Additional information courtesy of Geoff Davidson & Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 27311
Completed: 1859
Gross tonnage: 37.76
Net tonnage: 21.88
Length: 56.6 ft
Breadth: 16.4 ft
Depth: 7.7 ft
Rig: Smack – trawling
Built: Robert Wright, Freckleton

History

1859: Launched by Robert Wright, Freckleton for Nicholas Leadbetter, Fleetwood as CHRISTINA.
12.2.1859: Appropriated.
12.2.1859: Registered at Fleetwood.
24.5.1862: Acting as a carrier landed for the fleet 99 baskets of soles, besides other fish, the produce of the labour from sixteen boats. Price achieved for the soles, 3d per pound.
25.5.1865: Sailing near the Danger Patch (Sk. Robert Wright), a young turtle was observed swimming about. The punt was launched and after a little time it was captured. On return to Fleetwood it was taken to the Crown Hotel, where it was weighed, recording 211/2lbs.
3.6.1866: At the Primitive Methodist Church, Fleetwood, Sk. Robert Wright presented a copy of the Holy Scriptures to Mr Edwin Howell on the occasion of his leaving Fleetwood. Sk. Wright had been deeply moved by the affection his young scholars of the bible class in the Sunday school showed for Mr Howell.
1.3.1869: Sold to John Calder & Robert Wright, Fleetwood. Registered at Fleetwood (FD13).
18.10.1870: Moored in the harbour at Fleetwood. The crew having gone to breakfast, two boys were playing in the area, observed smoke coming from the hold. Boarding the smack and on entering the hold saw a fire. They tried to put it out but it was too well alight, so they raised the alarm. This attracted the crew of the LOWNDS (FD??) moored nearby and they managed to put the fire out. There was little damage done but the origin of the fire is unknown.
29.5.1871: The Primitive Methodist Sunday school embarked on a trip to Barrow, there being too many passengers for the chartered steamer RENOWN, the smack was taken in tow carrying the excess. Returned to Fleetwood a little before 10.00pm.
2.6.1873: The Primitive Methodist Sunday school embarked on a trip to Barrow, there being too many passengers for the chartered Liverpool paddle steamer DANDY (126grt/1863), the smack was taken in tow carrying the scholars. Altogether about 600 people were conveyed across the Bay and returned to Fleetwood a little before 10.00pm.
1.1.1875: Owned by John Calder, Fleetwood.
24.3.1875: Fishing some 12-14 miles NNW of the Morecambe Bay Lightship (Sk. Richard Hudson. At about 2.30am. on hauling found a badly decomposed body in the net only held together by his clothing, which was those of a sailor dressed for watch onboard.
25.3.1875: Body landed at Fleetwood.
26.3.1875: At the inquest held at Fleetwood Police Station into the body brought ashore, it was noted that there was no means of identification and a verdict of “Found drowned “ was returned.
10.3.1880: One of three Fleetwood fishing boats were lying together. At about 4.15am., James Wright, son of the skipper Nicholas Wright, who was the cook, looked to go aboard the next boat the ELIZABETH ANN (FD130), but must have missed his footing in the darkness and fell between the two boats. When he was found to be missing a search of the other boats was made, but when he was not found, a trawl was made of the area where it might have fallen overboard, but without success.
1881: Census at Fleetwood – William Rimmer (35), b-Southport, master; Peter Wilson (35), b-Fleetwood, mate; Thomas Pater (20), b-Fleetwood, fisherman; Thomas Sumner (21), b-Fleetwood, fisherman; William Wright (19), b-Whitehaven, cook.
1882: Sold to Nicholas Leadbetter, Fleetwood.
28.3.1888: Sailed Ayr for Fleetwood to be home for Easter. Off Stranraer in a heavy blow it was necessary to take in a reef on the mainsail. While they were doing so a heavy squall hit them and Thomas Railton (30), Back Pharos Street, was knocked overboard by the breaking boom. Every effort was made to search for him but he was not seen again. Put back to Ayr for repair.
30.3.1888: Sailed Ayr for Fleetwood.
31.3.1888: Arrived Fleetwood.
30.10.1889: Acting as a carrier landed about 14 baskets of mixed fish, BETSEY AND SARAH (FD27) also in the carrier role, landed 16 baskets. Prices – soles 1s per lb, plaice 2s 9d per score.
2.12.1889: The Fleetwood fishing fleet sent in some good catches, acting as a carrier along with IDA (FD51) and ALICIA (FD60).
21/22.12.1894: A whole fleet of trawlers and cargoes were lost during the great storm over Europe.
22.12.1894: Returned to Fleetwood (Sk. John Meadows) with damage and skipper injured.
20.5.1895: Reported that while fishing in a moderate NW gale (Sk. John Meadows), struck by a squall carrying away the channel plates of the rigging port side causing the mast to break about twenty feet above deck. The trawl gear was cut away and the EZRA (FD1) (Sk. John Wright) who was close by, connected and towed back to Fleetwood.
2/3.9.1902: The majority of the Fleetwood fishing smacks, were at sea when the gale sprang up but managed to reach shelter without loss of life. Most had a very rough time of it resulting in sails torn or blown away, spars broken and otherwise damaged. During the afternoon reached port in company with ZEPHYR (FD134) with sails torn and blown away.
25.2.1903: During the night, the Fylde Coast experienced the worst weather since the storm of December 1894, in a SSE Force 9 severe gale, reaching storm force in the squalls, torn from her moorings and after being buffeted about for several hours, fetched up on the hulking at Knott End in a relatively sheltered position.
26.2.1903: Refloated at high water and with minimal damage towed back into port.
21.11.1907: Laid up at Fleetwood ‘for want of skipper’.
6.1908: Sold to John Thomas Kee, 25 West Quay, Ramsey.
16.7.1908: Fleetwood registry closed. Registered at Ramsey, IoM (RY99).
1913: Ramsey registry closed.

Changelog
05/01/2009: Page published.
30/12/2015: Information updated.
05/10/2022: Updated history.
16/09/2023: Updated history.