Category Archives: Steam Trawlers

S.T. Josephine I FD226

Sold during build, never fished from Fleetwood.

Technical

Official Number: 127570
Yard Number: 127
Completed: 1909
Gross Tonnage: 266
Net Tonnage: 103
Length: 130.1 ft
Breadth: 23.1 ft
Depth: 12.02 ft
Engine: 300ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by Earle’s Co Ltd, Hull

History

22.10.1908: Launched by Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co Ltd, Goole (Yd.No.127) for J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood as JOSEPHINE I.
3.12.1908: Registered at Fleetwood (FD226).
12.1908: Sold to The Admiralty.
7.4.1909: Arrived Sheerness to be taken in hand for conversion to a minesweeper.
4.1909: Commissioned as HMS SPARROW (1-12pdr) (Ad.No.58).
15.4.1909: Fleetwood registry closed “ceased fishing”.
5.1909: Based Sheerness as tender to the Torpedo School.
26.9.1909: Arrived Devonport for conversion to a mine surveyor.
1909: Based at Portland for minesweeping trials.
1914: Based at Portsmouth training fishery reserve crews.
1.1920: Renamed JOSEPHINE I.
4.5.1920: Sold by auction at Milford to Colin L. Mason, Cardiff (managing owner) for £5000.
31.7.1920: Registered at London (LO390).
19.12.1923: At Milford Haven Sessions, Sk.Archie Blockwell was fined £15 for gross negligence in towing across the drift nets of the French drifter, GAULOS, fishing off the Isles of Scilly. The owners were ordered to pay £250 damages for loss of nets.
3.1924: Sold to “Nordstern” Hochseefischerei Aktien Gesellschaft, Wesermünde-G.
7.4.1924: London registry closed.
1924: Re-measured 128.5 x 23.2 x 12.0 feet 278g 108n.
4.1924: Registered at Wesermünde-G as ORION.
1939: Sold for breaking up.

Changelog
06/04/2009: Page published. 2 updates since then.
06/03/2021: Updated history and technical details.

S.T. Jay (2) H30

Technical

Official Number: 148956
Yard Number: 696
Completed: 1928
Gross Tonnage: 218
Net Tonnage: 93
Length: 117.5 ft
Breadth: 22.1 ft
Depth: 12.2 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen
Built: Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen

History

28.8.1928: Launched by Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Yd.No.696) for Aberdeen Steam Trawling & Fishing Co Ltd, Aberdeen (George Massie, manager) as STRATHGYLE.
18.9.1928: Registered at Aberdeen (A367).
9.1928: Completed.
28.4.30: In dense fog ashore on a reef at the Pentland Skerries. Refloated with help of Stroma fishermen; Longhope lifeboat stood by.
20.11.1937: Sank alongside quay at Pointlaw, Aberdeen.
28.11.1937: Salved. Later repaired and returned to service.
1938: W. Rhind appointed manager.
12.1942: Sold to Jutland Amalgamated Trawlers Ltd, Hull (E. Cargill, manager).
26.12.1942: Aberdeen registry closed.
2.1.1943: Registered at Hull (H30).
12.1945: Sold to The Brixham Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood (Dugdall & Son, managers).
1946: Renamed JAY (H30).
2.2.1953: Last landing at Fleetwood.
3.2.1953: Sold to Clova Fishing Co Ltd, Aberdeen (David Wood, manager).
6.1953: Hull registry closed. Renamed STRATHELLIOTT (A46).
1961: Sold for breaking up.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Jay H30

S.T. Jay H30
Picture courtesy of The Fred Baker Collection

Changelog
05/04/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
01/04/2018: Removed FMHT watermark from image.

S.T. Ella Hewett LO47

Technical

Official Number 185862
Yard Number: 871
Completed: 1953
Gross Tonnage: 595
Net Tonnage: 217
Length: 170.1 ft
Breadth: 29.2 ft
Depth: 14.5 ft
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley
Engine: 925ihp T.3-cyl by Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull
Boiler: Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull (No.1841)
Fitted for burning oil fuel, F.P. above 150° F
Speed: 13 knots

History

4.12.1952: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.871) for Heward Trawlers Ltd, London & Fleetwood (Robert S. Hewett, manager) as ELLA HEWETT.
3.1953: Registered at London (LO47).
19.3.1953: Completed.
8.4.1953: First landing at Fleetwood.
2.11.1962: Sailed Fleetwood at 0145 for Icelandic fishing grounds via Heysham to bunker (Sk. William Storm Gregson); nineteen crew. At Heysham, cook, Russell Harvey fell down an open grating. At 0530 sailed Heysham for fishing grounds. At about 1530 skipper decided to land the cook in Church Bay, Rathlin Island and left the 2nd Hand (Mate) James Rixom in command. With good visibility and calm sea entered the Bay and sometime after 1830, struck wreck of HMS DRAKE and was held fast port side aft. No serious attempt was made to get the vessel off. At 2210 serious ingress of water noted, Ch.Eng, Harold Huntingford, made best possible use of pumps. At 2230 with water rising and oil in bilge, Ch. Eng. drew fires.
3.11.1962: At 0053 with pumping no longer possible a May Day message was transmitted. Portrush lifeboat, Liverpool steamer MARKLAND (6032grt/1953) and Glasgow motor vessel LAIRDS LOCH (1736grt/1944) proceeding. By 1100 starboard list had increased and fourteen crew taken off by Portrush lifeboat and landed at Ballycastle. At 2115 with remaining five crew members taken on board the lifeboat, vessel heeled on her beam ends and sank. Survivors landed at Portrush. 11.1962: Wreck attended by salvage vessel DISPENSER (775grt/1943) on charter to Liverpool & Glasgow Salvage Association. After survey, agreement reached with Underwriters that it was uneconomical to raise the wreck and declared a Total loss.
14/15.5.1963: At BoT Inquiry (No.S.461) at Fleetwood, the Court found that the stranding and subsequent total loss were caused by the wrongful act or default of Skipper Gregson and the 2nd Hand (Mate) James Rixom. Sk. Gregson’s ticket was suspended for three years and the skippers ticket held by James Rixom was cancelled.
8.1964: Wreck sold by Underwriters to Metal Recoveries (Newhaven) Ltd, Newhaven.
28.9.1964: Metrec Salvage Ltd, Maidstone formed by Metal Recoveries (Newhaven) Ltd & Shipbreaking (Queenborough) Ltd, Queenborough.
8.1966: Metrec Salvage Ltd entered into an agreement with Commissioners of Irish Lights, owners of the wreck of HMS DRAKE, to clear the seabed of the wreck. 1974: MOD took over ownership of the wreck of HMS DRAKE putting an end to salvage attempts. HMS LAYMOOR attended and munitions removed from HMS DRAKE by divers.
18-29.9.1978: Wreck dispersed to prevent pollution from bunker oil. Remains of wreck lie in 15m in position 55°17.17N/06°12 .43W.
BOT Inquiry Report

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Ella Hewett LO47

S.T. Ella Hewett LO47
Picture courtesy of The Peter Hearn Collection

S.T. Ella Hewett LO47

S.T. Ella Hewett LO47
Picture from the Internet

S.T. Ella Hewett LO47

S.T. Ella Hewett LO47
Picture from the Internet

S.T. Ella Hewett LO47

S.T. Ella Hewett LO47
Picture courtesy of the JJ Collection

S.T. Ella Hewett LO47

S.T. Ella Hewett LO47
Picture from the Internet

S.T. Ella Hewett LO47

S.T. Ella Hewett LO47
Aground in Church Bay. Picture courtesy The Osta Collection.

Changelog
23/03/2009: Page published. 6 updates since then.
24/08/2015: Picture added.
02/11/2015: Added BOT inquiry report.
16/01/2017: Removed disputed image.
08/06/2020: Updated information.

S.T. Manxman GY34

Technical

Official Number: 118937
Yard Number: 330
Completed: 1904
Gross Tonnage: 196
Net Tonnage: 76
Length: 115.5 ft
Breadth: 21.5 ft
Depth: 11.4 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by C. D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull
Built: Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby

History

12.10.1904: Launched by Cochrane & Sons, Selby (Yd.No.330) for Walter H. Beeley & Blanchard, Grimsby as MANXMAN.
11.1904: Completed (Walter H. Beeley managing owner).
16.11.1904: Registered at Grimsby (GY34).
4.1911: Sold to The South Western Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby & Fleetwood (Alick (Alec) Black, Grimsby, manager).
4.1912: Sold to The Marshall Line Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby (Alick (Alec) Black, manager). Fishing from Fleetwood.
12.1912: Sold to Thomas W. Baskcomb, Grimsby (managing owner).
9.1915: Sold to Sleights’ Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby (Walter H. Beeley, manager).
14.4.1917: Stranded on Westmann Isles.
14.5.1917: Grimsby registry closed “Vessel lost”.

Changelog

16/03/2009: Page Published. 4 updates since then.

S.T. Fortuna GY140

Additional information courtesy of Bill Blow

Technical

Official Number:123567
Yard Number: 108
Completed: 1906
Gross Tonnage: 258.77
Net Tonnage: 110.69
Length: 128.4 ft
Breadth: 22.0 ft
Depth: 11.8 ft
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd. Beverley
Engine: 465ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by C. D. Holmes & Co, Hull

History

14.3.1906: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd. Beverley (Yd.No.108) for Alick Black (64/64), Grimsby as FORTUNA.
5.1906: Completed.
8.5.1906: Registered at Grimsby (GY140).
8.5.1906: Alick Black designated managing owner.
15.8.1906: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Charles Denton Holmes, Hull for the sum of £3,00 with interest at 5% (A).
27.8.1908: Mortgage (A) discharged.
27.5.1908: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The London City & Midland Bank Ltd, London (B).
16.6.1909: Mortgage (B) discharged.
16.6.1909: Sold to The South Western Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood.
16.6.1909: Alick Black, Grimsby appointed manager.
18.6.1909: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The London City & Midland Bank Ltd, London (C).
1.7.1912: Mortgage (C) discharged.
31.7.1912: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to George Jeffs, Grimsby for the sum of 3,000 with interest at 5%.(D).
31.7.1912: Registered office transferred to Grimsby.
5.5.1913: Mortgage (D) discharged.
5.5.1913: Sold to Thomas William Baskcomb (64/64), Grimsby.
6.5.1913: Thomas W. Baskcomb designated managing owner.
6.5.1913: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Barclays Bank Ltd, London (E).
27.9.1915: Sold to Spurn Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby.
1.10.1915: Mortgage (E) discharged.
5.10.1915: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Barclays Bank Ltd, London (F).
6.10.1915: Alfred Bannister appointed manager.
29.11.1916: Mortgage (F) discharged.
29.11.1916: Sold to George Frederick Sleight (64/64) Grimsby.
30.11.1916: George Frederick Sleight designated managing owner.
29.5.1917: Requisitioned for Fishery Reserve.
By 11.8.1917: Fitted 1-6pdr HA (in house aft) & W/T.
1.1.1918: George Frederick Sleight knighted.
1919: Released.
5.6.1920: Sir George Frederick Sleight created a baronet.
19.3.1921: Sir George Frederick Sleight, Bart died.
18.10.1922: Probate granted to Raymond Lawrence Humphrey, Healing as sole surviving executor. Ownership registered to Raymond Lawrence Humphrey (64/64), Healing.
1.10.1933: Sold to George Frederick Sleight, Grimsby and Raymond Lawrence Humphrey, Healing (64/64 joint owners).
17.11.1933: George Frederick Sleight designated managing owner.
28.11.1933: Sold to Dobson Ship Repairing Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby.
7.12.1933: Charles Dobson appointed manager.
11.6.1946: Requisitioned for war service as an auxiliary patrol vessel (Hire rate £64.15.0d/month).
2.4.1941: Attacked and sunk by German aircraft off St. Abbs Head. No survivors.
14.3.1947: Grimsby registry closed.

Lost – Ty/Skipper William T. M. Charlton; Samuel E. Foote, 2nd Hand; William E. Nicholson & Edward Robson, enginemen; Adam H. M. Bruce, Lawrence E Glyde, Henry Jones, William J. Smith, Gilbert J. Whyte, Stanley G. Winsor & Josiah V. Wright, seamen; Ernest E. Harris, O/S; Edward V. Feeney & Sidney Phillips, stokers.

Changelog

16/03/2009: Page published. 6 updates since then.
01/10/2020: Updated history.