Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 162210
Yard Number: 1098
Completed: 1930
Gross Tonnage: 379
Net Tonnage: 140
Length: 150.5 ft
Breadth: 25.5 ft
Depth: 13.1 ft
Engine: 96 hp T.3-cyl by Amos & Smith Ltd, Hull
Built: Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby

History

8.11.1930: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.1098) for Yorkshire Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Hull as BEACHFLOWER.
12.12.1930: Registered at Hull (H349).
15.12.1930: Completed (Albert Turgoose & James Clark, managers).
17.4.1934: Arrested for alleged unlawful fishery inside Norwegian territorial waters (Sk. Norton).
6.7.1934: In court at Vardoe, Norway, Sk. Norton was found “Guilty” and fined 5,000 kroner.
9.1935: As a result of the Abyssinian crisis and failure of British diplomacy, the Government authorised The Admiralty to procure twenty modern trawlers for conversion to minor war vessels.
11.1935: Following successful trials sold to The Admiralty.
8.11.1935: Hull registry closed. Fitted out as a “Berberis” class minesweeper. Renamed HMS LILAC (P.No. T.26).
23.5.1944: Assigned to Operation Neptune – Normandy landings. Assigned PLUTO (Pipe Line Under The Sea) project.
3.7.1944: Operation Neptune ended.
1946: Sold to Great Northern Fishing Co Ltd, London & Fleetwood (Robert S. Hewett, manager).
11.1946: Restored and reclassed at Fleetwood after return. Registered at London as ROBERT HEWETT (LO427).
1948: On Icelandic grounds. Connected to motor trawler ALLAN WATER (H420) disabled with engine problems. Repairs subsequently effected and tow slipped.
17.04.1948: Five crew charged with refusal to sail, claiming that the paint in their sleeping quarters was wet. Case dismissed by Chairman of Bench.
20.12.1950: Fitted for radar, the third vessel at the port to be fitted with the technology.
23.12.1951: Reported grounded at Calve Island, Tobermory. Subsequently refloated on the high tide by two other trawlers and returned to Fleetwood.
28.04.1952: On Icelandic grounds. Wireless Operator Harry Wilcock suffered severe burns as the result of a fish oil accident. Taken to Reykjavik hospital for treatment. After four months, subsequently flown to London airport before being transferred by train to Blackpool, where an ambulance took him to Fleetwood hospital for further treatment.
1955: Sold to Heward Trawlers Ltd, London & Fleetwood (R. S. Hewett & H. F. Hayward) (Robert S. Hewett, manager).
03.1958: Grounded in the River Wyre. Deckhand James Swann attempted to reach the shore but sank up to his waist in mud. Fishermen on the quayside threw him a rope and hauled him out.
09.1958: On Icelandic grounds. Altercation with the gunboat THOR resolved by the intervention of HMS Diana.
11.1960: Sold to BISCO and allocated to Thos. W. Ward Ltd, Sheffield for breaking up at Preston.
18.11.1960: Sailed Fleetwood for Preston.
18.11.1960: Delivered.
1960: London registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

HMT Lilac

HMT Lilac
Picture courtesy of The David Slinger Collection

S.T. Robert Hewett LO427
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection

S.T. Robert Hewett LO427
Picture from the Internet

S.T. Robert Hewitt LO427
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection

S.T. Robert Hewett LO427
Picture courtesy of The David Slinger Collection

Changelog
19/01/2009: Page published. 5 updates since then.
03/06/2017: Removed disputed images and FMHT watermarks.
01/02/2024: Minor history update.
02/02/2024: Minor history update.
04/02/2024: Minor history update.