Seasonal visitor
Additional material courtesy of Andy Hall, Barry Banham and Peter Bell

Technical

Official Number: 130026
Yard Number: 494
Completed: 1911
Gross Tonnage: 95
Net Tonnage: 43
Length: 87.0 ft
Breadth: 18.6 ft
Depth: 9.6 ft
Built: Cochrane Shipbuilders Ltd, Selby
Engine: T.3-cyl by Crabtree & Co Ltd, Gt. Yarmouth

History

Additional material courtesy of Andy Hall, Barry Banham and Peter Bell

26.8.1911: Launched by Cochrane Shipbuilders Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.494) for John Mitchell, Kessingland and R. Sillett, Lowestoft as PARAMOUNT.
24.5.1911: Registered at Lowestoft (LT1116).
25.5.1911: Completed. John Mitchell c/o Mitchell Bros, Lowestoft designated managing owner.
12.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a patrol boat and later minesweeper (1-6pdr HA) (Ad.No.1295). Based Ramsgate (Sk. Herbert W. McNeil RNR).
11.1916: With drifter PRESENT HELP (Ad.No.0 (LT1120) took into Ramsgate for examination a schooner which was proceeding up channel to the east of the Goodwins, onboard thirteen German Army officers and non-commissioned officers who had been fighting in the Camaroons.
C1916: Sk. E. Hemp RNR appointed CO.
18.3.1917: Four German destroyers shelled Margate, torpedoed and sank the Hull registered steamer GREYPOINT (894grt/1889) at anchor off Broadstairs, shelled Ramsgate and drifters, hitting PARAMOUNT in several places and severely injuring the skipper and two hands.
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 leaving Ramsgate in company with the drifters MAJESTY (Ad.No.1292) (LT66) and PRESENT HELP, 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. They were joined by drifters ACCEPTABLE (Ad.No.1290) (LT1291) FEASIBLE (Ad.No.221) (LT1191) and LORD CLAUD HAMILTON (Ad.No.) (LT1047 ) and the destroyer HMS GYPSY (‘C’ class) which 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.
21.2.1920: Sold to Ramsgate Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Ramsgate.
12.3.1920: Lowestoft registry closed.
3.1920: Registered at Ramsgate (R193). Thomas W. Chapman designated manager.
15.4.1921: Entered Ramsgate with a live mine onboard, picked up in the trawl. Not allowed to proceed “through the bridge”, mine removed by coastguard and naval party and rendered safe.
1922 – 1928: Seasonal white fish trawling out of Milford and Fleetwood.
24.11.1924: Fishing off the French coast in the neighbourhood of Sangatte (Sk. Fred Setterfield); at Ramsgate landed 30 trunks of turbot valued at £750. Such a catch had never before been recorded at the port.
21.12.1925: Returned to Ramsgate at 2.00pm to land the cook, Robert Pedder who had been struck by the trawl warp when fishing the Sandette bank grounds. When the vessel was turning, Pedder was struck in the face inflicting a severe scalp wound. Charles Setterfield, son of the skipper, who holds a first aid certificate, was able to treat the injury and make him comfortable. At hospital the wound was stitched and Mr Pedder taken home.
26.10.1926: After fishing “The Falls” returned to Ramsgate with a good shot of herring and thirty sharks, caught in the nets when chasing the herring.
6.11.1926: Reported that Louis Martin, night watchman, saved the life of skipper Fred Setterfield when he fell into deep water in Ramsgate Harbour, holding him up until help arrived.
31.3.1927: At Fleetwood, loading a drum of carbide into the generator in the engine room, overflowed and fell into a pool of water on the plates. A large volume of gas was emitted and ignited by the stove and on reaching the drum, exploded. William Stone, deckhand who was cleaning the cabin was thrown violently against the side and was cut about the head. The deck of the cabin was torn up and dense smoke enveloped the ship. The alarm was raised and the fire was quickly extinguished by the Dock Fire Brigade.
19.7.1927: At Ramsgate landed a 144lb sturgeon. Auctioned on the market it made £3.14s and was displayed before being sent to London.
30.12.1927: Sailed Ramsgate for a trip at the back of the Goodwins (Sk. Fred Setterfield).
2.1.1928: Returning to Ramsgate in the early hours around high water, in a strong SSW wind and heavy sea, stranded on sandbank alongside East Pier, Ramsgate when there was a problem in the engineroom. Five members of the crew including the skipper were taken off by the Ramsgate lifeboat Prudential (Cox. T. Read) while three other crewmen climbed the mainmast and were pulled to safety on the pier. Ch Eng. William Surman (38) who was badly scalded by an explosion in the engine room was taken to hospital and detained. Later the body of Harry Often (26), 2nd Eng. was washed ashore on Ramsgate sands. At low water, Ramsgate Fire Brigade de-watered the ship and 200 boxes of fish were recovered. Subsequently refloated and taken in to the harbour for survey and repair.
12.3.1928: On the afternoon tide, sailed for “the West’ard” (Padstow, Milford and Fleetwood) (Sk. Fred Setterfield) after repair and refurbishment following the January incident.
1928-1939: Seasonal white fish trawling out of Padstow, Milford and Fleetwood. Harry Eastoe Rees, Milford managing agent.
31.11.1928: Off Ramsgate, Arthur Medhurst (26), Third hand, fell overboard and drowned.
1932: Alfred H. Lanfear Jnr designated manager.
16. 2.1935: Arrived Milford with drifter/trawler MILL o’ BUCKIE (R129) in tow. MILL o’ BUCKIE had been driven ashore in a strong gale in late January on the west side of Rosslare Harbour, Co Waterford, resting on hard ground with two blades of propeller partially broken and leaking in the stokehold. After salvage, hired to tow her back to Milford for temporary repairs prior to returning to Ramsgate.
24.11.1938: Put into Dover with a leaking boiler tube.
15.11.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeping drifter (P.No.FY954) (Hire rate £25.10.0d/month).
12.1939 – 2.1940: Fitting out as a minesweeper, Swansea Command (Sk. E.C.E. Blowers RNR).
21.1.1940: Took off crew, sixty in number – twenty injured, of Liverpool registered steamer PROTESILAUS (9577grt/1910) (Alfred Henry Dennistoun Shand, Master), Liverpool for Barry in ballast, which had been mined at 9.36am about six miles WSW of Mumbles Head, Bristol Channel (mines laid off Rotherslade 5.12.1939 by U.boat (U28)). Survivors landed at Swansea and vessel towed into Swansea Bay and beached off Mumbles Light House. Later broke in two.
10.1941 – 3.1942: Refitting at Gloucester.
From 2.1942: Sk. C. E. Blowers RNR, CO.
16.12.1943: Sk. Frederick William White RNR, CO.
2.1944 – 3.1944: Listed as Special Service Vessel, Milford Command (but still at Swansea).
4.1944 – 3.1945: Plymouth Command.
4. – 8.1944: Listed at Milford.
9.1944 – 2.1945: Listed at Portsmouth.
4.1945 – 9.1945: Portsmouth Command.
1945: Sold to Harry Eastoe Rees, Milford Haven.
1945: Sold to Drifter Trawlers Ltd, Milford Haven. Harry Eastoe Rees designated manager.
19.1.1946: Returned to owners at Milford Haven.
2.1946 – 5.1949: Fishing out of Ramsgate.
12.1946: Entered Ramsgate with a live mine onboard, picked up in the trawl.
07.1950: Laid up at Milford Haven.
12.8.1950: Returned to service.
1955: Sold to Rees Shipbreaking Co Ltd, Llanelli for breaking up.
3.8.1955: Sailed Milford for Llanelli under own power.
8.1955: Ramsgate registry closed. Last Ramsgate registered steam trawler.

Click to enlarge images

S.D/T. Paramount R193
Picture from the Internet

S.D/T. Mill o’ Buckie R129
Picture from The Internet

Changelog
02/07/2018: Page published.
12/07/2018: Updated information.
18/07/2018: Added image.