Technical
Official Number: 148226
Yard Number: ??
Completed: 1914
Gross Tonnage: 271
Net Tonnage: 123
Length: 125.8 ft
Breadth: 23.5 ft
Depth: 12.7 ft
Built: Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Port Arthur, Canada
Engine: 480ihp T.3-cyl by Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co., Port Arthur, Montreal
History
1.1917: Ordered.
1917: Launched by Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Port Arthur, Canada (Yd.No.) (Canadian “Castle” – “T.R.” class) for the The Admiralty (paid for and built under direction of RCN) as TR.4.
27.11.1917: Completed and accepted (1-12pdr).
24.5.1918: Commissioned in Royal Canadian Navy.
3.1919: Paid off and laid up.
1920: Accepted offer of Rose Street Foundry & Engineering Co Ltd, Inverness (Captain Donald John Munro CMG RN as agent) to bring drifters with trawlers as escorts to UK for lay-up in Muirtown Basin, Caledonian Canal, Inverness prior to sale and possible refit for classification as steam trawlers (The Rose Street Foundry & Engineering Co Ltd letter dated 12 April 1920).
1921: Brought over at The Admiralty’s expense.
1.1926: Still laid up but gun platform removed and a fish room made forward of the cross bunker bulkhead.
2.1926: Rejected offer for all remaining trawlers at £2,000 each (B. Allenby, Aberdeen letter dated 10 Feb 1926).
26.8.1926: Sold “as is” to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Grimsby. Laid up in Caledonian Canal and then Grimsby.
14 & 22.9.1926: Surveyed by BoT at Grimsby for voyage to the Continent.
22.9.1926: Registered (Part I & IV) at Fleetwood as CARTAGENA (FD139). Fred Parkes, Blackpool designated manager.
10.1926: Moved to lay-up in Boulogne.
10.1927: Moved to Ostend for work to class her for fishing as a trawler under Bureau Veritas rules. Twelve tons of permanent ballast removed.
7.12.1927: Sailed Ostend for Fleetwood to complete surveys.
14.12.1927: Arrived Fleetwood. Completed survey to satisfaction of Bureau Veritas.
15.12.1927: Sale agreed to Brazilian Ministry of Marine, Rio de Janeiro.
19.12.1927: Slipped and bottom plating, tail shaft, sea connections and rudder surveyed by Bureau Veritas along with draught marks by BoT. At the request of BDSF&ICo Marine Engineer, a shell plate No.2 in E strake was faired.
28.12.1927: Basin trials to the satisfaction of Bureau Veritas.
29.12.1927: Sold to Brazilian Government (Ministry of Marine), Rio de Janeiro (£8,000 plus £613.5.7d for fishing gear), but to remain the property of BDSF&I Co until successfully delivered.
29.12.1927: Fleetwood registry closed. Registered at Rio de Janeiro.
13.1.1928: Crew signed on under Brazilian articles (Capt A. W. Rawling), twelve crew all told.
14.1.1928: Sailed Fleetwood for Lune Deep for compass adjustments.
15.1.1928: At about 10.30 a.m. sailed Lune Deep for Rio de Janeiro. Believed foundered between Lune Deeps and Hough Skerries in approx position 53.42N 04.00W; all crew lost.
12.2.1929: At BOT Formal Investigation (No.7869) held at Liverpool, the Court found that the reason for the loss must remain a matter of pure conjecture. No blame could be attached to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd or Mr Fred Parkes and his servants.
11.1929: HMS BEAUFORT preparing new survey of coastal waters off North Wales discovered a new wreck 3 miles off the Great Orme.
23.10.1989: Dive on wreck in position 53.25,00N 04.072,6W, confirmed large steam trawler in good condition and bell ‘TR4’ removed (K. Hurley).
22.11.1989: Dive recorded by Hydrographic Office HH100/351/01.
6.2007: Wreck identified as TR4/CARTAGENA by Nigel Cossons in position 53.25,015N/04.07,500W, in 35-40 metres.
2015: Diving is ongoing.
Lost: Capt. A.W.Rawlings; P.G.Petterson, Thornton, Mate; W.H.Grayson, Third hand; L. Gratrix, Ch Eng, Thornton; M.F.Wilson, 2nd Eng; A.Taylor & R.Taylor, Bolton (Victoria St, Fleetwood), J.McFarlane, Liverpool & W.A.Stelford, Deckhands; P.Brennan, Liverpool, J.P.Monaghan, Firemen; N. Robertson, Cook/Steward.
Click to enlarge image
Castle Class Trawler
Picture from the Internet
Wreck sketch courtesy of Nigel Cossons
Wreck dive movie courtesy of Nigel Cossons.
Changelog
26/04/2014: Information updated.
01/10/2015: Information updated.
03/10/2015: Pictures added.
01/11/2019: Updated information.