Additional information courtesy of Andy Hall

Technical

Official Number: 129374
Yard Number: 473
Completed: 1912
Gross Tonnage: 209.47
Net Tonnage: 78.41
Length: 115.6 ft
Breadth: 22.5 ft
Depth: 12.4 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by Alexander Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen
Built: Alexander Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen

History

4.1.1912: Launched by Alexander Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Yd.No.473) for Stroud’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Aberdeen as DANIEL STROUD.
1.1912: Completed.
25.1.1912: Registered at Aberdeen (A438). Daniel Stroud appointed skipper. Horace Edward Stroud designated manager.
21.6.1913: At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, George Morrice, a young offender, was charged with stealing a pair of marine glasses (binoculars), value 30s, from the trawler on the 17 March. Morrice who had only come out of prison after serving a term of three months, pleaded guilty and admitted previous convictions. Thefts from trawlers were too common; he was sentenced to 30 days imprisonment.
5.1914: On hire to The Admiralty for target towing.
30.5.1914: Arrived Portsmouth.
5.6.1914: Sailed Portsmouth for Portland.
6.1914: Arrived Penzance in tow of HM Trawler JAVELIN (Ad.No.21) (ex BRACONLEA (A532)), having struck the Seven Stones, seven miles WNW of Lands End, making water and beached for inspection.
7.1914: Sold to The Admiralty.
3.8.1914: Arrived Devonport and fitted out as a minesweeper (1-12pdr) (Ad.No.163) (Aberdeen registry retained).
15.8.1914: Sailed Devonport for Portsmouth.
6.2.1915: In company with Hull registered salvage steamer SALVOR No.1 (130grt/1872), sheltering in South Bay, Peterhead. Dragged anchor and fetched up on west shore. Peterhead lifeboat launched and SALVOR No.1 got underway to attend but in very heavy seas engine failed, broached and turned turtle. Swept onto rocks; only one survivor E. S. Riches, cook, out of crew of seven.
16.3.1915: Successfully refloated with the assistance of a contingent of territorials who dug a channel to allow the Liverpool salvage steamer RANGER (409grt/1880) to connect and pull free. Taken into South Harbour, subsequently docked and repaired.
7.1919: Sold to Stroud’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Aberdeen. Horace E. Stroud designated manager.
11.7.1919: William Ives appointed skipper.
7.1925: New boiler
14.9.1927: At Fleetwood landed a sunfish weighing between 250-300 lbs, caught when line fishing for halibut off Tory Island. Co. Donegal. The fish fetched 5/- and was exhibited.
19.11.1928: Outward for Faroe grounds in very heavy weather (Sk. Philip Lenman), driven ashore in Bay of Holland, Stronsay, Orkney. Mate Graham Burr and 2nd fisherman J. Brown, took the punt to get ashore but before they has pulled any distance the boat capsized throwing the two men into the sea. Although he could not swim, Sk. Lenman removed his outer clothing and with a line attached he was lowered into the water. The two men were entangled in rope, etc in the boat, but he freed them and roping up the mate he was hauled back onboard. The water was so cold that it was not possible to grip the rope and the 2nd fisherman was held up by his feet to keep him afloat until they were pulled back through the heavy seas and hauled onboard.
24.11.1928: Settled in sand, Aberdeen salvage steamer HENRY LANCASTER (363grt/1919) connected and at high water refloated without lightening vessel except for water ballast. Both vessels anchored in Holland Bay.
25.11.1928: In the afternoon berthed at Kirkwall.
26.11.1928: Sailed Kirkwall for Faroes.
9.8.1929: Sold to The Empire Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Aberdeen. George Warner appointed skipper. Harry Alexander Holmes designated manager.
28.9.1929: Registered at Aberdeen as LOCH ESK (A438) (BoT Minute M/RG No.1393/1929 dated 31.8.1929).
22.8.1930: Sailed for the fishing grounds after taking bunker coal at Methil (Sk. Charles Henry Grimmer), stranded in Kilminning Bay amongst the rocks, one mile south of Fifeness; crew landed by life-saving apparatus. Refloated at high water by Aberdeen salvage vessel HENRY LANCASTER (363grt/1919) with little damage and proceeded under own power.
9.12.1930: At Cupar Sheriff Court, continued a case against 2nd fisherman William Gordon Taylor, that on the 22 August while the trawler was making for the North Sea he was on watch and by wilful breach or neglect of duty, did fail to keep the trawler on the course E1/2S set by the skipper, whereby the trawler stranded in Kilminning Bay.
20.1.1931: At Cupar Sherrif Court, 2nd fisherman William Gordon Taylor, was fined £20 or 60 days imprisonment for falling asleep at the wheel. Total cost of the damage was £1,300.
3.2.1933: Returned to Aberdeen with fire in bunker coal which had spontaneously combusted whilst on fishing grounds. Fire extinguished by Fire Brigade.
1934: Malcolm Smith designated manager.
1935: Sold to Andrew Craig & others, Aberdeen. Alexander F. Wood designated managing owner
1936: Sold to Isaac B., I. J. W. & J. A. Wood, Aberdeen. Alexander F. Wood designated managing owner manager.
27.8.1937: At Aberdeen Fish Market, Alexander Slater, Findochty, was seriously injured while assisting to land the catch. While he was guiding a basket of fish through the hatch it slipped of the hook and fell 20ft landing on his head. He was detained at the Royal Infirmary.
1939: Sold to Regent Fishing Co (Aberdeen) Ltd (64/64), Aberdeen. Thomas Walker designated manager.
11.1939: Sold to John Grant, Aberdeen. John Grant designated managing owner.
25.11.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (P.No.FY.896) (Hire rate £52.5,0d/month).
25.1.1940: Returned to owner.
1942: Sold to Mrs Ellen Mary Marsh Gordon Cubbin (64/64), Douglas, IoM.
2.11.1942: Aberdeen registry closed.
7.11.1942: Registered at Peel (PL53).
7.11.1942: Robert Albert Colby Cubbin designated manager.
1943: Landing at Fleetwood from Home Waters and Faroe grounds.
3.5.1943: Typical landing, Home Waters. 520 kits – cod/codling-200, haddock-250, ling/coley-60, dogs-40.
17.6.1943: Typical landing, Faroes. 450 kits – cod-350, haddock-60, flats-25, ling & coley-15.
2.1945: Fishing out of Fleetwood.
4.11.1948: Sold to Ribble Trawlers Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood.
17.11.1948: Stanley James Waltham designated manager.
17.11.1949: Peel registry closed.
18.11.1949: Registered at Fleetwood (FD307).
10.6.1950: Fishing off Inishtrahull (Sk. James Richard Wayman); twelve crew. At about 11.00 pm. approached by three motor fishing boats believed from Portaleen, Co. Donegal. Boat crews opened up with small arms fire and Sk. Wayman hit in left thigh. Bosun, Ronald Clark, took the wheel and headed for the open sea. Towed nets for six miles before hauling.
11.6.1950: Arrived Campbeltown for medical attention and to report incident.
12.6.1950: Arrived Fleetwood.
12.6.1950: At a special Court at Culdaff, Co. Donegal, Patrick Kelly, Glentosker and William Bonner (22) of Portaleen, Culdaff charged in connection with the shooting affair near Inishtrahull Island. William Bonner was charged with discharging a loaded rifle at Sk. Wayman and Patrick Kelly of aiding an abetting Bonner. Both accused returned for trial to the Circuit Court at Letterkenny, Bonner on bail of £100 with two sureties of £50 and Kelly on bail of £50 with two sureties of £25.
7.2.1951: At the Central Criminal Court, Dublin, William Bonner (22) a fisherman of Portaleen, Culdaff, County Donegal was found not guilty of wounding James Richard Wayman, skipper of the steam trawler LOCH ESK, with intent to do him grievous bodily harm and of malicious wounding and shooting with intent. Counts relating to the alleged unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition were ruled out by Mr. Justice Kingshill Moore, and a charge that Bonner caused grievous bodily harm was dropped by the State. During the course of the trial, witnesses alleged that LOCH ESK was fishing in Irish territorial waters. Bonner was discharged.
1950: Sold to Regent Steam Fishing Co (Aberdeen) Ltd, Aberdeen. Thomas Walker designated manager.
30.5.1951: Sold to Goodleigh Fisheries Ltd, Milford Haven.
12.7.1951: Fleetwood registry closed.
20.7.1951: Registered at Milford as ROSELEIGH (M166) (MoT Minute RG1160/51 dated 21.6.1951). Henry John Richards, Johnston designated manager.
30.5.1951: Goodleigh Fisheries Ltd in liquidation.
19.2.1953: Sold to William Henry Kerr, Milford Haven. William Henry Kerr designated managing owner.
5.5.1953: Sold to South Western Trawlers Ltd, Milford Haven. John Charles Llewellin designated manager.
4.8.1953: Registered at Milford as CRUNDALE (M166). Spanish pareja trawling with steam trawler LYDSTEP (M192).
13.4.1955: Last landing at Milford.
4.1955: Sold to BISCO and allocated to Thos. W. Ward Ltd, Sheffield for breaking up at Castle Pill, Milford Haven.
7.5.1955: Arrived Castle Pill.
13.6.1955: Milford registry close

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Loch Esk FD307
Picture courtesy of The David Buckley Collection

S.T. Loch Esk PL53
Picture courtesy of Milford Trawlers

Changelog
19/01/2009: Page published. 2 updates since then.
01/02/2017: Removed disputed image.
01/11/2022: Updated history.
23/02/2024: Added an image.