Category Archives: Lost Vessels

Vessels that have been lost

S.D/Liner Doris (2) LT890

Technical

Official Number: 115038
Yard Number: 689
Completed: 1902
Gross Tonnage: 79.44
Net Tonnage: 32
Length: 80 ft
Breadth: 18.1 ft
Depth: 8.3 ft
Engine: 22HP T.3-cyl by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields

History

1902: Launched by Smiths Dock Co Ltd, North Shields (Yd.No.689) for The Star Drift Fishing Co Ltd, Lowestoft as DORIS.
5.8.1902: Registered at Lowestoft (LT890).
8.1902: Completed (George Catchpole, Kessingland, manager).
22.9.1902: Sank the dandy VENUS (68720) (YH555) in collision near Bull Light Vessel, River Humber.
1912: Sold to The Doris Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Harry Carr, manager). Employed as a liner.
11.1914: On a trip to North Channel grounds (Sk. Alex Stephens). Put into Belfast; after dispute four crew left and returned to Fleetwood by steamer.
12.11.1914: Sailed Belfast for Fleetwood with skipper and three hands. Later in W to NW gale and very heavy seas vessel observed in difficulties to the south of Portpatrick Harbour. Portpatrick lifeboat attended but crew refused assistance.
13.11.1914: Vessel ashore at Ardwell Point, The Rinns of Galloway; Sk. Stephens swam ashore to seek assistance later all three crew took to the water. Port Logan lifeboat launched and searched area but no survivors found. Vessel total loss.
26.11.1914: Body of Alexander Mitchell recovered.
2.12.1914: Body of Henry King recovered.
24.2.1915: Lowestoft registry closed.
1975: Wreck identified off Doon Castle Point in 17 fms.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Doris LT890

S.T. Doris LT890. Picture courtesy of Port of Lowestoft Research Society

S.T. Doris LT890

S.T. Doris LT890. Picture courtesy of Port of Lowestoft Research Society

S.T. Doris LT890

S.T. Doris LT890
Painting by E. J. Hurr 1909 courtesy of Lowestoft Maritime Museum

Changelog
09/12/2008: Page published. 6 updates since then.
11/02/2018: Removed FMHT watermarks from images.

S.T. Donna Nook FD237

Technical

Official Number: 139209
Yard Number: 646
Completed: 1914
Gross Tonnage: 307
Net Tonnage: 150
Length: 132 ft
Breadth: 24 ft
Depth: 12.8 ft
Built: Cochrane & Son Ltd, Selby
Engine: 89hp T.3-cyl and boiler by Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull

History

14.8.1915: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.646) for The Mount Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood as DONNA NOOK.
27.1.1916: Completed. George E. J. Moody, Grimsby designated manager.
4.2.1916: Registered at Fleetwood (FD237).
2.1916: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-12pdr, 1-3pdr HA & 1-7.5” A/S Howitzer) (Ad.No.1981).
26.9.1916: Re-registered at Fleetwood (FD237). Based Yarmouth.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Fleetwood.
04.11.1920: Picked up sixteen crew members of the Scarborough steam trawler MARY A. JOHNSON (SH91) which had been abandoned four days previously having struck a reef close to ‘Geirfuglasker’ rock, SE of Reykanes, Iceland.
05.11.1920: Landed survivors at Reykjavik.
1921: Top port landings – 701 tons.
1927: Sir George E. J. Moody, Grimsby designated manager.
22.6.1928: Typical landing at Fleetwood, Home Waters, 228 boxes.
193?: W. M. Kelly, Fleetwood designated manager.
Pre 4.1940: Employed on Fishery Protection (WA/Fort William/Fleetwood).
3.6.1940: Requisitioned for war service as an auxiliary patrol vessel (P.No.4.132) (Hire rate £86.19.8d/month). Based North Shields (Ty/Sk. J. Carter RNR).
8.1941: Fitted out as a minesweeper (P.No.FY.1559). Based Ipswich with M/S & Patrol Group 78.
25.9.1943: Under attack by E-boats off Shipwash, 12 miles east of Harwich (Acting Lt Cdr L. R. Green RNR). Foundered following collision with H.M.T. STELLA RIGEL (P.No.FY.657) (418g/1936) when manoeuvring to pick up survivors from H.M.T. FRANC TIREUR (P.No.FY.1560) (GY1041) torpedoed by E-boat (S.96); crew picked up by STELLA RIGEL. Fleetwood registry closed.

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S.T. Donna Nook FD237

S.T. Donna Nook FD237
Picture courtesy of The Jan Harteveld Collection

Changelog
19/12/2008: Page published. 6 revisions since then.
17/04/2017: Removed FMHT watermark from image.
05/09/2021: Updated history and technical details.

S.T. Dinorah GY1107

Additional material courtesy of Bill Blow

Technical

Official Number: 118304
Yard Number: 698
Completed: 1903
Gross Tonnage: 192
Net Tonnage: 37
Length: 110 ft
Breadth: 21 ft
Depth: 11.2 ft
Engine: 300ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by N.E. Marine Engineering Co Ltd, Sunderland
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields

History

6.1903: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields (Yd.No.698) for The Castle Steam Trawlers Ltd (64/64), London as PICTON CASTLE.
7.1903: Completed (George H. D. Birt, Milford Haven, manager).
18.7.1903: Registered at London (LO177).
23.7.1903: Sailed Milford for SW of Ireland grounds (Sk. Joseph Huddlestone).
30.7.1903: Returned Milford with boiler trouble.
31.7.1903: Leaking tube caulked.
1.8.1903: Sailed for fishing grounds.
3.8.1903: Boiler tube leaking again.
4.8.1903: At about 11.30 p.m. a boiler explosion occurred; Michael Kennedy, fireman killed and Nicholas Atkinson, Chief Engineer badly scalded (subsequently died in hospital). Put into Berehaven (Castletown), Co. Cork.
1.10.1903: BOT Inquiry at Milford found that the explosion was caused by the back of the combustion chamber being encrusted with salt and soot and not kept clear.
8.1906: London registry closed.
13.8.1906: Registered at Swansea (SA??).
13.8.1906: George H. D. Birt, Milford Haven appointed manager.
29.8.1906: Crawford Heron, Swansea appointed manager.
9.1906. Sold to Emprela Lisbonesa, Lisbon.
1.10.1906: Swansea registry closed.
10.1906: Registered at Lisbon as DINORAH (B459).
1913: Sold to William Hall Dodds, Aberdeen.
1.1913: Lisbon registry closed.
11.2.1913: Registered at Aberdeen (A505).
1.1.1914: Tonnage altered to 72.05 net under provision of Merchant Shipping Act 1907.
8.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-3pdr) (Ad.No.288).
13.11.1914: At Lowestoft parent ship HALCYON.
1915: Dardanelles Campaign.
20.12.1915: Dardanelles (Gallipoli) evacuation completed. Redeployed.
11.1917: Sold to Overseas’ Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby. Walter Harold Beeley appointed manager.
9.11.1917: Aberdeen registry closed.
12.11.1917: Registered at Grimsby (GY1107).
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Grimsby.
28.7.1920: Sold to Bowering’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby.
02.09.1920: Walter Harold Beeley appointed manager.
5.6.1924: Vessel mortgaged to National Provincial Bank Ltd, London (A).
10.12.1932: Mortgage (A) discharged.
10.12.1932: Sold to George Leonard Taylor (5/64), John Phimister (7/64), William Sutherland (26/64) & John Buchan (26/64), all Aberdeen.
28.12.1932: John Buchan designated managing owner.
25.1.1933: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The Clydesdale Bank Ltd, Glasgow (B), (C), (D), (E).
5.8.1933: In calm weather stranded 11/2 miles SW of Gourdon. Refloated next tide and proceeded.
8.5.1935: Mortgages (B), (C), (D), (E) discharged.
28.5.1935: William Sutherland shares (26/64) and John Buchan shares (26/64) sold to The Gorspen Steam Trawling Co Ltd (52/64), Aberdeen.
29.5.1935: George Leonard Taylor shares (5/64) sold to The Gorspen Steam Trawling Co Ltd (57/64), Aberdeen.
27.7.1935: John Phimister shares (7/64) sold to The Gorspen Steam Trawling Co Ltd (64/64), Aberdeen.
3.8.1935: Alexander James Spence appointed manager.
1.5.1936: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Alexander Aitken Davidson, Aberdeen for the sum of £12,000 with interest at 6% (F).
2.5.1936: Mortgage (F) transferred to The Clydesdale Bank Ltd, Glasgow.
27.5.1936: Benjamin Allenby appointed manager.
30.12.1936: Vessel mortgaged to Alexander Aitken Davidson, Aberdeen for the sum of £4000 and interest (G).
19.2.1937: Sold to Alexander Aitken Davidson Aberdeen (64/64).
27.2.1937: Mortgage (G) discharged.
4.3.1937: Alexander Aitken Davidson designated managing owner.
26.11.1940: Mortgage (F) discharged (11.12.1940. Discharge of mortgage (F) allowed without production of deed, under authority of Board’s Order 51148/40 dated 2.12.1940).
12.2.1940: Sold to J. Bennett (Wholesale) Ltd (64/64), London.
23.12.1940: William Alfred Bennett appointed manager. Fishing out of Fleetwood.
3.5.1943: Typical wartime landing, Home Waters. 90 kits – hake-9, cod/codling-9, haddock-35, whiting-3, plaice-12, flats-5, ling.coley-11, roker-1, gurnard-4, dogs-11.
25.10.1944: Sold to Thornton Trawlers Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood.
28.10.1944: Leslie James Marr appointed manager.
28.4.1945: Foundered off Bridlington, believed by mine contact. All crew lost*.
4.7.1945: Grimsby registry closed “Vessel mined and sunk on 28.4.1945”.

(Lost* – Sk. W.G. Dyble, A.E. Dyer, F. Rix, A.R. Quantrill, R.H. Lott, T. Balderson, C.F. Mortlock, J.T. Lamb, R.G. Rowbotham, E.G. Bacon, C. Kirk).

Changelog
19/12/2008: Page published. 6 updates since then.
23/04/2020: Information updated.

S.T. Dinas (1) – FD63

Additional Information courtesy of Barry Banham and Ian Wilson

Technical

Official Number: 128747
Yard number: 399
Completed: 1909
Gross Tonnage: 219
Net Tonnage: 85
Length: 117.4 ft
Breadth: 21.6 ft
Depth: 11.8 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by Shields Engineering Co Ltd, North Shields
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields
Boiler: Robert Stephenson & Co Ltd, Hebburn

History

7.1.1909: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields (Yd.No.399) for Thomas G. Hancock (32/64), Hakin & John D. Harries (32/64), Milford Haven as DINAS.
2.1909: Completed (Thomas G. Hancock managing owner).
23.2.1909: Registered at Milford (M19).
14.10.1910: Arrested for illegal trawling in Bantry Bay.
15.11.1910: At Bantry Petty Sessions, Sk Thomas Salter fined £75 with 5gns costs.
20.8.1911: Stranded on Shingles Bank, refloated without damage and proceeded to Portsmouth.
12.5.1914: Sold to George H. D. Birt, Milford Haven (managing owner).
8.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-6pdr HA) (Ad.No.155).
18.2.1916: Attached to Unit 117 of Dover Patrol. Recovering kite when band of derrick carried away striking PO Arthur Garden (P.120675) on the head. Removed to Military Hospital, Dover.
26.2.1916: PO Garden died.
26.5.1917: Sold to Joseph A. Taylor & Ernest Tomlinson, Fleetwood.
7.7.1917: Sold to Jonathan Uttley, Fleetwood (Joseph A. Taylor, manager).
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Fleetwood.
7.3.1919: Milford registry closed.
8.3.1919: Registered at Fleetwood (FD63).
1920: Sold to Mrs Alice A. Uttley, Blackpool & F. A. Wadsworth, Fleetwood (Joseph A. Taylor, manager).
1921: Sold to Joseph Arthur Marr, Fleetwood (managing owner).
1922: Sold to Dinas Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Joseph A. Marr, manager).
23.2.1936: In collision in Wyre Channel with steam grab dredger ROSSALL (239grt/120) and steam trawler HERO (FD227).
3.10.1936: Mortgaged to William Deacons Bank Ltd, London.
4.12.1936: Stranded at Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal without loss of life.
14.9.1937: Fleetwood registry closed “Stranded 4/12/36 & became total loss”.
2012: Wreck still visible at some low water springs.

(Note: 23.9.1937: Wreck was being stripped by men working from the steam drifter HONORA EVELYN (FD165) which in the course of operations that day stranded on rocks inside Dunfanaghy Bar and also became a total loss).

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Dinas FD63

S.T. Dinas FD63
Picture courtesy of Jim Moore

Changelog
19/12/2008: Page published. 7 updates since then.
22/04/2020: Updated information.

S.T. Gaul FD143

Additional information courtesy of Birgir Þórisson

Technical

Official Number: 121030
Yard Number: 64
Completed: 1904
Gross Tonnage: 270.37
Net Tonnage: 94.18
Length: 130 ft
Breadth: 22 ft
Depth: 12.4 ft
Built: Cook Welton & Gemmell, Beverley
Engine: 80hp T.3-cyl and boiler by Amos & Smith Ltd, Hull
Speed: 10.5 knots

History

24.11.1904: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley (Yd.No.64) for The Imperial Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Hull as Gaul (H761).
30.1.1905: Registered at Hull (H761).
2.1905: Completed Frank Orlando Hellyer & Owen Stooks Hellyer designated managers.
7.2.1908: Sailed Hull for the fishing grounds of Faxe Bay, Iceland (Sk. William Ernest Lowrey); twelve hands all told.
12.2.1908 arrived off Utakalar Light and commenced fishing.
16.2.1908: Off Utakalar headland in clear weather but dark, with light wind ENE. Ceased fishing and crew repairing/prepairing nets, skipper at breakfast, ship in charge of spare hand, James Smith. Engine at slow steering SW. The fishing lights were left burning. At approximately 0730 a vessel was observed close to on the starboard bow. Smith immediately rang full astern and on hearing the telegraph the skipper returned to the bridge and a moment later the GAUL struck the port side of the trawler midships. The trawler was the LORD ROSEBERY (H537) (Unnamed Swedish skipper), which had been driving before the wind as the crew repaired the nets. With the LORD ROSEBERY taking in water and having lost their boat on passage to Iceland, the GAUL launched her boat and the crew was taken off. Shortly afterwards, with some members of both crews, returned to the LORD ROSEBERY by boat to assess the situation. The damage to the shell plating was a foot above the waterline but with coal in the after end of the ice room and WT access door open, the ship was filling rapidly. Preparations were made to take the LORD ROSEBERY in tow and the warps were secured aft. Remaining men were taken off and tow commenced towards land but after a short time she started to settle. The warps were cut and LORD ROSEBERY foundered almost immediately in the vicinity of Cape Utskalar Light, Faxe Bay, some thirty-five to forty minutes after the impact. The crew of the LORD ROSEBERY were landed at Reykjavik and later returned to Hull in the steam trawler COLTMAN (H973). At the formal investigation (S.251) held at Hull, the Court found that the collision and subsequent foundering of the LORD ROSEBERY was caused by the GAUL having a bad look-out and not keeping out of her way. It would have been avoided or its severity lessened if the LORD ROSEBERY had also not had a bad look-out. The Court found the the skipper of the GAUL, William Ernest Lowery and the second hand of the LORD ROSEBERY in default. In view of Sk. Lowery’s excellent character, his certificate was suspended for three months, while some blame was attached to spare hand James Smith. The second hand of the LORD ROSEBERY was severely censured.
22.2.1908: When entering Hafnarfjörður, in clear visibility, came fast on Helgasker shoal. Came off under own power but stripped propeller in process and as a result drifted ashore. Danish rescue tug SVAVE (156grt/1907) (Tn. Ibsen, master) on scene and succeeded in refloating. Towed into Hafnarfjörður to await arrival of replacement propeller from Britain.
5.3.1908: Towed to Reykjavik by SVAVA for repairs.
18.5.1908: At the formal investigation (S.251) into the loss of the LORD ROSEBERY held at Hull, the Court found that the collision and subsequent foundering of the LORD ROSEBERY was caused by the GAUL having a bad look-out and not keeping out of her way.
2.1915: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-12pdr, 1-7.5” A/S Howitzer) (Ad.No.733).
3.11.1917: Sold to The New Docks Steam Trawling Co (Fleetwood) Ltd, Fleetwood. Joseph A. Taylor & Ernest Tomlinson designated managers. Based Humber.
Post 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Fleetwood.
8.4.1919: Hull registry closed.
9.4.1919: Registered at Fleetwood (FD143).
1924: William W. Brierley designated manager.
1925: Chartered by Hellyer Bros Ltd, Hull for use in reconnoitring for ice fields, marking boundaries, fish carrying, etc in the halibut fishery in the Davis Strait, Greenland.
2.1926: Chartered by Andreas Goodmundsson, Leith to carry fish from Iceland to Grimsby.
27.3.1926: On completion of charter, sailed Grimsby for Fleetwood north about with a scratch crew (Sk. Karl Johnson); nine crew in all.
30.3.1926: In heavy weather driven on submerged reef in Ballevullin Bay, NW Tiree. *Crew took to boat which overturned; seven men lost, two reached the shore.
29.7.1926: Fleetwood registry closed on advice from owners.

*Crew all Grimsby men. Survivors. G. Platt, deckhand and E. Thompson, trimmer. Lost. Sk. Karl Johnson; W. Robinson, Mate; R. Dean, third hand; T. Moon deckhand; A. Keightley, Chief engineer, R. Kershaw, 2nd engineer and A. Beard, cook.

Read the BOT Inquiry Report here

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S.T. Gaul FD143

S.T. Gaul H761
Picture courtesy of The Alan Hirst Collection

S.T Svava

S.T Svava
Picture courtesy of The Danishi Maritime Museum

Changelog
19/01/2008: Page published. 3 updates since then.
26/10/2020: Updated history.
29/10/2020: Further update to history and added an image.