Author Archives: George Armitage

sv Susannah – GY37

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 50315
Completed: 1865
Net Tonnage: 26.74nrt
Length: 54.5
Breadth: 14.4
Depth: 7.1 feet
Rig: Smack

History

1865: Completed at Newhaven for W. R. Bennett, Newhaven as SUSANNAH.
8.1.1866: Registered at Newhaven.
1867: Sold to John R. Mackrill & Moses Wooley, Cleethorpes. Newhaven registry closed. Registered at Grimsby (GY242).
12.1868: Sold to T. Bailey, Grimsby.
12.1868: Sold to Moses Wooley, Cleethorpes.
3.1869: Reregistered at Grimsby (GY37).
4.1870: Sold to Jabez Wooley, Leeds.
18.7.1870: At Grimsby Yacht and Smack Regatta, took part in the race for Class 2 smacks, (Jabez Wooley, skipper). The first prize was a purse of £10, the second, £5. In the lead at the Newsand buoy but failed to complete the course.
9.1876: Sold to Benjamin Holt, Villa House, London Street, Fleetwood.
2.11.1877: By Mr. R. WESTBY. Ship Shares on Sale. Mr. R. WESTBY has received instructions to SELL BY AUCTION at his Sale Room, East Street, Fleetwood, on MONDAY November 5, 1877, the following VESSELS and SHARES belonging to the port of Fleetwood. : – 8/64 in the fishing smack “GEORGE and LIZZIE,” 8/64 in the fishing smack “SCOTIAN,” 8/64 in the fishing smack, “MARGARET,” …. the whole of the fishing smack “EMBLEM,” and the whole of the fishing smack “SUSANNAH.” The whole of the above vessels are in first-class condition, and in thorough working order. Sale to commence at Two o’clock in the afternoon.
9.11.1877: Reported that there was a very good attendance at the auction but no real bona fide sales were effected. The whole of the smack was put up for sale, but no reasonable offer was forthcoming.
14.12.1877: A sale by auction, of interest to fish dealers and others took place in the Sale Rooms, East Street, Fleetwood, Mr R. Westby was the auctioneer. … The fishing smack “SUSANNAH,” of Grimsby was next put up for competition, but failed to bring any reasonable offer. The reserve for this second smack was £150. This sale was by order of the mortgagee.
2.1878: Sold to George F. Nicholson, 38 James Street, Whitehaven. Grimsby registry closed. Registered at Whitehaven (WN??).
25.9.1883: Sailed Whitehaven for the fishing grounds (crew Thomas M’Lean, William Brasted, Thomas Crewdson and George Weaver) in company with the Whitehaven smack VIVID. Believed to have foundered along with the VIVID, in the gale and heavy weather which sprung up later that day. Over a period, deck planking and other parts of the smack washed up at Flimby, south of Maryport.
17.10.1883: Body, believed to be that of Thomas Crewdson washed up at Maryport. Two other bodies washed up near Flimby, one half a mile west of St. Helen’s, Flimby and the other near Flimby railway station.
18.10.1883: Another body found at Maryport possibly that of Reuben (sic) Ball (Stephen Ball) of the Fleetwood smack EMBLEM (FD146) washed overboard in the same gale on 26.9.1883.
18.10.1883: An inquest was held at the Ship Inn, Seaton touching the deaths of four men, supposed to have been drowned during the gale which occurred on 25th of September. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the first three men found had been accidentally drowned, but there was no evidence whether the body of the third man was that of M’Lean or Moore (cook in the smack VIVID). With regard to the fourth man, an open verdict was returned.
10.1883: Whitehaven registry closed.

Changelog
08/11/2023: Page published.

sv Sturgeon FD??

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical and historical information needed about this vessel. Please contact webmaster@fleetwood-trawlers.info

Technical

Official Number: 55233.
Net Registered Tonnage: 21
Rig: Dandy – trawling

History

1866: Completed at Dublin, iron built, for Irish Sea Fishery Ltd, 176 Brunswick Street, Dublin as STURGEON.
12.6.1866: Registered at Dublin.
1871: Sold to Henry McKelvey, Ballyhemlin, Co. Down.
1873: Sold to Nicholas Wright, Fleetwood. Dublin registry closed. Registered at Lancaster.
27.3.1874: Fishing off the Cumberland coast. Started for home.
28.3.1874: A little after 1.00am. stranded on Digg’s Scar, near Ravenglass. Crew rescued but expected that nothing will be saved. The smack had about 6,500 oysters onboard.

Changelog
17/09/2023: Page published.

sv Eva – FD184

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical
Length: 30 ft
Breadth: 9 ft
Depth: 3.6 ft

History
1895: Built at Glasson Dock.
28/08/1913: In ownership of Richard Wright and Ernie Salthouse.
06/09/1913: Richard Kirkham Wright was charged under the Merchant Shipping Act for failing to letter and number his vessel in such a manner as to comply with the regulations of the Board Of Trade, the height of the figures being 4 3/4″ instead of 10″. The defendant pleaded guilty to a technical offence and was fined 10/- plus costs.

Click to enlarge image

sv Eva FD184

sv Eva FD184
Picture courtesy of The David Slinger Collection

Changelog
13/09/2023: Page published.
30/01/2024: Minor update to history.

s.v. Overton – FD??

Information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 19835
Net Registered Tonnage: 24
Length: 40.00 ft
Breadth: 16.00 ft
Depth: ?? Feet
Built: James Woodhouse & Son, Overton, 1852
Rig: Smack – trawling

History

5.1852: Launched by James Woodhouse & Son, Overton for William Paley, Preston as OVERTON. Elm planked. After launch taken to Glasson for completion. Cost to build £292/296.
12.6.1852: Royal Mersey Yacht Club first sailing match of the season. Regretted that the smack could not be got ready for the race.
19.7.1852: Sailed to Preston.
24.6.1852: Registered at Preston.
3.9.1853: Reported that a case was brought by Thomas Woodhouse, son of James Woodhouse for full payment for the OVERTON by the owner William Paley. The case was complicated by the lack of proper paperwork being available to the Court and other issues. After much deliberation and often contradictory evidence, the Court found in favour of the plaintiff. Mr Paley asked for the right to appeal, but this was denied and the money paid in Court.
7.12.1855: Appropriated.
1862: Sold to Timothy Cragg, Fleetwood.
16.10.1868: On the fishing grounds when a gale sprung up, the sea was not high but there was a ‘chopping swell.’ Lost all the fishing gear.
14.1.1870: Fishing in the Irish Sea (Sk. Rimmer). At Fleetwood landed a halibut, 5 ft long, 2ft 6 inches wide, weighing 104lbs.
17.1.1873: Fishing about six miles E by N from the Morecambe Lightship (Sk. Rimmer) along with other smacks of the Fleetwood fleet. At about 8.10am. observed a large screw steamship approaching and as she came closer they called out to put her helm hard-a-port as she was coming right upon them. No notice was taken and almost immediately the steamer struck the smack.The steamer stopped her engine at once but still had way on her, and the crew, skipper, mate, James Pater, Charles Pater, Edward Leece and the cook Edward Rimmer, son of the skipper, scrambled up the anchor chain of the steamer and on to her deck. The smack foundered quickly. The steamer proved to be the Belfast registered SEMAPHORE (560grt/1855), Londonderry for Liverpool and they were carried on and landed at Liverpool at about 11.40am. Sk Rimmer complained that no effort was made to save his crew and they were landed at Liverpool with no courtesy or expression of regret. Several fishing boats including NIMBLE (FD11), ROYAL CONSORT (FD75) and MARGARET AGNES (FD10) were close to the scene and observed the collision, hauling their nets, the three ran down to the spot where the accident happened to render assistance. Fleetwood registry closed.

Changelog
07/09/2023: Page published.

sv Reindeer – SH62

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm and George Westwood

Technical
Official Number: 5923
Completed: 1846
Registered Tonnage: 35
Length: 50.4 ft
Breadth 15.3 ft
Depth: 7.8 ft
Rig: Sloop

History
1846: Completed by John Richardson, Brixham for own account (64/64) as REINDEER.
9.1848: At Hull.
29.6.1849: Along with FAWN reported arrived Fleetwood from Hull.
6.1851: Purchased by Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Co Ltd, Manchester. Capt Dode designated manager. Fishing out of Fleetwood.
17.4.1855: Registered at Fleetwood O.N.5923.
27.8.1856: Sold to William Warren Perkings, Scarborough. Fleetwood registry closed. Registered at Scarborough (SH62).
26.9.1856: Remeasured 31.03nrt. 50.6 x 15.3 x 7.6
9. 6.3.1861: Sold to James Sellers, Scarborough.
19.1.1865: Sold to John Payne, Scarborough.
24.2.1875: Sold to Joseph Hemingway, Benjamin Brooke and Daniel Randall Jackson, Scarborough.
2.5.1875: Sold to Benjamin Brooke.
1877: Broken up. Scarborough registry closed.

Changelog
21/07/2023: Page published.