Technical
Official Number: 136226
Yard Number: 171
Completed: 1914
Gross Tonnage: 191
Net Tonnage: 72
Length: 110.2 ft
Breadth: 21.6 ft
Depth: 12 ft
Engine: 300ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by Earle’s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Hull
Built: Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co Ltd, Goole
History
19.11.1914: Launched by Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co Ltd, Goole (Yd.No.171) for Kelsall Brothers & Beeching Ltd (64/64) Hull as GRACKLE.
8.1.1915: Registered at Hull (H224).
1.1915: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper.
23.1.1915: George Beeching, Hull & John E. A. Kelsall, London designated managers.
2.1915: Completed (1-6pdr) (Ad.No.1218).
1918: Based Devonport.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Hull.
7.6.1919: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The London County Westminster & Parr’s Bank Ltd, London (A). John Slater appointed manager.
6.3.1923: Mortgagee re-styled as Westminster Bank Ltd, London.
14.10.1927: Mortgage (A) transferred to William Augustus Hayward, Eastbourne.
14.10.1927: Mortgage (A) transferred to Mercantile Marine Finance Corporation Ltd, London.
28.9.1928: Robert Burton appointed manager.
16.9.1932: Charles Hugh Emerson appointed manager.
10.1932: Mercantile Marine Finance Corporation Ltd in liquidation.
1.11.1932: Mortgage (A) transferred to Harold Frank Hayward, London; Maud Florence Katherine Rogers, Chelsea and Ernest Norton, London (joint mortgagees).
3.1936: Combined boxing and trawling fleet of Kelsall Bros. & Beeching Ltd and the Hull Steam Fishing & Ice Co Ltd consisting of 59 vessels laid up at Hull (declining catches, coal bill and increased maintenance costs had made the venture uneconomical).
6.3.1936: At Extraordinary General Meeting at Hull, Kelsall Brothers & Beeching Ltd placed in Creditors’ Voluntary Winding-up (Richard Field Helm of Messrs Hodgson Harris & Co, London appointed liquidators).
9.10.1936: Sold to John Yolland Snr (64/64), Milford Haven under mortgage (A).
29.10.1936: John Yolland Snr designated manager.
30.4.1937: Sold to The Yolland Trawling Co Ltd (64/64) Milford Haven.
15.6.1937: John C. Llewellin appointed manager.
30.2.1939: On Westward grounds, third hand George Majoram (29), Hakin, washed overboard and drowned.
25.3.1941: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood (Sanctioned under MoWT ref. M151393/41 dated 4th March 1941).
29.3.1941: Basil A. Parkes, Cleveleys designated manager.
19.6.1941: Basil A. Parkes, Cleveleys reappointed manager.
16.4.1943: Sold to James Johnson (64/64), Scarborough (Sanctioned by MoWT ref M183950/43 dated 7th April 1943).
30.4.1943: James Johnson designated managing owner. Landing at Fleetwood from Icelandic grounds.
8.6.1943: Typical landing. 900 kits – cod/codling-500, haddock-80, flats-20, cats-300. 12.10.1944: Sold to Pair Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Milford Haven (Sanctioned by MoWT ref M4708/44 dated 11th October 1944).
27.10.1944: Henry John Richards designated manager.
18.3.1946: Sold to John Charles Llewellin (64/64), Milford Haven (Sanctioned by MoWT ref M2954/46 dated 16th March 1946).
21.4.1946: John Charles Llewellin designated manager.
14.6.1946: Sold to Walton Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Milford Haven (Sanctioned by MoWT ref M5850 dated 12th June 1946).
18.6.1946: John Charles Llewellin designated manager.
25.10.1951: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to John Charles Llewellin, Milford Haven to secure £1,000 at 41/2 % interest (B).
1955: Sold for breaking up.
19.5.1955: Hull registry closed “Except as relates to mortgage (B). Ship broken up”.
Notes
Skipper Charles Mewse and Second Hand George Cooper of the British trawler GRACKLE are awarded the Emile Robin award for their services in connection with the rescue of the crew of the Norwegian drifter RENASCENT. On 28 October, the RENASCENT, when about 90 miles east north-east from Lowestoft, in a rough sea, sprang a leak; the water was kept under control for several hours until the pumps became choked with coal dust and ashes. Some ten hours later the position became precarious and the GRACKLE, in answer to distress signals, arrived in the vicinity at 11.30 am. Skipper Mewse handled the GRACKLE with great ability, and a high degree of courage. He brought the GRACKLE right alongside the RENASCENT and took off the crew in a very rough sea, with a wind at or approaching gale force. The RENASCENT was rolling heavily and the GRACKLE bumped her head doing some damage to the upper works of the RENASCENT. There was considerable risk to the GRACKLE. The Norwegian drifter was left in a rapidly sinking condition and her crew were landed at Lowestoft.
Click to enlarge image
S.T. Grackle H244
Picture from the Internet
Changelog
21/12/2008: Page published. 2 updates since then.
29/01/2015: Added details of Emile Robin award.
07/06/2016: Added picture.
15/12/2020: Updated history.