Additional information courtesy of Andy Hall and Maggie Law Maritime Museum

Technical

Admiralty Number: 4299
Official Number: 144161
Yard Number: 415
Completed: 1919
Gross Tonnage: 290
Net Tonnage: 127
Length: 125.5 ft
Breadth: 23.5 ft
Depth: 12.7 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by Amos & Smith Ltd, Hull
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley

History

1.5.1919: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.415)(“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as JOSHUA ARABIN (Ad.No.4299).
26.8.1919: The Admiralty (Director of Contracts) letter giving Charles F. Paton, Glasgow the option to purchase twelve steam trawlers at a price of £182,000.
9.10.1919: Completed as a fishing vessel.
21.10.1919: Option transferred by Charles F Paton to The Montrose Fishing Co Ltd.
1919: Sold to The Montrose Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Montrose. Charles F. Paton, Glasgow designated manager.
26.12.1919: Registered at Montrose (Part I & IV) as JOSHUA ARABIN O.N.144161 (ME67).
23.3.1920: Registered at Montrose as RIVER FORTH (ME67).
26.8.1921: Extraordinary general meeting called for the purpose of considering resolutions for the voluntary winding-up of the company, and the selling, by the liquidators, of the business and property of the company to a new company proposed to be formed with a name nearly as may be the same as that of the present company. Further finance to be arranged. Vessels laid up.
9.1921: Some vessels returned to fishing. Harry A. Holmes, Aberdeen designated manager.
10.5.1922: Extraordinary general meeting of the Company has been called in Edinburgh to consider the voluntary winding-up of the Company as, in the words of the resolution submitted, it ” cannot, by reason of its liabilities, continue its business.”
10.5.1922: Company in voluntary liquidation; deficit about £100,000. Mr James Winning, chartered accountant, Glasgow appointed liquidator on advice of National Bank of Scotland Ltd the largest secured creditor.
5.10.1922: Sold by the liquidator to Melling Trawlers Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood. Henry Melling, Preston appointed manager.
30.10.1922: Montrose registry closed.
1.11.1922: Registered at Fleetwood (FD417).
18.11.1922: Registered at Fleetwood as LENA MELLING (FD417).
13.1.1925: Assisted Liverpool steamer AQUILLA (450grt/1907) in Ramsey Bay flooded and without steam. Towed to safety.
1931: Sold to William C. Farrow (64/64), Hull.
12.1931: Sold to Farrow’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Hull. William C. Farrow & George Altoft designated joint managers.
17.12.1931: Fleetwood registry closed.
21.12.1931: Registered at Hull (H395).
18.1.1932: Registered at Hull as De La POLE (H395).
23.8.1933: Sold to Hudson Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Hull. Archibald Hudson, Hessle designated manager.
19.10.1933: In strong SSE wind disabled with fouled propeller. Trawler ALMANDINE (H415) connected and delivered Hull.
12.11.1935: Sold to Harry Eastoe Rees (64/64), Milford Haven. Harry Eastoe Rees designated managing owner.
15.11.1935: Hull registry closed.
9.12.1935: Registered at Milford (M195).
1.9.1939: Sold to Henrikson & Co Ltd (64/64), Hull. Olaf Henrikson designated manager.
10.11.1939: Milford registry closed.
13.11.1939: Registered at Hull (H234).
27.5.1940: Requisitioned for war service and as an anti submarine trawler (P.No. 4.129).
28.5.1940: Hire rate £90.12.6d/month.
6.1941: Fitted out as a minesweeper (P.No. FY.558).
13.2.1944: Sold to The Clifton Steam Trawlers Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood.
12.1945: Hull registry closed.
13.12.1945: Registered at Fleetwood (FD144).
19.12.1945: Returned to owners after being re-classed at Liverpool.
7.7.1952: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood. Fred Parkes, Blackpool designated manager.
24.1.1953: Landed and laid up.
1955: Company re-styled Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd, Fleetwood. Fred Parkes, Blackpool appointed manager.
11.1956: Transferred to Milford (W. H. Kerr (Ship Chandlers) Ltd, Milford Haven, managing agents).
4.6.1957: Last landing at Milford.
1957: Sold to BISCO and allocated to Thos. W. Ward, Sheffield for breaking up.
2.7.1957: Arrived Castle Pill, Milford Haven.
29.7.1957: Fleetwood registry closed.
16.11.1957: Breaking completed.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Lena Melling FD144
Picture courtesy of The James Cullen Collection

S.T. De La Pole FD144
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
22/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
20/07/2015: Picture added.
07/10/2015: Information updated.
20/04/2017: Removed disputed image and added another.
08/01/2018: Removed FMHT watermark from image.
20/04/2018: Updated information.