Additional information courtesy of Barry Banham (http://www.milfordtrawlers.org.uk/) and Robert Durrant (PLRS)
Technical
Official Number: 131875
Yard Number: 859
Completed: 1920
Gross Tonnage: 96
Net Tonnage:  41
Length:  86.2 ft
Breadth: 18.5 ft
Depth: 9.3 ft
Built: Lea Shipbuilding & Repairing Co, Canning Town
Engine: 270ihp T.3-cyl by David & R. B. Scott, Tayport
Boiler: Hewitt & Kellitt Ltd, Bradford.
History
1919:  Launched by Lea Shipbuilding & Repairing Co, Canning Town (Yd.No.859) (“Admiralty drifter”) for The Admiralty as WHIRLBLAST.
31.7.1920:  Completed as a fishing vessel.
9.12.1920: Transferred to The Fishery Board for Scotland, Edinburgh for disposal.  Laid up at Dundee.
1921:  Sold under HM Treasury mortgage agreement (Disposal of Admiralty Drifters to Ex-service Fishermen) to David Watson, Cellardyke (Thomas Cunningham, Anstruther, manager) for £6,400 with no deposit paid, later reduced to £4,800; less £500 for defects found.
1921:  Registered at Kirkcaldy as STELLA AURORAE O.No.131875 (KY45).
22.8.1922:  Outstanding payments £716.13.4d capital, £396.14.4d interest.
9.1923:  Paid up.
28.1.1925:  Sold to Bloomfield’s Ltd, Gt. Yarmouth & J. Watt, Fraserburgh (Neil Mackay, Caister-on-Sea, manager).  Kirkcaldy registry closed.  Registered at Fraserburgh (FR54).
11.1929:  Sold to Henry H. Catchpole, Lowestoft (managing owner).
11.1929:  Fraserburgh registry closed.
26.11.1929:  Registered at Lowestoft (LT116).
9.12.1929:  Registered at Lowestoft as ABIDING FRIEND (LT116) (BoT Minute M/R.G.1526/29).
7.3.1938:  Sold to Arthur C. Mitchell (42/64), Milford Haven & George Mitchell (22/64), Lowestoft (Arthur C. Mitchell, manager).
19.4.1938:  Registered at Lowestoft as JACKEVE (LT116) (BoT Minute M/R.G.1149/38).
23.11.1939:  Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeping drifter (P.No.FY958) (Hire rate £32.16.0d/month).
9.1943:  Employed on miscellaneous naval duties.
4.4.1944:  Sold to Haven Trawlers Ltd, Milford Haven (Robert Lewis, Milford Haven, manager).
14.11.1945:  Returned to owner.
7.4.1946:  Sold to W. H. Kerr Ltd, Milford Haven.
17.4.1946:  Sold to Hamilton Fishing Co Ltd, Milford Haven (W. H. Kerr Ltd, managers).
1950s:  Seasonal white fish trawling from Fleetwood.
1951:   17 landings at Lowestoft, fished from Fleetwood between March and July.
1952:    28 landings at Lowestoft, fished from Fleetwood between June and August including 9 landings from broken trips with engine and winch problems.
1953:   No landings in Lowestoft, fished from Fleetwood, Padstow and Milford.
1954:    9 landings at Lowestoft, fished for 3 months from Fleetwood, 7 landings there and 3 broken trips with engine problems.
1954:  Sold to BISCO and allocated to Thos W. Ward Ltd, Sheffield for breaking up at Castle Pill, Milford Haven.
27.5.1955:  Lowestoft registry closed, vessel scrapped.
Click to enlarge image
Changelog
15/10/2013: Page published. 5 updates since then.
20/07/2018: Image added.
10/02/2021: Updated history.

