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

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.

Additional information courtesy of David Slinger

Technical

Official Number: 180469
Yard Number: 758
Completed: 1946
Gross Tonnage: 361
Net Tonnage: 138
Length: 136.1 ft
Breadth: 25.2 ft
Depth: 13.2 ft
Engine: 600ihp T.3-cyl by C. D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley, 1945

History

21.11.1945: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.758) for Saint Andrew’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Hull as St. BOTOLPH.
22.1.1946: Completed. Registered at Hull (H188). Basil Arthur Parkes designated manager.
1946: Sold to Neale & West Ltd, Cardiff. Hull registry closed. Registered at Cardiff (CF8).
4.4.1949: Outward for the fishing grounds (Sk. Rymer). In heavy seas off Barra responded to distress rockets from Icelandic fish carrier ELDBORG (280grt/1928) bound Fleetwood disabled with engine damage. Connected and commenced 250 mile tow to Fleetwood.
5.4.1949: Delivered Fleetwood, ELDBORG landed 2,900 kits.
5.1956: Neale & West Ltd closed their Cardiff base citing high coal prices, unruly crews and Spanish over-fishing; vessels for sale.
5.1956: Five vessels bought en bloc by Fred Parkes, Blackpool – AKITA (CF4), CHAFFCOMBE (CF18), OKU (CF3), SASEBO (CF27) and St. BOTOLPH (CF8).
6.1956: Sold to St. Christopher Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood. Cardiff registry closed.
11.1956: Converted for burning oil fuel, F.P. above 150° F.
20.6.1956: Registered at Fleetwood (FD31). Fred Parkes, Blackpool, designated manager.
20.3.1963: Laid up in Glasson Dock.
9.1963: Sold to Lacmots Ltd, Glasson Dock for breaking up.
11.11.1963: Breaking up commenced. Fleetwood registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

Changelog
24/01/2009: Page published. 6 updates since then.
14/03/2017: Added image and removed disputed image.
05/07/2020: Updated information and added an image.