Category Archives: Steam Trawlers

S.T. Duchesse de Brabant O80

Wartime visitor

Technical

Official Number: 148383
Yard Number: 935
Completed: 1924
Gross Tonnage: 338
Net Tonnage: 137
Length: 138.8 ft
Breadth: 23.8 ft
Depth: 13.3 ft
Built: Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by C. D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull

History

20.5.1924: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.935) for Pickering & Haldane’s Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull as LORD BALFOUR of BURLEIGH.
31.7.1924: Registered at Hull (H36) (O.N.148383).
31.7.1924: Completed (John McCann & Edward Cartwright, managers).
1928: Albert Turgoose & James Clark appointed managers.
7.1937: Sold to Pêcheries à Vapeur S.A., Ostend (John Bauwens, manager).
9.7.1937: Hull registry closed.
9.7.1937: Registered at Ostend as DUCHESSE de BRABANT (O80).
1939: Landing at Fleetwood.
1940: Transferred to Belgian Economic Mission, London.
7.7.1940: Requisitioned for war service on miscellaneous Naval duties (P.No.FY.341).
1.1941: Based Tobermory (Sk. C. R. Radford RNR) as Local defence trawler.
7.1941: Based Reykjavik as Local defence trawler.
1.1942: Remains at Reykjavik (Sk. B. Truefitt RNR).
24.11.1945: Returned to owner.
1946: Lengthened by 2,70 metres to 45,00 metres with bow and stern rebuilt – 324,40Brt 112,64n.
4.1946: Completed Special Survey at Antwerp. Re classed as a Steam Trawler.
1947: New engine fitted – 480hp.
27.10.1952: Ostend registry closed.
29.12.1952: Sold to Soc. Générale Hellénique de Pêch, S.A., Athens (c/o John Livanos & Sons Ltd, London).
12.1952: Registered at Piraeus as ARGONAFTIS.
1955: Laid up at Piraeus. Surveys overdue.
1956: Sold to N. Lampiris, Piraeus. Registered as a cargo vessel at Piraeus as GEORGIS L.
9.5.1956: Sailed Suda Bay, Crete for Venice, Italy. Missing presumed foundered. Piraeus registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Duchess de Brabant O80

S.T. Duchess de Brabant O80
Picture courtesy of Emiel Rycx

S.T. Duchess de Brabant O80

S.T. Duchess de Brabant O80
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
11/08/2021: Page published. 4 updates since then.
10/09/2015: Picture added.
10/09/2018: Removed FMHT watermark from images.
10/09/2021: Updated History.

S.T. Alonso H887

Additional information courtesy of Mike Thompson

Technical

Official Number: 123260
Yard Number: 319
Completed: 1906
Gross Tonnage: 172.15
Net Tonnage: 50.53
Length: 108.8 ft
Breadth: 21.5 ft
Depth: 11.2 ft
Built: Mackie & Thomson, Govan
Engine: 280ihp T.3-cyl by W. V. V. Lidgerwood, Coatbridge
Boiler: A. & W. Dalglish, Pollockshaws, Glasgow

History

1906: Launched by Mackie & Thomson, Govan (Yd.No.319) for Hellyer’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Hull as ALONSO.
25.6.1906: Registered at Hull (H887).
25.6.1906: Charles Hellyer appointed manager.
6.1906: Completed.
19.7.1906: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The Union of London & Smith’s Bank Ltd, London (A).
25.3.1910: In collision in North Sea with steam trawler BLANCHE (H928) sustaining damage to shell plating on starboard quarter.
1.1.1914: Tonnage altered to 66.36 net under provision of Merchant Shipping Act 1907
30.11.1915: Mortgage (A) discharged.
1919: Released.
29.5.1917: Requisitioned for Fishery Reserve.
1919: Released.
14.2.1919: Sold to Elijah Headspith (64/64), Hull.
14.2.1919: Elijah Headspith designated managing owner.
22.2.1919: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The London Joint City & Midland Bank Ltd, London (B).
4.10.1919: Sold to The Mons Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Hull.
4.10.1919: Elijah Headspith appointed manager.
25.11.1919: Mortgage (B) discharged.
28.11.1919: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The London Joint City & Midland Bank Ltd, London (C).
27.11.1923: Mortgagee restyled Midland Bank Ltd, London.
23.6.1933: On a North Sea trip, John Jackson (45), cook, lost overboard and drowned.
8.2.1934: Mortgage (C) discharged.
8.2.1934: Sold to William Claudius Farrow (32/64), and Stephen Nowell (32/64), both Hull.
9.2.1934: William Claudius Farrow & Stephen Nowell designated joint managing owners.
16.3.1934: Sold to Ocean Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Hull.
16.3.1934: Leonard Hopwood Tutcher appointed manager.
20.4.1934: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Barclays Bank Ltd, London (D).
13.12.1935: Mortgage (D) discharged.
14.9.1935: Sold to Colin Henry Brand, Milford Haven.
27.9.1935: Colin Henry Brand designated managing owner.
2.6.1936: Vessel mortgaged to Barclays Bank Ltd, London (E).
14.12.1937: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Robert Parcell Lewis, Fishguard for the sum of £313 with interest at 5% (F).
4.1938: With GOZO (H545) converted for Spanish pareja trawling method.
4.1938: Newspaper clipping: “ J. F. Gwyther has been favoured with instructions to offer for sale at the Conservative Club, on Friday 15th September, the steam trawlers ALONSO, CAIRO and GOZO.
3.8.1938: Mortgage (E) discharged.
3.12.1938: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Ruth Brand, Johnston and Lillian Gertrude Brand, Burton (joint mortgagees) (G).
3.2.1939: Last landing at Milford. Laid up.
7.7.1939: Colin H. Brand filed for bankruptcy.
7.10.1939: Mortgage (G) discharged.
12.10.1939: Sold by order of the mortgagee under mortgage (F) to The Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood.
30.10.1935: Basil Arthur Parkes, Thornton-le-Fylde appointed manager.
8.11.1939: Sold to Fred Parkes and Charles Lucas Wilbraham (64/64 joint owners), both Blackpool.
19.11.1939: Charles Lucas Wilbraham designated managing owner.
25.7.1940: Sold to Wellvale Trawlers Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood.
15.8.1940: Charles Lucas Wilbraham appointed manager.
26.8.1942: Sold to Hull Merchants Amalgamated Trawlers Ltd (64/64), Hull
1.9.1942: Archibald Hudson appointed manager.
10.1.1944: Sailed Hull on a North Sea trip (Sk. George Underhill); thirteen crew all told.
13.1.1944: Last seen approximately 5 miles ENE off No.62F buoy, Hornsea. The joint Arbitration Committee adjudged the loss to be by unknown war causes.
16.6.1944: Hull registry closed. “Ship missing since sailing for North Sea fishing grounds on 10th January 1944.”

(Crew: Skipper George Underhill (68); William Abbott (39), Mate; Joseph Marr (52), Third Hand; John H. Chapman (54), Bosun; Harold Coultas (34), Ch Eng; Eric Smitth (30), 2nd Eng; Arthur Albert Stevens (28), deckhand; Robert H. Easter (29), Charles E. Osborne (44) and Arthur E. Smith (36), Spare Hands; Charles W. Gibson, Fireman/trimmer; George E. Croft (43), Trimmer and James F. Coull (71), Cook)

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Alonso H887

S.T. Alonso H887
Picture courtesy of The Bill Blow collection

S.T. Alonso H887

S.T. Alonso H887
Picture courtesy of The Alan Hirst collection

Changelog
10/08/2010: Page published. 3 updates since then.
04/08/2016: Significant information update.
09/09/2018: Removed FMHT watermarks from images.
23/06/2019: Updated information.

S.T. Van Oost O296 (Wartime visitor)

© Mike Thompson for FMHT

Technical

Official Number: 149077
Yard Number: 461
Completed: 1926
Gross Tonnage: 352
Net Tonnage: 147
Length: 140.3 ft
Breadth: 24.0 ft
Depth: 12.9 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by C. D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull
built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley

History

24.10.1925: The board of Kingston Steam Trawling Co Ltd decided to build two more distant water trawlers to the same design as the ANDALUSITE (Yd.No.461) built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd. Contracts were signed with the shipyard to build the ships at a cost of £8,350 each and with C. D. Holmes & Co Ltd to make the engines and boilers at £6,175 each unit. Total cost £14,525 per vessel. Names chosen were SARDIUS and TOURMALINE.

4.3.1926: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.482) for Kingston Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull as TOURMALINE.
20.4.1926: Registered at Hull (H290) (Official Number: 149077).
28.4.1926: Completed trials and accepted (John W. Lown, manager).
1.5.1926: Sailed on first trip to Iceland.
20.5.1926: Landed 858 kits grossed £1,050.
16.3.1939: Sold to N.V. Motorvisscherij, Ostend for £3,650.
20.3.1939: Hull registry closed.
4.1939: May have been registered at Ostend as VANDERMEER (O296) for a short period.
4.1939: Re measured 336.45Brt 129.48n.
4.1939: Registered at Ostend as VAN OOST (O296).
5.1940: Escaped to England.
21.5.1940: Arrived Fleetwood.
7.7.1940: Requisitioned for war service on miscellaneous Naval duties (P.N. FY.330). Based Reydarfjord, Iceland as Local defence trawler. Belgian crew.
13.11.1945: Returned to owner.
4.1946: Special Survey at Ghent. Re classed as a Steam Trawler.
1948: Re measured in accordance with British rules 352g 147n.
1.1948: Sold to Government of Poland, Warsaw (Ministry of Industry & Commerce) (“Dalmor” Przedsiobiorstwo Polowow DalekomorskichSp.z.ogr.odp, Gdynia, managers).
16.1.1948: Ostend registry closed.
16.1.1948: Registered at Gdynia as MERKURY (GDY120).
4.1962: Sold to Polish shipbreakers. Gdynia registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Tourmaline H290

S.T. Tourmaline H290
Picture courtesy The Mike Thompson Collection

Changelog

10/08/2010: Page published. 4 updates since then.
08/09/2018: Removed FMHT watermark from image.

S.T. Van Dyck O298 (Wartime visitor)

© Mike Thompson with additional material by Maurice Voss

Technical

Official Number: 149080
Yard Number: 483
Completed: 1926
Gross Tonnage: 352
Net Tonnage: 147
Length: 140.3 ft
Breadth: 24.0 ft
Depth: 12.9 ft
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by C. D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull

History

21.1.1926: The board of Kingston Steam Trawling Co Ltd decided to build two more distant water trawlers to the same design as the ANDALUSITE built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd (Yd.No.461). Contracts were signed with the shipyard to build the ships at a cost of £8,450 each and with Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd to make the engines and boilers at £6,130 each unit. Total cost £14,625 per vessel. A decision was made to add the Kingston prefix to the existing nomenclature. The names chosen were, KINGSTON DIAMOND and KINGSTON PEARL. The short lived General Strike of May 1926 and continuing Miners’ Strike led to delays in the completion of both vessels.

31.3.1926: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.483) for Kingston Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull as KINGSTON DIAMOND.
18.5.1926: Registered at Hull (H294) (O.N.149080).
19.5.1926: Programmed to carry out basin trials but delayed through shortage of coal.
27.7.1926: Taken over from builder.
9.8.1926: Completed trials and accepted (John W. Lown, manager).
14.8.1926: Sailed on first trip to Iceland.
7.9.1926: Landed 807 kits grossed £1,059.
3.1929: Skipper taken ill and put ashore at Reykjavik.
3.1929: Took onboard Sk. Godmund and crew of KINGSTON JASPER (H494) stranded 17.2.1926 at Medalland, Iceland.
7.3.1929: Sailed for Hull with Sk. Godmund in command.
12.3.1929: Arrived Hull and grossed £793 for the 44 day trip.
3.3.1930: Stranded at Valloc, Norway but got off without assistance. Berthed Sandnessjoen for survey; forepeak full of water, crew’s quarters, flooded, rudder and rudder frame badly damaged.
7.3.1930: Sailed Trondheim for Hull after temporary repairs.
1938: Laid up with Special Survey due and offered for sale.
11.3.1939: Sold to N.V. Motorvisscherij, Ostend for £3,562 with Special Survey due and without fishing gear and fishroom boards.
16.3.1939: Hull registry closed.
4.1939: Registered at Ostend as VAN DYCK (O298).
4.1939: Re measured 336.45Brt 129.48n.
5.1940: Escaped to England.
29.5.1940: Arrived Fleetwood. Transferred to Belgian Economic Mission, London. Fishing from Fleetwood.
21.9.1940: Homeward (to Fleetwood) from Icelandic grounds picked up seventeen crew and twelve passengers from boat, part of survivors from British steamer CITY OF SIMLA (10,138grt/1921) (Capt Herbert Percival) (Convoy OB-216 London/Glasgow for Cape Town and Bombay) torpedoed by U.boat (U138) 52 miles NW of Rathlin Island (20.9.1940).
22.9.1940: As directed landed at Liverpool.
12.2.1941: Requisitioned for war service as an anti submarine trawler (P.No.FY.106). Based at Scapa Flow with A/S Group 12 (French crew ?).
7.11.1945: Returned to Belgium.
13.11.1945: Returned to owner. With surveys outstanding, Special Survey at Ghent. Re classed as a Steam Trawler.
20.3.1946: Completed.
9.10.1948: Sold to Eidis Trolarafelag, Eidi, Faroe Islands.
9.10.1948: Ostend registry closed.
4.1948: Re measured 43,59 (143.0) x 7,35 (24.1) metres (feet) – 341g 135n.
10.1948: Registered at Eidi (Fuglefjord for Osterö Syssel)as EIDESKOLLUR (FD226).
17.10.1948: Sailed for Faroe Islands.
By 1952: Owned by P/f Eidis Trolarafelag A/S.
1952: Sold to P/f Nypan, Sandevaag. Registered at Sandevaag as VENUS (VA51).
1962: Sold to B. J. Nijkerk N.V, Ghent.
12.4.1962: Breaking commenced at Boom.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Van Dyck O298

S.T. Van Dyck O298
Picture courtesy of The Peter Green Collection

S.T. Van Dyck FD226

S.T. Van Dyck FD226
Picture from the Internet

S.T. Venus VA51

S.T. Venus VA51
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
09/08/2010: Page published. 5 updates since then.
08/04/2015: Picture added.
02/07/2016: Picture added.
07/09/2018: Removed FMHT watermark from image.
10/08/2021: Updated history.

S.T. St. Crispin H86

In Boston (Fleetwood) ownership. Did not fish from the port
Additional information courtesy of Mike Thompson and Maurice Voss

Technical

Official Number: 186688
Yard Number: 767
Completed: 1946
Gross Tonnage: 536
Net Tonnage: 201
Length: 166.9 ft
Breadth: 27.7 ft
Depth: 14.4 ft
Belgian register: 523,30g 188,91n 49,88 x 8,41 x 4,27 metres
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley
Engine: 1000ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by C. D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull
Fitted for burning oil fuel, F.P. above 150° F

History

One of four oil fired steam trawlers to the same design ordered by Basil Arthur Parkes, Fleetwood during 1945 from Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd. Two for Saint Andrew’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Hull, St. JOHN and St. MATHEW (Yd.Nos.763, 764) and two on behalf of N.V. Motorvisscherij, Ostend, BREUGHEL (Yd.No.765) and RUBENS (Yd.No.767).

17.4.1946: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.767) for N.V. Motorvisscherij, Ostend as RUBENS.
6.1946: Registered at Ostend (O297).
21.6.1946: Completed.
1946-1947: Occasional landings at Hull.
10.1955: Sold to Basil Arthur Parkes, North Ferriby en bloc with BREUGHEL (O299).
13.10.1955: Sold to Saint Andrew’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Hull.
13.10.1955: At 4.15 pm. sold to St. Christopher Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Basil A. Parkes, Hull, manager). Insured for £87,000.
13.10.1955: Registered at Hull as St. CRISPIN O.N.186688 (H86) (MoT R558/0598 dated 6.10.1955).
14.10.1955: Sailed Hull on White Sea trip (Sk. Stanley Barwick).
8.11.1955: At Hull landed 2115 kits, 241 shelf, £5,133 gross.
17.11.1955: Ostend registry closed.
12.3.1956: Sailed Hull on an Icelandic trip (Sk. Stanley Barwick); twenty crew.
15.3.1956: Started fishing off south coast of Iceland. Fouled propeller with fishing gear, disabled and in heavy seas driven ashore in the afternoon at high water on beach near Kudhafljot, Medalland, south coast of Iceland. Two men injured *. In answer to calls for assistance located by an Icelandic Coast Guard aircraft and rescue team formed by local farmers directed to the vessel. They found the trawler beached broadside in a heavy swell. Lifeline connected within two hours and breeches-buoy rigged but crew reluctant to leave. At 7.30 pm. five men had been taken off. Eventually all crew brought ashore and taken to Reykjavik, but four remained to organise salvage with Icelandic agent and insurance representative
14.4.1956: After removal of all non-essential gear, refloated and delivered Reykjavik. Temporary repairs for single voyage to Hull.
11.5.1956: With Charles Beal as skipper for passage, sailed Reykjavik for Hull in tow of Hull tug Englishman (762grt/1945) (E. Bonel, master).
18.5.1956: Arrived Hull after difficult tow in severe weather. Laid up for repair.
31.8.1956: Surveyed on completion of repairs and alteration of particulars – 536grt 201net.
1.9.1956: Sailed Hull on an Icelandic trip (Sk.Terence Whitley).
21.9.1956: At Hull landed 1420 kits, 385 shelf, £5.732 gross.
7.10.1964 : Sailed Hull on an Icelandic trip (Sk. Edward Calvert).
28.10.1964: At Hull landed 651 kits, 302 shelf, £3,780 gross. Laid up for disposal.
1965: Sold to Van Heygen Freres, Ghent for breaking up.
12.3.1965: Delivered Ghent.
18.3.1965: Hull registry closed.

(* Injured – Mate, H. S. Ford (26) and Bosun, M. Matson (48))
ENGLISHMAN of United Towing Co Ltd, Hull was chartered by the Hull Steam Trawlers Mutual Insurance & Protecting Co Ltd, through Icelandic agent Geir Zoega, Reykjavik.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Rubens O297

S.T. Rubens O297
Picture courtesy of The James Cullen Collection

S.T. Rubens O297

S.T. Rubens O297
Picture courtesy of Maurice Voss

S.T. Rubens O297

S.T. Rubens O297
Picture courtesy of The James Cullen Collection

S.T. Rubens O297

S.T. Rubens O297
Picture courtesy of Maurice Voss

S.T. St. Crispin H86

S.T. St. Crispin H86
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection

S.T. St. Crispin H86

S.T. St. Crispin H86
Picture courtesy of Allan McKernan

S.T. St. Crispin H86

S.T. St. Crispin H86
Picture courtesy of The Mike Thompson Collection

S.T. St. Crispin H86

S.T. St. Crispin H86
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection

S.T. St. Crispin H86

S.T. St. Crispin H86
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection

Changelog
03/04/2014: 2 pictures added.
18/05/2015: Updated information.
26/06/2015: 2 pictures added and information added.
18/03/2018: Removed FMHT watermarks from images.
05/07/2018: Added an image.