Category Archives: Sailing Trawlers

Sailing Trawlers

sv Harriet – FD111

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm

FD 111, Harriet, is the only surviving example of the sailing smacks that fished from Fleetwood. Converted to motor power, she survived over 100 years before being abandoned in the Duddon Estuary. The first pictures shows her as originally built and the other two after she had been converted to motor and fitted with gallows for a trawl.

Technical

Official Number: 89709
Completed: 1893
Gross tonnage: 41.60
Net tonnage: 24.55
Length: 60.1 ft
Breadth: 16.8 ft
Depth: 9.0 ft
Rig: Ketch
Built: Singleton Brothers, Fleetwood
Built as a sister smack to MARGARET
Last sailing trawler to operate from Fleetwood.

History

29.7.1893: Launched by Miss Harriet Leadbetter, the owner’s youngest daughter, at Singleton Brothers, Fleetwood for Richard Leadbetter, Fleetwood & others as HARRIET.
9.1893: Completed at a cost of £1,200.
16/17.9.1893: Maiden trip/fishing trials. (Sk. Henry Leadbetter).
2.10.1893: Registered at Fleetwood (FD111).
13.5.1903: At about 12.30 pm in a strong WSW breeze, sailed Fleetwood (Sk. Henry Leadbetter) with Red Rose (FD99) (Sk. Peter Leadbetter), in company with MARGARET (FD208) (Sk. Richard Leadbetter/Capt. Double) for her sailing trial, the two vessels considered to be the fastest smacks sailing out of Fleetwood. Trials were very successful and MARGARET will obviously improve her sailing qualities once the sails are stretched and adjusted. The boats covered a distance 20 miles in two and a half hours.
5.12.1905: Sold to William Leadbetter, 62 Derbyshire Road, Fleetwood & others.
24.6.1911: At the Blackpool & Fleetwood Sailing Club regatta, in the open race for registered fishing smacks, there was a stiff NNW breeze and rain. The smacks, five in number, got away at 9.00am on a course taken from the flagship FALCON (25regd tons.1894) pilot boat No.1, moored between the Knot and the ferry, round Heysham No.1 buoy, Shell Wharf to Nelson’s buoy, back to Shell wharf, fairway buoy, finishing at the flagship, a distant of about 42 miles. Finished in third place, however with an early collision between the SURPRISE (FD15)and the LOUIE RIGBY (FD127) in which the former lost her bowsprit and the RELIANCE (FD10) failing to round Nelson’s buoy, the race caused a lot of friction between the Leadbetters, Wrights and Colleys. The matter was settled by dividing the prize money between all the entrants.
2.10.1924: At Fleetwood Petty Sessions, two Fleetwood lads were charged with breaking and entering fishing boat cabins. Alongside at the Jubilee, they broke in and stole a pair of prismoid binoculars, valued at £2. On a second charge they broke into the cabin of the smack LORD MARMION (FD131) and stole a barometer valued at 30s. The mother of one of the lads pawned the binoculars for 4s as she had no food and her son said he had found them on the promenade. Both lads had previous convictions but the magistrates gave them another chance; bound over for the sum of £5 to be of good behaviour for twelve months and placed under supervision of the probation officer.
10.5.1928: The Irish Sea experienced a severe gale and many fishing vessels, both sail and steam, suffered damage. Returned home (Sk. Nicholas Wilkinson) in company with the MARGARET (FD208), with sails torn to ribbons, the former had all her sails blown away.
23.4.1929: Sk. Nicholas Wilkinson, 4 Byron Street, Fleetwood died.
13.5.1929: Sk. Albert Iddon, 23 Oak Street, Fleetwood appointed skipper.
24.7.1929: Sold to David Helm, 41 Pharos Street, Fleetwood (Sk. David Helm).
19.3.1930: Converted to auxiliary motor with a semi diesel – remeasured 20.57n.
19.3.1930: Re-registered at Fleetwood as auxiliary motor.
24.3.1930: Sk. James Roskell appointed skipper.
25.5.1930: At 9.00am sailed Fleetwood under power for the fishing grounds (Sk. David Helm) with a charter party of business men onboard with the object of their gaining an insight into fishing operations. At 12.55 pm off the Cumberland coast shot the beam trawl and towed until 4.00pm. On hauling, with a good bag of crayfish and mixed fish, the engine stopped. Attempted to repair but on starting it was not running smoothly and stopped. Hoisting sail but with very little wind they drifted until they dropped anchor around 8.00pm about two miles from the Lune Lightship. Several steam trawlers passed but none saw the signals.
26.5.1930: One of the business men got the engine going and at 2.00pm got underway for Fleetwood, but only with two men holding a knife and screwdriver to the engine to make connections. At 8.00am arrived Fleetwood.
4.11.1830: Sailed for the fishing grounds in company with ASHBY (GY359) and LORD MARMION (FD131).
5.11.1830: In the early hours, about 4.00am, fishing some 40 miles from Fleetwood, with ASHBY some miles away, weather conditions deteriorated. Hauled gear. Sizing up the situation to was agreed that LORD MARMION would be taken in tow for home. Closed, connected and after a six hour tow, HARRIET and LORD MARMION arrived safely in port. AAHBY, with her gear stowed and under reduced sail arrived off the Wyre Light, and was taken in tow by the steam tug CLEVELEYS ((292grt/1902)) and brought safely into Fleetwood.
20.4.1939: After a 43 mile tow, arrived Fleetwood with motor trawler FLORADORA (GY317) picked up disabled with engine trouble.
1943: Re-engined with 4 stroke 4-cyl 68bhp oil engine by Gardner Engines Ltd, Patricroft, Manchester.
13.1.1947: Sold to David Helm, 41 Pharos Street, Fleetwood & George William Fletcher, 22 Whinfield Ave, Fleetwood (Sk. George Fletcher).
16.7.1947: At Fleetwood landed 139 boxes.
24.6.1950: At Fleetwood landed a sturgeon, at 11-12ft and weighing an estimated 25-30 stone, possibly the biggest ever landed at Fleetwood. Sold for £25.
3.1.1953: For 24 hours Seaforth radio broadcast an SOS for Edward Scott, Kemp Street, Fleetwood a fisherman onboard the smack, to return to port as his daughter Ann was ill in Victoria Hospital, Blackpool. There was no response and the Liverpool pilot boat and other trawlers the in the Irish Sea were asked to keep a look out for the HARRIET.
5.1.1953: In the afternoon steam trawler ALCMARIA (LT48) passed on the message. In thick fog, made for home arriving at Fleetwood just before midnight; Scott visited his daughter the following day and she was improving.
7.3.1958: Change of address George William Fletcher, 49 Pharos Street, Fleetwood.
1869: David Helm died.
20.1.1970: Sold to George William Fletcher, 49 Pharos Street, Fleetwood.
2.6.1975: Fleetwood Part IV registry closed “No longer fishing.”
1977: Sold to Mrs Josephine Banner, Little Langdale, Cumbria. Delivered Borwick Rails, Millom (Sk. George Fletcher). Taken out of the water and converted into a day centre for handicapped children – The Harriet Trust. Work mainly undertaken by Youth Training Scheme youngsters from Millom and Whitehaven with grant from Cumbria Tourist Board. Opened by Millom Town Council chairman, Cllr Bessie Schiff.
1994: Further converted to provide better facilities for children in a project by the BBC programme “Challenge Anneka”. Joined by mfv SULWATH (AR74) to provide a play space.
1995: Declared unsafe. After discussions between The HARRIET Trust and Lancashire County Museums Service an agreement was reached to buy the vessel and return her to Fleetwood for conservation and display in the Museum.
5.9.1996: Recorded with the National Historic Fleet. Cert. 638.
8.1998: At Millom lifted on to purpose built cradle and placed on a flat top pontoon for tow back to Fleetwood.
19.8.1998: Arrived Fleetwood.
2008: Stored behind Museum awaiting preservation.
2009: Open for public viewing.

Click to enlarge images

Harriet FD111 outbound. Picture courtesy of E V Todd

Harriet FD111 outbound. Picture courtesy of E V Todd

Harriet FD111 outbound with Ida and William & John FD162. Picture courtesy of E V Todd

Harriet FD111 outbound with Ida and William & John FD162. Picture courtesy of E V Todd

sv Harriet FD111

sv Harriet FD111
Picture (with sv Wonder) courtesy of The David Slinger Collection

mv Harriet FD111

mv Harriet FD111
Picture courtesy of The David Slinger Collection

mv Harriet FD111

mv Harriet FD111
Picture courtesy of The David Slinger Collection

sv Harriet FD111

sv Harriet FD111

Sailing Trawler Harriet FD111

Sailing Trawler Harriet FD111

Sailing Trawler Harriet FD111

Sailing Trawler Harriet FD111

Sailing Trawler Harriet FD111

Sailing Trawler Harriet FD111

fv Harriet FD111

fv Harriet FD111
Harriet at Millom. Image from the Internet.

fv Harriet FD111

fv Harriet FD111
Preparing the cradle. Image from the Internet.

fv Harriet FD111

fv Harriet FD111
Ready for the move. Image from the Internet.

fv Harriet FD111

fv Harriet FD111
Towing form Millom. Image from the Internet.

fv Harriet FD111

fv Harriet FD111
Cllr. Bessie Schiff and Josephine Banner
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
28/01/2009: Page published. 2 updates since then.
02/06/2016: Removed FMHT watermarks from images.
20/10/2022: Major update to history.
21/10/2022: Added images.
24/10/2022: Added images.

s.v. Milo FD19

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm and Geoff Davidson

Technical

Official Number: 53277
Completed: 1865
Gross Tonnage: 51g
Net tonnage: 38
Length: 64.6 ft
Breadth: 17.4 ft
Depth: 9.5 ft
Rig: Dandy – trawling
Built: J. & C. Hoad, Rye

History

1865: Completed by J. & C. Hoad, Rye as MILO, for Christopher Rice, Hull.
16.01.1866: Registered at Hull (H50).
03.10.1867: Smack JUNO (Capt.Buckingham) and other vessels anchored off Heligoland, riding out heavy WNW Gale. At 11:00 an unnamed schooner anchored nearby began to drag, despite deploying a second anchor. Schooner grounded a mile offshore and crew took to rigging. A boat was launched from MILO but the two crewmen manning did not have sufficient strength to reach the vessel and had to return to MILO. Crew saved by veering a boat from HALO down to the casualty and taking off the crew.
21.01.1869: Two young persons (Henry Durbridge and Thomas Wilson) charged with being suspected persons after being found in the cabin. Reported by a man named Foote. Constable Pickering attended. Both lads remanded.
1.1.1870: Owned by William Jeffs, Kingston-upon-Hull.
07.02.1873: Returned to port with bulwark and other damage, after a collision in the Humber.
17.07.1874: A fisherboy named George Poskitt fell from the masthead. Taken to Hull infirmary suffering head and leg injuries.
12.1877: Sold to George Draper, Grimsby.
12.1877: Registered at Grimsby (GY683).
16.03.1878: Offered for sale along with other ketch rigged smacks. Realised almost £1000 but did not reach reserve.
25.10.1878: Dismasted, sails blown away and bulwark damage. Smack WALTER DREW (Sk. Lyon) closed and towed to port. Salvage claim subsequently went to court.
1.1.1880: Owned by The Grimsby Smack Co Ltd. Grimsby.
1.1.1883: Owned by Harrison Mudd, Holbrook House, Grimsby.
2.1888: Sold to George Miller, 33 Church St, Fleetwood (managing owner). To be skippered by Mr. David Leadbetter.
2.1888: Grimsby registry closed.
21.3.1888: Registered at Fleetwood (FD19).
20.5.1895: Reported that in a moderate NW gale, with squalls, had mainmast carry away. Smack RED ROSE (FD99 ) (Sk. T. Bond) connected and delivered Fleetwood.
06.06.1913: Offered for sale at £150.
11.09.1914: Offered for sale at £750.
1916: Sold for demolition.
19.2.1916: Fleetwood registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

s.v. Milo FD19

s.v. Milo FD19
Picture courtesy of The Fred Baker Collection

Sailing Trawler Milo FD19 at Wyre Light

Sailing Trawler Milo FD19
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
23/01/2009: Page published.
30/12/2015: Information updated.
05/11/2017: Removed FMHT watermark from image.
31/08/2024: Updated history.

s.v. Sunrise FD147

Technical

Official Number: 97926
Completed: 1891
Gross tonnage : 56
Net Tonnage: 56n
Length: 69.3 ft
Breadth: 18.7 ft
Depth: 9.05 ft
Rig: Ketch – trawling
Built: ??, Galhampton

History

1891: Completed by ??, Galhampton for Edward J. Wren, 77 Bevan St, Lowestoft, as SUNRISE.
16.9.1891: Registered at Lowestoft (LT432).
1911: Sold to Thomas Fairclough, 107 Mount Street, Fleetwood (The Sunrise Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood) (John N. Ward, manager).
5.5.1911: Lowestoft registry closed.
18.5.1911: Registered at Fleetwood (FD147).
1912: Magnus B.J. Wedum appointed manager.
3.10.1913: Tonnage altered to 24.46net. New Fishing Certificate issued.
10.3.1918: Fishing 18 miles SE from Maughold Head, stopped by U-boat (UC75) and sunk by bombs. Crew took to boat.
13.3.1918: Fleetwood registry closed.

Additional information courtesy of Adrian Corkill (Dictionary of Shipwrecks off the Isle of Man)

The Manx fishing smack Marguerite, under Skipper Tommy Lee, was bound from Bangor for Douglas. At 5 pm on 9th March 1918, she encountered a German submarine when she was about midway between Anglesey and the Isle of Man. On seeing Marguerite the submarine began shelling her, taking her to be a decoy, as at the time the smack had no registration number and was carrying all her sail. After a couple of shots Marguerite stayed and made towards the submarine, but still the shelling continued. One of the crewmen, Dicky Lee, held up a truce signal, but was dismayed to find that the German’s fired a bullet clean through it.
Tommy Lee, meanwhile, ordered all the canvas to be lowered, and as the submarine came closer, he held up his hand and the shelling stopped. When the submarine was alongside the smack two German officers boarded her and stripped off some of the sails taking it to the submarine. This was intended to be makeshift bedding for the prisoners. They then placed a bomb on the smack and took off her three crew. Marguerite foundered 25 miles N 1/4 E of Beaumaris.
The submarine submerged and lay on the seabed for several hours before cruising off in search of its next victim. The submarine commander then asked to see Tommy Lee and proceeded to conduct a lengthy interrogation through the use of an interpreter. When the commander discovered the smack was not being used for military purposes and was from the Isle of Man (home to many thousands of German prisoners of war), he was much more sympathetic to the crew.
When again the submarine surfaced the fishing smack Sunrise, of Fleetwood, was halted and went the same way as Marguerite, by use of a bomb 18 miles southeast of Maughold Head. This was twenty three hours after the Marguerite had been sunk. Together, the crews of Sunrise and Marguerite, seven in number, were bundled into Sunrise’s small boat, and were set off in the direction of St Bee’s Head, 14 miles distant. The Germans had given the seamen some food and a compass to ease the journey and the unfortunate seamen eventually landed at Whitehaven.

Changelog
07/01/2009: Page published. 3 updates since then.

s.v. Royal Consort FD75

Technical

Official Number: 67125
Completed: 1871
Gross Tonnage: 33
Net Tonnage: 24
Length: 53.8 ft
Breadth: 15.4 ft
Depth: 7.6 ft
Rig: Jigger Jigger Smack/Steam screw/Yawl – trawling
Engine: C.2-cyl by A. Rutherford & Co, Birkenhead
Boiler: The Lune Valley Engineering Co, Lancaster
Built: Shepherd & Leech, Whitehaven

History

1871: Completed by Joseph Shepherd & Co, Whitehaven for John William Leech as ROYAL CONSORT.
14.10.1871: Registered at Fleetwood (FD75).
1881: Sold to John Johnson, Fleetwood (managing owner).
23.12.1886: Sold to John Johnson, Fleetwood & others (John Johnson managing owner).
23.12.1886: Registered at Fleetwood (FD75).
1.10.1890: Converted to a jigger.
20.2.1905: Sold to James Johnson, 9 Wellington Terrace, Preston & Jane Price, Fleetwood.
4.7.1906: Sold to Henry Robert Moss, 22 Windsor Terrace, Fleetwood (managing owner).
7.2.1908: Sold to Richard Riley, 3 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool (later Knowsley Villa, Thornton-le-Fylde); Samuel S. Waterhouse, 8 Regent Road, Blackpool & William F. Wilkinson, Maybell Avenue, Blackpool.
22.7.1908: Converted to steam. Re-measured 19.49net.
22.7.1908: Re-registered as steam vessel. Richard Riley appointed manager
22.9.1909: Converted back to sail. Re-measured 23.26net.
22.9.1909: Steam machinery removed re-rigged as a yawl. Re-measured 23.26net.
22.9.1909: Re-registered as a sailing vessel.
6.10.1909: Sold to Thomas Nisbett, 49, Poulton Rd, Fleetwood & Walter Porter
Hutson, 3 Elm Street, Fleetwood (Thomas Nesbett managing owner).
23.9.19??: Sold to Thomas Nesbett, 49 Poulton Rd, Fleetwood.
1915: Sold for breaking up.
19.3.1915: Fleetwood registry closed “broken up”.

Changelog
05/01/2009: Page published. 5 updates since then.
30/01/2015: Information updated.

Sailing Trawler Irene FD281

Technical

Official Number: 99278
Completed: 1892
Net tonnage: 51
Rig: Ketch
Built: Samuel Dewdney & Sons, Brixham

History

1892: Completed by Samuel Dewdney & Sons, Brixham for Samuel Blackmore, 44 Thorncastle St, Ringsend, Dublin as IRENE.
13.4.1892: Registered at Dublin (D??).
1916: Sold to Edward S. Kirkham, 9 Addison Road West, Preston (managing owner).
6.1916: Dublin registry closed.
22.6.1916: Registered at Fleetwood (FD281).
1920: Sold to S. P. Moxey & F. A. Hanby, Lowestoft.
30.4.1920: Fleetwood registry closed.
4.5.1920: Registered at Lowestoft (LT976).
1923: Sold to Arthur B. Cullen, 41 High Street, Lowestoft (managing owner).
9.1.1924: Inward to Lowestoft from fishing grounds in strong NE wind and rough seas, struck South Pier and grounded. Attended by Lowestoft lifeboat, AGNES CROSS and five crew and cat rescued.
27.6.1925: At noon outward for fishing grounds in strong NE winds and heavy seas. North of piers, missed stays and thrown on to North Beach, Lowestoft.
By 3.00 pm. rolling heavily with seas breaking onboard. Lowestoft lifeboat AGNES CROSS attended but had to lay off in deeper water. At 4.00 pm. vessel filled and crew of four taken off by lifeboat.
1925: Vessel salved.
8.4.1926: Lowestoft registry closed. “Total Loss”.
1926: Sold for demolition.

Changelog

05/01/2009: Page published.