Technical

Official Number: 163175
Yard Number: 585
Completed: 1933
Gross Tonnage: 313
Net Tonnage: 139
Length: 131 ft
Breadth: 24.6 ft
Depth: 13 ft
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley
Engine: 89nhp T.3-cyl and boiler by Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull
Speed : 11.3 knots

History

18.8.1933: The Board of Kingston Steam Trawling Co Ltd decided to exercise their option with Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd to build two more middle water trawlers to the same design as the AVANTURINE (Yd.No.542) but with amendments in respect of hull dimensions. Contracts were signed with the shipyard and with Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd to make the engines and boilers. The price agreed was £13,610 for the first vessel and £13,560 for the second. The names chosen were ALEXANDRITE and ANDRADITE. Two further trawlers were subsequently ordered to this design, ARAGONITE (Yd.No.594) and ACHROITE (Yd.No.596).
Total cost for ALEXANDRITE, with amendments, fishing gear and other equipment £14,242.12.9d.

21.12.1933: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd No.585) for Kingston Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull as ALEXANDRITE (named by Miss Billaney, daughter of skipper).
20.1.1934: Registered at Hull (H7).
23.1.1934: Completed trials and accepted.
25.1.1934: Sailed from Hull on first trip (Sk. William Billaney).
6.2.1934: Landed 755 kits grossed £966.
25.7.1939: Insured value £17,200.
10.8.1939: Last landing prior to being requisitioned.
28.8.1939: Admiralty telegram advising ALEXANDRITE and ANDRADITE would be requisitioned at 10.30 am.
28.8.1939: Requisitioned for war service (Hire rate £187.16.0d/month).
1.9.1939: Sailed for Aberdeen with RN crew. Fitted out on examination service (1-12pdr) (P.No. FY.560).
1940: Fitted out as a minesweeper. Based Grimsby with M/S Group 46 (Ty/Sk. G. D. Barker RNR).
1941: Based at Dover with M/S Group 46 (Ty/Sk. G. D. Barker RNR).
1942: Remained at Dover.
2.6.1945: Arrived at Hull for restoration by Saint Andrew’s Engineering Co Ltd.
1.11.1945: Returned to owner and reclassed at Hull.
30.11.1945: Insured value £30,000; for 1946 proposed £34,000.
17.12.1946: New boiler ordered from Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull at a cost of £5.700.
6.1948: New boiler fitted.
23.2.1949: Sold to J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood (Geoffrey Edwards Marr, manager) for £30,250.
4.12.1951: Sold to North Star Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Aberdeen (John Alexander Harrow, manager) for £29,000.
1952: Fishing from Fleetwood ( J. Marr & Son Ltd, managers).
11.1955: Converted for burning oil fuel, F.P. above 150° F.
6.1955: Transferred to fish from Aberdeen.
1963: Sold to Motherwell Machinery & Scrap Co Ltd, Motherwell for breaking up at Grangemouth (yard formerly owned by G. & W. Brunton).
2.11.1963: Delivered Grangemouth.
20.11.1963: Hull registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Alexandrite H7
Picture courtesy of
http://www.hulltrawler.net/

S.T. Alexandrite H7
Picture courtesy of The James Cullen Collection

S.T. Alexandrite H7
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
14/05/2012: Page published. 6 revisions since then.
11/07/2014: Picture added.
19/06/2017: Picture added.
18/06/2019: Information updated.