: Sold to Richard Abel & Sons Ltd, Liverpool (Fred Abel, manager).
7.1939: Sold for breaking up.
1939: Bristol registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Romulus H1483

S.T. Romulus H1483
Picture courtesy The Mike Thompson Collection

Sand Dredger Romulus

Sand Dredger Romulus

“ROMULUS at Hill’s Yard, Bristol 19 May 1935. From the Graham Farr Archive courtesy The Friends of Purton (www.friendsofpurton.org.uk)”

Sand Dredger Romulus

Sand Dredger Romulus

Changelog
04/01/2009: Page published. 7 updates since then.
04/02/2016: Minor information update.
15/05/2017: Removed FMHT watermarks from images.

Hopes For Missing Trawler Fade

Article courtesy of the “Chronicle” provided by Les Howard

With hopes for the 600-ton trawler St. Romanus fading fast, Fleetwood has been buzzing with rumours about Fleetwood men in the crew.
But it seems that only one former Fleetwood fisherman, Mr Herbert Pye, is on board.
A Chronicle reporter was told by the owners of the Hull-based ship, Thomas Hamling and Co, Ltd, “We have been very worried about the St. Romanus for some time and although she is not due for another day the chances of her being found now are small.”

Fleetwood rumours said that 29 year old Mr. Arnold Blyth,who sailed from Fleetwood as a deckhand and who moved to Hull about 12 years ago was the mate of the St. Romanus but this, said Hamlings, was not the case.

There was also no record in the crew list of 24 year old Terence O’Flaherty, who left Fleetwood as a teenager to sail from the Humber.
His parents and one of his three brothers, who formerly lived in London St. have since moved to Lowestoft, but two older brothers, both fishermen, live in Fleetwood – Larry in Addison Rd. and Leon in The Garth.

Definately on board the St. Romanus, however, is Mr. Herbert “Frankie” Pye, a 53 year old engine room greaser.
A deckhand for most of his life, Mr. Pye went to St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Secondary School and used to live in Flag St
He left for Hull about 20 years ago and served during the war in the Royal Navy. His brother, William, and his father of the same name, died at sea.
Mr. Pye’s sister said that her brother, who had a wife and family in Hull, had written to her to tell her that he was sailing in St. Romanus – something that he rarely did.
“Otherwise, I wouldn’t have know he was in it,” she said. “He was planning to visit us after this trip.”

If anyone else among the 20 man crew had connections to Fleetwood or any other town, the ship owners could not have contacted them because they only have the local addresses in the crew list to go on.

The trawler sailed on January 10 for a voyage to the Norwegian coast and the only trace of her since has been the discovery of a liferaft and a report that an Icelandic trawler picked up a May Day call from the ship the day after she left Hull.

The Chronicle also confirmed that there was no one with a Fleetwood connection on board another missing trawler, Kingston Peridot.

S.T. Rockliffe FD98

Technical

Official Number: 124683
Yard Number: 270
Completed: 1906
Gross Tonnage: 237
Net Tonnage: 63
Length: 126.8 ft
Breadth: 22.0 ft
Depth: 11.9 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by W. V. V. Lidgerwood, Glasgow
Built: J. Duthie, Sons & Co, Aberdeen
Boiler: Ross & Duncan, Govan

History

1906: Launched by J. Duthie, Sons & Co, Aberdeen (Yd.No.270) for Walter Henry Dickenson, Fleetwood & Others (John Sutcliffe 16.64), Hebden Bridge; Eliza Cockcroft (16/64), Rockcliffe, Hebden Bridge; William Henry Sutcliffe (16/64), Blackpool; Thomas Craston White (8/64), Fleetwood and Walter Henry Dickenson (8/64), Fleetwood) as ROCKCLIFFE.
11.1906: Completed.
26.11.1906: Sixteen shares (John Sutcliffe) and sixteen shares (Eliza Cockcroft) mortgaged to Williams Deacon’s Bank Ltd, London (A) & (B).
24.11.1906: Sixteen shares (William H. Sutcliffe) and eight shares (Thomas C. White) mortgaged to Williams Deacon’s Bank Ltd, London (C) & (D).
23.11.1906: Eight shares (Walter H. Dickenson) mortgaged to Williams Deacon’s Bank Ltd, London (E).
27.11.1906: Registered at Fleetwood (FD98), Walter H. Dickenson appointed managing owner.
21.3.1907: Four shares (Walter H. Dickenson) sold to William H. Sutcliffe and four shares (Walter H. Dickenson) sold Thomas C. White. William Henry Sutcliffe, Fleetwood appointed managing owner.
25.3.1907: Mortgage (E) discharged. Four shares (William H. Sutcliffe) and four shares (Thomas C. White) mortgaged to Williams Deacon’s Bank Ltd, London (F) & (G).
11.11.1907: Homeward from the Minch grounds (200 boxes) in heavy rain and poor visibility, wind WSW force 3, ran on rocks at Cairnbrock Shore, 2 miles south of Craig Laggan beacon, Portobello Bay, The Rinns of Galloway. Vessel badly holed; crew of ten abandoned and saved.
19.11.1907: Fleetwood registration closed.
1908: Steamer RETRIEVER salved machinery and other equipment but bad weather halted attempt to refloat. Wreck abandoned. At subsequent BOT inquiry, skipper’s ticket suspended for 6 months and mate’s ticket for 3 months.

Changelog
04/01/2009: Page published. 6 updates since then.

S.T. Rochester LT153

Technical

Official Number: 109529
Yard Number: 174
Completed: 1898
Gross Tonnage: 165
Net Tonnage: 51
Length: 104.2 ft
Breadth: 21 ft
Depth: 10.7 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by Muir & Houston, Glasgow
Built: Mackie & Thomson, Govan

History

12.3.1898: Launched by Mackie & Thomson, Govan (Yd.No.174) for Hagerup, Doughty & Co Ltd, Grimsby as ROCHESTER.
4.1898: Completed (Fred E. Hagerup, manager).
7.5.1898: Registered at Grimsby (GY671).
4.4.1906: Transferred to Consolidated Steam Fishing & Ice Co (Grimsby) Ltd, Grimsby (John D. Marsden, manager) on the formation of the company.
03.11.1908: Stranded at Easington. Refloated and returned to service.
11.1913: New boiler fitted.
10.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-3pdr) (Ad.No.642). Based Kirkwall.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Grimsby.
21.10.1920: Transferred to Lowestoft.
8.1.1925: Grimsby registry closed.
9.1.1925: Registered at Lowestoft (LT153).
9.1927: Owners restyled Consolidated Fisheries Ltd (Sir John D Marsden, Bart, manager).
1941: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Basil A. Parkes, Cleveleys, manager).
1944: Sold to Eton Fishing Co Ltd, Hull (George Gillard, manager). Registered at Hull (H59).
27.7.1944: Mined 27 miles ENE of Withernsea Lighthouse whilst steaming home (Sk.Arthur E. Ward); eleven crew lost*, one man picked up+. Approximate position of wreck 53°54N/42°30E.

(Lost* – Sk.Arthur E. Ward (38); John Lilley (58) 2nd Hand; Henry Laverick, 3rd Hand; Edward Kilkenny (55), Bosun; Robert W. Brown (38), Ch Eng.; Charles W. Smith (51), 2nd Eng.; William Conroy (33) & Edwin A Whifield (26), spare hands; Frederick W. Swales (35) & William Cowan (50), trimmers and James R. Middlemiss (53), cook).

(Saved+ – Frank East)

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Rochester LT153

S.T. Rochester GY671
Picture courtesy of The Cor Bal Collection

S.T. Rochester LT153

S.T. Rochester LT153
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
04/01/2009: Page published. 5 updates since then.
08/04/2018: Removed FMHT watermarks from image.
07/05/2020: Added an image and updated information.

S.T. Robert Bowen M269

Technical

Admiralty Number: 3595
Official Number: 143810
Yard Number: 390
Completed: 1918
Gross Tonnage: 290
Net Tonnage: 126
Length: 125.5 ft
Breadth: 23.5 ft
Depth: 12.7
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by Amos & Smith Ltd, Hull
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley
Owner: J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood

History

14.3.1918: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.390) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as ROBERT BOWEN (Ad.No.3595).
6.7.1918: Completed (1 – 12pdr, hydrophone and W/T).
1919: Registered by The Admiralty in the Registry of British Ships at London.
1920: Sold to Britannic Trawling Co Ltd, London (Talbot W. Holland, manager).
19.1.1920: Registered at London (LO254).
17.1.1924: Sold to Brand & Curzon Ltd, Milford Haven (Edward Brand & Charles Curzon, managers).
5.1938: Sold to Milford Fisheries Ltd, Milford Haven (Owen W. Limbrick, manager).
20.5.1938: London registry closed.
23.5.1938: Registered at Milford (M269).
28.12.1938: Delivered Milford, steam trawler JOSEPH BUTTON (M272) picked up disabled with damaged rudder.
10.5.1939: Transferred to Fleetwood.
31.7.1939: Sold to J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood (Geoffrey E. Marr, Cleveleys, manager) for £3650.
31.8.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (P.No. NR) (Hire rate £87.0.0d/month). Based Aberdeen with M/S Group 41.
9.2.1940: Group sweeping 20 miles NE of Aberdeen, damaged by German air attack (Heinkel 111 x 2) towards Girdle Ness and foundered; no survivors. Wreck lies at 57.09N 02.00W.
27.12.1941: Milford registry closed.

(MPK – Sk. Lieut. John Clark RNR; Ty Lieut. Arthur S. Wilson RNVR; Olley Turrell, 2nd Hand; Thomas McKechnie, Ch. Engineman; Henry A. Popkin, CPO Stoker; Hedworth Diplock, AB; Leslie G. Charlton, James B. Cowling, Thomas E. Robinson, Seamen; Robert F. Holden, OD; Ivor G. Fox, Telegraphist; John T. Gowan, George A. Ritchie, Stokers; Christopher Batty, A/Cook.)
(Robert Bowen, AB, age 29, b. Dover, Kent – VICTORY (SB852))

Changelog
04/01/2009: Page published. 3 updates since then.