Category Archives: Steam Trawlers

S.T. Ruff H34

Technical

Official Number: 118802
Yard Number: 62
Completed: 1904
Gross Tonnage: 169
Net Tonnage: 50
Length: 110.3 ft
Breadth: 21.1 ft
Depth: 11.2 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by C. D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull
Built: Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co Ltd, Goole

History

2.2.1904: Launched by Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co Ltd, Goole (Yd.No.62) for Kelsall Brothers & Beeching Ltd, Hull (George Beeching, Hull & John E. A. Kelsall, London, managers) as RUFF.
2.1904: Completed.
23.2.1904: Registered at Hull (H34).
22.10.1904: The Dogger Bank Incident. Flying the flag of Vice Admiral of the Gamecock fleet. Russians on passage to the Pacific in the darkness opened fire on the trawlers (approx 45 vessels) under the impression that they were about to be attacked.
2.1.1911: On North sea grounds with gale force winds and heavy seas running. Shortly before dawn saw signals of distress from a vessel some distance away. Closed and found Norwegian barque BAMSE (957grt/??) being smashed about and helpless with steam trawler SNIPE (H133) close at hand. Launched boat, manned and prepared to pull over to casualty when a heavy sea struck the barque and she capsized and foundered; none of her crew seen and presumed all lost.
1.1.1914: Tonnage altered to 63.89 net under provision of Merchant Shipping Act 1907
11.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-6pdr) (Ad.No.676). Based Granton.
1918: Based Swansea.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Hull.
7.6.1919: Vessel mortgaged (64.64) to The London County Westminster & Parr’s Bank Ltd, London (A). John Slater appointed manager.
6.3.1923: Mortgagee re-styled as Westminster Bank Ltd, London.
14.10.1927: Mortgage (A) transferred to William Augustus Hayward, Eastbourne.
14.10.1927: Mortgage (A) transferred to Mercantile Marine Finance Corporation Ltd, London.
28.9.1928: Robert Burton appointed manager.
12.2.1929: Arrived Hull from North Sea grounds encrusted with ice; fishing abandoned.
16.9.1932: Charles Hugh Emerson appointed manager.
10.1932: Mercantile Marine Finance Corporation Ltd in liquidation.
1.11.1932: Mortgage (A) transferred to Harold Frank Hayward, London; Maud Florence Katherine Rogers, Chelsea and Ernest Norton, London (Joint mortgagees).
23.1.1936: Mortgage (A) discharged.
11.2.1936: Sold to Brixham Trawlers Ltd, Brixham.
14.2.1936: Vessel (64/64) mortgaged for £750 with interest at 5% with Harold Frank Hayward, London; Maud Florence Katherine Rogers, Corfe Castle and Ernest Norton, London (Joint mortgagees)(B). Ralph S. Dugdale appointed manager.
16.9.1932: Charles Hugh Emerson appointed manager.
12.1937: Transferred to Fleetwood when Brixham Trawlers Ltd moved to the port.
2.12.1937: Sailed Brixham for Fleetwood, fishing round.
13.12.1937: First landing at Fleetwood, 104 boxes grossed £220.
9.2.1939: Mortgage (B) discharged.
13.2.1939: Vessel mortgaged to Midland Bank Ltd, London (C).
5.5.1943: Typical wartime landing.
172 kits – hake-70, cod/codling-21, haddock-6, whiting-24, flats-10, ling/coley-25, roker-7, gurnard-3, dogs-6.
20.4.1953: Mortgage (C) discharged.
28.7.1955: Sold to BISCO and allocated to Thos. W. Ward Ltd, Sheffield for breaking up at Fleetwood. 1955: Hull registry closed.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Ruff H34

S.T. Ruff H34
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
04/01/2009: Page published.
16/06/16: Information updated.
27/09/2020: Image added.

S.T. Royalist (1) LO17

Technical

Official Number: 109078
Yard Number: 207a
Completed: 1898
Gross Tonnage: 183
Net Tonnage: 66
Length: 111.7 ft
Breadth: 21 ft
Depth: 11.8 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by C. D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Hull

History

1.9.1898: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Hull (Yd.No.207A) for George Walton, Hull (managing owner) as ROYALIST.
10.1898: Completed.
31.10.1898: Registered at Hull (H428).
9.11.1899: Off the Skaw arrested for alleged illegal fishing in Danish territorial waters. At Frederikshavn whole crew arrested and master charged with running down in Onunder Fjord, Iceland on 9.10.1899, a boat which had been sent out to arrest him for alleged fishing within the three mile limit: three men drowned.
20.1.1900: Trial concluded with guilty verdict on both charges. Sk. C. A. Nielsson sentenced to one years imprisonment; the mate Holmgren to ten days hard labour; the cook Rugaard, a Dane, to thirty days hard labour. Skipper also fined 3,200 kroner for illegal fishing in Icelandic (Danish) and Danish waters.
5.9.1901: Sold to The Dublin Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Dublin (A. Richardson, manager).
18.8.1902: Hull registry closed.
8.1902: Registered at Dublin (D206).
1913: Fishing from Fleetwood.
1.1.1914: Tonnage altered to 74net under provision of Merchant Shipping Act 1907.
7.1917: Sold to George Frederick Sleight, Grimsby (managing owner).
7.1917: Dublin registry closed.
31.7.1917: Registered at Grimsby (GY1090).
8.1917: Requisitioned for Fishery Reserve.
1919: Released.
30.11.1920: Sold to Andrew Walker, Aberdeen (managing owner).
13.12.1920: Grimsby registry closed.
22.12.1920: Registered at Aberdeen (A498).
30.12.1927: Sold to The Walker Steam Trawl Fishing Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Thomas Walker, manager).
26.11.1929: Sold to Robert S. Hewett, London (managing owner).
21.11.1929: Aberdeen registry closed.
29.11.1929: Registered at London (LO17). Fishing from Fleetwood.
30.5.1930: Sold to The Hewett Fishing Co Ltd, London (Robert S. Hewett, manager).
1935: Sold for for breaking up.
29.11.1935: London registry closed.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Royalist H428

S.T. Royalist H428
Picture from the Internet

S.T. Royalist LO71

S.T. Royalist LO71
Picture courtesy of The Philip Dell Collection

Changelog
28/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
28/03/2015: Information updated.
01/09/2015: Updated information.
05/07/2020: Updated information and added an image.
11/06/2023: Added an image.

S.T. Rosa Maris FD43

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm & Andy Hall

Technical

Official Number: 144070
Yard Number: 436
Completed: 1920
Gross Tonnage: 246
Net Tonnage: 92
Length: 117.4 ft
Breadth: 22 ft
Depth: 12.5 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by C. D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley

History

24.5.1920: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.436) for Charles H. George, Caister on Sea, Gt Yarmouth as ROSA MARIS.
11.1920: Completed.
1.1921: Sold to Wilberforce Steamship Fishing Co Ltd, Scarborough. William F. Smith, Filey designated manager.
10.2.1921: Registered at Hull (H248).
1925: Sold to Lancashire Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood. Edward Towne, Blackpool designated manager.
2.6.1925: Registered at Fleetwood (FD43).
6.6.1925: Hull registry closed.
26.9.1927: Typical landing from West of Scotland grounds – 250 boxes.
4.11.1927: At Rothesay Sherif Court, Sk. William Harrison Mather was fined £150 for trawling in the Firth of Clyde on 28th August, with name and number concealed and refusing to stop when challenged by a Fishery cruiser.
6.1.1929: Sailed Fleetwood for West of Scotland grounds (Sk.William Harrison); twelve crew all told.
16.1.1929: Last haul off Loch Boisdale, Outer Hebrides before sailing for home. In a heavy gale at about 10.00 pm having hauled and stowed the trawl proceeded to pick up the dhan. Approaching the dahn lurched suddenly to port having struck the Red Rocks, off Hartamul, to the east of the Sound of Eriskay and came fast. Attempts made to back off using engine but probably made matters worse, opened up and shortly after took a heavy list to port. Skipper ordered lifeboat to be launched but due to list and weather took over an hour to get boat in the water.
17.1.1929: All crew took to the boat and pulled over to some lights in the distance which proved to be the Aberdeen drifter IMMACULATE (not identified) which, having taken all on board, hauled her nets and proceeded to Loch Boisdale village where survivors landed and accommodated. Vessel in a dangerous position. Steam trawler LUNEDA (FD) sailed Fleetwood with surveyor onboard and a Glasgow tug standing by, but cannot approach due to weather. The Aberdeen salvage tug IRONAXE (296g/1916) also on her way to the scene but nothing can be done until there is an abatement in the weather.
From 19.1.1929: Surveyed and found extensive damage to shell plating and frames, port side and open to sea. Abandoned as total loss.
13.2.1929: Fleetwood registry closed “Total loss”

Note from Don MacPhee
I took a party of divers out to the Red Rocks off Hartamul (east of Eriskay) in 1983. We found the first part of the name ROSA in brass lettering along with the usual debris. Now know that it was off the ROSA MARIS, wrecked 1929. There is also the remains of an unidentified wooden hulled steam powered vessel hard against the south east base of Hartamul, local scalloper VIRGO regularly bagged up the coal from her.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Rosa Maris FD43

S.T. Rosa Maris FD43

S.T. Rosa Maris FD43

S.T. Rosa Maris FD43

Changelog
04/01/2009: Page published. 5 updates since then.
18/02/2021: Updated history.

S.T. Rononia FD88

Additional information courtesy of Bill Blow

Technical

Official Number: 134777
Yard Number: 271
Completed: 1913
Gross Tonnage: 213.23
Net Tonnage: 88.68
Length: 117.1 ft
Breadth: 21.5 ft
Depth: 12.1 ft
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley
Engine: 430ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by C. D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull

History

24.4.1913: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.271) for The Pelham Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby as RONONIA.
6.1913: Completed.
28.6.1913: Registered at Grimsby (GY865).
28.6.1913: Alick Black designated manager.
28.6.1913: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The London City & Midland Bank Ltd, London (A). Fishing from Fleetwood.
8.7.1913: Arrived Grimsby for first time.
9.7.1913: Sailed on maiden trip.
25.8.1913: Mortgage (A) discharged.
30.8.1913: Sold to Walter Olney (64/64), Fleetwood.
4.9.1913: Alick Black, Grimsby designated manager.
11.9.1913: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The London City & Midland Bank Ltd, London.
7.1.1914: In fog, stranded on Rossall Point. Refloated twenty-four hours later.
6.1915: Requisitioned for war service as an armed trawler (1-6pdr) (Ad.No.1594).
2.10.1915: Mortgage (B) discharged.
4.10.1915: Sold to The Neva Steam Trawlers Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood.
6.10.1915: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The London City & Midland Bank Ltd, London (C).
8.10.1915: Ernest Tomlinson designated manager.
8.2.1917: Ernest Tomlinson & Joseph Allen Taylor designated managers. Based Egypt.
Post 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Fleetwood.
5.3.1919: Grimsby registry closed.
10.3.1919: Registered at Fleetwood (FD88).
11.1924: Mortgage (C) discharged.
27.11.1924: Sold to Harold Bacon (64/64), Grimsby.
29.11.1924: William Wallace Brierley, Fleetwood designated manager.
28.11.1924: Fleetwood registry closed.
29.11.1924: Registered at Grimsby (GY134).
8.12.1924: Harold Bacon designated managing owner.
31.12.1929: Harold Bacon died intestate.
5.6.1930: Letters of Administration granted to Gertrude Catherine Bacon, Edwin Bacon Snr and Charles George Mastin, all Grimsby (64/64 – joint owners).
11.9.1930: James Norman Bacon designated manager.
5.9.1930: Sold to Kottingham Trawling Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby.
14.3.1941: Charles George Mastin designated manager.
12.2.1942: Sailed Grimsby for Iceland grounds.
6.3.1942: On Icelandic trip, at 11.06 pm torpedoed by U-boat (U.701), hit in boiler room, broke in two and foundered rapidly; all crew lost*.
13.7.1942: Grimsby registry closed “Ship missing since 5.3.1942”.

* Lost – Sk. Henry S. Ford; Albert E. Miller, 2nd Hand; Ernest R. Stevens, Ch Eng; Allan B. Marland, 2nd Eng; Arthur F. Bland, William A. Pederson, John F. Kemp, William G. Witts, Deckhands; Henry Swanson, Arthur S. Westerman, Trimmers and William G. Camber, Cook.)

Changelog
04/01/2009: Page published, 4 updates since then.
21.97/2021: Updated history and technical details.

S.T. Romulus FD128

Additional information courtesy of David Slinger and Bill Blow

Technical

Official Number: 93068
Yard Number: 11
Completed: 1885
Gross Tonnage: 159
Net Tonnage: 76
Length: 109 ft
Breadth: 20.2 ft
Depth: 10.6 ft
Engine: 180ihp C.2-cyl and boiler by C. D. Holmes & Co, Hull
Built: Cochrane, Cooper & Schofield, Beverley

History

24.12.1885: Launched by Cochrane, Cooper & Schofield, Beverley (Yd.No.11) for Christopher Pickering & Samuel L. Haldane, Hull (managing owners) as ROMULUS.
1.3.1886: Completed.
4.3.1886: Registered at Hull (H1483). Chartered to John Sheriff Ellis, Scarborough and fishing from Scarborough.
1890: Sold to Pickering & Haldane’s Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull (Henry A. L. Russell, manager).
1901: New boiler by Amos & Smith, Hull fitted.
24.5.1906: Re registered (H1483).
22.10.1910: Chartered to James Herbert Marr, Fleetwood (managing owner).
24.11.1910: Hull registry closed.
28.11.1910: Registered at Fleetwood (FD128).
29.1.1911: Arrived Fleetwood and reported that deckhand, Thomas Tate, Kent St, Fleetwood had been lost overboard.
14.3.1911: In collision with steam trawler BELMONT (FD64) in Wyre Channel when outwards for the fishing grounds.
30.3.1911: Sold to James Herbert Marr, Fleetwood (managing owner).
29.8.1912: Sold to The Active Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood (James A. Robertson, manager).
10.1915: Requisitioned for war service as a boom defence trawler (Ad.No.NI).
29.10.1916: Sold to Arthur Walker, Aberdeen (managing owner).
20.4.1918: Sold to Nelson Blow (64/64), Grimsby.
25.6.1918: Nelson Blow appointed manager. Based Buncrana, Co. Donegal.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Grimsby.
20.3.1919: Fleetwood registry closed.
26.3.1919: Registered at Grimsby (GY146).
19.7.1920: Sold to Frederick Ernest Peters (64/64), Bristol.
25.7.1920: Frederick Ernest Peters appointed manager.
28.7.1920: Grimsby fishing registry closed “now used for cargo”.
30.7.1920: Alteration of tonnage and other particulars following conversion to cargo. Certificate of Survey at Grimsby dated 30.7.1920. Re measured 170.36g 69.78n.
22.12.1920: Grimsby registry closed. Registered at Bristol.
1924: Sold to Bristol Sand & Gravel Co Ltd, Bristol (Frederick E. Peters, manager). At Bristol converted for sand dredging in Severn Estuary.
1935: Sold to Richard Abel & Sons Ltd, Liverpool (Fred Abel, manager).
7.1939: Sold for breaking up.
1939: Bristol registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Romulus H1483

S.T. Romulus H1483
Picture courtesy The Mike Thompson Collection

Sand Dredger Romulus

Sand Dredger Romulus

“ROMULUS at Hill’s Yard, Bristol 19 May 1935. From the Graham Farr Archive courtesy The Friends of Purton (www.friendsofpurton.org.uk)”

Sand Dredger Romulus

Sand Dredger Romulus

Changelog
04/01/2009: Page published. 7 updates since then.
04/02/2016: Minor information update.
15/05/2017: Removed FMHT watermarks from images.