Additional information courtesy of Geoff Davidson, David Slinger, Andy Hall and Gary Hicks

Technical

Admiralty Number: 4211
Official Number: 144432
Yard Number: 310
Completed: 1918
Gross Tonnage: 276
Net Tonnage: 123
Length: 125 ft
Breadth: 23.4 ft
Depth: 12.6 ft
Engine 480ihp T.3-cyl by J. P. Rennoldson & Sons Ltd, South Shields
Boiler: Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd Hebburn-on-Tyne
Built: J. P. Rennoldson & Sons Ltd, South Shields

History

10.10.1918: Completed by J. P. Rennoldson & Sons Ltd, South Shields (Yd.No.310) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as WILLIAM LEEK (Ad.No.4211). 8.10.1918: Commissioned.
10.10.1918: Completed as an escort (1-12pdr).
10.3.1920: Registered by The Admiralty at London (Part I) as WILLIAM LEEK O.N.144432. Laid up at Milford.
11.5.1920: Sold by auction at London (Baltic Exchange) to F. & T. Ross Ltd, Hull. Resold to The East Riding Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Hull. Fitted out at Hull as a fishing vessel.
8.1920: London registry closed.
14.8.1920: Registered at Hull (H226).
14.8.1920: Charles Hudson, Hessle designated manager.
20.9.1920: Registered at Hull as CAVENDISH (H226)(BoT M. 12280/20 dated 28.7.1920).
6.11.1923: Sold Kingston Steam Trawling Co Ltd (64/64), Hull for £7,250.
7.11.1923: Walter Scott designated manager.
8.11.1923: Sailed on first trip for Kingston.
23.11.1923: Registered at Hull as HIDDENITE (H226) (BoT M.RG 1048/1923 dated 2.11.1923).
24.3.1925: John William Lown designated manager.
2.6.1928: Sold to J. Marr & Son Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood for £5,750.
6.6.1928: Joseph Arthur Marr designated manager.
19.6.1928: First landing at Fleetwood, 120 boxes. First box of fish was secured by Mr Harry Chapman who paid 94s for a 10-stone box of hake and in accordance with the usual practice received a new hat from the owners.
26.6.1928: Hull registry closed.
28.6.1928: Registered at Fleetwood (FD180).
15.7.1928: Homeward from West of Scotland grounds (Sk. Charles Robinson). On entering Sound of Islay ran into dense fog and rain and at 4.00am stranded on rocks close to Port Askaig, and heeled to starboard at low water. Launched boat as a precaution, checked, sound and not making water but in a very bad position with lee rail underwater at high tide. Several of the crew did not want to go back onboard and pulled over to Port Askaig for onward passage to Fleetwood. Steam trawler DEAN SWIFT (D335) responded to distress and at high tide connected and attempted to refloat but unsuccessful.
16.7.1928: DEAN SWIFT again attempted to refloat without success and on arrival of a Glasgow tug left the scene for home.
17.7.1928: With tides making, Glasgow tug was successful in refloating at 6.00am on the second attempt. Checked and proceeded to Fleetwood.
11.10.1920: At Fleetwood landed 300 boxes.
10.2.1929: Arrested by Scottish Fishery Board’s cruiser VIGILANT whilst fishing seven miles inside the prohibited area in the Firth of Clyde. Taken to Campbeltown.
11.2.1929: At Campbeltown Sheriff Court Sk. John Arthur Mewse pleaded guilty to trawling in a prohibited area and in view of his five previous convictions for trawling in prohibited areas he was fined £100 and gear forfeited.
1.4.1929: Geoffrey Edwards Marr designated manager.
21.5.1929: Registered at Fleetwood as HILDINA (FD180) (M/RG1148/29).
25.4.1930: Christopher Blair (23), fireman was brought in from sea with severe injuries to his left side having fallen into the coal bunker. Transferred to hospital.
28.2.1933: At Fleetwood, Sk. Clarence Taylor was fined £1 and costs by Magistrates for excessive use of the steam whistle in the Wyre Channel to the annoyance of the public.
7.1.1937: Hauling up on the slipway, heeled over and two painters scrubbing down were thrown from their raft into the Fish Dock.
16.12.1938: Stranded in Islay Sound. Forefoot damaged and twisted. Steam trawler TEROMA (FD17) some fifteen miles away responded to her distress and on arrival stood by. Refloated by tug and and then escorted to Oban. Subsequently repaired and returned to service.
27.8.1939: Requisitioned for war service on examination service and as a minesweeper (P.No.FY.541) (Hire rate £82.16.0d/month). Based Granton with M/S Group 32 (Sk W. T. E. Page DSC RNR).
23.4.1946: Returned to owner after refit and re-classification at Glasgow.
24.6.1946: Sold to The Brixham Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood (Dugdall & Son, managers) for £19850. Registered at Fleetwood as AIGRET (FD180).
23.5.1947: Called Oban to land three crew members of the MYRA from Murrisk, Co Mayo. The men were picked up off Barra Head having been adrift since 3 May. 30.1.1953: In strong winds and rough sea, hauled gear and dodging W1/2S of Dubh Artacht Light in the hope of an improvement in the weather. At 8.30 pm. sighted Fleetwood trawler MICHAEL GRIFFITH (FD249). A short time after an adverse weather forecast was received and the skipper decided to seek shelter and set a course to the E of Skerryvore. Passing close the MICHAEL GRIFFITH continued northwards and his stern light was visible until about 11.10pm. This was the last sighting of the MICHAEL GRIFFITH. which was lost with all thirteen crew the following day.
1956: Sold to Belgian principals for breaking up.
17.3.1956: Arrived Boom.
24.3.1956: Fleetwood registry closed.

Note: William Leek (Luck), AB (volunteer), age 41, b. Canterbury, Kent – VICTORY (SB142)

Note:
25.10.1937:
Gallantry at sea over four years ago was recognised at Fleetwood yesterday when a wireless set was presented to Thomas Harrison, deckhand of Lingfield Road who plunged to rescue boatswain Phillip Kay of the trawler HILDINA when he was washed overboard off West Scotland.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Hiddenite FD180
Picture courtesy of The David Slinger Collection

S.T. Hildina FD180
Picture courtesy of The David Slinger Collection

HMT Hildina
Picture reproduced under IWM Non-Commercial Licence

S.T. Hildina FD180
Picture courtesy of The Fred Baker Collection

S.T. Aigret FD180
Picture courtesy of The David Slinger Collection

S.T. Aigret FD180
Picture courtesy of The David Slinger Collection

Changelog
24/01/2009: Page published. 5 revisions since then.
20/10/2014: Picture added.
14/12/2015: Page updated.
05/06/2017: Added an image and removed FMHT watermarks.
25/01/2019: Updated information and added an image.
08/01/2021: Updated history.