S.D/T. King Herring LT401 (Seasonal)

Technical

Official Number: 128543
Yard Number: 201
Completed: 1909
Gross Tonnage: 100
Net Tonnage: 37
Length: 87.2 ft
Breadth: 18.5 ft
Depth: 9.1 ft
Engine: C.2-cyl and boiler by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee
Built: Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee

History

1909: Launched by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee (Yd.No.201for George H. Hansell, Gt. Yarmouth as KING HERRING.
10.1909: Completed. George H. Hansell appointed managing owner.
18.11.1909: Registered at Yarmouth (YH7).
10.1915: Requisitioned for war service as an A/S net drifter (1-3pdr HA) (Ad.No.1922). Based Aegean Sea.
1919: Returned to owner at Gt. Yarmouth (George H. Hansell & John Thomas Cullen Salmon, Gt. Yarmouth).
1919: Sold to Great Yarmouth Steam Trawlers Ltd, Gt. Yarmouth (George H. Hansell, manager).
1927: Sold to George H. Hansell, Gt. Yarmouth (managing owner).
1928: Sold to Sydney E. Catchpole, Pakefield (managing owner).
12.9.1928: Yarmouth registry closed.
13.9.1928: Registered at Lowestoft (LT401).
1930/31: Seasonal whitefish trawling from Fleetwood.
1938: Sold to to Dutch principals for breaking up.
3.11.1938: Lowestoft registry closed.

Changelog

09/09/2011: Page published. 8 updates since then.

S.D/T. Humorous LT691 (Seasonal)

Additional material courtesy of Roy Breach

Technical

Official Number: 136622
Yard Number: 32
Completed: 1916
Gross Tonnage: 101,35
Net Tonnage: 38.79
Length: 87.5 ft
Breadth: 18.5 ft
Depth: 9.0 ft
Built: Charlton & Co Ltd, Grimsby
Engine: 190ihp C.2-cyl by Charlton & Co Ltd, Grimsby
Boiler: Riley Brothers (Boilermakers) Ltd, Stockton on Tees

History

1.1916: Launched by Charlton & Co Ltd, Grimsby (Yd.No.32) for George Thomas Hume (64/64), Lowestoft as HUMOROUS.
5.1916: Completed.
20.5.1916: Registered at Lowestoft (LT691). Requisitioned from the builders for war service as an A/S net drifter (1-3pdr) (Ad.No.2744). Based in Aegean Sea.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Lowestoft (George T. Hume, Lowestoft).
1921: White fish trawling from Scarborough (Sk. Harry “Whisper” Cammish and Jim “Batten’er down” Crawford). Richard Wardle Crawford managing agent. At Scarborough alongside pier, at low water heeled over and fell on starboard side causing damage. Richard Wardle Crawford sought compensation from Scarborough Harbour Commissioners citing the state of the harbour bottom as the cause.
16.6.1922: Case heard before the High Court of Justice, Admiralty Division.
17.1.1926: At Brixham delivered steam drifter EVENING PRIMROSE (LT1117) which had been picked up disabled with a fouled propeller.
30.1.1926: Sold to Hollingshurst Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Lowestoft. George Breach appointed manager.
21.9.1926: George Breach died. Share ownership transferred to executors, Louisa Breach, George Alan Breach & Wm. Hutchings all Lowstoft (64/64 joint owners). George Alan Breach designated managing owner.
1928: Seasonal white fish trawling out of Fleetwood.
19.6.1928: typical landing 55 boxes.
1930/31: Seasonal white fish trawling from Fleetwood.
25.1.1933: To be sold by Order of the High Court of Justice, Admiralty Division.
24.2.1933: Sold by Order of the Admiralty Marshal at Lowestoft to Peacock & Co (Lowestoft) Ltd (64/64), Lowestoft. Arthur Gouldby, Kessingland appointed manager.
13.10.1936: Frederick Ernest Beane appointed manager.
22.9.1934: At Lowestoft (Sk. W. Durrant) delivered steam drifter ACCUMULATOR (LT655) picked up disabled with broken propeller.
7.1939: Sold for breaking up.
18.1.1940: Lowestoft registry closed “Vessel broken up … ”.

Changelog
08/09/2011: Page published. 4 updates since then.
15/01/2021: Updated history and technical details.

Coal

“In Fleetwood as in other fishing ports, a close link was developed between the trawler owners and the collieries supplying the steam coal, in this instance from the Lancashire and West Yorkshire coalfields. From the start of the steam trawling era, coal from Duxbury Park Colliery and Ellerbeck Colliery, Adlington – only 30 miles from Fleetwood; Orrell Colliery, Wigan and Westleigh Colliery, Leigh was in regular supply and in 1904 the colliery agent for Adlington Coal Company, Chorley took a major shareholding in the steam trawler CITY OF YORK (FD16).

The Clifton Steam Trawlers Ltd had their own rail wagons and used them to advertise with the slogan “Fleetwood Fish” and when BDSF&I Co moved to the port it was not long before they too had their own railway wagons transporting coal mined by the Earl Fitzwilliam’s Collieries at their Elsecar Main pit at Barnsley.

The Great Grimsby Coal Salt & Tanning Co Ltd also had their own private user wagons and supplied bunker coal at all the major fishing ports.

The firing of the boiler in a steam trawler, demanded physical strength and stamina from the firemen and there was no room for poor quality coal, although this sometimes had to be taken when fishing Iceland or the Faeroe Islands in the early days, when insufficient coal could be carried for the trip. Firemen became familiar with the quality of coal from particular collieries, although, like railway locomotives, it was not unusual for sister ships to have widely varied coal consumption and steaming characteristics.

In all steam plants a certain amount of water is lost on each cycle, raising steam, driving the engine and returning to the boiler via the condenser, due in the main to steam leaks. Many older trawlers used sea water in the boiler as make up feed water and this was acceptable so long as the boilers were regularly blown down and scaled. When water tube boilers were introduced however, this lead to corrosion and the tankage of make-up feed water was increased. The bunker capacity, feed water, potable (drinking) water and ice storage for the three Admiralty trawler types, typical of the vessels built pre and post WW1 was:-

BUNKERS USE/DAY FEED WATER POTABLE WATER ICE
“Strath” Type 102 tons 8 Tons 19 Tons 1.3 Tons 25 Tons
115ft (123ft)
“Castle” Type 164 tons 9 Tons 11 Tons 4 Tons 50 Tons
125ft (134ft)
“Mersey” Type 184 tons 10 Tons 11 Tons 4 Tons 65 Tons
138ft (148ft) (Reserve 20 Tons)

Click to enlarge images

Typical coal wagon

Typical coal wagon

National Railway Museum

Coal wagons on the dockside

Coal wagons on the dockside

Coaling in progress

Coaling in progress

S.D/T. Sarah Hide – LT1157

Additional material by Roy Breach and Barry Banham

Technical

Official Number: 140025
Yard Number: 457
Completed: 1921
Gross Tonnage: 162
Net Tonnage: 68
Length: 103.9 ft
Breadth: 20.6 ft
Depth: 10.9 ft
Built: J. Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co, Aberdeen
Engine: T.3-cyl by Wm. Beardmore & Co Ltd, Coatbridge
Boiler: A. & W. Dalglish, Pollockshaws, Glasgow

History

23.12.1920: Launched by J. Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co, Aberdeen (Yd.No.457) for Arthur Gouldby (64/64), Kessingland as ARTHUR GOULDBY.
2.1921: Completed.
21.2.1921: Registered at Lowestoft (LT1215). Arthur Gouldby designated manager.
22.6.1922 (Registered): Shares (48/64) sold to Frank Clement Burton (14/64), Lowestoft; William George Garrood (14/64), Oulton Broad; Walter Albert Wood Greaves (14/64), Pakefield; Henry Blunderfield Garrood (4/64), Oulton Broad and Mariames Theresa Lawrence (2/64), Lowestoft. Arthur Gouldby appointed manager.
22.4.1930: Frank Clement Burton died.
2.9.1930 (Registered): In accordance with Will dated 10.4.1930, shares (14/64) transferred to Edith Clara Burton, Lowestoft; Clement Ernest Brunswick Burton, Oulton Broad & Arthur Gouldby (jointly held), Lowestoft (Arthur Gouldby manager).
24.6.1933: Arthur Gouldby (16/64) shares mortgaged to National Provincial Bank Ltd, London (A).
17.4.1934: Sold to Arthur Gouldby, Lowestoft (14/64) shares held jointly by Edith Clara Burton; Clement Ernest Brunswick Burton and Arthur Gouldby. 18.4.1934: Arthur Gouldby (14/64) shares mortgaged to National Provincial Bank Ltd, London (B).
1935: Seasonal white fish trawling from Fleetwood. (Lowestoft Fish Selling Co Ltd, Lowestoft managing agents).
28.9.1936: Henry George Prior appointed manager.
28.2.1937: Marianne Theresa Lawrence died.
28.8.1937: (Registered): In accordance with Will dated 1.5.1935, shares (2/64) transferred to Barclays Bank Ltd, London.
31.8.1937: (Registered): Sold to Kittiwake Ltd (64/64), Lowestoft (30/64 shares sold by National Provincial Bank Ltd, London under mortgages (A) & (B)). John Victor Breach appointed manager.
11.9.1937: Mortgaged to Small & Co (Lowestoft) Ltd, Lowestoft (C) at 6% interest.
7.9.1937: Registered at Lowestoft as SARAH HIDE (LT1157) (BoT minute M/RG 1561/1937 dated 4.9.1937).
8.10.1937: At Yarmouth landed 147 crans of herring.
16.11.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1- MG) (P.No.FY.968) (Hire rate £54.13.6d/month).
20.2.1940: Based Dover (Ty/Sk. H. G. Meen RNR). Picked up two survivors of Whitehaven steam coaster RYDAL FORCE (1101grt/1924) mined 400yards south of Gull Light Vessel, Thames Estuary (Mines laid by German aircraft 21.4.1940).
1.6.1940: Operation Dynamo – Dunkirk evacuation, landed 90 troops at Ramsgate.
7.1941: Based Ipswich as armed patrol drifter.
26.5.1943: Ty/Sk. J. Mulligan RNR appointed CO.
16.1.1944: Sk. L. Haigh RNR appointed CO.
1.1944: John Victor Breach died.
9.4.1945: Ronald Henry Self appointed manager.
31.12.1945: Returned to owner.
5.1.1946: Taken off hire.
4.10.1947: At Lowestoft landed 160 crans.
5.11.1947: In collision with steam drifter STRIVE (LT133) and sustained damage.
17.11.1949: Grounded between piers at Lowestoft.
1950s: Seasonal white fish trawling from Fleetwood.
3.4.1950: At Fleetwood landed 176 boxes of white fish grossed £795.
26.5.1952: Last landing at Fleetwood.
6.10.1952: At Lowestoft landed 243 crans.
27.10.1952: At Lowestoft landed 235 crans.
8.11.1952: At Lowestoft landed 225 crans.
25.7.1953: Mortgage (C) discharged.
1.1955: Sold to Belgian shipbreakers (MoT GSP.1/1/01578 dated 14.1.1955).
31.1.1955: Sailed Lowestoft for Antwerp.
7.2.1955: Lowestoft registry closed.

(Note: Named after John Victor Breach’s mother)

Click to enlarge image

S.D/T. Sarah Hide LT1157

S.D/T. Sarah Hide LT1157
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
15/05/2011: Page published.
02/07/2016: Picture added.
16/07/2019: Updated information.

S.D/T. Willing Boys LT737 (Seasonal)

Additional material by Barry Banham and Milford Trawlers site

Technical

Official Number: 149229
Yard Number: 579
Completed: 1929
Gross Tonnage: 138
Net Tonnage: 59
Length: 98.0 ft
Breadth: 20.6 ft
Depth: 10.4 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by Crabtree & Co Ltd, Gt. Yarmouth
Built: John Chambers Ltd, Oulton Broad, Lowestoft

History

1929: Launched by John Chambers Ltd, Oulton Broad, Lowestoft (Yd.No.579) for Edward Catchpole, Kessingland & Baxter & Co, Lowestoft as WILLING BOYS.
3.1930: Completed (Edward Catchpole, Kessingland, manager).
21.3.1930: Registered at Lowestoft (LT737).
1930s: Seasonal white fish trawling from Padstow, Milford and Fleetwood.
1.7.1937: Fishing near the Glass Norman bank off the Wicklow coast (Sk. Russell James Gower); arrested by Irish Free State fishery cruiser MUIRCHÚ after shots were fired.
2.7.1937: Sk. Gower of Lowestoft was charged in Dublin Police Court with illegally fishing off the Wicklow coast. Fined £100 and gear and catch forfeited.
15.11.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeping drifter (P.No.FY.947) (Hire rate £77.15.11d/month).
6.1940: Based Dover (Ty/Sk. R. McLean RNR).
20-26.5.1940: Evacuation from Boulogne, Calais & Dunkirk.
25.5.1940: Sailed Dover for Calais in company with the trawlers ARLEY (P.No.FY.620) (FD41), BOTANIC (P.No.FY.707) (H463), BROCK (P.No.FY621) (FD47), CALVI (GY269), FYLDEA (P.No.666) (FD72), MARETTA (P.No.FY.665) (FD45), POLLY JOHNSON (H322) and drifter PLAYMATES (P.No.FY.738) (YH141) with several river launches in tow.
26.5.1940: At 1.40am. arrived off the French coast. No evacuation order was given.
1941: Fitted out as a LL drifter.
1.1942: Based Dover as a LL drifter (Sk. C. E. Coble RNR).
6.1943: Employed on miscellaneous Naval duties.
1945: Sold to Pevensey Castle Ltd, Lowestoft (R. H. Self, manager).
8.1946: Returned to owner.
1949-1950: Seasonal white fish trawling from Fleetwood.
17.5.1949: At Fleetwood landed 209 boxes grossed £835.
17.8.1949: Last landing at Fleetwood, 218 boxes grossed £793.
14.3.1950: At Fleetwood landed 181 boxes grossed £847.
13.5.1950: Last landing at Fleetwood, 135 boxes grossed £416.
1953: Sold to W. H. Kerr (Ship Chandlers) Ltd, Milford Haven (William H. Kerr, manager).
5.1957: Sailed Milford for Lowestoft for conversion to diesel propulsion (Sk.Sid Durrant).
9.1957: Converted at Lowestoft. Re-engined with a 2stroke 6-cyl 280bhp oil engine by Crossley Bros. Ltd, Manchester.
1.9.1957: On completion of successful trials sailed Lowestoft to fish round to Milford (Sk. Sid Durrant).
6.8.1959: Sailed Milford for Lowestoft and to fish from that port (Sk. Joe Utting).
5.1.1961: Returned to Milford from Lowestoft, but damaged in collision with drifter trawler FEACO (LT207) also returning from Lowestoft.
5.1970: Laid up at Milford.
2.1973: When trawling off the Devon Coast (Sk. Frank Reynolds) hauled a torpedo warhead. Landed at Milford and attended by Plymouth RN Bomb & Mine Disposal Team and found to contain 500lbs of TNT. Safely exploded on Castlemartin Range.
15.2.1973: Escorted into Dunmore by LÉ DIEDRE (P.No.P20) having been arrested for alleged poaching in Irish Republican waters.
16.2.1973: At Court in Dublin Sk. Reynolds fined £210 for fishing in Irsh Republic territorial waters off the Wexford coast and gear and catch (60 boxes of whiting) valued at £1,500 confiscated.
23.7.1973: Sailed Milford for Briton Ferry towing DEELITE (YH29) sold for breaking up.
5.1973: W. H. Kerr (Ship Chandlers) Ltd and fleet taken over by Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd, Hull (William H. Kerr remained manager) (BDSF were already majority shareholders).
1974: Sold to Brig Trawling Co Ltd, Milford Haven.
12.1975: Last landing at Milford. Laid up.
3.1976: Sold to Thomas W. Ward Ltd, Sheffield for breaking up at Briton Ferry.
23.3.1976: Sailed Milford for Briton Ferry. Lowestoft registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

S.D/T. Willing Boys LT737

S.D/T. Willing Boys LT737
Picture from the Internet

S.D/T. Willing Boys LT737

S.D/T. Willing Boys LT737
Picture from the Internet

S.D/T. Willing Boys LT737

S.D/T. Willing Boys LT737
Picture courtesy of The John Stevenson Collection

S.D/T. Willing Boys LT737

S.D/T. Willing Boys LT737
Picture © The Mike Crutchley Collection

Changelog
07/08/2011: Page published. 11 updates since then.
11/08/2016: Added picture.
01/01/2019: Removed FMHT watermark from images.
15/08/101`: Updated history.