Tag Archives: Admiralty Drifter

S.D/T. A.J.A. FD379

Additional information courtesy of Bill Blow

Technical

Admiralty Number: 3970
Official Number: 141958
Completed: 1918
Yard Number: 90
Gross Tonnage: 97
Net Tonnage: 36
Length: 86.2 ft
Breadth: 18.5 ft
Depth: 9.3 ft
T.3-cyl by Pollit & Wigzell Ltd, Sowerby Bridge
Built: Colby Brothers Ltd, Oulton Broad

History

16.2.1918: Launched by Colby Brothers Ltd, Oulton Broad (Yd.No.90) (“Admiralty drifter”) for The Admiralty as FLASH (Ad.No.3970).
29.5.1918: Commissioned (Sk. W. G. Cleveland RNR).
5.6.1918: Completed (1-6pdr).
17.11.1919: Transferred to Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries, London.
10.1920: Sold to Arthur Wood, James T. R. Gibson & Alexander Holt, Fleetwood.
6.10.1920: Registered at Fleetwood (Part I & Part IV) as A.J.A. O.N.141958 (FD379). Arthur Wood designated managing owner.
10.4.1922: Repossessed by His Majesty, represented by the Commissioners representing the office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland, London.
4.1922: Sold to Thomas Baskcomb Ltd (64/64), Grimsby.
3.5.1922: Fleetwood registry closed.
6.5.1922: Registered at Grimsby (GY309).
10.5.1922: Thomas W. Baskcomb designated manager.
1924: Sold to Hijos de J. Barreras, Vigo.
1924: Re measured 119g 24n under Spanish rules.
4.11.1924: Grimsby registry closed “Sold to Spaniards”. Registered at Vigo as DOMAYO.
1935: Sold to Juan Velasco Gutierrez, Valencia.
1935: Converted to motor and fitted with 240bhp 4 stroke 4-cyl oil engine by Motfbr. Deutz, Köln-Deutz.
Post 1945 pre 1949: FATE?

Changelog
19/05/2012: Page published. 2 updates since then.
06/10/2016: Information updated.
31/05/2019: Information updated.

S.D/T. Etesian BS26

Technical

Official Number: 135346
Yard No: 298
Completed: 1918
Gross Tonnage: 94
Net Tonnage: 33
Length: 86.3 ft
Breadth: 19.8 ft
Depth: 9.7 ft
Built: Fellows & Co Ltd, Gt. Yarmouth
Engine: T.3-cyl by Crabtree & Co Ltd, Gt Yarmouth
Boiler: Thomas Sudron & Co Ltd, Stockton on Tees
Wooden built Drifter/Trawler

History

1918: Launched by Fellows & Co Ltd, Gt. Yarmouth (Yd.No.298) (wooden “Admiralty drifter”) for The Admiralty as ETESIAN (Ad.No.3885).
31.10.1918: Completed as a minesweeper (1-6pdr).
19.11.1920: Transferred to Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries, London for disposal.
1920: Sold to Charles I. Chinery, Bangor, North Wales.
5.11.1920: Registered at Beaumaris (BS26). John Robinson, Grimsby designated manager.
1921: Line fishing from Fleetwood. Alex Keay managing agent.
1923: Sold to W. Flett, W. Slater & James Flett, Lossiemouth. Beaumaris registry closed. Registered at Inverness (INS575). James Flett designated managing owner.
12.1928: Sold to John & James Stephen, Carnbulg and Robert O. Stephen, Fraserburgh.
1929: Inverness registry closed. Registered at Fraserburgh as M. H. Stephen (FR17).
1939: Requisitioned for war as a minesweeping drifter (Hire rate £26.0.0d/month).
5.1941: Employed as an examination vessel.
12.1943: Employed on port duties.
194?: Sold to James Stephen, Carnbulg.
4.1944: Employed on miscellaneous Naval duties.
1945: Returned to owner.
1945: Sold to J. M. Lovie, Fraserburgh.
1948: Sold to Alexander MacIver, Bayble, Christina Bruce & others, Stornoway.
4q 1948: Registered at Stornoway (SY789).
4.1949: Sold to J. & S. Cameron, Peterhead for breaking up.
1950: Breaking up completed. Stornoway registry closed.

Changelog
13/05/212: Page published. 4 updates since then.
19/07/2020: 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.

S.D/T. Twinkling Star KY347

Technical

Official Number: 140845
Yard Number: 1
Completed: 1919
Gross Tonnage: 95
Net Tonnage: 40
Length: 86.2 ft
Breadth: 18.5 ft
Depth: 9.2 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by Pollit & Wigzell Ltd, Sowerby Bridge
Boiler: Clayton, Son & Co Ltd, Hunslett
Built: Brown’s Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co Ltd, Hull

History

1919: Launched by Brown’s Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co Ltd, Hull (Yd.No.1) (“Admiralty drifter”) for The Admiralty as CHIMERA (Ad.No.4146).
16.7.1920: Completed as a fishing vessel.
21.9.1920: Transferred to The Fishery Board for Scotland, Edinburgh for disposal.
1920: Sold to J. R. Mitchell, Peterhead. Registered at Peterhead as J. R. MITCHELL (PD443).
1920: Sold to Andrew Buchan Jnr, Peterhead & others (Andrew Buchan Jnr, managing owner). Registered at Peterhead as TWINKLING STAR (PD443).
1932: Sold to John Muir (Keay), Cellardyke & others (John T. Graham, Anstruther, manager). Peterhead registry closed. Registered at Kirkcaldy (KY347).
8.10.1937: In Yarmouth harbour in collision with steam drifter RENASCENT (LT288) and sustained damage.
1938: Sold to W. Wilson, North Shields & others.
12.9.1939: Requisitioned for war service on harbour defence patrol (Hire rate £32.0.0d/month).
1.1942: Employed on Examination service (Hire rate £26.0.0d/month).
1945: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood (B. A. Parkes, manager).
30.6.1945: Returned to owner (David F. Cartwright MBE MC, Gorleston, manager).
1946: Sold to The Adam Steam Steam Fishing Co Ltd, London (David F. Cartwright MBE MC, Gorleston, manager).
3.1949: Sold to Merchants (Milford Haven) Ltd, Milford Haven (Frederick Walter Goffin, Hakin, manager).
8.3.1949 – 27.5.1955: Seasonal white fish trawling from Milford Haven.
1955: Laid up at Milford.
5.1956: Kirkcaldy registry closed.
10.5.1956: Registered at Milford as MERCHANT VENTURER (M49).
19.4.1959: Last landing at Milford. Laid up.
1.1960: Sold to BISCO and allocated to John Cashmore Ltd, Newport, Monmouthshire for breaking up.
17.1.1960: Sailed Milford for Newport (Sk. Tom Bartlett).
23.2.1960: Milford registry closed.

(Seasonal at Milford as TWINKLING STAR – 8 Mar – 4 Nov 1949; 14 Mar – 4 Oct 1950; 8 Mar – 4 Jul 1951; 10 Mar – 26 Aug 1952; 22 Mar – 7 Dec 1953; 19 Mar – 10 Oct 1954; 6 Mar – 27 May 1955.
As MERCHANT VENTURER: 22 Jun 1956 – 19 Apr 1959

Click to enlarge image

S.D/T. Twinkling Star KY347

S.D/T. Twinkling Star KY347
Picture courtesy of The Peter Green Collection

Changelog

21/06/2011: Page published. 5 updates since then.
31/12/2018: Removed FMHT watermark from image.

S.D/T. Genius FR299

Technical

Admiralty Number: 4191
Official Number: 132190
Yard Number: 278
Completed: 1919
Gross Tonnage: 96
Net Tonnage: 42
Length: 86.2 ft
Breadth: 18.6 ft
Depth: 9.3 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by W. Beardmore & Co Ltd, Coatbridge
Built: Scott & Sons Ltd, Bowling
Boiler: Lobnitz & Co Ltd, Renfrew

History

1919: Launched by Scott & Sons Ltd, Bowling (Yd.No.278) (“Admiralty drifter”) for The Admiralty as WAFT (Ad.No.4191).
11.9.1919: Completed as a fishing vessel.
9.1.1920: Transferred to The Fishery Board for Scotland, Edinburgh for disposal.
1921: Sold to John Murray, Portessie & others (John Murray, managing owner) under HM Treasury mortgage agreement (Disposal of Admiralty Drifters to Ex-service Fishermen).
12.4.1921: Registered at Buckie as GENIUS O.N.132190 (BCK358).
1924: Sold to George Farquhar, Buckie & others (George Farquhar, managing owner).
1928: Sold to John Buchan, St. Combs & others (John Buchan, managing owner).
1.1928: Buckie registry closed.
14.1.1928: Registered at Fraserburgh (FR299).
2.10.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeping drifter (P.No.FY.748) (Hire rate £32.0.0d/month).
1.1942: At Yarmouth ‘LL’ drifter.
11.1943: Employed on miscellaneous Naval duties.
4.1944: Re deployed on miscellaneous Naval duties.
1945: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood (B. A. Parkes, manager).
12.11.1945: Returned to owner (David F. Cartwright MBE MC, Gorleston, manager).
1946: Sold to Adam Steam Fishing Co Ltd, London (David F. Cartwright MBE MC, Gorleston, manager).
15.3.1948 – 30.6.1948: Seasonal white fish trawling from Milford Haven ((Arthur C. Mitchell, managing agent).
3.1949: Sold to Merchants (Milford Haven) Ltd, Milford Haven (Frederick Walter Goffin, Hakin, manager).
19.2.1949 – 9.5.1955: Seasonal white fish trawling from Milford Haven.
5.1956: Fraserburgh registry closed.
1955: Laid up at Milford.
2.5.1956: After refurbishment, registered at Milford as MERCHANT VANGUARD (M46).
6.1956: On a trip to the Irish grounds (Sk. Charles Wilson); nine crew.
15.6.1956: Off the Co. Waterford coast, caught by a sudden gale and with a heavy sea running sought shelter at the back of The Hook, opposite Dunmore East. In late evening, in heavy rain and nil visibility, stranded on the Hook Peninsula, Co. Waterford. With vessel listing to port and well over, Sk. Wilson ordered the boat to be swung out and all crew* abandoned.
16.6.1956: After two and a half hours with boat almost swamped sighted by Dunmore East lifeboat, picked up and landed at Dunmore East.
16.6.1956: Attempts by MERCHANT VENTURER (M49)(Sk. Ernie Smith), HOSANNA (LT167 ((Sk. A. Wiseman) and DEELUX (YH84)(Sk.Hubert Griffiths), to refloat the vessel failed.
24.6.1956: Attempt to refloat failed.
2.8.1956: Lightening, with removal of coal, stores, nets etc had succeeded in bringing the vessel upright, survey showed little damage.
8.1956: Further attempts to refloat on favourable tides failed. Subsequently declared a Total Constructive Loss and abandoned to Underwriters.
2.1.1957: Milford registry closed.

Crew* saved – All Milford unless noted. Sk. Charles A. Wilson; Leonard S. Gale, Mate; F. Osbourne, Bosun; T. Jones, Ch. Eng; W.Kelly, 2nd Eng, Pill; L. Curtis and G. Setterfield, Deckhands; T. Walsh, Deckhand/trimmer; G. A. Taylor, Cook.

(Seasonal at Milford as Genius – 15 Mar – 30 Jun 1948; 19 Feb – 25 Sep 1949; 11 Mar – 3 Sep 1950; 2 Mar – 2 Aug 1951; 18 Mar – 22 Jun 1952; 1 Mar – 19 Oct 1953; 7 Mar – 1 Dec 1954; 4 Mar – 9 May 1955; 17 Apr 1956).

Click to enlarge image

S.D/T. Genius FR299

S.D/T. Genius FR299
Picture from the Internet

Changelog

19/06/2011: Page published. 7 updates since then.
01/11/2020: Updated history.