Author Archives: Bill Johnson

S.T. Fishtoft – BN94

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 113742
Yard Number: 648
Completed: 1901
Gross Tonnage: 187.60g
Net Tonnage: 75n
Length: 116.00 ft
Breadth: 21.1 ft
Depth: 10.9 ft
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields
Engine: 400ihp T.3-cyl by MacColl & Pollock Ltd, Sunderland

History

19.2.1901: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields (Yd.No.648) for Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Boston as FISHTOFT.
3.1901: Completed.
12.4.1901: Registered at Boston (BN94). Fred Donnison designated manager.
26.8.1902: Sailed Boston with fish merchants and others for day trip.
17.3.1903: Disabled with broken tail shaft some 200 miles NE of Spurn Point. Picked up and towed into port.
19.4.1908: Fishing off Iceland (Sk. Eggers), caught in a gale, deckhand Alfred Lowe (19) who was on the wheel when the wheelhouse was stove in, was washed overboard and drowned.
1909: Thomas D. Donaldson designated manager.
11.6.1910: At Aberdeen landed 60 boxes and 111/2 tons of side fish (Messrs Irvin, agents).
7.1910: Fishing out of Fleetwood (Fred Dennison, Fleetwood managing agent).
17.8.1910: Typical landing at Fleetwood – 200 boxes.
23.9.1911: At Boston (Sk.George Smalley) landed 208 kits of haddock and other fish realising £247.
1912: Daniel Walker designated manager.
11.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-6pdr) (Ad.No.522).
By 1918: Based at Buncrana, Co. Donegal.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owners at Grimsby.
21.10.1919: Offered for sale by auction at the Baltic Exchange, London by Messrs Kellocks, the steam trawlers, FISHTOFT, HUNGARIAN, ETRURIAN and CAMBRIAN.
11.1919: Sold to John Reynolds & Arthur Lunn, Boston. Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd remained managers (Arthur Lunn designated manager). Vessel completed three trips but Ch Eng was concerned that there was a knocking in the engine and it was decided to put her on the slip to determine the cause.
10.12.1919: In the morning, being ready for sea, she was being hauled out and when suing, side blocks, which it was said were properly pulled in, slipped away and she fell on her starboard side causing some damage and considerable damage to the cradle.
15.1.1920: Refloated. Prior to this date vessel hauled upright. Repairs carried out at an estimated cost of £100 and occupation of the slip for 37 days at a cost of £5 10s per day. It was agreed that £1,250 was a reasonable sum for raising the vessel and this would be claimed by the slipway owners from the Grimsby Steam Fishing Vessel Mutual Insurance and Protecting Co Ltd. with which the vessel was insured.
1.1020: Arthur Lunn designated manager.
14.9.1920: Arrived Ostend with a disabled vessel in tow, picked up in the North Sea.
7.12.1920: At Boston Borough Police Court, Alfred George Farman, South Norfolk Place; John Westmoreland, James Street and John William Handley, Caroline Street, all Boston, were summoned for disobeying a lawful command, in that they failed to join the trawler on 3rd December resulting in delay of sixty-four hours and loss of earnings for the owners. They were each fined 20s and 10s costs.
21.10.1921: In the Commercial Court of the King’s Bench, Mr Justice Greer presiding, John Reynolds, Market-place, Boston brought an action against the Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd claiming damages for alleged negligence in hauling plaintiff’s trawler FISHTOFT on to the slipway on 10th December
1919. The trawler fell on her starboard side and was damaged taking about a month to right her. Reynolds also claimed for demurrage of £950.
24.10.1921: Mr Justice Greer found that the accident was due to want of care on the part of the defendants, but the finding of negligence did not dispose of the case, because in his judgement the regulation made by the defendants with regard to the use of their apparatus by persons and firms, applied in this case. They were regulations which the defendants intended to be the terms on which they would accept vessels coming on their slipway and plaintiff’s representative knew all about them. The clause in question was that persons using the slipway did so at their own risk. In his judgement defendants were protected by the regulations and there must be judgement for them accordingly.
3.3.1922: The Court of Appeal dismissed with costs an appeal by Mr John Johnson, part owner of the trawler FISHTOFT, from a judgement by Mr Justice Greer dismissing his action against the Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd.
By 1923: John Reynolds designated managing owner.
24.3.1923: Sailed Boston for the North Sea fishing grounds (Sk. James Bartholomew).
31.3.1923: Fishing. At about 8.00am. it was found that they had picked up the boom of a smack about 25ft long. Owing to the length they had to lift it as high as possible up to the mast head, but despite that it still hung over the side and foul of the net. John Peters England (49), third hand, Napoleon Terrace, Skirbeck was holding on to a rope attached to the boom and an attempt was made to get the boom onboard by heaving it aft. The boom sprang into the ship, striking the barrel of the winch. The force of the impact caused the top end of the boom to snap off and in falling struck England and knocked him down; he died within ten minutes of the incident.
3.4.1923: At the Coroner’s Court a verdict of “Accidental death” was recorded.
12.2.1924: At Boston County Court, His Honour Judge H. E. Chapman sitting, Mrs Charlotte England sued John Reynolds, trawler owner; this was an application for arbitration under the Workmens’ Compensation Act. His Honour said this was a most unfortunate case, he was bound by an iniquitous decision of a previous case. The Act said that it should not apply to men remunerated by a share of the profits. Eventually a case went to the House of Lords and their decision was binding. It was particularly unfortunate, because if this incident had happened later the new Act would have come into force and Mrs England would have been entitled to have received compensation.
6.2.1924: At Boston landed “and made a good price”.
24.3.1924: On return to Boston, Sk.Royal reported that when 120 miles out they sighted a vessel floating bottom uppermost which they believed was the Canadian built wooden steam drifter LUSBY (BN196) belonging to the Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd. LUSBY had sailed Grimsby on 12th February for the fishing grounds with a crew of eight and was not seen or heard from again.
1924: Sold to Martial Pinselle, Arcachon. Numa Laurie et Cie, managers. Boston registry closed. Registered at Arcachon.
10.1925: Stranded at Arcachon. Total loss. Arcachon registry closed.

Changelog
19/06/2021: Page published.

S.T. Hainton – GY535

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm, Finn Björn Guttesen and Birgir Þórisson

Technical

Official Number: 110863
Yard Number: 600
Completed: 1899
Gross Tonnage: 156
Net Tonnage: 59
Length: 106.0 ft
Breadth: 20.7 ft
Depth: 11.0 ft
Built: Edwards Bros,, North Shields
T.3-cyl by Baird & Barnsley, North Shields

History

11.1.1899: Launched by Edwards Bros,, North Shields (Yd.No.600) for Excalibur Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby as SIR PERCIVALE.
24.2.1899: Registered at Grimsby (GY1078).
3.1899: Completed. Henry Smethurst designated manager.
23.3.1909: Sold to Christian M. Evensen, Hull (Evensen & Black).
1.3.1909: Grimsby registry closed.
25.3.1909: Registered at Thorshavn, Faroe Islands as NANSEN (TN149). J. P. Evensen, Thorshaven designated manager.
5.1910: Sold to Alick Black, Grimsby.
10.5.1910: Registered at Grimsby as HAINTON (GY535). Alick Black designated managing owner.
7.2.1911: Thorshavn registry closed.
6.1911: Transferred to fish out of Fleetwood.
13.6.1911: First landing at Fleetwood – 40 boxes (3 of soles).
20.11.1912: Last landing at Fleetwood – 40 boxes (14 of soles.)
07.12.1912: Sold to William Ellis, Grimsby. William Ellis designated managing owner.
18.2.1913: When trawling some 95 miles to the E of Spurn Point (Sk. Benjamin Dunn) in darkness and heavy rain, deckhand Alfred Porter (45) of Boston, lodging in Grimsby, went on deck to to start the winch, which was his duty, to haul the trawl, the only other man on deck was the third hand, John Henry Poppleton who was on his way to the forecastle to put on his oilskin. At that time the gear was coming in and Porter was standing on the aft side of the winch. At about 6.05am. a scream was heard and Poppleton rushed out immediately and to his horror found Porter was in the winch. The winch was stopped at once and it was plain that Porter had met with an instantaneous death, his body was torn and mangled beyond recognition but he was identified by his boots. After collecting the body parts, the gear was hauled and headed for Grimsby.
19.2.1913: At the inquest held at Grimsby District Hospital, the Borough Coroner, Mr T. Mountain, recorded a verdict of “Accidental
death”.
11.7.1915: In the morning, stopped some 45 miles NExE of Hornsea by U-boat (U25), crew given five minutes to leave the vessel by boat
and trawler sunk by gunfire. After twelve hours in the boat, picked up by the steam trawlers EARL (H436) and HELVETIA (GY767) and
landed at Grimsby.
15.7.1915: Grimsby registry closed “Sunk by a submarine.”

Changelog
01/06/2021: Page published.
02/06/2021: Corrected some details.

S.D. Fume – LT524

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm and Barry Banham

Technical

Admiralty Number: 4163
Official Number: 13999
Yard Number: 97
Gross Tonnage: 95.67g
Net Tonnage: 41 98.6
LOA: 86.2 ft
Breadth: 18.5 ft
Depth: 9.3 ft
Built: Colby Brothers Ltd, Oulton Broad
Engine: 270ihp T.3-cyl by Yeaman & Baggesen, Dundee

History

1918: Launched by Colby Brothers Ltd, Oulton Broad (Yd.No.97) (“Admiralty drifter”) for The Admiralty as FUME (Ad.No.4163).
4.6.1919: Completed as a fishing vessel.
1919: Sold to Victory Fishing Co Ltd, Norwich.
25.9.1919: Registered at Lowestoft (Part I & Part IV) as FUME O.N.139990 (LT524). Arthur William Harvey, Kessingland designated manager.
1.6.1921: Sold to The Vigilant Fishing Co Ltd, Norwich. George Frederick Spashett designated manager.
30.6.1927: Owner relocated Lowestoft.
14.10.1929: At Lowestoft landed 160 cran of herring.
2.1930: Seasonal white fish lining out of Fleetwood.
13.3.1930: Sold to Cdr. J. E. Capstickdale RANR representing Raphaël Fishing Co Ltd, Port Louis, Mauritius.
24.3.1930: Commenced fitting out for new fishing venture in East African/Indian Ocean waters.
29.3.1930: Lowestoft registry closed. Registered at Port Louis. Cdr. J. E. Capstickdale RANR designated manager.
18.4.1930: Completed BoT surveys.
21.4.1930: Sailed Fleetwood for machinery trial and compass adjustments.
22.4.1930: On the morning tide, sailed Fleetwood for Port Louis. Mauritius (Cdr J. E. Capstickdale RANR); ten crew all told *.
23.4.1930: Called Penzance for medical attention and took on more bunker coal. Subsequently called Las Palmas, Sierra Leone, Lobito, Cape Town, Durban.
4.7.1930: Arrived Port Louis. To fish the Soyha Da Main, Nazareth and St Brandon banks, some 300 miles north of Mauritius.
2.1931: Sk. William Ellis returned to Fleetwood.
1934: Port Louis registry closed. Registered at St. Pierre, Reunion as SAINT PIERRE.

* Crew on sailing Fleetwood: Cdr. J. E. Capstickdale RANR; Capt. W. B. Wilkinson RD RANVR, Mate; Sk. W. Ellis, Fishing Master; W. Paul, Ch.
Eng; S. Smith, 2nd Eng; R. Castel and A. Hakim, ABs; W. Hosent and S. Shrewe, Firemen/Seamen; W. Vernon, Cook.

Changelog
28/02/2021: Page published.
10/03/2021: Updated history.

S.T. Lindum – GY619

Occasional visitor
Additional information courtesy of David Slinger, Finn Björn Guttesen, Christine Simm and Birgir Þórisson

Technical

Official Number: 109849
Yard Number: 599
Completed: 1899
Gross Tonnage: 155.55
Net Tonnage: 58
Length: 106.0 ft
Breadth: 20.7 ft
Depth: 10.9 ft
Built: Edwards Brothers, North Shields
Engine: T.3-cyl by Baird & Barnsley, North Shields
Boiler: J. T. Eltringham & Co, South Shields.

History

14.12.1898: Launched by Edwards Brothers, North Shields (Yd.No.599) for The Excalibur Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby as SIR GALAHAD.
2.1899: Completed.
6.2.1899: Registered at Grimsby (GY1043). Henry Smethurst designated manager.
3.1909: Sold to Christian M. Evensen, Hull & Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
4.3.1909: Grimsby registry closed.
3.1909: Registered at Tórshavn, as FINSEN (TN232) to enable vessel to fish in restricted British waters, etc.
31.8.1910: At Fleetwood landed 30 boxes (6 boxes soles).
9.12.1910: At Fleetwood landed 45 boxes, (4 boxes soles and 150 brill.
3.1911. Sold to Alick Black, Grimsby.
9.3.1911: At Fleetwood landed 50 boxes (3 boxes soles).
9.3.1911: Registered at Grimsby as LINDUM (GY619). Alick Black designated managing owner. Fishing out of Fleetwood.
1.4.1911: At Fleetwood landed 100 boxes.
3.1913: Sold to Walter H. Beeley & others, Grimsby. Walter H. Beeley designated managing owner.
1.1.1914: Tonnage altered to 61.26 net under provision of Merchant Shipping Act 1907.
24.7.1915: Fishing some 53 miles E off Spurn in company (Sk. George Staples). At 11.00am witnessed steam trawler PERSEUS (GY 445) (Sk. John Constantine) some four miles away, lifted clear of the water by explosion having struck a mine. Hauled gear and with steam trawler VENTNOR (GY293) arrived on scene. Both vessels launched their boats to search amongst the wreckage. The body of the skipper, who was apparently still alive when he entered the water but died shortly after, was recovered by the LINDUM along with that of the mate, William Edward Picket. The PERSEUS picked up the body of deckhand George Christopher Monkton and he was transferred to the LINDUM.
25.7.1915: Arrived Grimsby and bodies landed.
11.1915: Sold to Isaac Bennett & others, Grimsby. Isaac Bennett designated managing owner.
8.1916: Sold to Alfred Stringer, William Stringer, Walter Stringer, Herbert Stringer and Harold Stringer (64/64 joint owners), Boston.
14.8.1916: Grimsby registry closed. Registered at Boston (BN61). Alfred Stringer designated manager.
26 9.1916: Sailed Boston for North Sea grounds off Flamborough Head (Sk. Charlie Baker); nine hands all told.
3.10.1916: At about 6.00am. moved to fish the Scarborough grounds fishing en route. At 4.20pm hauled the trawl and position estimated as ENE off Scarborough, distance about 11 miles. Secured trawl gear and at 4.40 pm set course south, to clear Flamborough Head 4 miles. At full speed making about 8 knots in hazy weather, but clear to see 3 to 4 miles, sea smooth, no wind. Several trawlers passed northwards some inshore, the skipper hailed one, PETREL (GY609), and asked what distance he had run but could not hear the reply. The skipper left the wheelhouse at 5.50pm. after relief by the third hand Ernest Wharman, told to steer south he had with him a deck hand, keeping lookout through the starboard bridge windows. At 6.40pm, he was relieved by the second hand, Charles Henry Burman, and a deck hand, Thomas Reader. At 6.55pm. a large black buoy was sighted on the starboard beam and passed at a distance of about two ships lengths. Wharman left the bridge and reported to the skipper who told him to proceed on a southerly course. At about 7.15pm. the look out asked what the black mass ahead was, the second hand looked through the glasses and seeing that it was land, immediately rang full astern, but before the engine room could obey the vessel struck the rocks heavily. The skipper came on the bridge, the engine was stopped and pumps started, but the vessel was making water so fast that the pumps could not cope. The water found its way into the engine room and the fires were put out. Settling by the stern and also taking on a heavy list there was likelihood of capsize. The order was given to launch the boat and at about 7.40pm. the whole crew abandoned the vessel in the boat. The trawler had stranded at Thornwick Bay at the extremity of the headland known as Thornwick Nab to the N of Flamborough Head and with a sea breaking heavily against the rocks through a ground swell, it was too dangerous to try to land. The boat therefore headed seawards and at about 11.0pm. they were picked up by the Grimsby steam trawler Rameses (GY715).
4.10.1916: Survivors landed at Grimsby. Boston registry closed.
22.12.1916: At the formal investigation at Grimsby (No.S340) into the loss of the steam trawler Lindum, the Court found skipper Charlie Baker in default and suspended his certificate for a period of six months with £20 costs. The stranding and the loss of the Lindum was not caused by any wrongful act or default of the second hand, Charles Henry Burman. Subsequently the trawler slid off rocks into about 9m of water off Thornwick Nab. The wreck is well broken up.

Crew of PERSEUS who lost their lives – Sk. John Constantine (43); William Edward Picket (42), Mate; William Henry Webster (30), Third Hand; Henry Thomas Waugh Ramsey (39), Ch Eng; James Richardson Mackrill (33), 2nd Eng; Christopher George Monkton and George Watson (20), deckhands; Andrew Ward (15) and Ernest Edmund Higgins (16), Apprentice; Walter Harvey (38), cook/steward.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Lindum GY619

S.T. Lindum GY619
Picture (In Wyre Dock-early 1900s) courtesy of The David Slinger Collection

Changelog
09/11/2020: Page published.
11/11/2020: Added an image.
02/07/2021: Updated Faroese PLN.
03/07/2021: Updated history.

S.T. Braconvale (1) A14

Additional information courtesy of David Slinger and Andy Hall

Technical

Official Number: 180999.
Yard Number: 190
Completed: 1946
gross Tonnage: 341.35
Net Tonnage: 125.59
Length: 136.00 ft (148.00 loa)
Breadth: 24.65 ft
Depth: 13.75 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl (600ihp) by John Lewis & Sons Ltd Aberdeen Eng.No.264
Boiler: Barclay, Curle & Co Ltd, Scotstoun, Glasgow

History

1945: Ordered by Basil Arthur Parkes, Fleetwood. To be owned by a Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd Aberdeen subsidiary and operated out of Aberdeen.
4.12.1945: Launched by Mrs J. Doeg wife of the managing director of The Don Fishing Co Ltd. at John Lewis & Sons Ltd, Torry, Aberdeen (Yd.No.190) for The Don Fishing Co Ltd, Aberdeen as BRACONVALE.
19.2.1946: Builder’s Certificate issued. John S. Doeg designated manager.
20.2.1946: Trials in Aberdeen Bay.
22.2.1946: Registered at Aberdeen (A14). Skipper Alexander Ord Tevendale.
12.1946: Sold to Government of Poland, Warsaw (Ministry of Industry & Commerce) through the United Nations Relief & Rehabilitation Administration (U.N.R.R.A). “Dalmor” Przedsiobiorstwo Polowow Dalekomorskich Sp.z.ogr.odp, Gdynia designated managers.
31.12.1946: Aberdeen registry closed.
1.1947: Registered at Gdynia as ORION (GDY106). Week commencing
9.11.1959: In collision with a Finnish registered cargo ship off the River Elbe; shell plating damaged, taking water, beached near Cuxhaven. Came off on next tide despite the fact that she was taking water and put into Cuxhaven for repairs.
8.1973: Sold to Van den Bossche & Co, Boom for breaking up. Gdynia registry closed.

Changelog
01/11/2020: Page published.