Additional information courtesy of Barry Banham and Tim Poppy

Technical

Official Number: 132942
Yard Number: 509
Completed: 1911
Gross Tonnage: 99
Net Tonnage: 44
Length: 88.1 ft
Breadth: 18.65 ft
Depth: 9.25 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by Elliott & Garrood Ltd, Beccles
Built: Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby

History

8.11.1911: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.509) for The Star Drift Fishing Co Ltd, Lowestoft as BEACON STAR.
23.12.1911: Registered at Lowestoft (LT770).
6.1.1912: Completed (George Catchpole, Kessingland, manager).
9.1915: Requisitioned for war service as a boom defence drifter (fitted out as workshop). Based Scapa.
Post 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Lowestoft.
1930s: Seasonal trawling from Padstow and Fleetwood (Lowestoft Fish Selling Co Ltd, Lowestoft, managing agents).
17.2.1937: Sailed Lowestoft for Padstow (Sk.Harold Hambly) in company with CONSTANT STAR (LT1158) and ONE ACCORD (LT324).
18.2.1937: In rough weather off the Devon coast came upon a fleet of French trawlers and in passing them safely became detached. Last spoken to when off the Eddystone Light and agreed to call next morning.
19.2.1937: No response to call and with weather worsening, CONSTANT STAR and ONE ACCORD put into Newlyn. With no response to further calls and no sign of vessel inwards to Newlyn, reported missing. Offer of The Admiralty to carry out a search accepted by Mr Catchpole.
16.3.1937: Search by warship, seaplane and enquiries along the French Coast, negative. Lowestoft registry closed. “Missing from 19.2.1937”.
Early 4.1937: Ship’s boat found off Cherbourg. No survivors.

Lost: Sk. Harold Hambly (35), 4. Waveney Crescent, Lowestoft, married one child; Louis William Schillings (51), Mate, Park Road, Lowestoft, married three children (wife Violet H. M. (nee Poppy) b.1889); George Sabberton (38), Third Hand, 28 Steven Street, Lowestoft, married three children; Henry Wigg (49), Ch Eng, 2 Council Houses Frostenden, married five children; Harold Ernest Chaston (43), 2nd Eng, 16 Southwell Road Lowestoft, married no children; Henry Alexander (51) 9 Sussex Road, Lowestoft, married two children and L. Bray (19), 38 Winnipeg Road, Lowestoft, single, both Deckhands; William Flowers (20), Trimmer, 39 Rochester Road, South Lowestoft, single; Clifford Edward Read (27), Cook, 3 Elms Cottages, Kessingland, single.

Click to enlarge image

S.D/T. Beacon Star LT770
Picture courtesy of Ashley Gardiner

Changelog
18/03/2011: Page published. 5 updates since then.
20/02/2015: Picture added.
18/11/2018: Removed FMHT watermark from image.
22/12/2018: Updated information.
23/12/2018: Updated information.