Category Archives: Sailing Trawlers

Sailing Trawlers

s.v. Scotian FD116

Technical

Official Number: 70158
Completed: 1874
Net Tonnage: 39
Rig: Smack
Built: John Gibson, Fleetwood

History

1874: Completed by John Gibson, Fleetwood (Yd.No.) for John William Leech, Fleetwood as SCOTIAN. Registered at Fleetwood.
1.1.1880: Owned by Peter McKellar, Fleetwood.
1.1.1888: Owned by George Hazlehurst, Market Street, Hoylake. Fleetwood registry closed. Registered at Liverpool.
1.1.1895: Same.
1.1.1890: Not listed in MNL under this name.

Changelog
11/05/2011: Page published.
02/02/2015: Information updated.

S.T. Diana GY358

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 60416
Yard Number: 134
Completed: 1869
As yacht – 263 tons burthen 103n – 178.78g – 98.53n 115.4 x 21.5 x 12.4 feet
Sails: Sail plan altered to schooner rig and then mast removed and ketch rigged
Gross Tonnage: 178.78
Net Tonnage: 98.53
Length: 115.4 ft
Breadth: 21.5 ft
Depth: 12.4 ft
Built: Alexander Stephen & Sons, Linthouse, Govan
Engine: 30nhp C.2-cyl and boiler by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Linthouse, Govan

Note: Composite (iron frames, African oak, teak & greenheart planking) screw steamer, three masted hybrid rig (schooner brig), ice strengthened.

History

24.3.1869: Launched by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Kelvinhaugh (Yd.No.134) for James Lamont, Knockdow, Argyllshire as DIANA a yacht. Fitting out in Kingston Dock.
14.14.1869: Appropriated.
14.4.1869: Registered (Part I) at Glasgow.
15.4.1869: Sailed Glasgow (Capt C. Inversoy), with an expedition led by James Lamont with others, to explore the polar seas to the NE of Spitsbergen with a hope of finding open water towards the Pole.
20.4.1869: Passed through Caledonian Canal.
23.4.1869: Sailed Inverness for Spitsbergen and the North Seas.
23.6.1869: Reported at Hammerfest, North Cape.
17.7.1869: Off Spitsbergen. One of five expeditions in these waters.
11.9.1869: Arrived Tromsø. Open water had not been found.
6.10.1869: Arrived Dundee. Cargo consisted 30 sea horses (walrus), 90 large seals, 2 bears, 102 deer and 10 tons oil. Over wintered in Dundee.
4.2.1870: Reported to be fitting out for a further expedition to Gillis Land, NW of Novaya Zemlya.
16.4.1870: Sailed Dundee for Greenland (Lamont shown as master).
6.1870: Arrived Hammerfest. After coaling to sail for Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen. Efforts to go further north from Novaya Zemlya but encountered unusually heavy drift ice on the western shores up to the end of June. The vessel in forcing her way through in a northerly direction, stripped her propeller of one blade as well as consuming a great quantity of coal. It was decided to concentrate on hunting the walrus, reindeer and polar bear.
2.9.1970: Arrived Tromsø from Spitsbergen.
17.9.1870: Arrived Shetland and the Shetlanders in the crew disembarked.
19.9.1870: Arrived Dundee. Over wintered at Dundee.
17.4.1871: Reactivated and ran engine trials in the river.
22.4.1871: Sailed Dundee for Arctic regions (Capt. Lessortier).
26.4.1971: Put into Kirkwall.
28.4.1871: Called Lerwick to pick up Shetland crew members and sailed for Greenland.
16.7.1871: Arrived Dundee having found the ice in a state which precluded all possibility of penetrating to the north of Spitsbergen. Reached latitude 81 24. Landed 1100 seals and I bear.
14.2.1873: Reported the ship had been chartered by Mr Benjamin Leigh Smith. Being outfitted by Mr Bruce of the Dundee Seal & Whale Fishing Co and will sail in early May under command of Capt Fairweather. Before proceeding on the expedition she will go to the sealing grounds, returning to Dundee towards the end of April.
25 2.1873: Called Peterhead (Capt Fairweather) on way to Greenland sealing grounds.
22.4.1873: Reported ‘take’ was 100 tons.
10.5.1873: Sailed Dundee for the Northern Seas (Mr Smith with sailing master); about twenty crew. To rendezvous at Cobb Bay (Seal Bay), NW Spitsbergen with the sailing yacht SAMSON, owned by Mr Smith, which, with Capt Walker in command, had left Hull on May 1, loaded with additional stores. She was left at a suitable anchorage.
1.6.1873: In position lat. 77.40 among floating ice having experienced very severe weather and unable to reach Jan Mayen Island. Proceeded outside the ice towards north west corner of Spitsbergen to meet the SAMSON. The object is to attain the highest possible latitude, either by following the western coast of Giles Land (Kvitova – north east Spitsbergen) to northward or any other practicable route.
28.9.1873: Arrived Dundee after a very rough passage, having abandoned all hope of getting further north owing to the ice being tightly packed and later with young ice forming. Reached lat. 81.00. Landed about two to three tons of narwhal/seal oil.
22.5.1874: Reported that Capt Joseph Wiggins, Sunderland had chartered the ship to proceed on another Arctic cruise by way of Novaya Zemlya. Capt Brown, Peterhead will be in command and a search will be made for the Austrian expedition which proceeded to the Polar seas two years ago. The main object of the cruise is to ascertain whether commerce could be carried between Europe and Central Asia via the Kara Sea.
4.6.1873: Sailed Dundee. Called at Tromsø and Hammerfest and assured that there was no hope of entering the Kara Sea but thought otherwise. Proceeded to Kara Straits and with little or no ice entered on June 26. At Litke Island the ship became trapped in the ice and remained so for three weeks. On release steamed up the Gulf of Ob and took soundings of four fathoms up to the top of the Gulf. Bely Island was cleared on August 25 and sailed south the ice having cleared and moved north. Proceeded to Malygina Straits, Novaya Zemlya to get to the west as soon as possible. On August 30, in Kostin Bay with worsening weather, fog and strong currents decided to bear away to Vardö, but on September 2 when within 50 miles off that port caught by a heavy westerly gale and driven northwards, decided to steam to Hammerfest. Reached port just an hour before the Austrian expedition.
26.9.1874: Arrived Dundee. Capt Wiggins reached 76.00N 86.00E and was convinced that a resurvey of the area should be undertaken and that a trade route was possible. Laid up at Dundee.
7.12.1880: Reported sold to The Hudson’s Bay Co Ltd, City of London.
1880: Glasgow registry closed. Registered at London.
12.1.1881: After engine trials sailed Dundee for Glasgow (Capt Allen).
9.2.1881: Arrived Glasgow for overhaul prior to returning to the Arctic seas. Fitted with Bell Colman’s refrigerated chamber, delivering 25,000cuft of cold air per hour. Operating in season August 14 to September 12 in Hudson’s Bay freezing salmon catches, sailing at the end for London. Rest of time involved in general UK coasting or laid up.
16.6.1881: Sailed Gravesend for Labrador via Glasgow, Stromness (Capt Allen).
22.7.1881: Arrived at the company’s settlement at the entrance to Hudson’s Bay.
27.9.1881: Passed Gravesend for West India Dock, London. Landed about 31 tons (about 6,000 fish) of frozen salmon in excellent condition; sold on Billingsgate market.
31.10.1881: Arrived Bo’ness from Leith (Capt Allen).
3.11.1881: Arrived Aberdeen from Bo’ness, cargo coals.
6.1.1882: In West India Dock, London.
8.6.1882: In West India Dock, London. Prior to sailing for Labrador via Stromness/Kirkwall.
5.10.1882: Called Plymouth (Capt Riches) to coal, on passage Hudson’s Bay for London with first salmon of the season.
10.10.1882: Passed Gravesend for West India Dock. Landed 25 tons (about 4,900 salmon 16 – 30 lbs each).
19.6.1883: Sailed Stromness for Labrador (Capt Riches) having embarked young men who will be employed in the salmon fishing.
12.10.1883: Called Plymouth (Capt Riches) to coal, on passage Hudson’s Bay for London with first salmon of the season.
1.11.1883: Discharged in St. Katherine’s Dock. Afterwards laid up in West India Dock.
6.5.1884 : This pattern continued, although salmon was also salted and exported by the Hudson Bay Co, until end of the 1887 season, when following the Gordon Report, the Dominion looked to take control of the fisheries in Labrador.
30.11.1887: Offered for sale by auction at London by John Thompson & Son, London, the fine composite screw steamer DIANA along with her refrigeration apparatus (removed from ship). May be sold together or separately.
3.3.1888: Reported change of ownership to George Rodrigues, Liverpool. London registry closed. Registered at Liverpool. George Rodrigues designated managing owner.
1889: Sold to Bossiere Freres & Co, Le Havre. Liverpool registry closed.
1889: Registered at Le Havre as GIVRIQUE. Purchased possibly with a view to furthering the brothers’, Henry and Rene, interest in the Kerguelen Islands. In the event she traded in much the same way as for the Hudson’s Bay Company. In season fishing and carrying frozen salmon from Labrador to Paris. To navigate the Seine it was necessary to lift out the masts. Out of season employed fishing in La Manche (English Channel) as far as the Isles of Scilly, landing again in Paris.
11.10.1889: Reported arrived Paris from Labrador (Capt Le Manchec).
1890: Remeasured 180g 101n.
9.5.1890: Arrived Le Havre from Isles of Scilly fishing grounds (Capt Le Manchec).
6.6.1890: Left Labrador to fish for salmon and then return to Europe.
27.7.1890. Arrived St. John, New Brunswick from Labrador (Capt Le Manchec).
31.7.1890: Sailed for Le Havre.
3.10.1890: Reported berthed in Paris with 23,000 kg of salmon from Labrador.
25.11.1890: In collision near Le Havre with Dutch steamer ORANGE NASSAU (1304grt/1853) and severely damaged.
7.1891: Sold to The Grimsby Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby.
21.7.1891: Henry Kelly, Cleethorpes designated manager.
22.7.1891: Registered at Grimsby as DIANA (GY358).
15.4.1893: Sold to The Turner Engine Syndicate Ltd (64/64), City of London.
1893: Re-engined, T.5-cyl (2-81/2”, 1-21”, 2-36” x 22”) (400ihp) and boiler by Earle’s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Hull – 10 knots.
15.4.1893: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The Grimsby Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby for the sum of £1,500 with interest at 5% (A).
21.4.1893: George Edward James Moody designated manager.
27.3.1894: 189.11grt 70.58 net. Tonnages altered as per Certificate of Survey dated 22.3.1894.
27.6.1894: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Joseph Chapman, Grimsby for the sum of £2,000 with interest at 6% (B).
6.6.1895: Sold by order of the mortgagee under mortgage (A) to John Bryant (64/64), Grimsby.
26.10.1895: Sold to The Grimsby Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby. Henry Kelly designated manager.
6.11.1895: Recorded new HP cylinder (121/2”) fitted by Earle’s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Hull as per Certificate of Survey dated 24.10.1895.
28.12.1895: Arrived Grimsby from Iceland with a cargo of herring. Reported that during a gale the bulwarks had been broken, no other damage reported.
1898: Transferred to fish out of Fleetwood. William Moody Kelly designated manager.
17.1.1898: In the early hours in thick fog, inwards from the fishing grounds stranded on Knott Spit and listed. Came off on the next tide and docked to land. Also stranded on the point of the Knott was the steam carrier MARTIN (FD), outwards on the morning tide, which came off on the next tide and proceeded.
6.4.1898: Before midnight in thick fog, stranded on Pilling Sands, striking heavily in the swell. With rudder and propeller lost and fearing further damage, the skipper made signals of distress.
7.4.1898: In the early hours, the Fleetwood lifeboat, MAUD PICKUP (Sub-Cox John Leadbetter) responded and on arrival found the trawler afloat and leaking. Taking her to anchor, and the crew wishing to remain onboard, the lifeboat left to get a tug. The steam tug BROCK (140grt/1883) took the trawler in tow and with the vessel filling rapidly, they made to beach the trawler but with the ebb tide she was carried against a groyne breaking some piles. At low water it was found that the hull planking was seriously damaged and doubtful that the pumps would cope if she was to be refloated.
22.6.1899: Offered for auction by Mr J. Smyth, at Fleetwood, “ as lies on Kirk Bank … very strong, and in good condition, except some damage to her keel. “ Not sold.
25.11.1899: Grimsby registry closed “Wrecked near Fleetwood”.

Engravings from the book “Yachting In The Artic Seas” Here

Click to enlarge images

sv Diana

sv Diana

sv Diana

sv Diana

sv Diana

sv Diana

Changelog
06/05/2011: 5 updates since then.
21/04/2020: Updated information.
12/09/2021: Added images of engravings.
15/09/2021: Major update to history and technical details.

s.v. Yarra Yarra – GY252

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 60266
Completed: 1867
Gross Tonnage: 55
Net Tonnage: 55
Length: 65.55 ft
Breadth: 18.7
Depth: 9.55 ft
Rig: Dandy – trawling
Built: Fredrickson & Fawcett, Burton upon Strather

History

1867: Completed by Fredrickson & Fawcett, Burton upon Strather for F. A. Castle, Grimsby (Castle & Co) as YARRA YARRA.
17.10.1867: Registered at Grimsby (GY252).
14.12.1867: Reported that in the storms of late, some seventy to eighty smacks sailing from Hull and Grimsby were overtaken by the gales. At least two foundered and over fifty suffered more or less damage and loss; whilst ten or more have escaped with scarcely ‘a scratch’, among them the YARRA YARRA.
3.1869: Reregistered at Grimsby (GY22).
9.9.1869: An important sale of ten fishing smacks belonging to Castle & Co, Grimsby was held in the Fish Dock. The attendance was large but the competition was anything but spirited. All were well appointed and fitted out ready for sea. Among them the YARRA YARRA made £615 and was knocked down to Mr Henry Knott, Grimsby.
9.1969: Registered to Edwin Goodfellow, 131 Orwell Street (owner/skipper) and Henry Knott, both Grimsby.
31.10.1871: When, with other smacks, towing out to sea from Grimsby came in contact with the Lancaster registered smack OTTER and received damage amounting to £10.
1.10.1875: On return to Grimsby (Sk. Payne), reported that whilst at sea a boy was washed overboard and lost.
21.10.1875: While on fishing cruise halted by very bad weather, sighted the Dutch schooner ANTON en JACOB (74rdg tons/1854) on the Dogger Bank flying signals of distress, having lost her foremast, deck cargo of wood and bulwarks carried away. Closed and spoke with her and rendered considerable assistance by taking off the master, cook and mate and transferring them to a steamer near at hand. Left three hands onboard and stood off. Later a Yarmouth smack came on the scene and transferred one man onto the schooner and took off remaining crew. The Hull smack JOSEPH and FANNY (H??) having given up fishing in consequence of the weather also noticed the schooner in distress but did not see either the YARRA YARRA or the Yarmouth smack. Asked to standby and supply food.
22.10.1875: At day break boarded the schooner and agreed with the Grimsby men to tow the derelict into Hull. In the afternoon, some 85 miles from the Humber, connected and commenced tow. Weather conditions poor in the aftermath of the gales.
23.10.1875: Delivered the schooner safely to Hull.
25.11.1875: At the County Court of Yorkshire, Hull, the Judge awarded the JOSEPH and FANNY £160 for the salvage and £40 for loss of fish, the YARRA YARRA, £45 for the service and £50 for loss of fish; the Yarmouth fisherman had already accepted £12.
20.6.1876: At the Admiralty court an appeal was heard concerning the award of salvage given in the County Court of Yorkshire. The ANTON en JACOB was judged to be worth £560 The awards were reduced, JOSEPH and FANNY, by £75 making £125 and the YARRA YARRA by £25 making £70. Respondents ordered to pay £30 for cost of appeal.
1881: Census at Grimsby – Edwin Goodfellow (41), b-Barking, Essex, master & owner; George Terusher (23), b-Norwood, Surrey, mate; Francis Gudgeon (18), b-Wapping, Essex, third hand fisherman; John Needham (21), b-Alford, Lincolnshire, fourth hand fisherman; Robert Ireland (45), b-Flamborough, Yorkshire, fifth hand fisherman.
1.1.1883: Owned by Robert Sinclair, 23 Albert Terrace, New Clee, Lincolnshire.
1.1885: Sold to William Hall, Augusta Street, Bargate, Grimsby.
5.1887: Sold to The Great Grimsby Fish & Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Grimsby. (Sk. W. Saylor)).
9.1888: Sold to George E. J. Moody, Abbey Road, Cleethorpes (Walker Moody Kelly, Fleetwood, agent and manager).
23.10.1888: Arrived Fleetwood from Grimsby (Sk. H. Hopkins). To fish out of Fleetwood.
5.11.1888: Alfred Bennett, fisherman, received a nasty wound from the winch handle, which caught him between the eyes and stunned him.
30.1.1889: Fishing out of Ayr. Sailed for the Clyde fishing grounds.
2/3.2.1889: In the very violent westerly gale which raged, accompanied by hail and showers, the smacks which were at sea sought shelter in the nearest port, Ramsey, Whitehaven and Ayr. Driven before the wind put into Campbeltown and anchored safely in the Loch, but owing to weather conditions could not get ashore to telegraph owners.
4.2.1889: In the evening a telegram reached Fleetwood to say all was well.
5.2.1889: Arrived Fleetwood without sustaining any further damage.
9.5.1890: Reported that a beautiful illuminated address had been prepared at the behest of the Fleetwood smack crews and owners for presentation to the Rev.W. Morris MA, vicar of St. Olave’s, Ramsey, who had treated them so kindly and entertained them a few months ago when storm bound in the port and on other occasions when they sought refuge in the Isle of Man.
19.8.1890: Reported sold to John H. Campbell, 12 Charles Street, Greenock and Mrs J. W. Campbell, 51 Brisbane Street, Greenock. John H. Campbell, 12 Charles Street, Greenock designated manager. Grimsby registry closed. Registered at Greenock. Coasting.
5.5.1898: At Greenock Police Courts, Donald Gillespie (12) was admonished for going onboard the smack without the consent of the owner.
1905: Laid up at Greenock. Greenock registry closed.
13.7.1906: For sale, at once, old YARRA YARRA as she lies at Customhouse Quay. No reasonable offer refused. Apply D. M. M’Dougall, 26 Ann Street.
16.7.1906: Same advertisement appeared again in the Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette.
26.7.1906: Reported that the YARRA YARRA which was deemed unsafe to take to the North Sea, is now being broken up in the West Harbour, Greenock.
9.8.1906: Reported that the YARRA YARRA which has been berthed at Battery Park, Cardwell Bay is gradually being broken up for firewood. Her deck has now been grounded.

Changelog
08/03/2011: Page published.
01/03/2015: Updated information.
10/10/2022: Significant update to history.

s.v. Spray FD147

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 56959
Completed: 1873
Net Tonnage: 26
Rig: Sloop – Trawling
Built: ??, St. Ives

History

1873: Completed by ??, St. Ives as SPRAY.
1874: Owned by Isaac M. Sibbald, Morecambe.
18.5.1874: Registered at Lancaster.
18.5.1874: Appropriated.
4.11.1875: At Whitehaven in company with AMETHYST (FD107), CONFIDENCE (FD121) and PETREL (FD59). Attempted to leave harbour. Informed by Mr Dawson, collector of dues, that they could not leave until harbour dues paid. As they refused to pay, the harbour tug was moored across the entrance to prevent them leaving. CONFIDENCE and PETREL skippers decided to pay, but AMETHYST and SPRAY continued their attempt to leave, one of the crew of SPRAY cut the tug’s head ropes and AMETHYST fell foul of the tug, smashing her boat. AMETHYST and SPRAY boarded by harbour master and mainsails confiscated.
6.11.1875: Skippers attended at the office of the solicitors to the Harbour Trustees and consented to pay all dues, damages and costs. Sails returned and allowed to sail.
1.1.1880: Owned by William Hudson, Fleetwood. Registered at Fleetwood (FD147).
1.1.1888: Owned by Mrs Margaret Hudson, 48 Warren Street, Fleetwood.
1.1.1889: Owned by James Armour, Adelaide Street, Fleetwood (managing owner).
6.11.1890: In SSE force 8 gale, seeking shelter and beating up the Wyre channel (Sk. David Cawell), when near the Knottspit Buoy, in going about missed stays. An attempt was made to wear ship, but this failed and about 6.30pm she was carried on to a bank on the east side of the channel. The sea was very rough and with the gale force wind, the situation was critical for the crew of four.
8.11.1890: At low water about 3.00am the fishermen, with the exception of the skipper, left the smack and walking across the sands to reach Knott End. The skipper had remained behind to fasten up the cabin and in trying to catch up with his crew he unfortunately got into the Knott Gulf. The tide was flowing at the time and he was unsure whether to return to the smack. Fortunately he decided to make a long detour to eastward and reached the shore. From Fleetwood the smack was seen to be submerged all but for her mast and there was concern for the safety of the crew. At about 8.00am three ferry men and three fishermen took one of the ferries across to Knott End and found the crew safe in the Bourne Hotel. The boat returned across the Wyre with the crew and received a hearty welcome from the assembled crowd. In the afternoon James Armour accompanied by fourteen fishermen and two carts went out to the smack and saw that she was already about eight feet deep in the sands. All loose gear, such as sails, ropes etc was brought ashore.
9.11.1890: Having dug out around her and removed all the ballast with the incoming tide she came afloat, but gradually sank again and it was discovered that she was holed.
12.11.1890: A further attempt to salve the smack was made but the tow rope parted and the attempt was abandoned. The SPRAY was valued at £400 and was insured. Fleetwood registry closed.

Changelog
07/03/2011: Page published. 2 updates since then.
05/07/2016: Information updated.
10/10/2021: Information updated.
16/05/2022: Information updated.

s.v. Snowdrop FD43

Technical

Official Number: 56255
Net Tonnage: 54
Completed: 1867
Rig: Smack – trawling
Built: ??, Rye

History

1867: Completed by ??, Rye as SNOWDROP.
1867: Registered at Hull.
1.1.1870: Owned by George H. Murray, Kingston-upon-Hull.
1.1.1875: Owned by Walter Dayes, Hull.
1.1.1883: Owned by Henry Cook, Bean Street, Hull.
1888: Sold to George E. J. Moody, Cleethorpes (managing owner) (Walker Moodie Kelly, Fleetwood, manager).
8.10.1888: Registered at Fleetwood (FD43).
1895: Fleetwood registry closed.

Changelog
07/03/2011: Page published.
06/02/2015: Information updated.