Technical

Official Number: 139345
Yard Number: 657
Completed: 1919
Gross Tonnage: 215
Net Tonnage: 88
Length: 115.4 ft
Breadth: 22.1 ft
Depth: 12.1 ft
Engine: 74hp T.3-cyl by Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen
Built: Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen

History

12.6.1919: Launched by Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Yd.No.657) (“Strath” class) for The Admiralty as MICHAEL BRION (Ad.No.4430).
9.7.1919: Completed as a fishing vessel for Leonard C. Cockrell, Wivenhoe as STURDEE.
21.7.1919: Registered at Hull (H72).
1919: On registration at Hull measured 202g.
17.9.1919: Hull registry closed.
22.9.1919: Registered at Lowestoft (LT588).
12.1919: Sold to Vanessa Fishing Co Ltd, Lowestoft (Leonard C. Cockrell, manager).
1923: Sold to Arthur S. Bowlby, Harlow (Edward D. W. Lawford, c/o Iago Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Milford Haven, manager).
7.5.1925: Arrested for trawling inside the limits in Bantry Bay, Co. Cork (Sk. Henry A. Edward).
27.8.1925: Appeared at Bantry District Court and fined.
1930: Transferred to Fleetwood when Edward D. W. Lawford moved his vessels to the port.
1932: Laid up at Fleetwood.
9.1932: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Basil A. Parkes, manager).
9.1932: Sold to John Gore, Aberdeen (managing owner).
5.11.1932: Lowestoft registry closed.
19.11.1932: Registered at Aberdeen (A219).
1933: Sold to Gorspen Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Alexander J. Spence, manager).
1937: Sold to Alexander A. Davidson, Aberdeen (managing owner).
25.11.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper; employed on auxiliary patrol duties (Nore/Harwich)(Hire rate £63.2.6d/month).
31.1.1940: Returned.
1940: Sold to T. W. N. Davidson, Aberdeen (Alexander A. Davidson, manager).
1940: Directed to Fleetwood under wartime controls (Iago Steam Trawling Co Ltd, managers).
1944: Returned to Aberdeen.
1945: Sold to Looker Fishing Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Alexander A. Davidson, manager).
11.10.1956: Sailed Aberdeen on a North Sea trip (Sk.William Wilson); eleven crew.
19.10.1955: Arrived back off Aberdeen at 5.30 pm decided not to enter port but to drift in Aberdeen Bay until morning. Weather deteriorated in the evening, W to SW wind, moderate to heavy ground swell with poor visibility in passing rain showers. At about 9.30 pm. low water, stranded in a position to the northward of the Aberdeen North Breakwater . Crew of eleven* taken off by Aberdeen lifeboat HILTON BRIGGS (Cox. George Flett) and landed in Aberdeen.
20.10.1955: Catch landed.
10.1955: Declared a CTL and subsequently broken up in situ.
12/12.3.1956: At the Formal Investigation (S.435) held at Aberdeen, the Court found that the stranding and subsequent total loss was due to the fault of Sk Wilson and also of Reuben Rae, who had falsely claimed to hold a Second Hand’s Certificate. Sk. Wilson’s ticket was suspended for one year and Reuben Rae ordered to pay £15 towards the cost of the investigation.

(Crew* – All Aberdeen unless stated. Sk. William Wilson, Macduff; Reuben Rae, Mate; Charles Trowbridge, 2nd fisherman; John A. Reid, Buckie, Ch Eng; James Connell, 2nd Eng; Larry McEhatton, James Findlay, John Morrice, deckhands; Charles Shand, William Watt, firemen; Gordon Westland, cook.)

(Michael Brion, Landsman, age 25, b. Bandon, Co. Cork – ROYAL SOVEREIGN (SB728))

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Sturdee A219
Picture courtesy of Billy Worrall

Changelog
07/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
25/06/2015: Picture added.
20/01/2018: Removed FMHT watermark from image.