Category Archives: Steam Trawlers

S.T. Willoughby GY161

Additional information courtesy of Birgir Þórisson

Technical

Admiralty Number: 3740
Official Number: 143918
Yard Number: 232
Completed: 1918
Gross Tonnage: 329.04
Net Tonnage: 126.67
Length: 138.9 ft
Breadth: 23.7 ft
Depth: 12.8 ft
Built; Ferguson Bros (Port Glasgow) Ltd, Port Glasgow
Engine: 650ihp T.3-cyl by Ferguson Bros (Port Glasgow) Ltd, Port Glasgow
Boiler: The Clyde Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Port Glasgow

History

11.3.1918: Launched by Ferguson Bros (Port Glasgow) Ltd, Port Glasgow (Yd.No.232) (“Mersey” class) for The Admiralty as NICHOLAS DEAN (Ad.No.3740).
27.4.1918: Completed as an A/S trawler (1-12pdr, hydrophone and W/T); sailed for Fleetwood.
4.12.1919: Registered by The Admiralty at London (Part I) as NICHOLAS DEAN O.N.143918.
01.1920: Engaged in commercial trawling.
1920: Fitted out for fishing under Special Survey of Lloyd’s Register and classed 100 A1 Stm Trawler.
03.02.1920: Registered by The Admiralty at London (Part IV) (LO297).
By 18.6.1920: Allocated to Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries, London.
13.08.1920: Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society Ltd, London registered.
1920: Allocated to the Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society Ltd, London.
1.1922: Scheme abandoned, the necessary working capital of £100,000 having not been subscribed. Laid up.
16.2.1922: Advertised for sale, along with JOHN YULE (LO305), laid up in St. Andrew’s Dock, Hull.
3.1922: Sold en bloc to Gourney-Delpierre & Co, Boulogne.
9.1922: Sold to Gournay-Delpierre & Cie, Boulogne sur Mer.
28.9.1922: London registry closed.
9.1922: Registered at Boulogne as NOTRE DAME de FRANCE (B939).
12.1924: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby.
2.1925: Boulogne registry closed.
6.2.1925: Registered at Grimsby as WILLOUGHBY (GY161) (BoT Minute M/RS.1040/1925).
6.2.1925: Fred Parkes, Wyberton, Boston designated manager. Fishing from Grimsby.
6.1926: Company registered office transferred to Fleetwood.
25.11.1926: Arrived Halifax, NS and to fish out of the port.
3.1927: Returned to Fleetwood and fishing out of that port.
2.1928: Sold to Fiskveidahlutafelagid Svidi (The “Svidi” Fishing Co Ltd), Hafnarfjördur, Iceland.
24.2.1928: Grimsby registry closed.
2.1928: Registered at Hafnarfjördur as SVIDI (GK7). Thorarinn Egilsson & Sf Akurgerdi designated managers.
Pre 1930: Thorarinn Egilssoni appointed manager.
6.2.1932: In Grimsby for dry-docking, sank alongside whilst coaling.
11.2.1932: Salved and bunkers discharged prior to slipping.
2.12.1941: Disappeared off Snaefellsnes, SW of Iceland probably because of weather and overloading, but some speculation that she was mined. Crew of twenty-five lost.

(Nicholas Dean, Private, Marine, age 26 b. Bucker, Honiton, Devon – VICTORY (ML86)

Changelog
08/01/2009: Page published. 5 revisions since then.
23/08/2014: Information added.
08/04/2015: Information updated.
16/08/2021: Updated history and technical details.

S.T. William Humphries LO533

Additional information courtesy of Gary Hicks Plymouth Merchant Ships, Christine Simm and David Buckley

Technical

Admiralty Number: 4205
Official Number: 144592
Yard Number: 447
Completed: 1918
As built: 360disp
Gross Tonnage: 276
Net Tonnage: 106
Length: 125.6 ft
Breadth: 23.4 ft
Depth: 12.6 ft
Built: J. Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co, Aberdeen
Engine: 480ihp T.3-cyl by Bellis & Morcom Ltd, Birmingham

History

10.1918: Launched by J. Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co, Aberdeen (Yd.No.447) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as WILLIAM HUMPHRIES (Ad.No.4205).
24.12.1918: Completed.
11.5.1920: Sold by auction at London (Baltic Exchange) to James Ritchie, Milford Haven.
8.6.1920: Registered at London (Part I) as WILLIAM HUMPHRIES O.N.1343592.
1921: Sold to Ivey Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Milford Haven. David G. Jones designated manager.
17.10.1921: Registered at London (Part IV) (LO533).
1923: Sold to James Ritchie, Milford Haven. James Ritchie designated managing owner.
7.4.1926: Sold to James Ritchie & William T. Davies, Hakin, Milford Haven. James Ritchie & William T. Davies designated managing owners.
21.8.1926: In collision with steam trawler CHARLES BOYES (LO334) whilst proceeding to lock out at Milford; sustained damage to stem.
12.10.1931: Outwards from Milford in dense fog, at about 6.00am. in collision with French crabber THEMSIS, 31grt; of Camaret anchored in the Haven about 400yds from the dock entrance; crabber foundered, all six crew picked up and returned to Milford.
15.1.1938: Returning from West Coast of Ireland grounds (Sk. James T. H. McDonald), in WNW gale and heavy seas, at about 12.45 a.m. in position 180 miles WSW from St. Ann’s Head lost propeller. Shipped very heavy seas and sent out distress, trawler WILLIAM DOWNES (LO530) responded but could not locate. Also in response to distress, at about 9.50 a.m. NEATH CASTLE (SA65) arrived and with difficulty, connected and set course for Milford.
17.1.1938: Delivered Milford Haven.
7.10.1938: Fishing in Dingle Bay (Sk. Albert Saunders) in squally weather with WNW winds and a heavy ground swell. At about 10.00am. responded to a request to stand by Milford trawler AVOLA (M249) disabled with rudder problem. Later asked to connect, two warps passed and tow commenced. Shortly after 10.00pm. informed that rudder was now working, warps recovered and stood by for nearly an hour as AVOLA skipper was satisfied all was well. Returned to grounds and continued to fish. Later awarded £525 salvage and £53.7.8d for damages.
27.5.1939: Reported disabled, picked up by Milford trawler MICHAEL GRIFFITH (LO529) and delivered Milford Haven.
4.8.1939: Sold to Saint Andrew’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Hull. Basil Arthur Parkes, Thornton-le-Fylde designated manager. Fishing from Fleetwood. 11.10.1939: In the early hours in very thick fog, inwards in the river Wyre (Sk. Charles Bridge), struck the loaded steam hopper LYTHAM (292grt/1894), berthed alongside the North Wall; backed off and proceeded to Wyre Dock. The LYTHAM, manned by watchman William Cass, who was unscathed, damaged and making water finally settled alongside the quay only to be struck again by another inbound trawler.
12.10.1929: Surveyed and no leakage found. LYTHAM discharged by crane and refloated.
14.11.1939: Sailed Fleetwood for West of Scotland grounds (Sk. Charles Horace Bridge); thirteen crew all told.
21.11.1939: Fishing 35m NW of Rathlin Island in company with steam trawlers CUIRASS (GY436) and SULBY (FD87). Between 8.30 – 9.30am. stopped by U-boat (U-33); crew abandoned in boat. Sunk by gunfire, five rounds from deck gun, in approx position 55.27N – 08.01W. Lifeboat believed last seen by a lifeboat from SULBY also sunk by U-33. Presumed boat foundered or men died of hyperthermia.
27.11.1939: Posted missing.
29.11.1939: Sk. Charles Bridge body washed up below Compass Hill, Canna. Buried on Canna.
1.12.1939: Body of William Jewell washed ashore at Loch Scavaig, near Portree, Skye and later that of Ernest Lee. Both buried in Cill Chriosd Churchyard, Broadford, Isle of Skye.
8.12.1939: Reported by steam trawler WESTLYN (FD8) fishing off the Western Isles that over two days they had recovered from the trawl two bodies and taken to Castlebay, Barra for identification. Bodies identified as those of James Gordon and William Wright, both buried in Cuier Parish Church Cemetery, Isle of Barra.
9.12.1938. Body of Daniel Sturman washed ashore near Portree, Skye. Buried in Portree Cemetery, Isle of Skye.
27.1.1940: London registry closed “Vessel sunk by enemy action”. The twelfth steam trawler out of Fleetwood to be lost by enemy action since the start of the war and the sixth owned by BDSF&I Co Ltd, Fleetwood.

Crew: All Fleetwood unless noted. Sk. Charles Horace Bridge (38), Westgate; John Nolan (29), Balmoral Terrace, 2nd hand; James Arthur
Kaye (26), Poulton Road, 3rd hand; Ernest Elijah Lee Thurling, served as Ernest Elijah Lee (38), 47 Borrowdale Avenue, Ch. Eng; William Arnold Jewell (48), 45 Hamlet Road, 2nd Eng; deckhands, Arthur Edward Hardingham (33), Addison Road; M. Kuberski (18) (Polish national), Seamen’s Mission; George Buller Spillings (27), Back Poulton Street; Thomas Henry Wilson (24), Ormerod Street, Thornton; Daniel Sturman (36), 4 Ash Street; firemen/trimmers, James Gordon (18) Cambridge Road; William Wright (23), 35 St. Hellier’s Road, Blackpool; cook, William George Thacker (34), Milton Street.

(William Humphries, Landsman (prest), age 21, b. Carnarvon, North Wales – VICTORY (SB783))

Click to enlarge images

HMT William Humphries

HMT William Humphries
Picture from the Internet

Gravestone on Canna

Gravestone on Canna
Picture from the Internet

William Jewell

William Jewell grave,
Cill Chriosd Churchyard, Broadford, Isle of Skye.

Ernest Lee

Ernest Lee
Cill Chriosd Churchyard, Broadford, Isle of Skye

Daniel Sturman

Daniel Sturman
Portree Cenetary

S.T. William Humphries LO533

S.T. William Humphries LO533
Picture courtesy of The David Buckley Collection

Changelog
08/01/2009: Page published. 5 updates since then.
04/09/2015: Information updated.
06/04/2020: Information updated.
04/08/2022: Added an image.
06/08/2022: Added an image.
07/08/2022: Updated history.
09/08/2022: Added images.

S.T. William Hannam A54

Technical

Admiralty Number: 4206
Official Number: 143940
Yard Number: 448
Completed: 1919
Gross Tonnage: 276
Net Tonnage: 119
Length: 125.6 ft
Breadth: 23.6 ft
Depth: 12.7 ft
Built: J. Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co, Aberdeen
Engine: T.3-cyl by Fawcett, Preston & Co Ltd, Liverpool.

History

11.1918: Launched by J. Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co, Aberdeen (Yd.No.448) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as WILLIAM HANNAM (Ad.No.4206).
20.2.1919: Completed.
1919: Registered by The Admiralty in the Registry of British Ships at London.
4.5.1920: Withdrawn from auction at Milford.
6.1920: Sold to ??, ??.
6.7.1920: Registered at London (LO383).
10.9.1920: Sold to Pater Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Pembroke (David G. Jones, Milford, manager).
1939: Sold to Thomas Jenkerson, Milford Haven.
26.7.1939: Sold to Joseph Craig & Others, Aberdeen.
2.10.1939: London registry closed.
4.10.1939: Registered at Aberdeen (A54). Employed on “Coaling runs”.
3.10.1939: Requisitioned for war service and fitted out for boom defence duties (1-12pdr) (P.No. Z.129) (Hire rate £86.5.0d/month).
1942: Sold to James Craig, Aberdeen.
1942: Sold to Dinas Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood (David Marr, manager).
23.11.1943: Compulsorily acquired by M.O.W.T.
27.11.1943: Aberdeen registry closed.
1944: Based Portsmouth (Fraser & White Ltd, Portsmouth, agents).
3.1947: Sold to David Marr, Fleetwood.
1947: Sold to Dinas Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood (David Marr, manager).
1950: Sold to Sigv. Risanger, Haugesund, Norway. Renamed FIRMAN.
1952: Re-engined with a 4 stroke 6-cyl MAN oil engine by Maschinenfbrk. Augsburg-Nürnberg AG, Augsburg. (engine built 1938).
9.4.1957: Foundered off Kiberg.

(William Hannam (aka Hanham), OS (volunteer), age 21, b. Calne, Wiltshire – VICTORY (SB808))

Note The log books of the WILLIAM HANNAM have been checked in TNA. The most interesting bit being that for two months prior to requisitioning, she was employed as a collier bringing bunker coal from the Forth ports to Aberdeen. After WW2 David Marr bought her and she arrived in Fleetwood from Portsmouth on March 31 1947 with Sk. W. McCaplin (20565) in command. We can find no trace of her landing at Fleetwood in the landing lists. She does not appear in the list of trawlers owned by Dinas. We are not sure that the retention of her Aberdeen registry (A54) is correct either, although she is recorded as Aberdeen registered in LR, not necessarily with a PRN.

Changelog
08/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.

S.T. William Hanbury GY1322

Additional information courtesy of Bill Blow

Technical

Admiralty Number: 3824
Official Number: 144310
Yard Number: 160
Completed: 1918
Gross Tonnage: 204.10
Net Tonnage: 81.95
Length: 115.4 ft
Breadth: 22.2 ft
Depth: 12.6 ft
Built: Hawthorns & Co Ltd, Leith
Engine: 430ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by Hawthorns & Co Ltd, Leith

History

8.1918: Launched by Hawthorns & Co Ltd, Leith (Yd.No.160) (“Strath” class) for The Admiralty as WILLIAM HANBURY (Ad.No.3824).
3.10.1918: Completed as an armed trawler (1-12pdr).
19.07.1919: Arrived Milford Haven. Laid up.
1920: Allocated to the National Fishery Scheme for the setting up of the Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society Ltd, London.
3.1.1920 – 28.2.21: Landing at Milford.
27.3.1920: Registered by The Admiralty at London (Part I & IV) as William Hanbury O.N.144310 (LO344).
04.1920: At HM Dockyard, Pembroke fitted out for fishing under Special Survey of Lloyd’s Register and classed 100A1 Stm Trawler at Milford. Fishing out of Swansea.
16.4.1920: Surveyed at Swansea and re-measured 204g 82n.
13.8.1920: Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society Ltd, London registered.
14.9.1920: In afternoon came upon a boat and picked up crew of the Plymouth owned Bridgwater ketch MERIDIAN (93grt/1858). The ketch on passage Par for Runcorn with china clay, had stranded in dense fog on the rocks near Smalls lighthouse at 9.00pm on 13.9.1920 and crew had abandoned in boat and stood off.
15.9.1920: Landed survivors at Milford. (Ketch came afloat afterwards and fetched up on rocks two miles N of Carsnore Point, Co. Wexford – total loss)
2.11.1921: Sold to Taylor Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby.
14.11.1921: London registry closed.
7.12.1921: Registered at Grimsby (GY1322).
7.12.1921: Henry Lewis Taylor designated manager.
25.11.1939: Paid off in Grimsby from her last trip.
26.11.1939: Requisitioned for war service and employed on auxiliary patrol duties (Nore/Sheerness)(Hire rate £61.4.0d/month).
1.1940: Returned.
13.2.1940: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood.
17.2.1940: Basil Arthur Parkes, Thornton-le-Fylde designated manager.
16.2.1940: Sailed Grimsby for fishing grounds and Fleetwood.
4.3.1940: Landed Fleetwood. Grimsby crew paid off*.
7.3.1940: First trip from Fleetwood.
20.1.1942: In a SW gale at approx 9.45 p.m. stranded on St. Anne’s Head, Isle of Man (Sk. Thomas J. Wade). Attended by Port St. Mary lifeboat SIR HEATH HARRISON. All crew+ taken off. Total Loss.
21.1.1942: At 3.00 a.m. Sk. Wade died of heart attack at Castletown.
15.5.1942: Grimsby registry closed.

(Grimsby Crew* – Sk. H.G. Hunt; Mate, J. Gregory; Bosun, J. Hilton; Ch.Eng. L. Allott; 2nd Eng. J. Webster; A.E. Edgell, G. Briggs, firemen; J.W. Barton, deckhand/trimmer; W. Shepherd, G. Watcham, deckhands; R.W. Barton, cook.

Crew+ – Sk. Thomas J. Wade; Sidney J. Mitchell, Mate; William Wright, 3rd Hand; Charles R. Dodswell, Ch.Eng; Albert J. Wicks 2nd Eng; William Harrison, Wilson J. McAteer, firemen; Joshue B. Quickfall, Charles W. Exelby, Frederick Mearns and Robin E. Masson, deckhands; Sidney A. Melhuish, cook.)

(William Hanbury, Private, Marine, age 33, b. Stapleford, Notts – VICTORY (SB ML76)
Click to enlarge image

S.T. William Hanbury GY1322

S.T. William Hanbury GY1322
Picture courtesy of Geoffrey Pullen

Changelog

08/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
06/03/2015: Picture added.
21/03/2017: Information updated and FMHT logo removed from image.

S.T. William Carberry FD401

Additional information courtesy of Gary Hicks Plymouth Merchant Ships and Andy Hall

Technical

Admiralty Number: 4479
Official Number: 132762
Yard Number: 651
Completed: 1919
Gross Tonnage: 275.63
Net Tonnage: 119.85
Length: 125.6 ft
Breadth: 23.4 ft
Depth: 12.6 ft
Built: Hepple & Co Ltd, South Shields
Engine: 480ihp T.3-cyl by Shields Engineering Co, North Shields. (standard ‘Castle’ triple but shown in Plymouth Registration folio 1/1920 as 500ihp)
Boiler: Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd, Hebburn-on-Tyne

History

28.6.1919: Launched by Hepple & Co Ltd, South Shields (Yd.No.651) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as WILLIAM CARBERRY (Ad.No.4479).
5.2.1919: Forms for tender to purchase received by the Admiralty.
12.1919: Sold to Herbert Ford (64/64), Birmingham.
13.12.1919: Completed by Hepples (1919) Ltd, South Shields as a fishing vessel.
5.1.1920: Registered at Plymouth (PH69) (O.N.132762).
5.1.1920: John Maxwell Jones, Plymouth appointed manager.
3.2.1920: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Barclays Bank Ltd, London (A).
16.10.1921: Mortgage (A) discharged.
24.10.1921: Sold to The Carberry Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood.
16.12.1921: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Barclays Bank Ltd, London (B).
17.12.1921: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Herbert Ford, Birmingham for the sum of £5,000 with interest at 6% (C).
17.12.1921: Mortgage (C) transferred to Barclays Bank Ltd, London.
20.12.1921: Jules Henri Nierinck, Blackpool appointed manager.
20.2.1922: Plymouth registry closed.
24.2.1922: Registered at Fleetwood (FD401).
13.7.1923: Trawling off the Kintyre coast (Sk. Thomas Clarkson) with name and PLN obscured, approached by Scottish Fishery Board’s cruiser VIGILANT but ignored the cruiser’s signals to heave to and a chase of over one hour ensued in which blank shots were fired, the trawler only stopping when the threat of live rounds was issued.
14.7.1923: At Campbeltown Sheriff Court, Sk. Clarkson admitted three charges brought against him in connection with the incident and was fined: – £100 for illegal trawling within prescribed limits; £15 for hiding the name and PLN of the vessel; and £10 for ignoring the cruiser’s signal to heave to.
1924: Sold to Ramon de Carranza, Cadiz.
1924: Remeasured 285g 160n 39.99 (131.2) x 7.04 (23.1) x 5.87 (12.7) metres (feet) in Portugal.
20.10.1924: Fleetwood registry closed.
10.1924: Registered at Seville as Micaela de C.
1933: Registered at Seville as Orfeo.
2.1935: Wrecked.
(William Carberry, Landsman, age 22, b. Bandon, Co. Cork – ROYAL SOVEREIGN (SB910))

Changelog
08/01/2009: Page published. 5 updates since then.
11/01/2014: Updated information.
07/07/2016: Added information.