Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm and Birgir Þórisson

Technical

Official Number: 123388
Yard Number: 434
Completed: 1907
Gross Tonnage: 221.33
Net Tonnage: 44.81
Length: 115.60 ft
Breadth: 22.65 ft
Depth: 13.50 ft
Built: Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen
Engine: 460ihp T.3.cyl by Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen

History

13.8.1907: Launched Mrs W. R. Wetherly at Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Yd.No.434) for Wetherly’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Aberdeen as MARY WETHERLY.
9.1907: Completed at a cost of £6,412 8s 9d.
6.9.1907: Registered at Aberdeen (A159). William R. Wetherly designated manager.
1907: Landing at Aberdeen (Messrs Smith, Jameson & Holmes, agents).
21.9.1907: Landed 120 boxes/1 score.
12.10.1907: Landed 180 boxes/51/2 tons.
19.10.1907; Landed 180 boxes/2 score.
9.11.1907: Landed 100 boxes/13 tons side fish.
27.12.1907: Landed 230 boxes/4 tons side fish.
1908: Landing at Aberdeen (Messrs Smith, Jameson & Holmes, agents).
25.2.1908: Landed 240 boxes/2 tons side fish.
6.5.1908: Landed 190 boxes/71/2 tons side fish.
9.10.1908: Landed 180 boxes /111/2 tons side fish.
1.1909: Fishing out of Fleetwood (Messrs Smith, Jameson & Holmes, agents).
18.1.1909: Rough weather on the fishing grounds, landed 80 boxes.
8.2.1909: Landed 100 boxes. 15.3.1909: Landed 240 boxes.
26.3.1909: Landed 250 boxes.
22.9.1909: Landed 250 boxes.
1.11.1909: Landed 220 boxes. To return to Aberdeen.
16.11.1909: At Aberdeen landed 101/2 tons.
30.4.1910: Landed 200 boxes.400 score.
1910: Fishing out of Fleetwood (Messrs Smith, Jameson & Holmes, agents).
26.4.1910: Landed 200 boxes.
16.6.1910: At Aberdeen landed 130 boxes/25 score.
17.6.1910: At Aberdeen landed 120 boxes/5 tons side fish.
12.8.1910: Landed 280 boxes.
24.8.1910: Landed 215 boxes.
19.9.1910: Landed 414 boxes including 200 boxes herring, made £256 gross.
10.1910: Returned to Aberdeen.
19.10.1910: Landed 171/2 tons.
9.11.1910: Landed 120 boxes/30score.
21.12.1910: Landed 160 boxes/12 score.
19.1.1911: Landed 50 boxes/14 score.
30.1.1911: Landed 100 boxes/15 tons side fish.
21.3.1911: Landed from an Iceland trip 260 boxes/89 tons long fish.
26.4.1911: Landed from an Iceland trip 93 tons.
6.1911: Again fishing out of Fleetwood (Messrs Smith, Jameson & Holmes, managing agents).
6.6.1911: Landed 305 boxes.
3.8.1911: Landed 123 boxes.
19.8.1911: Landed 210 boxes.
8.1911: Returned to Aberdeen.
4.10.1911: Landed 600 boxes of herring in very good condition which made 6s-9s/box.
25.12.1911: Landed at Aberdeen.
2.1.1912: Landed 190 boxes/25 score.
w/e 20.4.1912: Sailed Aberdeen in company with MARGARET WETHERLY (A344) and LOCH LEE (A325) to conduct operations in Iceland.
24.6.1912: At Aberdeen landed a good shot from Faroe grounds.
19.8.1912: At Fleetwood landed 210 boxes.
13.10.1912: At Fleetwood, shortly before 1.00 am, fire broke out in cabin, alarm raised by watchman and extinguished by two dock workers, Bagshaw and Rose, before fire brigade arrived. Only minor damage sustained.
11.1912: Returned to Aberdeen (Messrs Smith, Jameson & Holmes, agents).
22.11.1912: Landed 230 boxes/2 tons side fish.
26.12.1912: Landed 300 boxes/8 score.
4.1.1913: Landed 220 boxes/1 ton side fish.
27.1.1913: Landed 50 boxes/1 score.
30.4.1913: Landed 360 boxes/400 score.
3.7.1913: At Fleetwood landed 100 boxes – part landing.
4.7.1913: At Fleetwood landed 120 boxes – part landing.
12.8.1913: At Fleetwood landed 160 boxes.
12.8.1913: At Fleetwood magistrates court, Thomas Shaw, Warbrick Place was charged with stealing two hake, value 10s. After hearing the evidence of John Edward Singleton, shipbuilder, Shaw was fined £8 including costs or in default one month’s imprisonment (The severity of the fine was to deter others who had made a practise of stealing fish).
9.1913: Returned to Aberdeen (Messrs Smith, Jameson & Holmes, agents).
3.10.1913: Light landing supplemented with 40 crans of herring (42s-49s for large, 31s 6d for small).
5.11.1913: Homeward to Aberdeen from a nine day trip with 70 boxes (Sk. Kennard), in thick haze and a flat calm sea, but a stiff breeze. In the morning about 21/2 hours before high water went ashore at the Downies, near Portlethen, Kincardineshire. Villagers alerted by the ship’s siren, arrived on the scene and a boat was manned under Mr George Wood. The boat put out and found the crew comfortable and the trawler only superficially damaged. A rope was taken ashore and the vessel moored. About an hour later the Muchalls Life-Saving Brigade arrived and two men who wished to go ashore to notify the owners of the situation were taken off. Remainder, not being in any danger, elected to remain onboard. Subsequently refloated by Aberdeen Mutual Steamship & Trawlers Insurance Co salvage vessel OCEAN BRIDE (175grt/1894) and towed to Aberdeen. After landing placed on pontoon for inspection.
1.1.1914: Tonnage altered to 80.74 net under provision of Merchant Shipping Act 1907.
21.1.1914: Landed 300 boxes/16 score.
23.3.1914: Landed 150 boxes/11 score.
6.5.1914: Landed 390 boxes/75 score.
10.6.1914: Landed 160 boxes/52 score.
5.7.1914: At Fleetwood landed 345 boxes.
21.9.1914: At Fleetwood landed 167 boxes.
19.10.1914: At Fleetwood Police Court, Sk. John Bowman, Aberdeen was charged with embezzling portions of the catch. The trawler left Fleetwood on 1st October for the West of Scotand grounds with defendant as skipper; he was judged to be not perfectly sober, but fit to go to sea. During the trip, Bowman went ashore at Stornoway, Tobermory and Oban and took fish ashore, returning on one occasion with a bottle of liquor. Defendant was drunk repeatedly during the voyage which ended on 17th October. From Stornoway, George Thomas William Kennard, a director of the owners, received a communication and in response sent a telegram telling the agent to get the ship away in charge of the mate. On the 15th, in response to a message from the Ch. Eng, Archibald McIntosh, Kennard sent a further telegram to Oban derating the skipper and placing Facey, a deckhand who held a skippers ticket, in command. Facey brought the trawler from Oban back to Fleetwood. The trawler landed six baskets of fish from seven hauls. The Bench considered that the defendant had misused the confidence of the owners and they imposed a fine of £10 including costs or two months’ imprisonment.
1.4.1915: At Aberdeen landed from an Iceland trip 53 tons, £840 gross, a record for a local vessel since the start of the war.
8.3.1915: At Aberdeen landed 31 tons.
5.4.1915: Landed from an Iceland trip, made £860.
4.1915: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-6pdr) (Ad.No.1345).
1916: Based Malta with Unit 96 – patrol & escort duties.
16.7.1916: With trawler DRYPOOL (Ad.No.1753)(H375) escorting British steamer KHEPHREN (2774grt/1905), Liverpool for Alexandria. When some 178 miles E of Malta in position 36.08N 17.16E KHEPHREN was torpedoed and sunk by U-boat (U32) All crew picked by the two trawlers.
1919: Returned to owner.
25.1.1919: Sold to James Alexander McGlashan, Granton. James Alexander McGlashan designated managing owner.
6.2.1919: Sold to James Johnston, Newhaven, Edinburgh.
6.2.1919: Aberdeen registry closed.
14.2.1919: Registered at Granton (GN3). James Johnston designated managing owner.
26.1.1920: Sold to Maurice Wilkins & George Moreland, Manchester. Joseph A. Taylor, Fleetwood designated manager.
3.7.1920: Arrived Burntisland from Aberdeen to load bunker coal, on completion sailed for Shetland fishing grounds.
1.9.1920: At Aberdeen landed 140 crans herring (25s 6d to 51s 6d per cran).
1.1921: Continued fishing out of Aberdeen. Sam Isaacs (Aberdeen) Ltd designated managers. On charter to Bookless Brothers, Aberdeen/Sheffield to operate from Hafnarfjordur, Iceland, ‘salting’.
6.1921: Returned.
12.1921: Sold to Andrew Lewis, Aberdeen.
20.12.1921: Granton registry closed.
22.12.1921: Registered at Aberdeen (A818). Andrew Lewis designated managing owner.
1922: Sold to Andrew Lewis & J. Brodie, Aberdeen. Andrew Lewis designated manager.
17.7.1922: At Fleetwood land 170 boxes.
12.8.1922: Registered at Aberdeen as FORT JAMES (A818) (BoT Minute No. M/RG1342/1922 dated 7.8.1922). To work as a liner.
30.10.1922: At Fleetwood landed 60 boxes.
30.11.1922: Sheltering at Stromness Harbour, stress of weather.
1923: Fishing out of Aberdeen.
6.6.1923: Arrived Methil from Aberdeen to load bunker coal, on completion sailed for North Sea grounds.
9.7.1923: At Fleetwood landed 150 boxes – part landing.
10.7.1923: Landed 70 score roker and 40 score ling.
7.10.1923: Arrived Granton from Aberdeen to load bunker coal.
3.10.1923: Sailed for North Sea grounds.
6.12.1923: Arrived Granton from Aberdeen to load bunker coal subsequently sailed for North Sea grounds.
1.2.1924: Landed at Aberdeen.
4.12.1923: Arrived Granton from Aberdeen to load bunker coal.
5.2.1924: Sailed for North Sea grounds.
2.1924: Continued lining out of Aberdeen.
11.1924: Reverted to trawling.
14.6.1924: At Aberdeen landed a large King fish (White Trevally) which was caught off Orkney and fetched a fair price.
3.1926: Fitted out again for lining. Landing at Aberdeen.
27.5.1926: At Fleetwood landed 300 head of halibut.
15.6.1926: At Fleetwood land 170 boxes.
12.1926: Reverted to trawling. Landing at Aberdeen.
6.1927: Fitted out for lining. Landing at Aberdeen.
21.10.1927: With thirty trawlers and one steam liners landed an aggregate catch of 200 tons.
12.12.1927: With forty-three trawlers and two steam liners landed an aggregate catch of 410 tons. This included 45 tons of Iceland fish landed by a German trawler.
25.1.1928: With forty trawlers and two steam liners landed an aggregate catch of 220 tons. This included 16 tons of Iceland fish landed by a German trawler.
25.6.1928: With twenty-eight trawlers and one steam liners landed an aggregate catch of 275 tons.
11.12.1928: With forty-three trawlers and two steam liners landed an aggregate catch of 255 tons. This included 165 tons of White Sea fish landed by two German trawlers.
2.1929: Reverted to trawling. Landing at Aberdeen.
6.1929: Fitted out for lining. Landing at Aberdeen
23.7.1929: With thirty-six trawlers and two steam liners landed an aggregate catch of 440 tons.
2.9.1929: With forty-four trawlers and one steam liners landed an aggregate catch of 395 tons.
2.1930: Reverted to trawling. Landing at Aberdeen.
12.2.1930: With forty-nine trawlers and three steam liners landed an aggregate catch of 380 tons.
26.2.1930: Reported that a company had been formed in London (William Arthur Bennett, chairman, Thomas Thorburn Irvin, managing director) to exploit the fishing opportunities in the Davies Strait, Greenland, particularly halibut. The company was to use motor dories and steam liners to catch the fish and a refrigerated parent ship to freeze the catches. On return to UK, after four to five months, the fish would be defrosted as required to meet market demand.
9.4.1930: In the early hours the mail steamer St. SUNNIVA (864grt/1887)(Capt. Williamson), Leith for Lerwick, stranded in dense fog on the island of Mousa, 11 miles from Lerwick. With difficulty crew and passengers got away in the boats, leaving the steamer abandoned. In Stromness Harbour was FORT JAMES (Sk.Slater) and unaware that the passengers and crew were safe, the Stromness Life-Saving Company was embarked and proceeded to the casualty position, followed by the mail steamer EARL OF ZETLAND (232grt/1877) and the fishery vessel VAILA (28grt/1924). At the scene of the wreck no sign of life was visible and this was reported to the EARL OF ZETLAND which left to search Sandwick. The trawler anchored, at extreme risk, some 500 yds from the shore and put out her boat manned by volunteers. With a line attached they got to within 30 ft of the wreck and found empty boats and debris floating. At that point the EARL OF ZETLAND returned and reported that all had been saved. Returned to Stromness, landed the Life-saving Company and proceeded.
22.4.1930: Landed at Aberdeen.
5.1930: At North Shields, with steam trawlers, ETHEL IRVIN (A355), ELSWICK (A97), FORT WILLIAM (GY712), FLORENCE DOMBEY (A264), JENNY IRVIN (SN21), FLORA TAYLOR (PD444), SAXON (SN22), AUDREY (SN38), NELLIE WILSON (SN108) and drifter CONSOLATION (BK5), converted for lining and other modifications in preparation for a halibut line fishing expedition in Greenland waters. With ETHEL IRVIN to be manned by Aberdeen crews, the remainder by Norwegians with Tyneside engineers. The refrigerated steamer NORTHLAND, 5155grt/1903 (LO29) (Capt.Williams) will act as parent ship for the fleet and the catches will be transferred to her for preparation and refrigeration. NORTHLAND will also fish for cod, the livers to be processed and the fish filleted and salted, waste fish trimmings to be reduced to fish meal. Captain Thorsen of Brevik, Norway will act as leader of the expedition and direct the whole of the fishing operations.
17.5.1930: Sailed North Shields in company with eight other trawlers for Greenland fishing grounds; crew twelve men all told.
9.7.1930: Sold to Crater Steam Fishing Co Ltd, North Shields. Joseph D. Irvin, Monkseaton designated manager.
10.1930: Returned to Aberdeen.
6.5.1935: Sailed North Shields for the fishing grounds. While passing St. Mary’s Island, deckhand George Cole (19) was seen foundering in the water. Bert Jarman who was on watch in the wheelhouse at once altered course, threw a lifebelt towards Cole before jumping into the sea to help him. Another crewman lowered himself over the side and helped bring Cole back onboard. Returned to North Shields, Jarman and Cole taken to Tynemouth Infirmary suffering from shock.
15.4.1932: Landed at Aberdeen.
23.4.1932: Landed at Aberdeen.
17.2.1933: Landed at Aberdeen.
16.2.1936: Grounded in thick fog on the Black Middens rocks in the Tyne estuary. Later refloated and returned to service.
1937: Sold for breaking up.
7.5.1937: Aberdeen registry closed “Vessel broken up”.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Mary Wetherly A159
Picture courtesy of The David Slinger Collection

Fort James Crew
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
27/12/2008: Page published. 3 revisions since then.
29/10/2014: Picture added.
06/04/2018: Removed FMHT watermark from image.
25/06/2020: Information updated.
23/08/2021: Added image of crew.
27/08/2021: Major update of history and technical details.