Category Archives: Steam Trawlers

S.T. Goth FD52

Positional information courtesy of Captain Hilmar Snorrason
Goth crew information courtesy of the late Fred Hobbs

Technical

Official Number: 148478
Yard Number: 468
Completed: 1925
Gross Tonnage: 394.48
Net Tonnage: 173.79
Length: 147.5 ft
Breadth: 25.5 ft
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley
Engine: 700ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by Amos & Smith, Hull
Speed: 10.5 knots

History

8.6.1925: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.468) for Hellyer Brothers Ltd (64/64), Hull as GOTH.
12.8.1925: Registered at Hull (H211). Frank O. Hellyer & Owen S. Hellyer designated managers.
20.8.1925: Completed.
9.1925: Sailed for Greenland coast on an exploratory trip in an attempt to find new fishing grounds.
9.10.1925: At Hull landed 260kits mostly cod and codling and trip deemed successful.
1929: Fish carrier for halibut fishery in the Davis Strait, Greenland.
3.1.1930: Off Norway coast, stranded near Narvik, came afloat with engine but leaking and put into Lødingen. Divers plugged leaks.
15.2.1930: In collision Saltend with steam trawler MARCONI (H488). Both vessels taken in tow for Hull.
16.4.1931: Arrested in Icelandic water by Icelandic Coastguard ship AEGIR along with Hull trawlers CAPE DELGARDO (H47) and CAPE TRAFALGAR (H918) and escorted to Reykjavik. Each fined 10kroner for having fishing gear incorrectly stowed. Later fines rescinded and all three skippers admonished.
12.10.1933: On a Barents Sea trip (Sk. Herbert Brown). Fishing in company with steam trawlers KINGSTON PEARL (H296) (Sk. William Hornby) and LARWOOD (GY49) (Sk. S. Cantwell) at about 3.00pm. responded to distress message from Norwegian steamer HAUGLAND (3153grt/1896) disabled off the Murman coast with broken propeller shaft and drifting on a lee shore in a NE gale following loss of anchors. At about 6.30pm KINGSTON PEARL using DF was the first to reach casualty. In heavy sleet and and ground swell it was not until 10.00pm. that an attempt was made to connect via Schermuly rocket but line repeatedly parted. Closed vessel and managed to get a heaving line aboard and trawl warp made fast with difficulty as windlass damaged when anchors lost.
13.10.1933: Twice warps parted and it was not until 5.00am. that GOTH arrived on the scene and was able to connect by Schermuly rocket and between them hold the vessel off the shore. Again after about an hour the warps parted and by this time LARWOOD had arrived and succeeded in getting a line onboard and held the vessel for a further two hours. Shortly after 12.00 noon an attempt was made to tow the vessel away from the coast but the casualty was unmanageable, KINGSTON PEARL managed to get another line connected but shortly after both warps parted. KINFSTON PEARL and GOTH connected again but warps parted and GOTH was temporarily disabled with the wire round her propeller. With weather freshening and the vessel close to the shore the master requested that the crew be taken off. The trawlers closed the casualty, pumped oil on the water and GOTH managed to pick up all twenty-nine crew and later landed them at Vardø, Norway. HAUGLAND was subsequently refloated, repaired and returned to service.
25.7.1939: Insured value £13,700.
5.8.1939: Sailed Hull for White Sea last trip before requisition (Sk. J. W. Ellis).
29.8.1939: At Hull landed 1,461 kits grossed £1,664.
29.8.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (P.No.FY.649) (Hire rate £152.13.6d/month).
25.2.1941: Re-registered to Hellyer Bros Ltd ((64/64), Hull.
3-6.1945: Restored, special survey and inclined at North Shields.
1.8.1945: Sold to The Ocean Steam Trawling Co Ltd (64/64), Hull. Leslie Barkworth designated manager.
30.11.1945: Insured value £30,000; for 1946 proposed £33,000.
14.12.1946: Sold to The ‘Wyre’ Steam Trawling Co Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood.
14.12.1946: Hull registry closed.
12.1946: Registered at Fleetwood (FD52). Merchants (Fleetwood) Ltd designated managers.
4.12.1948: Sailed Fleetwood for Icelandic grounds (Sk. Wilfred Elliott); twenty one crew all told.
10.12.1948: Trawling NW of Straumnaes, north west coast of Iceland in company with steam trawler St. MELANTE (GY80).
11.12.1948: Storm, hauled and ran for shelter to Adalvik Bay.
13.12.1948: Reliable evidence that vessel was communicating by radio with other trawlers.
Post 13.12.1948: Presume foundered NNW of Halo, 43 miles to NW of Straumnes, Iceland in position 66.59.8N 24.28.9W; all twenty-one crew lost*.
23.2.1949: Posted missing. Fleetwood registry closed.
14.4.1950: At BOT Formal Investigation (No. S.416), the Court found that the casualty was probably caused by heavy weather, but other possibilities, mine explosion, boiler explosion, bunker explosion, could not be excluded.
15.11.1997: Icelandic trawler HELGA (RE49) (Sk. Vidar Benediktsson) fishing on NW Iceland grounds, trawled up a funnel which was identified in Reykjavik as belonging to the GOTH. Returned to Fleetwood.
12.2006: After repainting sited as a memorial to the lost trawlermen beside the Asda store at the corner of Dock Street and Station Road.

Note. Vessel was to have been renamed WYRE GALLANT (FD52) on her return.

Download the BOT Inquiry Report here.

* Lost (all Fleetwood unless stated):
Skipper: Wilfred (Wink) Elliot aged 36, Warbreck Hill Rd, Blackpool
Mate: A. E. Plummer, aged 47, Preston
Bosun: John Edwards, aged 35, Hathaway Place, Fleetwood
Chief Engineer: G. H. Knight, aged 52, Garfield Rd Fleetwood
2nd Engineer: Alfred Patterson, aged 24, Dock St Fleetwood
Wireless Operator: Stanley Bowles, aged 19, Newton-le-Willows
Fireman: Thomas Dagger, aged 25, Springfield Terrace, Fleetwood
Fireman: Harvey Ramsden, aged 24, Layton Blackpool
Fireman: J. Beattie, aged 24, Liverpool
Cook: H. P. Blyth, aged 51, Bolton
Assistant Cook: Albert Silcock, aged 20, Preston
Deckhand: Ernest Parker (DSM) aged 28, Heathfield Rd Fleetwood
Deckhand: John Tandy, aged 27, Victoria St. Fleetwood
Deckhand: Harry Buckley, aged 24, Carr Rd Fleetwood
Deckhand: William Durbin, aged 26, Shakespeare Rd Fleetwood
Deckhand: Norman Grisenthwaite, aged 24, Heathfield Rd Fleetwood
Deckhand: Harry Smith, aged 23, Heathfield Rd Fleetwood
Deckhand: Richard Snasdell, aged 23, Oak St Fleetwood
Deckhand: Benjamin Redman, aged 27, Blackiston St Fleetwood
Deckhand: J. Davies, aged 60, Gordon Rd Fleetwood
Brassie: Robert Rhimes, aged 16, Broomfield Rd Fleetwood

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Goth FD52

S.T. Goth FD52
Picture from the Internet

S.T. Goth H211

S.T. Goth H211
Picture from the Internet

S.T. Goth FD52

S.T. Goth FD52
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection

S.T. Goth FD52

Goth memorial and funnel
Picture courtesy of Alan Duggan

Changelog
19/09/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
24/10/2015: Added BOT Inquiry report.
25/04/2016: Updated information.
25/01/2017: Removed disputed image.
12/12/2020: Updated history.
03/10/2021: Minor update.

S.T. Wasp FD169

Additional material courtesy of Holger Munchaus Petersen

Technical

Official Number: 98707
Yard Number: 13
Completed: 1890
Gross Tonnage: 149
Net Tonnage: 49
Length: 100.5 ft
Breadth: 20.5 ft
Depth: 10.7 ft
Built: Mackie & Thomson, Govan
Engine: T.3-cyl by Muir & Houston Ltd, Glasgow

History

14.10.1890: Launched by Mackie & Thomson, Govan (Yd.No.13) for British Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull as WASP.
1890: Completed (William L. Robins, manager).
1.12.1890: Registered at Hull (H112).
1891: New boiler.
8.11.1912: Sold to James Alexander Robertson, Fleetwood (managing owner).
15.11.1912: Hull registry closed.
16.11.1912: Registered at Fleetwood (FD169).
1912: Sold to J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood (James A. Robertson, manager).
1914: Re-measured 160g.
1.1.1914: Tonnage altered to 55.16 net under provision of Merchant Shipping Act 1907.
6.1914: Sold to Fiskeri-A/B Salen, Gothenburg for £1350.
28.6.1914: Fleetwood registry closed.
6.1914: Registered at Gothenburg.
1917: A. Th. Amundsen manager. Registered at Gothenburg as GUNNER.
1919: Owned by C. S. Plantén, Gothenburg.
1919: Burnt.
1920: Owned by Sven P. Larsson, Malmö. Gothenburg registry closed. Registered at Malmö.
1927: Laid up owners not recorded.
1928: Sold to Robert Schou, Frederikshavn, Denmark.
1929: Sold to Petersen & Albeck, Copenhagen probably intended for breaking up. Cut down to a lighter. Registered at Copenhagen as P.& A.4.
1930s-1941: Unrecorded sales but latterly owned by Skandinavisk Union Handelshus, Copenhagen.
12.1941: Sold to ??.
8.1943: Sold to Frederik Vilhelm Christian Hall, Charlottenlund (managing owner). Converted to a cargo motorship.
1944: Engined with a Alpha-Diesel 2 stroke 4-cyl oil engine by A/S Fredrikshavns Maskfbk, Fredrikshavn (Engine built 1943).
1943-1944: Converted to cargo.
1944: Registered at Copenhagen as TAJO.
3.1944: Returned to service.
8.1944: Sold to I/S Kähler & Braum, Køsor.
6.1946: Sold to Sandvad & Co, Copenhagen. Registered as a combined cargo/fishing vessel at Copenhagen as ABBA (K.126).
16.1.1953: Sailed Kopervik, Karmøy for Ålesund in ballast.
18.1.1953: A lifeboat marked ABBA and various pieces of wreckage found off Rugsund, Bremanger and in following days oil noted coming to surface south of Marøy, Norway. Vessel presumed foundered in heavy weather in the Frøysjøen fjord near Halenes Lighthouse. Eight crew lost.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Wasp H112

S.T. Wasp H112
Picture courtesy of The
Jonathan Grobler Collection

Changelog
18/01/2008: Page published. 6 updates since then.
01/06/2017: Removed FMHT watermark from image.

S.T. Romanoff GY639

Technical

Official Number: 113210
Yard Number: 276
Completed: 1900
Gross Tonnage: 178
Net Tonnage: 81
Length: 108.7 ft
Breadth: 21.0 ft
Depth: 11.2 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by C. D. Holmes & Co, Hull
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Hull

History

10.9.1900: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Hull (Yd.No.276) for Alick (Alec) Black, Grimsby (managing owner) as ROMANOFF.
9.11.1900: Registered at Grimsby (GY1204).
11.1900: Completed.
20.5.1905: Sold to The Pelham Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby (Alick (Alec) Black, manager).
1.1909: Sold to Christian M. Eversen, Thorshavn, Faeroe Islands.
29.1.1909: Grimsby registry closed.
2.1909: Registered at Thorshaven as CECELIE.
21.5.1911: Sold to The Earl Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby (Alick (Alec) Black, manager).
29.5.1911: Registered at Grimsby as ROMANOFF (GY639).
1913: Fishing from Fleetwood.
28.5.1914: Sold to The Savoy Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby (Henry C. Baker, manager).
2.8.1917: Sold to William Baynton & Walter Jagger, Grimsby (William Baynton managing owner).
29.5.1917: Requisitioned for Fishery Reserve.
By 11.8.1917: Fitted 1-6pdr LA.
1919: Released.
1920: New boiler fitted.
23.3.1920: Sold to Headway Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby (Walter Jagger, manager).
6.1922: Sold to Thomas Whitehead, Scarborough (managing owner).
6.6.1922: Grimsby registry closed.
6.1922: Registered at Scarborough (SH373).
1930: Sold to James Pattison, Hartlepool (managing owner).
1933: Sold to Robert Goodlad, Aberdeen (managing owner).
5.1933: Scarborough registry closed.
12.5.1933: Registered at Aberdeen (A275).
1937: Sold to German principals for breaking up.
14.9.1937: Aberdeen registry closed “Sold Germans”.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Romanoff GY639

S.T. Romanoff GY639
Picture courtesy of Alan Hirst

S.T. Reptonian FD171

Technical

Official Number: 163166
Yard Number: 581
Completed: 1933
Gross Tonnage: 409
Net Tonnage: 174
Length: 154.6 ft
Breadth: 25.6 ft
Depth: 13.9 ft
Engine: 111nhp T.3-cyl and boiler by C. D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley

History

19.10.1933: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.581) for Hellyer Bros. Ltd, Hull as BASQUE.
14.11.1933: Registered at Hull (H521).
21.11.1933: Completed (Frank O. Hellyer & Orlando S. Hellyer, managers).
22.12.1933: Sailed Hull for Bear Island grounds (Sk. J. W. Fox).
11.1.1934: At Hull landed 1,462 kits, grossed £1,220.
14.1.1939: Sold to Great Grimsby & East Coast Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby (Albert Wright Butt, manager).
30.1.1939: Hull registry closed.
1.2.1939: Registered at Grimsby (GY41).
15.4.1939: Registered at Grimsby as ISTRIA (GY41).
17.8.1939: Sailed Hull for Bear Island grounds (Sk. J. Hardcastle).
1.9.1939: Recalled by The Admiralty; at Hull landed 259 kits grossed £261.
9.1939: Sold to The Admiralty (£22,659).
19.5.1939: Grimsby registry closed. Fitted out as an anti-submarine trawler (P.No.FY.150). Based Scapa Flow with A/S Group 14.
11.1945: After refit at Greenock, sold to The Wendover Fishing Co, Grimsby (Consolidated Fisheries Ltd).
11.1945: Registered at Grimsby (GY129).
30.9.1946: Sold to Hull Ice Co Ltd, Hull (Harold Watson Hall, manager).
16.11.1946: Sold to Thos. Hamling & Co Ltd, Hull (Harold Watson Hall, manager) for £21,774.10.0d.
19.11.1946: First trip from Hull – no details.
11.1946: Grimsby registry closed.
27.11.1946: Registered at Hull (H363).
10.1.1947: Registered at Hull as St. ARCADIUS (H363).
10.1.1947: Sailed Hull for White Sea grounds (Sk. B. Godfrey).
6.2.1947: At Hull landed 1,151 kits grossed £3,925.4.5d.
2.6.1947: Landed. Required extensive boiler repairs – 97 days in dock.
14.11.1947: Sold to Eton Fishing Co Ltd, Hull (George Gillard, manager) for £60,000 (W. A. Massey & Sons Ltd, Hull, shipbrokers commission £1,500).
29.12.1947: Registered at Hull as REPTONIAN (H363).
28.8.1950: Sold to J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood (Geofrey Edwards Marr, manager) for £33,000.
14.8.1951: Sold to Dinas Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Frank Marr, Cleveleys, manager) for £39,625.
10.6.1953: Hull registry closed.
6.1953: Registered at Fleetwood (FD171).
1.1959: Sold to BISCO and allocated to Thos. W. Ward Ltd, Sheffield for breaking up.
10.1.1959: Arrived Preston from Fleetwood under own power.
12.1.1959: Delivered.
1959: Fleetwood registry closed.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Reptonian H363

S.T. Reptonian H363
Picture from The Internet

S.T. Reptonian FD171

S.T. Reptonian FD171
Picture courtesy of the JJ Collection

Changelog
18/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
03/11/2018: Removed FMHT watermark and added an image.

S.T. Red Knight LO445

Additional information courtesy of David Slinger

Technical

Official Number: 163173
Yard Number: 586
Completed: 1934
Gross Tonnage: 394
Net Tonnage: 152
Length: 151.9 ft
Breadth: 25.6 ft
Depth: 13.6 ft
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley
Engine: 102nhp T.3-cyl and boiler by C. D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull

History

4.12.1933: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.586) for Jutland Amalgamated Trawlers Ltd, Hull as LADY ADELAIDE.
3.1.1934: Registered at Hull (H4).
10.1.1934: Completed (Edward Cargill, manager).
15.1.1934: Sailed Hull on first trip to White Sea grounds (Sk.W. Lewis).
12.2.1934: At Hull landed 499 kits grossed £935.
2.1939: Sold to The Admiralty (£18,333).
27.2.1939: Hull registry closed. Fitted out as a “Gem” class anti-submarine trawler. Renamed HMS BERYL (1-4”,
AA weapons, DC) (P.No.T.34). To Malta in Reserve Fleet.
28.11.1939: Commissioned. Mid. Harold W. du Boisson RNR appointed CO. To Alexandria with A/S Group 4.
4.1940: A/Comm Bosun Henry E. Sellwood RN appointed CO.
6.5.1940: Arrived Malta with A/S Group 4.
6.1940: Mid. Harold W. du Boisson RNR appointed CO.
7.10.1940: Act Cdr James Collis Bird DSC RN (rtd) appointed CO.
7.1941: Mid. Harold W. du Boisson RNR appointed CO.
11.11.1941: Snr Comm Bosun Victor P. Rhind RN appointed CO.
17.12.1941: A/Sub Lieut. Harold W. Boisson RNR appointed CO. To Port Said with A/S Group 4.
12.1942: Ty/Sub Lieut. Harold Olsberg RNR appointed CO.
10.7.1943 – 3.9.1943: At Sicily landings.
9.1944: Ty/Sk. Joseph William Richmond RNR appointed CO.
1946: Laid up at Milford Haven on Disposal List (SORF, Pembroke Dock).
4.1946: Sold to Iago Steam Trawler Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Capt. E. D. W. Lawford DSO, manager).
1946-47: Restored at Barrow.
2.1947: Converted at Barrow-in-Furness for burning oil fuel, F.P. above 150° F.
2.1947: Registered at London as RED KNIGHT (LO445).
26.4.1954: At Reykjavik Sk. Nicholas Wright was fined £1700 with catch and gear confiscated on a charge of fishing inside Icelandic territorial waters.
14.12.1959: Homeward from Icelandic grounds (Sk. John Mecklenburgh) in very heavy weather off Western Isles. Between 0710 and 0715 spoke to RED FALCON (LO4) (Sk. Alex Harvey) about 150 miles ahead and agreed to make for lee of Irish coast. Presumed Sk. Harvey later set course for Inishtrahull. At 1830, Sk. Mecklenburgh called RED FALCON on the radiotelephone but received no reply.
15.12.1959: On arrival at Fleetwood on midday tide Sk. Mecklenburgh expressed concern for the RED FALCON.
16.12.1959: At 1220 Formby Coastguard informed Northern Rescue Co-ordination Centre, Pitreavie that vessel was 24 hrs overdue. Search by Shackleton aircraft over area.
18.12.1959: Search called off. RED FALCON presumed foundered, between Stanton Bank and Skerryvore and probably to the SW of Skerryvore Light, Inner Hebrides, overwhelmed due to stress of weather; all nineteen crew lost.
1.1961: Dodging in heavy seas and gale force wind off Iceland assisted trawler LORD MONTGOMERY (FD130) who had lost the mate, Ralph Connelly, presumed washed overboard, to search the area. The mate was not found.
1962: Sold to to Thos. W. Ward Ltd, Sheffield for breaking up.
27.11.1962: Delivered Barrow-in-Furness from Fleetwood under own power.
12.1962: London registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Red Knight LO445

S.T. Red Knight LO445
Picture from the Internet

HMS Beryl

HMS Beryl
Picture from the Internet

HMT Beryl

HMS Beryl
Picture from the Internet

S.T. Red Knight LO445

S.T. Red Knight LO445
Picture from the Internet

S.T. Red Knight LO445

S.T. Red Knight LO445
Picture courtesy of The Stephen Myerscough Collection

S.T. Red Knight LO445

S.T. Red Knight LO445
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
18/01/2009: Page published. 5 updates since then.
03/02/2016: Information updated.
14/08/2016: Picture added.
11/06/2019: Information updated.
09/09/2023: Added an image.