Category Archives: Steam Trawlers

S.T. Inverdon FD420

Additional information courtesy of Andy Hall

Technical
Admiralty Number: 4457
Official Number: 142268
Yard Number: 348
Completed: 1919
As built: 360disp 125.6 x 23.5 x 12.8 feet
Gross Tonnage: 277.84
Net Tonnage: 121
Length: 125.5 ft
Breadth: 23.4 ft
Depth: 14.6 ft
Built: Ailsa Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Troon
Engine: 480ihp T.3-cyl by Ailsa Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Troon

History

18.12.1918: Launched by Ailsa Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Troon (Yd.No.348) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as MATTHEW CASSADY (Ad.No.4457).
5.2.1919: Forms for tender to purchase received by the Admiralty.
19.2.1919: Completed as a fishing vessel.
1919: Sold to Lieut Andrew Hardie RNR, Cults, Aberdeenshire. Horace Edward Stroud designated manager.
2.5.1919: After fitting out at Greenock for trawling, registered at Greenock (Part I & IV) as INVERDON O.N. 142268 (GK18).
5.1919: Greenock registry closed.
9.5.1919: Registered at Aberdeen (A166).
26.12.1919: Sold to Thomas Crimlis, Frank Crimlis, & Benjamin Simpson Jnr, Scarborough. Thomas Crimlis designated manager.
26.12.1919: Aberdeen registry closed.
29.12.1919 Registered at Scarborough (SH183).
29.6.1920: Sold to The Pearl Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Scarborough. Benjamin Simpson Jnr, Scarborough & Frank Crimlis, Filey designated managers.
18.11.1922: Sold to Sun Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood. James W. Armitage designated manager.
10.1922: Scarborough registry closed.
23.11.1922: Registered at Fleetwood (FD420).
29.11.1926: Sailed Fleetwood for Faroe grounds (Sk George Neves); 12 crew all told.
6.12.1926: At about 1.25 pm. stranded on a submerged reef one mile offshore from Kvalnes on the island of Sandö in the Faroe Islands. Crew taken off by local boats to steam trawler JADE (H340) and landed safely at Thorshavn.
8.12.1926: At an Inquiry in Thorshavn the skipper stated that the reason for grounding was that the reef was not marked on the navigation chart that he had onboard.
17.12.1926: Crew arrived back in Fleetwood. Sk. Neave related the story of the mishap. They had been at sea for almost a week and had only managed to do half a night’s fishing. A fresh breeze was blowing SSW and the weather was showery. The following Monday they were off the coast of Sandö, Faroe Islands, on the east side of the island and just before 2.00pm. they struck the Reefer rocks. The impact was a very severe one and a considerable quantity of water poured into the engine room and bunkers, but there was no danger of the boiler exploding. We were fast on the rocks and it was useless to try and get off, because if we had done so the vessel would have sunk immediately. We blew our whistle continuously as a distress signal and the call was answered by the steam trawler JADE (H340) and a number of small fishing boats. The JADE approached as near as possible and stood by. We remained onboard for about an hour and a half and the crew managed to get most of their gear. Some of the small motor boats came alongside and took us off. The task of boarding the small boats was an extremely difficult one owing to the rough state of the sea, but we all managed it safely. The motor boats took us to the JADE and we were landed at Thorshavn the following day.
6.1.1927: Fleetwood registry closed.

(Matthew Cassady, Landsman, age 26, b. Co. Meath – ROYAL SOVEREIGN (SB614))

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Inverdon FD420

S.T. Inverdon FD420
Permission to post requested from The Keith Webster Collection

Changelog
24/12/2008: Page published. 3 updates since then.
21/05/2017: Added image.
11/04/2020: Updated history.

S.T. Inverdee A176

Additional information courtesy of Andy Hall

Technical

Admiralty Number: 3789
Official Number: 141901
Yard Number: 114
Completed: 1919
Gross Tonnage: 280.25
Net Tonnage: 113.22
Length: 125.6 ft
Breadth: 23.5 ft
Depth: 12.7 ft
Built: George Brown & Co, Greenock
Engine: 480ihp T.3-cyl by McKie & Baxter, Govan

History

14.2.1919: Launched by George Brown & Co, Greenock (Yd.No.114) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as JOHN GREGORY (Ad.No.3789).
5.2.1919: Forms for tender to purchase received by the Admiralty.
3.1919: Sold to John Stewart Boyle, Glasgow.
2.5.1919: Completed as a fishing vessel.
10.5.1919: Registered at Glasgow (Part I & IV) as INVERDEE (GW27). John Stewart Boyle designated managing owner.
By 30.6.1919: Sold to Lieutenant Andrew Hardie RNR, Cults, Aberdeen.
6.1919: Glasgow registry closed.
30.6.1919: Registered at Aberdeen (A176). Andrew Hardie designated managing owner.
15.12.1919: Sold to Onward Steam Trawlers (Fleetwood) Ltd, Fleetwood. Walter Morley designated manager.
12.1927: Sold to Société Anonyme des Pécheries du Nord, Ostend.
1927: Remeasured 274g 86n.
17.12.1927: Aberdeen registry closed.
1.1928: Registered at Ostend as NADINE (O151).
11.10.1928: Landing at Fleetwood, 200 boxes.
18.9.1930: Whilst alongside in Wyre Dock, Fleetwood, crew working on deck observed smoke coming from the after cabin doorway. The smoke was too dense to enter and the Dock Fire Brigade were summoned. The Brigade quickly arrived under the supervision of Superintendent Davies, smoke helmets were required to enable the firemen to go below to discover the seat of the fire which had spread from the stove. Decision was taken to flood the after cabin to extinguish the blaze. Extensive damage was sustained in the cabin, the ship’s stores and to crew belongings.
1931: Sold to The Marquis de Bourdeilles, Dieppe. Charpin del Pierre designated manager.
1931: Ostend registry closed. Registered Dieppe.
1933: Soc. Anon, d’Armement Mallet designated managers.
1939: Requisitioned in French Navy (P.No.AD57).
3.7.1940: Seized in Falmouth (Operation Grab). Transferred to The Admiralty.
12.1940: Commissioned as a minesweeper (1-12pdr, AA weapons) (P.No.FY.1882).
8.4.1941: Based Gt. Yarmouth with M/S Group 115 (T/Lieut. John William George Price RNR). In poor visibility engaged an attacking Heinkel 111 aircraft which was hit and seen on fire and diving out of control towards the sea, but no wreckage found.
10.4.1941: The Admiralty announced that the aircraft had been hotly engaged and almost certainly destroyed. There were no casualties and no damage to the ship.
4.1945: Returned to French owners.
1954: Laid up survey overdue – class suspended.

John Gregory, Private, Marine, age 25, b. Potters Bar, Middlesex – VICTORY (ML50)

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S.T. Inverdee A176

HMT Nadine
Picture reproduced under IWM Non-Commercial Licence

Changelog
24/12/2008: Page published. 3 updates since then.
22/04/2018: Removed FMHT watermark from image. Information updated.
28/01/2021: Updated information.

S.T. Inchgarth FD223

Technical

Official Number: 139793
Yard Number: 528
Completed: 1917
Gross Tonnage: 225.74
Net Tonnage: 86.51
Length: 121.0 ft
Breadth: 22.2 ft
Depth: 12.1 ft
Built: A. Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by A. Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen

History

2.1917: Launched by A. Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Yd.No.528) for Richard Watson Lewis (64/64), Aberdeen as INCHGARTH.
3.1917: Completed.
29.3.1917: Registered at Aberdeen (A755). Requisitioned from the builders and fitted out as minesweeper (1-6pdr HA) (Ad.No.3338). Richard Watson Lewis designated managing owner. Based Newhaven, Sussex.
15.3.1918: Sold to The Garth Steam Trawling Co Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood. Joseph A. Taylor designated manager.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Fleetwood.
15.7.1919: Aberdeen registry closed.
16.7.1919: Registered at Fleetwood (FD223).
4.1925: Sold to Ann Gordon Lewis & Hannah Watson Lewis, Pitfodell, Aberdeenshire. Hannah W. Lewis designated managing owner.
18.4.1925: Fleetwood registry closed.
20.4.1925: Registered at Aberdeen (A110).
19.11.1925: Certificate of marriage, now Ann Gordon Lewis or Smart, Aberdeen.
2.4.1928: Certificate of marriage, now Hannah Watson Lewis or ?, Edinburgh.
17.10.1932: Sold to William Alexander Leith, Aberdeen. William Alexander Leith designated managing owner.
1.3.1938: Sold to The Walker Steam Trawl Fishing Co Ltd, Aberdeen. Thomas Walker designated manager.
8.9.1938: Registered at Aberdeen as STAR OF FREEDOM (A110) (Ref.RGS Minute dated 15.8.1938).
6.12.1939: Requisitioned for war service on examination service (P.No.T.42) (Hire rate £65.18.4d/month).
12.1939: converted to store carrier. Subsequently purchased into the Royal Navy. Based at Longhope, Orkney.
7.1941: Based Stornoway as tender to Fleet Minesweepers.
1.1942: Based Scapa Flow but at Faroes as tender with Fleet Minesweepers.
1943: Employed running small mines to Lerwick for use by the Norwegian resistance.
10.5.1943: Sold to River Ness Fishing Co Ltd & Alexander Smith, Aberdeen. George Craig designated manager.
8.6.1944: Sold to River Ness Fishing Co Ltd, Aberdeen. George Craig, designated manager.
6.1944: Assigned to Operation Neptune – Normandy landings held in readyness as HM Trawler Depot Ship.
24.6.1944: With convoy ECB17W left Solent and arrived Utah.
3.7.1944: Operation Neptune ended.
11.1944: Employed on miscellaneous Naval duties.
7.1946: Returned to owner at Aberdeen.
July 1946: River Ness Fishing Co. Ltd, Aberdeen (A110).
26.9.1946: Registered at Aberdeen as RIVER NESS (A110) (Ref. MoT Memo No.1363/1946 dated 2.9.1946).
7.9.1955: Owners re-styled River Ness Fishing Co (1955) Ltd, Aberdeen. George Craig designated manager.
1961: Sold to BISCO and allocated to Malcolm Brechin, Granton for breaking up.
11.10.1961: Arrived Granton from Aberdeen under own power.
20.10.1961: Delivered. Aberdeen registry closed.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. River Ness A110

S.T. River Ness A110
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
23/12/2008: Page published. 2 updates since then.
28/10/2018: Added a picture.
30/10/2018: Updated information.
21/01/2021: Updated history.

S.T. Idena (1) FD288

Technical

Official Number: 139217
Yard Number: 278
Completed: 1916
Gross Tonnage: 270
Net Tonnage: 105
Length: 128.8 ft
Breadth: 23 ft
Depth: 12.6 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by W. Beardmore & Co Ltd, Glasgow
Built: Dundee Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Dundee

History

23.11.1916: Launched by Dundee Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Dundee (Yd.No.278) for Lancashire Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood as IDENA.
27.2.1917: Registered at Fleetwood (FD288).
2.1917: Completed (James A. Robertson, manager).
3.1917: Requisitioned from the builders and fitted out as a minesweeper (1-12pdr) (Ad.No.3332).
18.10.1917: Re-registered at Fleetwood (FD288).
5.2.1918: Abandoned damaged and sunk by gunfire off Tromso.
14.2.1918: Fleetwood registry closed.

Changelog
23/12/2018: Page published. 3 updates since then.

S.T. Ibis H764

Technical

Official Number: 118773
Yard Number: 56
Completed: 1903
Gross Tonnage: 168
Net Tonnage: 40
Length: 110.3 ft
Breadth: 20.9 ft
Depth: 11.1 ft
Built: Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co Ltd, Goole
Engine: 285ihp T.3-cyl by Charles D. Holmes & Co, Hull

History

29.7.1903: Launched by Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co Ltd, Goole (Yd.No.56) for Kelsall Brothers & Beeching Ltd, Hull(64/64) as IBIS.
18.9.1903: Registered at Hull (H764).
9.1903: Completed.
15.10.1903: George Beeching, Hull & John E. A. Kelsall, London appointed managers.
10.1914: Requisitioned for war service (Ad.No.410).
10.1914: Fitted with Hotchkiss 12pdr and 6pdr HA and mine-sweep. Based Falmouth.
1.10.1918: At Falmouth General Patrol and Escort work.
Post 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Hull.
7.6.1919: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The London County Westminster & Parr’s Bank Ltd, London (A). John Slater appointed manager.
1.1.1922: When some six miles off Ostend, sighted a boat and on closing found one man onboard, a survivor from the Spanish steamer MAR CASPIO of Bilbao. The seaman showed signs of life but died shortly afterwards; much wreckage found close to the boat.
6.3.1923: Mortgagee re-styled as Westminster Bank Ltd, London.
14.10.1927: Mortgage (A) transferred to William Augustus Hayward, Eastbourne.
14.10.1927: Mortgage (A) transferred to Mercantile Marine Finance Corporation Ltd, London.
28.9.1928: Robert Burton appointed manager.
16.9.1932: Charles Hugh Emerson appointed manager.
10.1932: Mercantile Marine Finance Corporation Ltd in liquidation.
1.11.1932: Mortgage (A) transferred to Harold Frank Hayward, London; Maud Florence Katherine Rogers, Chelsea and Ernest Norton, London (joint mortgagees).
23.1.1936: Mortgage (A) discharged.
11.2.1936: Sold to Brixham Trawlers Ltd, Brixham.
14.2.1936: Vessel (64/64) mortgaged for £750 with interest at 5% with Harold Frank Hayward, London; Maud Florence Katherine Rogers, Corfe Castle and Ernest Norton, London (Joint mortgagees)(B). Ralph S. Dugdale appointed manager.
11.2.1936: Sold to Brixham Trawlers Ltd (64/64), Brixham.
14.2.1936: Vessel (64/64) mortgaged for £750 with interest at 5% with Harold Frank Hayward, London; Maud Florence Katherine Rogers, Corfe Castle and Ernest Norton, London (joint mortgagees)(B). Ralph S. Dugdall appointed manager.
12.1937: Transferred to Fleetwood when Brixham Trawlers Ltd moved to the port.
7.12.1937: Sailed Brixham for Fleetwood, fishing round.
15.12.1937: First landing at Fleetwood 60 boxes, grossed £107.
2.12.1938: Brixham Trawlers Ltd registered office transferred to Fleetwood. Ralph S. Dugdall appointed manager.
9.2.1939: Mortgage (B) dischaged.
13.2.1939: Vessel mortgaged to Midland Bank Ltd, London (C).
11.5.1943: Typical wartime landing. 180 kits – hake-60, cod/codling-15, whiting-20, ing/coley-25, roker-10, dogs-50.
6.3.1950: In River Wyre outward for the fishing grounds in thick fog struck lifeboat slipway and grounded. Subsequently struck broadside by PERN (A160) who had anchored. Crew abandoned to beach. Refloated on next tide and returned to Wyre Dock.
20.4.1953: Mortgage (C) discharged.
8.1954: Sold for breaking up.
10.1.1955: Hull registry closed “Vessel broken up”.
Click to enlarge image

S.T. Ibis H764

S.T. Ibis H764
Picture courtesy of The James Cullen Collection

Changelog
23/12/2008: Page published. 3 updates since then.
17/06/2016: Information updated.
05/12/2017: Removed FMHT watermark from image.
18/01/2021: Information updated.