Additional information courtesy of Ian Wilson and Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 56626
N.R.T: 58.12
LOA: 70.3 ft
Length: 64.7 ft
Breadth: 19.0 ft
Depth: 9.6 ft
Rig: Dandy-Trawling
Built: J. Dewdney, Brixham

History

1867: Completed by J. Dewdney, Brixham, ketch rigged, for James Watson, Goole as GRACE DARLING.
11.5.1867: Registered at Brixham. At Hull operating as a fishing vessel.
26.8.1868: In the North Sea, Sk. Samuel Greenslade and mate, John Bullock of the Hull smack CRITERION left their vessel by boat to come aboard with the object of seeking information as to the whereabouts of the fishing fleet. While onboard a gale with driving rain suddenly sprang up and they were forced to wait until the weather improved. After a while, with little improvement and the need to return to the CRITERION, the pair set out in the boat, but in the weather the boat was lost to view. The CRITERION wore round and in doing so broke her gaff and split her mainsail leaving her unable to search. Both smacks saw no sign of the boat and the search was terminated.
28.8.1868: Returned to Hull after a very difficult passage and reported loss.
By 1870: Owned by Charles Vinton, Hull.
10.3.1875: Smack AMY (Sk. Foote), arrived Hull on the Wednesday and reported the following. On Friday evening, his third hand, a young man named Smales, and two of the crew of the GRACE DARLING were lost. Sk. Foote knew that the GRACE DARLING was to leave the fishing grounds for Hull on the Saturday and decided to transfer some fish. The AMY’s boat was got out and manned by the third hand, and deck boy of the GRACE DARLING and skipper and third hand of the AMY. After the fish had been placed in the boat it was secured astern, not by the painter but a rope from the smack. The AMY was to tow the boat close to the GRACE DARLING which was trawling to leeward. The line was made fast to the forward thwart and as soon as the smack gathered headway the rope tightened, but it was noticed that some of the baskets had been placed over a bight in the rope causing the rope to run over the gunwale and not the stem. Although Sk. Foote tried to free the rope the boat capsized and all four hands were lost to sight. The crew of the AMY hauled in the rope but the hitch had slipped and only the skipper was holding on and recovered. The other three hands were not seen again and the AMY at once made sail for Hull.
1875: Owned by James Watson. Goole. Brixham registry closed. Registered at Hull.
3.1877: Sold to Walker Moody, Cleethorpes. Converted to a sailing trawler, dandy rigged. Hull registry closed. Registered at Grimsby (GY602).
24.11.1877: Put into Grimsby (Sk. Martin), with slight damage having been in collision in the Humber with the Hull smack BRILLIANT.
3.8.1878: By order of the mortgagee, along with the fishing smack CORSAIR, offered for sale by Messrs Chapman & Brocklesby. The bidding being considerably below the value, they were withdrawn.
11.1882: Sold to Edward Wales, Waverley Hotel, Cleethorpes Road, Grimsby.
23.3.1885: At Grimsby Borough Police Court, George Dixon, seaman, charged by his master, Mr Walker Moody, smack owner, with disobedience to orders. On 17th March Dixon came into the office with the skipper and asked for an advance of money, which he was given on the understanding that he would go to sea the next morning. Instead he shipped in another vessel. Dixon stated that he had given the foreman 24 hours’ notice. Ordered to pay 21s in a month.
3.1887: Sold to Sk. T. W. Lingard and G. Miller, Grimsby.
10.1887: By order of the mortgagee, sold to George E. J. Moody, 14 Albert Road, Cleethorpes.
30.11.1887: At the Grimsby Bankruptcy Court, Robert Frayne, smack owner, Newmarket Street, Grimsby came up for public examination. At the time he filed for bankruptcy he had two smacks. The issue of the writ for £400 was the cause of his failure, his present liabilities £936 and assets £482. Messrs Lingard & Miller bought the GRACE DARLING for £400 and the SEVEN SISTERS for £425, the whole amounts by way of a mortgage. Frayne joined as security for their money, but had no idea at the time that he was doing so. When the vessels were seized and sold they made only £50 and £150, leaving a deficiency of £401 and for that amount a writ was issued against him.
7.12.1887: Robert Frayne declared bankrupt. Liabilities and assets as recorded above.
1.1888: Sold to Charles H. Saundby, Fleetwood. (Charles H. Saundby managing owner.)
5.1888: Grimsby registry closed. Registered at Fleetwood (FD113).
4.10.1888: On coming into the Wyre suffered a slight mishap and the gaff top was broken.
9.11.1888: With easterly winds prevailing the Fleetwood smacks landed good catches after fishing the Duddon Channel making up to £20 for two days fishing. However, owing to the bottom being hard and rocky several boats had gear damaged. Returned to Fleetwood having lost all gear.
13.1.1890: Many of the Fleetwood fishing fleet sailed for the fishing grounds off the Isle of Man, but several of them returned to port, not deeming it advisable to remain out. Amongst those that stayed out, ROYAL CONSORT (FD75), SURPRISE (FD151), PRINCE CHARLIE (FD157), GRATITUDE (FD156), FLEETWING (FD63), GEORGE & LIZZIE (FD91), SWALLOW (AR89) and GRACE DARLING (FD113) and ELIZA CHARLOTTE (FD17) belonging to Mr C. H. Saundby, were caught in the gale which blew up later in the day and raged until early the following morning. SURPRISE encountered the worst of the weather and lost fisherman William Jackson (18), washed overboard and later, north of Maughold Head, missed stays and was swept on the beach. Being on the flood she came afloat to her anchor and volunteers brought her into Ramsey, the last Fleetwood boat to arrive. ROYAL CONSORT sustained the most damage, her main gaff was broken and the mizzen mizzen peak halyards parted; she was the last but one to arrive in Ramsey. GRACE DARLING lost all her sails blown away and other damage to her rigging. ELIZA CHARLOTTE and GEORGE and LIZZIE had their mainsails entirely blown away, while SWALLOW lost her foresail and the FLEETWING broke her jib boom. All these boats managed to get into Ramsey and await better weather, those with sails blown away to wait until fresh sails were sent from Fleetwood.
15.1.1890: Mr Saundby despatched the smack SEVEN SISTERS (FD23) to Ramsey with new suite of sails to enable the damaged smacks to return to Fleetwood.
27.10.1890: Taking advantage of the favourable winds, one of about thirty smacks that sailed for the fishing grounds.
29.10.1890: In stormy weather returned with most of the fleet having broken her trawl beam.
1892: Owned by Mrs F. C. Saundby, Fleetwood.
12.4.1892: Along with smacks ELIZA CHARLOTTE (FD17) and SEVEN SISTERS (FD23) offered for sale by Auction at Jubilee Quay; Mr J. Crookall auctioneer. Good attendance but no bids received.
1893: Sold to Alexander Hull, 68 Gt. Patrick Street, Belfast. (Alexander Hull managing owner.) Operating as a coasting ketch.
1893: Remeasured 43n.r.t.
17.10.1897: Stranded on Carradale Beach, Carradale, east side Kintyre while on passage Belfast – Loch Fyne in ballast. Master and two crew safe. Total loss.
1897: Fleetwood registry closed.

Note. As there were two GRACE DARLINGs fishing out of Fleetwood from about 5.1888 to 1893 it is not possible to positively identify which vessel was involved in other incidents.

Changelog
19/11/2014: Page published.
09/12/2018: Information updated.
27?05/2022: Significant information update.