Category Archives: Sailing Trawlers

Sailing Trawlers

s.v. Confidence FD48

Technical

Official Number: 70167
Completed: 1874
Rig: Smack
Gross Tonnage: 37
Net Tonnage: 25
Length: 50.0 ft
Breadth: 16.3 ft
Depth: 9.0 ft
Rig: Smack – trawling & drifting
Built: Peter Rawstrone, Freckleton

History

1874: Launched by Peter Rawstrone, Freckleton for Richard Leadbetter, Fleetwood as CONFIDENCE.
21.7.1874: Appropriated.
8.8.1874: Registered at Fleetwood (FD121).
4.11.1875: At Whitehaven in company with AMETHYST (FD107), PETREL (FD59) and SPRAY (LR??). 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.
1881: Census at Fleetwood – William Leadbetter (25), b-Fleetwood, fisherman master; Robert Y. Lemming (23), b-Preston, fisherman mate; John Salthouse (19), b-Fleetwood, fisherman; Richard Hughes (41), Liverpool, fisherman; Simeon Hughes (58), b-Tarleton, cook).
1899: Sold to Hugh F. Hathorn, Isle of Whithorn, Wigtown & other (Hugh F. Hathorn managing owner). Fleetwood registry closed. Registered at Whitehaven (1/1899).
5.2.1901: Sold to William Leadbetter, The Emporium, Fleetwood.
30.1.1901: Whitehaven registry closed.
5.2.1901: Registered at Fleetwood (FD48).
1919: William Leadbetter, 27 North Albert Street, Fleetwood.
1919: Sold for use as a houseboat.
23.2.1919: Fleetwood registry closed.

Changelog
05/01/2009: Page published. 2 updates since then.
25/11/2018: Information updated.
10/10/2021: Information updated.

s.v. Comet FD160

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 17226
Completed: 1882
Gross Tonnage: 28
Net Tonnage: 22
Length: 57.7 ft
Breadth: 14.4 ft
Depth: 7.1 ft
Rig: Yawl – Trawling
Built: ??, Fish House, Kircudbright

History

1843: Completed by ??, Fish House, Kirkcudbright as COMET.
1853: Owned by Mr Drummond, Fleetwood.
29.1.1853: Registered at Fleetwood O.N.17226.
1.1.1867: Owned by Hugh Ashcroft, Fleetwood.
1872: Owned by Thomas Smith, Fleetwood.
1872: Crew – Richard Rimmer (40), Master; John Collinson( 30), Mate; Jacob Collinson (16), AB; Thomas Rimmer (15), Boy.
1872: Registered at Fleetwood (FD160).
14.10.1872: Lying in the harbour at Fleetwood, discovered that someone had committed wilful damage to the smack, namely that six of the shroud lanyards had been cut. If the smack had sailed for the fishing grounds with this damage undiscovered it is probable that the mast would have been lost, endangering both the boat and her crew.
1.1.1880: Owned by James Billington, Preston.
1882: Sold to Richard Leadbetter, Fleetwood.
1882: Re-registered after lengthening at Fleetwood and converted to yawl rig at a cost of £600. Remeasured 28.36g 21.67n 57.7 x 14.4 x 7.1 feet.
28.7.1882: Reported that a Trawl Boat Race had taken place – Prizes 1st £15, 2nd £7, 3rd £5. Course. Down channel , round Sandside Buoy on the starboard hand, back round Danger Patch Buoy on the starboard hand, round Helpsforth Buoy, leaving it on the port hand, pass round the Flag Ship to SSW leaving it on the port hand, back round Kingscar Buoy on the port hand, to the Fairway Buoy, into the harbour and through the line. Distance about fifty miles. Entries – Spray (W. Hudson); WONDER (W. Leadbetter): GRATITUDE ( Peter Ball); HARRIET (Maskell); KING DAVID (John Moss); OYSTER GIRL (W. Poole); COMET (W. Leadbetter); PETREL (aka BIG PETREL) (Thomas Tomlinson). Towed out to the start at the Screw Pile Lighthouse by the paddle tug WYRE (165grt/1862). All completed the course with the exception of SPRAY which with a new suit of sails broke both her boom and gaff and returned to harbour. Results – GRATITUDE, BIG PETREL, OYSTER GIRL, etc.
16.9.1885: At the Whitehaven Regatta, came third behind GRATITUDE (F56), both owned by Richard Leadbetter. However, the first boat, SEAFLOWER, was not a registered fishing boat and the subject of an inquiry.
20.10.1888: Sold to John Wright, Fleetwood.
1891: Owned by Richard Leadbetter & others, Fleetwood.
22.10.1889: At sea with the PETREL (FD59) acting as a carrier. Closing PRINCE CHARLIE (FD157) to transfer fish, ran foul of the PRINCE CHARLIE smashing her jigger boom.
29.7.1890: At about 8.00 am, came into Fleetwood with the dead body of James Foster onboard. Foster had jumped overboard from the smack GEORGE & MARIA on 25 July 1890. The corpse was discovered in the trawl early in the morning when fishing some four miles NNW of the Morecambe Bay Lightship. The body was in a good state of preservation and in the pockets was a purse containing five pawn tickets, a knife, two clay pipes and a piece of tobacco. The body was conveyed to the mortuary.
30.7.1890: At Fleetwood Police Court the inquest into the death of James Foster was held. Having heard evidence from crew members of both the GEORGE & MARIA and the COMET and from Phoebe Foster, his wife, the Coroner said there was no doubt that it was a case of suicide and that the deceased was of unsound mind. The jury returned a verdict to that effect.
14.10.1892: In a gale, lost her rudder. Towed safely into Fleetwood in the evening.
21/22.12.1894: A whole fleet of trawlers and cargoes were lost during the great storm over Europe.
22.12.1894: Returned to Fleetwood with “trifling” damage.
1898: Along with BEAVER (DO1) and LEADER (FD165) arrived Jubilee Quay from fishing grounds severely iced up.
5.2.1901: Sold to William Leadbetter, The Emporium, Fleetwood & others.
20.10.1902: Disabled on the fishing grounds having lost her rudder. Picked up by the smack IRISH LILY (FD50) and delivered safely to Fleetwood.
18.7.1903: Sold to Francis McCallig Snr, Ballysaggart, Dunkineely, Co. Donegal. Francis McCallig Jnr skipper.
21.12.1908: Fleetwood registry closed.
12.1908: Registered at Sligo (SO1276).
1912: Francis McCallig Snr, managing owner.
1919: Sligo registry closed.

Changelog
05/01/2009: Page published. 2 updates since then.
15/01/2023: Updated history.

s.v. Christina FD13

Additional information courtesy of Geoff Davidson & Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 27311
Completed: 1859
Gross tonnage: 37.76
Net tonnage: 21.88
Length: 56.6 ft
Breadth: 16.4 ft
Depth: 7.7 ft
Rig: Smack – trawling
Built: Robert Wright, Freckleton

History

1859: Launched by Robert Wright, Freckleton for Nicholas Leadbetter, Fleetwood as CHRISTINA.
12.2.1859: Appropriated.
12.2.1859: Registered at Fleetwood.
24.5.1862: Acting as a carrier landed for the fleet 99 baskets of soles, besides other fish, the produce of the labour from sixteen boats. Price achieved for the soles, 3d per pound.
25.5.1865: Sailing near the Danger Patch (Sk. Robert Wright), a young turtle was observed swimming about. The punt was launched and after a little time it was captured. On return to Fleetwood it was taken to the Crown Hotel, where it was weighed, recording 211/2lbs.
3.6.1866: At the Primitive Methodist Church, Fleetwood, Sk. Robert Wright presented a copy of the Holy Scriptures to Mr Edwin Howell on the occasion of his leaving Fleetwood. Sk. Wright had been deeply moved by the affection his young scholars of the bible class in the Sunday school showed for Mr Howell.
1.3.1869: Sold to John Calder & Robert Wright, Fleetwood. Registered at Fleetwood (FD13).
18.10.1870: Moored in the harbour at Fleetwood. The crew having gone to breakfast, two boys were playing in the area, observed smoke coming from the hold. Boarding the smack and on entering the hold saw a fire. They tried to put it out but it was too well alight, so they raised the alarm. This attracted the crew of the LOWNDS (FD??) moored nearby and they managed to put the fire out. There was little damage done but the origin of the fire is unknown.
29.5.1871: The Primitive Methodist Sunday school embarked on a trip to Barrow, there being too many passengers for the chartered steamer RENOWN, the smack was taken in tow carrying the excess. Returned to Fleetwood a little before 10.00pm.
2.6.1873: The Primitive Methodist Sunday school embarked on a trip to Barrow, there being too many passengers for the chartered Liverpool paddle steamer DANDY (126grt/1863), the smack was taken in tow carrying the scholars. Altogether about 600 people were conveyed across the Bay and returned to Fleetwood a little before 10.00pm.
1.1.1875: Owned by John Calder, Fleetwood.
24.3.1875: Fishing some 12-14 miles NNW of the Morecambe Bay Lightship (Sk. Richard Hudson. At about 2.30am. on hauling found a badly decomposed body in the net only held together by his clothing, which was those of a sailor dressed for watch onboard.
25.3.1875: Body landed at Fleetwood.
26.3.1875: At the inquest held at Fleetwood Police Station into the body brought ashore, it was noted that there was no means of identification and a verdict of “Found drowned “ was returned.
10.3.1880: One of three Fleetwood fishing boats were lying together. At about 4.15am., James Wright, son of the skipper Nicholas Wright, who was the cook, looked to go aboard the next boat the ELIZABETH ANN (FD130), but must have missed his footing in the darkness and fell between the two boats. When he was found to be missing a search of the other boats was made, but when he was not found, a trawl was made of the area where it might have fallen overboard, but without success.
1881: Census at Fleetwood – William Rimmer (35), b-Southport, master; Peter Wilson (35), b-Fleetwood, mate; Thomas Pater (20), b-Fleetwood, fisherman; Thomas Sumner (21), b-Fleetwood, fisherman; William Wright (19), b-Whitehaven, cook.
1882: Sold to Nicholas Leadbetter, Fleetwood.
28.3.1888: Sailed Ayr for Fleetwood to be home for Easter. Off Stranraer in a heavy blow it was necessary to take in a reef on the mainsail. While they were doing so a heavy squall hit them and Thomas Railton (30), Back Pharos Street, was knocked overboard by the breaking boom. Every effort was made to search for him but he was not seen again. Put back to Ayr for repair.
30.3.1888: Sailed Ayr for Fleetwood.
31.3.1888: Arrived Fleetwood.
30.10.1889: Acting as a carrier landed about 14 baskets of mixed fish, BETSEY AND SARAH (FD27) also in the carrier role, landed 16 baskets. Prices – soles 1s per lb, plaice 2s 9d per score.
2.12.1889: The Fleetwood fishing fleet sent in some good catches, acting as a carrier along with IDA (FD51) and ALICIA (FD60).
21/22.12.1894: A whole fleet of trawlers and cargoes were lost during the great storm over Europe.
22.12.1894: Returned to Fleetwood (Sk. John Meadows) with damage and skipper injured.
20.5.1895: Reported that while fishing in a moderate NW gale (Sk. John Meadows), struck by a squall carrying away the channel plates of the rigging port side causing the mast to break about twenty feet above deck. The trawl gear was cut away and the EZRA (FD1) (Sk. John Wright) who was close by, connected and towed back to Fleetwood.
2/3.9.1902: The majority of the Fleetwood fishing smacks, were at sea when the gale sprang up but managed to reach shelter without loss of life. Most had a very rough time of it resulting in sails torn or blown away, spars broken and otherwise damaged. During the afternoon reached port in company with ZEPHYR (FD134) with sails torn and blown away.
25.2.1903: During the night, the Fylde Coast experienced the worst weather since the storm of December 1894, in a SSE Force 9 severe gale, reaching storm force in the squalls, torn from her moorings and after being buffeted about for several hours, fetched up on the hulking at Knott End in a relatively sheltered position.
26.2.1903: Refloated at high water and with minimal damage towed back into port.
21.11.1907: Laid up at Fleetwood ‘for want of skipper’.
6.1908: Sold to John Thomas Kee, 25 West Quay, Ramsey.
16.7.1908: Fleetwood registry closed. Registered at Ramsey, IoM (RY99).
1913: Ramsey registry closed.

Changelog
05/01/2009: Page published.
30/12/2015: Information updated.
05/10/2022: Updated history.
16/09/2023: Updated history.

s.v. Carlisle FD66

Technical

Official Number: 74714
Completed: 1876
Net Tonnage: 55
Length: 65.8 ft
Breadth: 18.8 ft
Depth: 9.3 ft
Rig: Dandy – trawling
Built: Mills & Blake, Southtown,Gt Yarmouth

History

1876: Completed by Mills & Blake, Southtown, Gt. Yarmouth for Thomas Lindsey, Lowestoft as Carlisle.
1876: Registered at Gt. Yarmouth (YH680).
1878: Sold to Thomas Knights, Clarence Road, Gt. Yarmouth.
1883: Sold to Robert Nicholls, Gt. Yarmouth.
1884: Sold to W. Burdett-Couts, Gt. Yarmouth.
1886: Transferred to North Sea Trawling Co Ltd, 13 Fish Street Hill, City of London. 1.1.1888: Same.
1888: Sold to F.S. Leleu, Gt. Yarmouth.
Pre 1891: Sold to Richard C. Ward, 12 Alfred Terrace, Fleetwood & another (Richard C. Ward managing owner).
2.9.1891: Registered at Fleetwood (FD66).
3.3.1897: Sold to John N. Ward, 31 St. Peter’s Place, Fleetwood.
3.7.1903: Sold to William Preston, Bold St, Fleetwood and Richard Ashcroft, Fleetwood.
1912: Sold for demolition.
10.1.1912: Fleetwood registry closed “Broken up”.

Changelog
05/01/2009: Page published. 2 updates since then.

Sailing Trawler Burgh Castle FD92

Technical

Official Number: 84585
Completed: 1883
Net Tonnage: 48
Rig: Dandy – trawling
Built: Henry Fellows, South Town, Gt. Yarmouth

History

1883: Completed by Henry Fellows, South Town, Gt. Yarmouth for J. H. Fellows, Gt. Yarmouth as BURGH CASTLE. Registered at Gt. Yarmouth (YH874).
1884: Sold to W. Burdett-Couts, Gt. Yarmouth.
1887: Sold to North Sea Trawling Co Ltd, 12 Fish street Hill, City of London.
1890: Sold to William Louis Gilliland, Londonderry.
1890: Yarmouth registry closed.
2.4.1890: Registered at Londonderry.
1892: Londonderry registry closed.
19.2.1892: Registered at Fleetwood (FD92).
4.1902: Sold by Ernest Thexton, 4 Alderly Rd, Hoylake (Mrs Emily M. Thexton, manager).
4.1902: Fleetwood registry closed.
19.4.1902: Registered at Liverpool (LL352).
1912: Sold to Ernest S. Armitage, 12 Wood Street, Hoylake.
23.12.1918: Sold to Thomas H. Perry, 11 Carr Road, Fleetwood.
16.6.1919: Sold to Horace A. Blyth, 172 Poulton Road, Fleetwood.
Pre 1924: Sold to Mrs Jessie Farrell, 346 Prescot Road, Stanley, Liverpool (Herbert Pritchard, 88 Gidlow Road (South), Liverpool, manager).
Pre 1929: Sold to Andrew Burke, 25 Falconer Square, Liverpool (managing owner).
18.9.1929: Liverpool registry closed “No longer used for fishing”. Restricted to use in River Mersey.

Changelog
05/01/2009: Page published. 3 updates since then.