Information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 19835
Net Registered Tonnage: 24
Length: 40.00 ft
Breadth: 16.00 ft
Depth: ?? Feet
Built: James Woodhouse & Son, Overton, 1852
Rig: Smack – trawling

History

5.1852: Launched by James Woodhouse & Son, Overton for William Paley, Preston as OVERTON. Elm planked. After launch taken to Glasson for completion. Cost to build £292/296.
12.6.1852: Royal Mersey Yacht Club first sailing match of the season. Regretted that the smack could not be got ready for the race.
19.7.1852: Sailed to Preston.
24.6.1852: Registered at Preston.
3.9.1853: Reported that a case was brought by Thomas Woodhouse, son of James Woodhouse for full payment for the OVERTON by the owner William Paley. The case was complicated by the lack of proper paperwork being available to the Court and other issues. After much deliberation and often contradictory evidence, the Court found in favour of the plaintiff. Mr Paley asked for the right to appeal, but this was denied and the money paid in Court.
7.12.1855: Appropriated.
1862: Sold to Timothy Cragg, Fleetwood.
16.10.1868: On the fishing grounds when a gale sprung up, the sea was not high but there was a ‘chopping swell.’ Lost all the fishing gear.
14.1.1870: Fishing in the Irish Sea (Sk. Rimmer). At Fleetwood landed a halibut, 5 ft long, 2ft 6 inches wide, weighing 104lbs.
17.1.1873: Fishing about six miles E by N from the Morecambe Lightship (Sk. Rimmer) along with other smacks of the Fleetwood fleet. At about 8.10am. observed a large screw steamship approaching and as she came closer they called out to put her helm hard-a-port as she was coming right upon them. No notice was taken and almost immediately the steamer struck the smack.The steamer stopped her engine at once but still had way on her, and the crew, skipper, mate, James Pater, Charles Pater, Edward Leece and the cook Edward Rimmer, son of the skipper, scrambled up the anchor chain of the steamer and on to her deck. The smack foundered quickly. The steamer proved to be the Belfast registered SEMAPHORE (560grt/1855), Londonderry for Liverpool and they were carried on and landed at Liverpool at about 11.40am. Sk Rimmer complained that no effort was made to save his crew and they were landed at Liverpool with no courtesy or expression of regret. Several fishing boats including NIMBLE (FD11), ROYAL CONSORT (FD75) and MARGARET AGNES (FD10) were close to the scene and observed the collision, hauling their nets, the three ran down to the spot where the accident happened to render assistance. Fleetwood registry closed.

Changelog
07/09/2023: Page published.