© Barry Banham

Technical

Official Number: 130028
Yard Number: 127
Completed: 1911
Gross Tonnage: 82
Net Tonnage: 37
Length: 84.6 ft
Breadth: 18.1 ft
Depth: 8.8 ft
Built: Crabtree & Co Ltd, Gt. Yarmouth
Engine: C.2-cyl by Crabtree & Co Ltd, Gt. Yarmouth
Boiler: Riley Bros (Boilermakers) Ltd, Stockton on Tees

History

1911: Launched by Crabtree & Co Ltd, Gt. Yarmouth (Yd.No.127) for Thomas Alban Utting, Kessingland as ACCEPTABLE.
5.1911: Completed.
30.5.1911: Registered at Lowestoft (LT1125). Thomas A. Utting designated managing owner.
31.12.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a patrol drifter (1-6pdr) (Ad.No.1299). Later fitted out as a minesweeping drifter.
10.1917 – 3.1919: Employed as a minesweeper with ASM137.
24.11.1917: In the English Channel off Ramsgate, U.boat (U48) (Kapitanleutnant Karl Edeling) fouled the A/S nets laid to the north of the Goodwins and at about 3.00am. drifted onto the bank. The U.boat was lightened in anticipation of refloating. At daybreak on leaving Ramsgate, drifters MAJESTY (Ad.No.1292) (LT66), PARAMOUNT (Ad.No.1295) (LT1116) and PRESENT HELP (Ad.No.222) (LT1120), proceeding north sighted the stationary U-boat. Closing, they opened fire with their 6pdrs and the fire was returned by the U48 with her superior weaponry, inflicting some damage to PRESENT HELP. With drifters FEASIBLE (Ad.No.221) (LT1191) and LORD CLAUD HAMILTON (Ad.No.) (LT1047 ) joined in and the destroyer HMS GYPSY (‘C’ class) engaged the U48 with her 12pdr scoring thirteen hits. The encounter was brief and escape impossible, Kapitanleutnant Edeling ordered timed scuttling charges to be placed fore and aft and surrendered. The U-boat blew up and with 19 dead including the CO, the 17 survivors were landed at Ramsgate.
Post 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Lowestoft (T. A. Utting, c/o Hobson & Co, Lowestoft).
11.7.1919: Sold to Robert Frater, Dorothy Mary Frater, Knightsbridge & Charles Edward Naich, Hammersmith, London.
23.8.1919: Lowestoft registry closed.
8.1919: Registered at Ramsgate (R78).
1919: Sold to Thanet Steam Trawling Co Ltd, London. Thomas W. Chapman, Ramsgate designated manager.
19.1.1924: Sold to Frederick Spashett, Lowestoft.
1.1921: Ramsgate registry closed.
30.1.1924: Registered at Lowestoft (LT1291). Frederick Spashett designated managing owner.
31.1.1924: Sold to County Fishing Co Ltd, Lowestoft. Wilfred George Lucas, Stowmarket designated manager.
29.8.1936: At Buncrana with rudder damage.
15.7.1939: Delivered steam drifter DEVON COUNTY ((LT526) to Aberdeen with broken crankshaft after tow from Stronsay.
Pre 1943-1945: Fishing out of Fleetwood. Jack Breach, managing agent.
7.7.1943: Typical landing. 124 kits – cod-76, whiting-6, flats-9, roker-30, gurnard-2, prime-1.
4.1945: Ronald Henry Self designated manager.
1.7.1945: Broke mainmast at sea.
3.3.1946: At Lowestoft with damage after striking Pier.
28.5.1946: Returned to Lowestoft in leaking condition.
2.3.1947: At Lowestoft, broke adrift in Hamilton Dock.
27.5.1950: Stood by steam drifter PRESENT HELP (LT1120) in leaking condition.
1953: Sold for breaking up.
13.12.1954: Lowestoft registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

S.D/T. Acceptable LT1291
Picture from the Internet

S.D/T. Acceptable LT1291
Picture courtesy of The Emiel Rycx Collection

Changelog
01/12/2010: Page published. 3 updates since then.
19/11/2015: Added picture.
28/10/2018: Removed FMHT watermarks from images.
03/06/2019: Minor information update.