Technical

Admiralty Number: 4300
Official Number: 144027
Yard Number: 416
Completed: 1920
As built: 360disp 125.6 x 23.5 x 12.8 ft.
Gross Tonnage: 290
Net Tonnage: 126
Length: 125.5 ft
Breadth: 23.6 ft
Depth: 13.5 ft
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley
Engine: 480ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by Amos & Smith Ltd, Hull

History

2.6.1919: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.416) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as THOMAS ALTOFT (Ad.No.4300).
1919: Sold to Iago Steam Trawlers Ltd, Milford Haven (Edward W. D. Lawford, manager).
12.1919: Completed as a fishing vessel.
7.1.1920: Delivered.
9.1.1920: Registered at Hull (Part I & IV) as THOMAS ALTOFT O.N.144027 (H132).
12.3.1920: While off the Irish coast, with tug FLYING FOAM (217grt/1917), rendered assistance to French steamer La SALLE (2697grt/1919) disabled having lost rudder.
28.4.1921: Awarded £950 salvage money by the Admiralty Court (FLYING FOAM awarded £100).
28.11.1922: Sold to Albion Steam Fishing Co, Hull (George H. Brown, manager).
1937: W. Holroyd appointed manager.
7.2.1939: Sold to Mills Steam Ship Co Ltd, London (Brand & Curzon Ltd, Milford Haven, managers).
25.7.1939: Insured value £5,000.
30.8.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (P.No.FY.552)(Hire rate £94.5.0d/month). Based Aberdeen with 41st M/S Group.
15.1.1942: Sold to J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood for £8,625.
22.4.1946: Returned to owner.
6.11.1947: Sailed Fleetwood for West of Scotland grounds (Sk. Charles Walter); fourteen crew.
8.11.1947: After making two hauls off Barra Head left grounds at approx 11.00 a.m. because of SW gale and poor visibility, with the intention of fishing at Butt of Lewis ground. At approx 10.20 p.m. stranded on rocks off Eilean Glas, Harris.
9.11.1947: Steam trawler FLANDERS (FD165)(Sk. Thomas W. Kirby MBE*) responded to wireless calls and Sk. Kirby, with great seamanship, took his vessel in between the rocks to allow crewmen to jump from the forecastle head; this was repeated five times and by approx. 3.00 a.m. all fifteen men had been taken off.
1948: Declared a CTL.
25.8.1948: The BOT Formal Investigation (No.S.407) found that the stranding and subsequent loss was due to the failure of Sk. Walter to put navigation in charge of a certificated officer and to the ignorance of the deckhands left in charge. Sk. Walters ticket was suspended for nine months.
Note* In 1948, Skipper Kirby was awarded an inscribed silver bowl for his exceptional services in the rescue of the crew members).

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Thomas Altoft H132
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
08/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
11/04/2021: Updated history and technical details.