Additional information courtesy of Andy Hall

Technical

Official Number: 128759
Yard Number: 504
Completed: 1912
Gross Tonnage: 220.78
Net Tonnage: 86.56
Length: 120.0 ft
Breadth: 22.0 ft
Depth: 11.7 ft
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough
Engine: T.3-cyl by MacColl & Pollock Ltd, Sunderland

History

6.12.1911: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough (Yd.No.504) for James Thomas, Milford Haven as VICTORIA.
7.2.1912: Registered at Milford (M117). James Thomas designated managing owner.
2.1912: Completed.
4.1915: Requisitioned for war service.
14.4.1915: Commissioned.
17.4.1915: Arrived Devonport. Fitted out as a minesweeper (1-3pdr) (Ad.No.1752).
5.1915: Based at Killybegs, Co. Donegal (Sk. John Insole RNR).
6.1915: Renamed VICTORIA II.
16.10.1917: Sold to Wyre Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood. Magnus B. J. Wedum designated manager.
27.12.1917: Sailed Killybegs for Campbeltown.
28.12.1917: Joined Ardrossan group.
1.6.1918: Sk. Ellis Knight RNR appointed CO.
12.1918: At Ardrossan not listed after this date.
Post 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Fleetwood. Reverted to VICTORIA (M117).
10.9.1919: Milford registry closed.
11.9.1919: Registered at Fleetwood (FD346).
3.1920: Sold to The Stepney Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Scarborough. Abraham Moore designated manager.
07.03.1920: Arrived Scarborough, first trip and landed a large catch including 125 score of cod and 130 boxes of mixed fish.
26.3.1920: Fleetwood registry closed.
27.3.1920: Registered at Scarborough (SH268).
28.9.1922: Sold to The Co-operative Fishing Society Ltd (64/64), Scarborough.
1923: Charles A. Oxley designated manager.
1929: At Grimsby for survey, boiler condemned. Returned to Scarborough. Laid up.
22.1.1930: Sold to Robert Taylor & Sons Ltd (64/64), Dundee. William N. Taylor designated manager. Re-boilered and fitted out as a great liner.
1933: Chartered to the Sea Fisheries Association of Ireland and based at Waterford, Co. Waterford.
27.1.1933: While leaving Waterford for the fishing grounds in heavy weather, John Lane, fireman, was thrown against the machinery, dislocating his shoulder. Lane was landed at Passage East, Co. Waterford for medical attention.
3.10.1933: Whilst manoeuvring above the Market House, Waterford, caught by tide and collided with a large pontoon, causing denting to pontoons framework and breaking the concrete surface.
14.10.1933: Released after bonds of £900 were lodged with the court/bank.
10.10.1933: Arrived at Waterford and arrested under a writ served by the Waterford Harbour Commissioners, in connection with the collision with the pontoon. As the trawlers owners and underwriters are outside the jurisdiction of the Free State, the vessel was arrested to procure security of payment by bonds.
29.10.1934: Sold to Arthur Brown (64/64), Tynemouth. Arthur Brown designated managing owner. Reverted to trawling.
30.3.1937: Sold to William Henzell Rutherford (64/64), Tynemouth. William H. Rutherford designated managing owner.
02.1.1939: While lying at the Western Quay, North Shields, seen by a watchman to be sinking. The alarm was raised and the police launch used her pumps to get the water under control.
5.7.1939: Proceeding to sea from North Shields (Sk. J. Windrum), caught by the tide and grounded on the north side of the harbour; refloated later with no damage.
4.8.1939: At Tynemouth Borough Police Court, Sk. John Windrum, North Shields, and Mate/owner, William Rutherford, Tynemouth, appeared for offences under the Sea Fishing Industry (Immature Sea Fish) Order 1938. Windrum was fined £5 for landing haddocks of smaller size than prescribed by the order at North Shields Fish Quay on July 5th, and £5 for taking immature haddocks on board the trawler and not returning them to the sea on or about July 4th. Rutherford, was fined £5 for allowing immature haddocks to be taken board and not returned to the sea.
5.3.1940: Requisitioned for war service and designated for minesweeping duties (Hire rate £55.5.0d/month).
16.3.1940: Returned to owner.
12.1946: Returned to service after boiler repairs.
24.11.1947: At Tynemouth Magistrates Court, four men who had been engaged to serve in the trawler and were absent without leave were fined £2 each and costs. They were George William Fenwick (31), North Shields; John William Winspear (38), Alfred Ernest Norman (54), Hartlepool; and Alexander Duncan Sutherland (32), South Shields. All had pleaded not guilty. The trawler was due to sail on 19.11.1947. The men asked if they could have an extra night in port. This was granted, and it was settled to sail on 20.11.1947. On that morning the accused men asked for another night in because it was the Royal wedding day. The request was refused and they left the ship.
5.8.1948: Arrived in the Tyne with a mine onboard which had been hauled up some 35 miles off the Tyne. The explosive charge was extracted the next day by a Royal Navy Mine Disposal team.
29.11.1949: Owner change of address to 157 Yarmouth Rd, Lowestoft.
1950: Sold for breaking up.
6.7.1950: Sailed North Shields for Lowestoft.
8.7.1950: Laid up at Lowestoft.
31.1.1951: Scarborough registry closed (Folio 34) “Vessel broken up at Lowestoft”.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Victoria SH268
Painting by Tom Robson courtesy of the George Westwood Collection

S.T. Victoria SH268
Picture courtesy of George Westwood from George Scales Collection

S.T. Victoria SH268
Picture courtesy of The George Westwood Collection

S.T. Victoria SH268
Picture courtesy of the George Westwood Collection

Changelog
08/01/2009: Page published. 9 updates since then.
03/08/2015: Picture added.
05/11/2015: Picture added and information updated.
23/12/2015: Information updated.
29/05/2017: Removed FMHT watermarks from images.
09/07/2020: Updated information.