Category Archives: Steam Trawlers

S.T. Elise FD164

Additional information courtesy of Ron Young (Shipwrecks of the North East Coast) and the late Bill Butland

Technical

Official Number: 124697
Yard Number: 272
Completed: 1907
Gross Tonnage: 238.91
Net Tonnage: 72.40
Length: 126.5 ft
Breadth: 22.0 ft
Depth: 11.6 ft
Built: J Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co, Aberdeen
Engine: 400ihp T.3-cyl by W V Lidgerwood, Coatbridge
Boiler: Wallsend Slipway & Engineering Co Ltd, Wallsend-on-Tyne

History

9.11.1907: Launched by John Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co, Aberdeen (Yd.No.272) for John Millington Jackson, St. Anne’s-on-the-Sea & Walter Henry Dickenson, Fleetwood (64/64 joint owners) as ELISE.
23.12.1907: Registered at Fleetwood (FD164).
23.12.1907: Walter Henry Dickenson designated managing owner.
23.12.1907: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The London City & Midland Bank Ltd, London (A).
12.1907: Completed.
30.4.1909: Mortgage (A) discharged.
31.5.1909: Sold to John Millington Jackson, St. Anne’s-on-the-Sea.
2.6.1909: Mortgaged to The London City & Midland Bank Ltd, London (B).
3.6.1907: Thomas Frederick Kelsall, designated manager.
31.5.1912: Mortgaged to William Deacons Bank Ltd, London (C).
3.6.1912: Mortgage (B) discharged.
14.2.1913: Sold to J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood.
18.2.1913: James H. Marr designated manager.
18.2.1913: Mortgage (C) transferred to J. Marr & Son Ltd.
1.1.1914: Tonnage altered to 98.73 net under provision of Merchant Shipping Act 1907.
6.1915: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-6pdr) (Ad.No.1622).
11.11.1916: James A. Robertson designated manager.
16.10.1917: In the afternoon, left Marsten, Norway escorting a west bound coal convoy to Lerwick, with destroyer MARY ROSE (P.No.J360) (Lt Cdr Fox RN convoy commander) and later joined by destroyer STRONGBOW (P.No.G44) (Lt Cdr Edward Brooke RN), armed trawler P. FANNON (Ad.No.1816) (A349) and twelve merchant ships, two British, one Belgian, one Danish, five Norwegians and three Swedish.
17.10.1917: In early morning when some 65 miles east of Lerwick met up with German minelaying light cruisers SMS BRUMMER and SMS BREMSE disguised as RN warships. In poor visibility, STRONGBOW at rear of convoy sighted and challenged the cruisers several times before realising that they were German and going to action stations. BRUMMER opened fire and STRONGBOW was hit and main steam pipe fractured, immobilised she was hit again and at 7.30am. the order to abandon ship was given and destroyer foundered at 9.30am. The convoy was attacked again and nine Scandinavian vessels sunk. ELISE engaged enemy with 6pdr whilst manoeuvring to pick up STRONGBOW survivors which including the wounded Lt Cdr Brooke, but forced to withdraw out of range when shelled by both cruisers. In the meantime MARY ROSE having gone ahead to meet the east bound convoy turned back to engage and when some 2,00yds from the cruisers the German gunners got the range and she was hit and heavily damaged. Abandoned and foundered quickly with heavy loss of life. Cruised for four hours looking for survivors and picked up a further twenty-nine Norwegians and Danes and brought into harbour. Only three steamers, two British and one Belgian, escorted by the P. FANNON survived. MARY ROSE survivors in a raft with Sub Lieut. Freeman managed to reach the the Norwegian coast near Bergen.
22.9.1918: On patrol NE Coast, ‘…blown up 2 miles North east Saint Mary’s Lighthouse at 1722’. ‘… presumed torpedoed. No survivors one body found’. ‘Approx position 55.6.30N 1.26W’. (Possible. Struck mine laid by enemy submarine 2 miles off St. Mary’s Lighthouse, Whitley Bay. Sank immediately. OR torpedoed by U-boat as above (not authenticated, no claims made).
22.9.1918: Ceased to be on Admiralty Charter.
9.10.1918: Fleetwood registry closed “ Vessel lost whilst on Admiralty service 22nd September 1918 “.

(Lost – Ty/Skipper Henry James RNR; Charles W. Clarke, 2nd Hand; James Low & Harry Painter, Enginemen; Septimus Bagshaw, Ldg Deckhand; William Smith, AB; Cecil R. Sharman, Seaman; Frederick Barnes, James W. Burnett, William Hearing, Stephen Sheriff & William Simpson, Deckhands; David Armitage & Myles Fitzpatrick, Trimmers.)

Notes: Today, the wreck lies on hard sand and stone at a depth of 24m. The engine room has collapsed in on itself although the bow section is still intact, minus its gun. The winch lies some 50m away and there is wreckage scattered around.

Changelog
19/12/2008: Page published. 4 revisions since then.
17/12/2014: Information updated.
23/06/2016: Information updated.
07/06/2020: Updated information.

S.T. Elf FD360

Technical

Official Number: 106756
Yard Number: 153
Completed: 1897
Gross Tonnage: 165
Net Tonnage: 52
Length: 103.7 ft
Breadth: 21 ft
Depth: 10.8 ft
Built: Mackie & Thomson, Govan
Engine: T.3-cyl by Muir & Houston Ltd, Glasgow

History

20.5.1897: Launched by Mackie & Thomson, Govan (Yd. No.153) for The Great Northern Steamship Fishing Co Ltd, Hull as ELF.
6.1897: Completed (William R. Nowell, manager).
14.7.1897: Registered at Hull (H362).
29.11.1900: In collision in North Sea with steam cutter SPEEDWELL (273grt/1899), both sustained damage.
1914: Sold to Mrs L. K. Q. Dick & Charles E. Curzon, Milford Haven.
30.1.1917: Sold to The Hesketh Steam Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood (Ernest Taylor, manager).
29.5.1917: Requisitioned for Fishery Reserve.
1919: Released.
28.11.1919: Hull registry closed.
29.11.1919: Registered at Fleetwood (FD360).
12.1919: Sold to George Keable, Lowestoft (managing owner).
24.12.1919: Fleetwood registry closed.
29.12.1919: Registered at Lowestoft (LT735).
1924: Sold to N.V. Visscherij Maats. Tarbotbank, Ymuiden (C. J. Hof, manager).
14.1.1924: Lowestoft registry closed.
1.1924: Registered at IJmuiden as JOHANNA (IJM12).
1935: Sold for breaking up.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Elf H362

S.T. Elf H362
Picture courtesy of Patrick Cullen

Changelog
19/12/2008: Page published. 5 updates since then.
09/07/2015: Information updated.
05/02/2018: Removed FMHT watermark from image.

S.T. Eileen Wayman H235

Additional information courtesy of David Slinger

Technical

Official Number: 137362
Yard Number: 306
Completed: 1914
Gross Tonnage: 194
Net Tonnage: 86
Length: 115.6 ft
Breadth: 22.0 ft
Depth: 11.8 ft
Built: Jos. T. Eltringham & Co Ltd, Willington Quay
Engine: T.3-cyl by Shields Engineering Co Ltd, North Shields

History

3.9.1914: Launched by Jos. T. Eltringham & Co Ltd, Willington Quay (Yd.No.306) for The Prince Fishing Co Ltd, North Shields as SOUTHERN PRINCE.
22.10.1914: Registered at North Shields (SN121).
10.1914: Completed. Richard Irvin designated manager.
22.7.1915: Sold to Richard Irvin & Sons Ltd, North Shields. Richard Irvin designated manager.
1.9.1919: First landing at Milford.
8.9.1919 (regd): Sold to The Swansea Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Swansea. (Rees & Co, Milford Haven). Harry Eastoe Rees, designated manager.
1921: Brand & Curzon Ltd, Milford designated managers.
14.3.1921: Between 1030 and 1100pm, Joseph Boyle (23), a native of Co. Donegal and a fireman onboard, was found on the dock at Milford pinned under a fallen trawl board, by Sidney Coleman of Plymouth. Coleman who had been drinking with Boyle earlier. Coleman attempted to release him, but it was not until the watchman arrived that the trawl board could be lifted and Boyle, still alive was released and conveyed to the Nursing Home where he died a few hours later.
8.1921: Sold to Wear Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Sunderland
4.10.1921: North Shields registry closed.
10.1921: Registered at Sunderland (SD90).
1929: Registered at Sunderland as EILEEN WAYMAN (SD90). James Hall designated manager.
17.11.1939: Sold to Fillets Ltd, Hull. W. C. Farrow designated manager.
2.11.1939: Insured value increased from £2,500 to £3,000.
11.1939: Sunderland registry closed.
17.11.1939: Registered at Hull (H235).
30.11.1939: Insured value increased from £3,000 to £3,5000.
1940: Fishing out of Fleetwood. Geoffrey Edwards Marr designated manager.
14.5.1943: Good wartime landing, Home Waters, 452 kits – hake-182, cod/codling-12, ling/coley-256, roker-2.
3.9.1943: On West of Scotland grounds (Sk. Alfred J.W. Britton), ‘dodging’ in heavy weather, lost rudder. Rigged jury rudder with otterboard and proceeded for home.
5.9.1943: At 6.00 pm. arrived Peel, IoM.
8.9.1943: Arrived Fleetwood *.
22.2.1944: Sold to The Active Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood (J. Marr & Son Ltd).
26.11.1945: Sailed Fleetwood for West of Scotland grounds (Sk. John Clarkson); fourteen crew all told.
8.12.1945: Towards the end of the trip, in the early hours, stranded on rocks under Sheshader Cliffs at Grannan Point, Isle of Lewis. Villagers responded to distress and helped the crew to shore. Boat had been launched but damaged on the rocks. At daybreak trawler had slipped off rocks and disappeared.
10.12.1945: Crews arrived back in Fleetwood. Declared a total loss. Fleetwood registry closed.

* Sk. Britton received inscribed gold watch and monetary award and crew members also received monetary awards from FSTMI Co Ltd for “meritorious service”. Later awarded MBE.

Crew Members, all Fleetwood unless stated: Sk.John Clarkson, Broadway; Mate, A. Britton, Coniston Avenue; Bosun, F. Cowell, Homestread Drive; Ch. Eng, J. Bond, Jemmett Street, Preston; 2nd Eng, A. Niquist, Warrenhurst Road; Deckhands, C. Harrison, Shakespeare Road, J.F. Rayworth, Cambridge Road, E.E. Meyer, Wilton Avenue (landed at Stornoway earlier in the trip, ill), P. E. Morley; Firemen, R. E. Robinson, Radcliffe Street and J. McGlone, Fishermens’ Mission; Cook, A. Simpson, Flovers Street, Preston; H. Mansfell (14) apprentice deckhand.
Changelog
19/12/2008: Page published. 5 updates since then.
01/06/2020: Updated information.
06/06/2021: Updated history.
07/06/2021: Updated history.

S.T. Edwina FD205

Technical

Official Number: 139204
Yard Number: 274
Completed: 1915
Gross Tonnage: 267
Net Tonnage: 104
Length: 127.2 ft
Breadth: 23 ft
Depth: 12.7 ft
Built: Dundee Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Dundee
Engine: T.3-cyl by W. Beardmore & Co Ltd, Glasgow

History

9.1915: Completed by Dundee Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Dundee (Yd.No.274) for J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood as EDWINA.
29.9.1915: Registered at Fleetwood (FD205) James A. Robertson designated manager.
10.1915: Requisitioned from the builders for war service (Ad.No.1919).
10.1915: Commissioned at Dundee.
10.1915: At Devonport. Fitted with Hotchkiss 3pdr gun (No.9) and fitted out for auxilliary patrol.
1.1916: Allocated Unit No.63 – Section C based Devonport (Sk. A. Brown RNR).
10.1916: Allocated Unit 63 – Sections S, T, U based Devonport (Sk. J. P. James RNR). Based Gibraltar.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Grimsby.
12.10.1924: James A. Robertson OBE died.
10.1924: Alan Marr designated manager.
6.2.1925: Joseph Arthur Marr appointed manager.
1.12.1925: Alan Marr died after long illness.
1.4.1929: Joseph Arthur Marr retired from board to run the Dinas Company.
4.1929: Geoffrey Edwards Marr designated manager.
1935: Sold to G. Reid, Aberdeen.
1938: Sold to Dalby Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood.
Pre 4.1940: Employed on Fishery Protection (WA/Fort William/Fleetwood) (1-12pdr, 4 Lewis guns).
26.5.1940: At 6.57pm. ‘Operation Dynamo’ (Dunkirk evacuation) put into effect.
27.5.1940: Requisitioned for war service (Hire rate £73.8.6d/month) (Ty/Sk. Percy Bedford RNR).
27.5.1940: Fleetwood Flotilla sailed North End, Fleetwood for English Channel with GAVA (FD380) as Leader (Ty/Sk. F. Day RNR. Senior Officer Fleetwood Flotilla, P/Ty/Lieut. Francis Joseph Jordan RNR), with DHOON (FD438), EVELYN ROSE (GY9) (Ty/Sk. Arthur John Lewis RNR), JACINTA (FD235) (Ty/Sk. Jim Bettess RNR – mate) and VELIA (FD49) (Ty/Sk. John Clarkson RNR).
30.5.1940: Arrived Dover.
31.5.1940: At 0730 sailed for Ramsgate, entering harbour at 0910. At 2030 moved to anchor outside.
1.6.1940: At 0725 sailed Ramsgate for Dunkirk. Attacked by enemy aircraft all the way; returned fire. Two crew wounded. Arrived Dunkirk at 1125 and embarked 120 French Colonial troops. At 1230 Fleetwood Flotilla cleared harbour bound Ramsgate. At 1400 concentrated enemy air attack. Aircraft returned at 1430. Arrived off Ramsgate at 1855 and landed troops. Two hours shore leave in Ramsgate. Fleetwood Flotilla resumed patrol at 2312.
4.6.1940: Ordered to Harwich. Weekend leave and on return crew signed a three month contract under T.124 articles as civilians employed to serve alongside the Royal Navy in Naval uniform as members of Naval Auxiliary Personnel subject to Naval discipline. Commenced 3 day patrols (P.No.4.134) in the English Channel as part of ‘invasion’ defence.
6.1941: Fitted out for minesweeping duties.
5.1945: Returned.
12.11.1956: Sold for breaking up.

Click to enlarge images

HMT Edwina

HMT Edwina
Picture reproduced under IWM Non-Commercial Licence

S.T. Edwina FD205

S.T. Edwina FD205
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
19/12/2008: Page published. 7 updates since then.
03/06/2016: Minor information update.
29/05/2020: Information updated.
13/06/2020: Information updated.

S.T. Edward VII M196

Technical

Official Number: 121609
Yard Number: 792
Completed: 1906
Gross Tonnage: 231.25
Net Tonnage: 64.95
Length: 120.6 ft
Breadth: 21.6 ft
Depth: 11.5 ft
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields
Engine: T.3-cyl by Shields Engineering Co Ltd, North Shields

History

9.7.1906: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields (Yd.No.792) for James Thomas, Milford Haven (managing owner) as EDWARD VII.
8.1906: Completed.
3.8.1906: Registered at Milford (M196).
1.1.1907: At anchor off Milford Docks, CAMBRIA (M92) ran into port side, midships causing damage to bulwarks (Sk. W. Aldridge).
26.12.1908: 70 miles NW by N from Bull light in strong SW wind lost boat and broke gallows port side while shooting the trawl (Sk. H. Julier).
21.12.1909: 250 miles W of St. Ann’s Head lost boat in heavy seas (Sk. H. Julier).
17.12.1910: In Milford Docks lock pit (Sk. John Collins), failed to go astern and ran into stern of Brixham smack REGARD (BM95)(54g/1906/,Sk. Harry Worth Jnr) causing damage.
1.1.1914: Tonnage altered to 88.38 net under provision of Merchant Shipping Act 1907.
8.1914: Requisitioned for war service and fitted out at Devonport as a minesweeper (1-6pdr HA) (Ad.No.22). Based Plymouth.
1917: Fitted out for cable repair duties. Based The Nore.
16.10.1917: Sold to The “Wyre” Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood Magnus B. J. Wedum designated manager.
8.4.1918: Sold to Walter Harold Beeley, Grimsby (managing owner).
Post 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Grimsby.
12.5.1919: Sold to Walter Harold Beeley, Albert Robinson, Albert E. Riggal, Nelson Blow, Grimsby and George A. Riggal, Bournemouth (Walter H. Beeley, managing owner).
31.10.1919: Milford registry closed.
8.12.1919: Registered at Grimsby (GY581).
7.1920: Sold to Staples Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby (Walter Harold Beeley, manager).
2.1922: Sold to Sleight’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby (Sir Ernest Sleight, Bart, manager).
2.2.1929: Homeward through Pentland Firth, struck the Whale’s Back rock, refloated but grounded on the Buff of Brims reef, Brims Ness. Crew of ten rescued by Thurso lifeboat Sarah Austin (Cox Angus McPhail).
3.2.1929: Crew landed at Thurso.
2.1929: Vessel became a total loss.
20.9.1929: Grimsby registry closed.

Changelog
19/12/2008: Page published, 5 updates since then.
24/05/2020: Updated information.