Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 139795
Yard Number: 428
Completed: 1917
Gross Tonnage: 229.29
Net Tonnage: 88.55
Length: 115.1 ft
Breadth: 22.7 ft
Depth: 12.1 ft
Built: John Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co
Engine: T.3-cyl by Wm Beardmore & Co Ltd, Glasgow

History

3.1917: Launched by The John Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co. (Yd.No.428) for Wetherly’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Aberdeen as AGNES H. WETHERLY.
3.1917: Completed.
30.3.1917: Registered at Aberdeen (A743). First skipper W. J. Anneson.
5.1917: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-6pdr) (Ad.No.3041). Based Egypt.
By 4.1.1919: Returned to owners at Aberdeen.
9.8.1919: Landed 700 boxes/2 tons loose.
27.11.1919: Landed 229 boxes/ 8cwt.
1920-23: Fishing out of Aberdeen.
26.2.1923: At Fleetwood landed 140 boxes.
16.8.1923: At Fleetwood landed 129 boxes.
2.2.1924 -19.12.1925: Taking bunker coal at Burntisland.
7.3.1926: At Fleetwood landed 230 boxes. One of twenty-eight trawlers landing that day. There was brisk demand and higher prices were realised.
7.10.1926: At Aberdeen Sheriff Court an extraordinary case unfolded. John Mitchell, 23 Gordon Street, Aberdeen, cook, denied that on August 5 he failed without reasonable excuse to join the ship. Sk. Thomas Fitzpatrick, 6 King Street, Aberdeen had been drinking with the accused in the morning. The crew were ordered to join the ship at 12 noon, Mitchell came onboard under the influence of alcohol, but at the order to let go, he jumped ashore. The skipper then jumped ashore and ran after Mitchell to get him to come back on board, Mitchell started sparring and the skipper knocked him down. Mitchell said that there had been drink brought onboard before sailing and it was ‘touch and go’ whether the skipper was capable of taking the ship to sea, he therefore jumped ashore. The Sheriff said that the evidence was hopeless on both sides and the skipper was not setting a good example to the crew. The complaint was dismissed.
22.11.1926: Took bunker coat at Burntisland.
18.1.1927 – 14.5.1927: Taking bunker coal at Granton.
18.2.1927: Sold to Richard Watson Lewis, Aberdeen.
11.1932: Company wound up and all vessels sold.
15.12.1932: Sold to North Eastern Fisheries Ltd, Aberdeen. Smith & Holmes, Aberdeen agents.
29.12.1934: Landed 110 boxes/2 score.
12.3.1935: Landed 250 boxes/10 score.
10.6.1935: Landed100 boxes/3 score.
25.9.1935: Landed180 boxes/6 score.
21.1.1936: Landed 180 boxes/12 score.
16.3.1936: Skipper John Wood Smith, 199 Victoria Road, Aberdeen, left the trawler about noon. About 1.00pm he called at an office in King Street and complained of feeling unwell. A doctor was summoned and Smith was found to be seriously ill. He was taken to the Royal Infirmary where he lapsed into unconsciousness and died at about 4.00pm.
29.1.1937: Having been almost swamped by a huge wave at Faroe, arrived Macduff with 200 boxes of fish.
25.3.1937: Landed 220 boxes/10 score.
3.7.1937: Landed 120 boxes/1 score.
29.9.1938: In dense fog, stood by the Grimsby trawler WORSLEY (GY506) which had stranded in the early morning under Berry Head, near Torness on the south west coast of the island of Hoy. The Longhope lifeboat, THOMAS McCUNN, and life saving brigade, alerted by Wick radio, also attended and the lifeboat took off crew. Middlesbrough steam tug KINGS CROSS (282grt/1918) arrived on scene from Scrabster and reported attempting to refloat. At 10.56am reported that trawler was filling with water. Tow abandoned after two hours, tow rope and wires lost. Vessel total loss.
27.9.1938: Landed 210 boxes/3 score.
1.11.1938: In heavy weather sheltering in Pierwall Harbour, Westray (Sk. William McPherson). Alerted by the Norwegian motor vessel STIRLINGVILLE (4995grt/1935), which had sighted the MARSTAL registered auxiliary schooner Nordstjernen (242grt/1913), Riga for Ireland, cargo timber, dismasted with engine out of action. The motor vessel was unable to help as she was in ballast. Put to sea towards casualty. After three hours came upon the schooner, and found the crew of seven suffering from the intense cold and wet and with great difficulty the tow was connected at the third attempt. When passing the tow, the schooner had rammed the trawler stern and Daniel McPherson, son of the skipper narrowly escaped injury.
2.11.1938: After a hazardous tow reached the safety of Pierwall Harbour.
4.11.1938: With weather moderated somewhat, at about 3.00am sailed Pierwall Harbour for Kirkwall with tow. After another difficult journey safely delivered to anchor in Kirkwall Bay. At about 3.30pm sailed for Aberdeen to catch the Saturday morning market with her catch.
7.8.1939: Landed115 boxes/15 score.
17.6.1940: Requisitioned for war service as an armed patrol vessel (P.No.4.279) (Hire rate £66.15.10d/month) – listed as AGNES WETHERLY.
7.1941: At Dundee payed off for refit.
16.11.1942: Sold to William Carnie Jnr & Thomas Young Carnie, Granton. William Carnie Jnr designated manager.
12.1945: Returned to owner at Aberdeen.
15.12.1945: Aberdeen registry closed.
12.1945: Registered at Granton (GN9).
30.3.1946: Sold to George Robb & Sons Ltd, Aberdeen.
15.11.1946: Registered at Aberdeen as Viking Monarch (A25). (MoT Minute RGNo.1573/1946 dated 9.11.1946).
15.9.1952: At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, William Robertson, 73 Ruthrieston Circle, Aberdeen admitted three breaches of the Merchant Shipping Act by failing to join the ships, VIKING MONARCH, DELIA (A182) and LINBURN (?) at the time arranged. Robertson had two previous convictions and was sent to prison for twenty-eight days.
24.12.1952: While alongside in Aberdeen a fire broke out in the forecastle. The outbreak was seen by a box pool employee at about 4.30 am and the alarm was raised. The Fire Brigade arrived and succeeded in extinguishing the blaze but there was considerable damage.
22.1.1953: At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Francis Kane, 22 St. Andrew Street, Aberdeen, deckhand, was charged with disobeying a lawful command to sail in the trawler on August 7, 1952. Although this was Kane’s second offence, he overslept and was late, but did not delay the sailing. Fined £8 with 35/- expenses.
27.8.1953: At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Robert G. Buchan (26), 31 Ugie Street, Peterhead who had failed to sail on three separate occasions was fined a total of £16. Buchan pleaded guilty to (1) on August 15 1952 while fireman on the Aberdeen steam trawler GEORGE ROBB (A406) failed to sail: (2) on August 20, 1952, when fireman on the Aberdeen steam trawler VIKING MONARCH, failed to sail: (3) on October 9, 1952 while deckhand on the ‘Shields steam trawler JOHN DONOVAN (SN52), failed to sail.
29.7.1955: Arrived Aberdeen from the Faroe grounds.
30.7.1955: At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, George Muir, c/o The Seamen’s Mission, Aberdeen, a fireman, was charged with knowingly concealing 50 cigars and 230 cigarettes with intent to evade duty when the trawler berthed yesterday. He was fined £7 10/- with the goods confiscated.
20.9.1955: With two other trawlers, despite the ongoing strike at Aberdeen, landed 450 boxes. There was good demand for the catches at the sales.
17.4.1956: At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Benjamin Cross (29), 1 Barron Street, Woodside, Aberdeen along with two others admitted failing to join the steam trawler BEN GLAS (SN336) on 22nd March, saying that the trawler had a leak in the forecastle and was not seaworthy. The trio were given a further opportunity to join the vessel but they refused. Cross had seven previous conviction. All three were sentenced to 28 days imprisonment. Cross was then brought back into the dock and pleaded guilty to failing to sail with the VIKING MONARCH on 11th February . He was sentenced to a further 28 days imprisonment.
10.8.1956: At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Robert Mundie (25), 1 Kerloch Gardens, Aberdeen was fined £7 10/- for failing to join the trawler and sail. He had three previous convictions.
12.1.1959: Responded to distress of Aberdeen steam trawler GEORGE ROBB (A406), stranded some 100 yards from shore in Deer Sound, Orkney. Connected but at high water failed to refloat. The weather is calm and the trawler and crew are in no immediate danger. Subsequently refloated and proceeded.
16.11.1960: Landed at Aberdeen. Last skipper Joseph Findlay.
1960: Sold to Dutch shipbreakers.
7.4.1961: Aberdeen registry closed “ Advice received from beneficial owners.”

Changelog
07/09/2021: Page published.