Category Archives: Steam Trawlers

S.T. Ospray II (2) FD129

Additional information courtesy of Chris Petherbridge Hull Trawler Website

Technical

Official Number: 132404
Yard Number: 464
Completed: 1911
Gross Tonnage: 285
Net Tonnage: 114
Length: 130 ft
Breadth: 23 ft
Depth: 13.2 ft
Engine: 85hp T.3-cyl by Shields Engineering & Dry Dock Co Ltd, North Shields
Boiler: Richardsons, Westgarth & Co Ltd, Middlesbrough
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough

History

14.2.1911: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough (Yd.No.464) for The Cygnet Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Richard W. Mason, manager) as OSPRAY II.
3.1911: Completed.
30.3.1911: Registered at Fleetwood (FD129). Richard Watson Mason appointed manager).
3.3.1915: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-12pdr) (Ad.No.1354). Fitted as Sub-divisional Leader. Based Milford.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Fleetwood (Thomas Cardwell, manager).
15.4.1933: Fishing in 230 fathoms NW of Tory Island, Co. Donegal, hauled a mine causing damage to nets and gear.
17.4.1933: Landed mine at Fleetwood.
2.11.1933: Arrived Fleetwood from fishing grounds with stern post fractured and bent and rudder bent, reported having drifted whilst at anchor in Vatersay Bay and struck rocks.
5.4.1935: Sailed Fleetwood for West of Scotland grounds (Sk. Robert Kelly); eleven crew.
6.4.1935: About to shoot on grounds south of Gigha, at about 7.55am in collision with steam trawler CALDEW (FD347)(Sk.Edward Harris) suffering damage aft of wheelhouse on starboard side and shell plating holed in way of bunker. Attempted to make for shore to beach but ingress of water in stoke hold and engine room too great and pumps could not cope. Abandoned in lifeboat and lay to until vessel sank at about 8.35am Picked up by CALDEW and returned to Fleetwood. Vessel sank in approx position 55.33N 05.52W, 2 miles off Bellochantuy Bay, Kintyre.
17.4.1935: Fleetwood registry closed “Total loss 4.35. Sunk in collision”.
7.12.1935: BOT Formal Investigation (S.375) found Sk. Robert Kelly and Sk. Edward Harris both in default and suspended their tickets for twelve months.

Note:OSPRAY II carried a crew of ten and was heading for the fishing grounds off the west coast of Scotland, by way of the Sound of Jura on the 6th of April 1935. A second vessel, CALDEW, was fishing off the west coast of Kintyre when an unexplained collision occurred. CALDEW hit OSPRAY II amidships and tore a massive hole in her side.
The damage was so great that coal from her bunkers poured out into the sea.

CALDEW took the damaged vessel in tow in an attempt to beach her at the nearest point but that was ten miles away. OSPRAY’s skipper lowered his boat as a precaution and this was just as well because, as the tow got under way, it was clear that the vessel was settling deeper in the water all the time. The crew manned the pumps until they were waist deep in water but their efforts were in vain. With the fires out and the ship sinking under their feet they were forced to scramble into the lifeboat and abandon their vessel.
Less than an hour after the collision OSPRAY II slipped under in 20 fathoms of water approximately 2 miles off the Bellochantuy shore.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Ospray II FD219

S.T. Ospray II FD129
Picture from the Internet

S.T. Ospray II FD219

S.T. Ospray II FD129
Picture courtesy of David Slinger

Changelog
03/01/2009: Page published. 6 updates since then.
12/11/2015: Information updated.
20/08/2017: Removed FMHT watermark and added an image.

S.T. Oseby FD33

Technical

Admiralty Number: 3786
Official Number: 145119
Yard Number: 112
Completed: 1918
Gross Tonnage: 280
Net Tonnage: 92
Length: 126.3 ft
Breadth: 23.7 ft
Depth: 13 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by Gauldie, Gillespie & Co, Glasgow
Built: George Brown & Co, Greenock

History

24.10.1918: Launched by George Brown & Co, Greenock (Yd.No.112) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as JOSEPH GIDDICE. (Ad.No.3786).
12.12.1918: Completed (1 – 12pdr and W/T). 1920: Registered by The Admiralty in the Registry of British Ships at London.
1924: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd (Fred Parkes, Wyberton, Boston, manager).
4.11.1924: Registered at London (LO34).
14.11.1924: London registry closed.
21.11.1924: Registered at Fleetwood as OSEBY (FD33).
1926: Sold to Oscar Dahl, La Rochelle.
31.7.1926: Fleetwood registry closed.
7.1926: Registered at La Rochelle as PENFRET II.
1931: Transferred to O. Dahl & Cie, La Rochelle.
1939: Requisitioned for war service in French Navy and fitted out for minesweeping duties (P.No.AD271). Oscar Dahl & Cie, owners.
12.1940: Transferred to Free French Navy.
1945: Returned to owner Oscar Dahl & Cie, La Rochelle.
1952: Sold to ?? UK.
10.1952: Sold to BISCO and allocated to John Cashmore Ltd, Newport, Monmouthshire for breaking up. 12.11.1952: Arrived Newport under tow.

(Joseph Giddice (aka John Goddice), OS, age 20, b. Mere, Wiltshire – VICTORY (SB975))

Changelog
03/01/2009: Page published. 3 updates since then.

S.T. Orphesia FD119

Technical

Official Number: 124690
Yard Number: 98
Completed: 1907
Gross Tonnage: 273.41
Net Tonnage: 98.34
Length: 130.0 ft
Breadth: 23.1 ft
Depth: 12.0 ft
Built: Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co Ltd, Goole
Engine: 480ihp T.3-cyl by Shields Engineering & Dry Dock Co Ltd, North Shields
Boiler: Robert Stephenson & Co, Hebburn-on-Tyne

History

13.4.1907: Launched by Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co Ltd, Goole (Yd.No.98) for Staretta Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood as ORPHESIA.
5.1907: Completed.
5.6.1907: Registered at Fleetwood (FD119).
5.6.1907: John Richard Blezard designated manager.
8.6.1907: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Williams Deacon’s Bank Ltd, London (A).
29.4.1909: George Sutcliffe designated manager.
1.10.1909: John Nixon Ward designated manager.
6.5.1912: Magnus B. J. Wedum designated manager.
23.10.1913: Mortgage (A) discharged.
1.1.1914: Tonnage altered to 105.68net under provision of Merchant Shipping Act 1907.
30.4.1914: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Williams Deacon’s Bank Ltd, London (B).
27.12.1914: Requisitioned for war service (Ad.No.956).
27.12.1914: Commissioned at Fleetwood.
12.1.1915: Arrived Devonport. Fitted with WT (Call sign YFQ), Hotchkiss 6pdr and mine-sweep.
10.2.1915: Allocated Unit 62 – No.2 patrol based Falmouth (Lieut. J. A. Cowle RNR).
30.3.1915: Re-appointed Unit No.62 – Section B based Falmouth (Lieut. J. A. Cowle RNR).
26.11.1915: Sailed for Mediterranean.
1.1.1916: Based Malta with Unit 133 – patrol & escort duties.
22.7.1917: Sailed Alexandria with convoy, struck submerged wreck at 3.50 pm. and foundered at 6.00 pm.
4.10.1917: Fleetwood registry closed “Vessel lost 22nd July 1917 whilst on Admiralty service”.

Changelog
03/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
08/07/2021: Updated history and technical details.

S.T. Oona Hall FD23

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

Technical

Official Number: 148350
Yard Number: 439
Completed: 1907
Gross Tonnage: 158
Net Tonnage: 57
Length: 105.6 ft
Breadth: 21.2 ft
Depth: 11.1 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen
Built: Hall Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen

History

1907: Completed by Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Yd.No.439) for Soc. Anon des Chalutiers de l’Quest, St. Nazaire (P. Creton, manager) as AR-MEN.
191?: Sold to P. Creton, St. Nazaire.
1920: Sold to Caillié & Co, Brest.
1925: New boiler fitted.
1925: Sold to Wear Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Sunderland (James Hall, manager). Registered at Sunderland (SD30).
1925: Renamed OONA HALL (SD30).
1939: Sold to Ernest Tomlinson, Fleetwood (managing owner).
6.1939: Sunderland registry closed.
6.6.1939: Registered at Fleetwood (FD23).
1940: Sold to Richard Bettess, Fleetwood.
28.5.1940: Run down by French auxiliary cruiser VILLE d’ALGER (10172grt/1935) in heavy sea mist WNW of Calf of Man, Isle of Man; one survivor* out of crew of nine. Wreck lies 6 miles W of Peel in 54m.
8.6.1940: Fleetwood registry closed “Vessel sunk”.

Note: The French Armed Auxiliary Cruiser VILLE D’ALGEIR was leading a French Transport, escorted by four destroyers, through the Irish Sea, on passage from Namsos, Norway. She was carrying “Chausseurs Alpins”, French Mountain troops, part of the Allied Expeditionary Force sent to aid in the failed defence of Norway. As the French convoy passed the west coast of the Isle of Man it encountered a sea mist.

Shrouded in the mist and in the path of the convoy, the steam trawler OONA HALL was unawares of her impending doom.
VILLE D’ALGEIR ran the trawler down, drowning eleven of the twelve crewmen, 8 miles north west by north of Peel breakwater. The sole survivor was picked up by the French vessel. He could recollect little of the incident, being asleep when the crash came. Instinctively rushing for the openness of the deck he was knocked senseless by something unseen. He only regained consciousness when he was pulled from the sea.

Changelog
03/01/2009: Page published. 5 updates since then.

S.T. Olympia GY1080

Additional information courtesy of Bill Blow

Technical

Official Number: 139955
Yard Number: 354
Completed: 1917
Gross Tonnage: 261
Net Tonnage: 102
Length: 120.2 ft
Breadth: 22.5 ft
Depth: 12 ft
Engine: 470ihp T.3-cyl by Amos & Smith Ltd, Hull
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley

History

22.5.1917: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.354) for The Great Grimsby & East Coast Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby as OLYMPIA (originally to have been named BISACCIA).
25.7.1917: Walter William Butt appointed manager.
26.7.1917: Registered at Grimsby (GY1080).
7.1917: Completed (Walter W. Butt, manager).
9.1917: Requisitioned for war service as an anti-submarine trawler (1-12pdr, 1-3.5” A/S Howitzer & Hydrophone) (Ad.No.3064). Based Taranto.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Grimsby.
1.2.1924: About 50 miles E of Tyne met Norwegian steamer CONDOR (?) with disabled wooden aux. schooner Joyce French (785grt/1905) of London, Lillesand for Tyne, pitprops, in tow. Transferred tow and proceeding Tyne.
4.2.1924: Delivered Tyne.
26.8.1926: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Midland Bank Ltd, London (A).
8.4.1938: Albert Wright Butt appointed manager.
12.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (P.No.FY.1586) (Hire rate £76.2.6d/month).
1.12.1941: Mortgage (A) discharged.
14.1.1942: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood.
22.1.1942: Basil Arthur Parkes, Cleveleys appointed manager.
2.1944: Returned to fishing from Fleetwood.
24.2.1944: First landing at Fleetwood.
18.9.1944: Last landing at Fleetwood.
9.1944: Reverted to war role.
30.10.1945: Returned to owner at Fleetwood.
12.1.1946: Sold to William Wilcox (64/64), Milford Haven.
15.1.1946: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Barclays Bank Ltd, London (B).
23.1.1946: William Wilcox designated managing owner.
9.5.1946: Sold to Channel Trawling Co Ltd (64/64), Milford Haven.
20.5.1946: Mortgage (B) discharged.
21.5.1946: William Wilcox appointed manager.
22.5.1946: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Barclays Bank Ltd, London (C).
21.2.1949: Sold to Taylor Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby.
3.3.1949: Charles Taylor Ltd appointed manager.
22.2.1949: Mortgage (C) discharged.
4.1962: Sold to N.V. Machinehandel & amp; Scheepssloperij ‘De Koophandel’, Nieuw-Lekkerland, The Netherlands for breaking up.
30.4.1962: Sailed Grimsby for Rotterdam.
7.5.1962: Grimsby registry closed “… on sale to foreigners (Dutch subjects)”.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Olympia GY1080

S.T. Olympia GY1080
Picture by Steve Pulfrey courtesy of Mark Stopper

S.T. Olympia GY1080

S.T. Olympia GY1080
Builders Certificate

S.T. Olympia GY1080

S.T. Olympia GY1080
Scrapping Certificate

Changelog
03/01/2009: Page published. 10 updates since then.
08/04/2018: Removed FMHT watermark from image.