Category Archives: Steam Trawlers

S.T. Olivine FD351

Technical

Official Number: 121097
Yard Number: 326
Completed: 1905
Gross Tonnage: 289
Net Tonnage: 106
Length: 135.8 ft
Breadth: 22.5 ft
Depth: 13.1 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by W. V. V. Lidgerwood, Coatbridge
Built: Mackie & Thomson, Govan

History

In 1905 the Kingston board requested Mackie & Thomson, Govan, to design a class of distant water trawler suitable for fishing at Iceland all year round. The design was to incorporate a “whale back” forecastle and verandah bridge which had been introduced by other shipyards in 1902 and was proving to be a success. The submitted design was approved and two vessels ordered. Contracts were signed with the shipyard to build the vessels with engines and boilers for £6,950 each. Names chosen were OLIVINE and TOURMALINE.
Total cost for OLIVINE with amendments, certification, fees, fishing gear, stores and coal £7,801.3s4d. (Ships Papers 1s.1d.)

28.9.1905: Launched by Mackie & Thomson, Govan (Yd.No.326) for The Kingston Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull as OLIVINE.
11.1905: Completed trials and accepted (Lawrence Spring, manager)
7.12.1905: Registered at Hull (H849). First Trip, Sk. George Remington – twelve crew.
1.1915: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-12pdr HA) (Ad.No.1211).
10.10.1917: Arthur Taylor appointed Kingston manager.
23.4.1919: Sale agreed with Charles William Pickering, Liverpool with benefit of Admiralty hire and restoration.
5.1919: Returned after survey and restoration at Wivenhoe.
5.5.1919: Sold to Charles William Pickering, Seaforth, Liverpool for £15,000 (through W. A. Massey & Sons Ltd, Hull, shipbrokers commission £150).
12.5.1919: Sold to The British Trawling Co Ltd, Bootle (Charles William Pickering, Seaforth, manager).
13.10.1919: Hull registry closed.
15.10.1919: Registered at Fleetwood (FD351).
1921: Registered office transferred to Fleetwood.
1922: Sold to Sociedade de Pesca a Vapor Espardarte Lda, Lisbon.
15.8.1922: Fleetwood registry closed.
8.1922: Registered at Lisbon as ESPADARTE I.
1933: Sold to Alberto Graca, Lisbon. Registered at Lisbon as INVENCIVEL TERCEIRO.
1955: Sold for breaking up.

(Coal Capacity – Main Bunker 124 tons Fish Room 60 tons Total 184 tons)

(Note. Building installment costings:
Shipbuilder
28.6.1905: 1st – £500
11.7.1905: 3nd – £1,287.10.3d
19.8.1905: 3rd – £1,787.10.4d
2.11.1905: Balance – £750
17.11.1905 : Final – £1,037.10.0d Total – £5,362.10.7d
Engine and boiler maker
Estimated cost – £1,600)

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Olivine H849

S.T. Olivine H849
Picture courtesy of James Cullen

Changelog
03/01/2009: Page published. 2 revisions since then.
12/10/2014: Picture added.
30/06/2017: Removed FMHT watermark from image.

S.D/T. Olivae R212

Technical

Official Number: 137610
Yard Number: 269
Completed: 1915
Gross Tonnage: 107
Net Tonnage: 51
Length: 92 ft
Breadth: 19.1 ft
Depth: 9 ft
Built: Fellows & Co Ltd, Great Yarmouth
Engine: T.3-cyl by F. W. Carver & Co, Great Yarmouth
Boiler: by Riley Brothers (Boilermakers) Ltd, Stockton on Tees

History

1915: Completed by Fellows & Co Ltd, Great Yarmouth (Yd.No.269) on spec as DOROTHY F and not registered.
1.1916: Requisitioned for war service as an A/S net drifter (Ad.No.1959).
1.1919: Returned.
2.1919: Renamed KINGFISHER.
4.1919: Sold to Charles H. George, Caister-on-Sea.
17.4.1919: Registered at Yarmouth as OLIVAE (YH73). Charles H. George designated managing owner.
10.1.1920: Sold to Sutton Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hartlepool. Albert R. Sutton designated manager.
26.2.1920: Sold to The Thanet Steam Trawling Co Ltd, London.
29.3.1920: Yarmouth registry closed.
30.3.1920: Registered at Ramsgate (R212). Thomas W. Chapman, Ramsgate, designated manager.
1921: E. H. Jones designated manager.
3.1922: Transferred to Fleetwood Walter Morley, Fleetwood designated manager.
1.1924: Sold to Frederick Spashett (64/64), Lowestoft.
17.1.1924: Ramsgate registry closed.
19.1.1924: Registered at Lowestoft (LT1297). Frederick Spashett designated managing owner.
30.1.1924: Sold to Pevensey Castle Ltd (64/64), Lowestoft.
13.2.1924: John Victor Breach, designated manager.
2.10.1924: In fine weather, 11 miles off IJmuiden connected to steam drifter EILEEN EMMA (LT342) disabled with broken tail shaft and delivered her to Lowestoft after fifteen hour tow.
6.7.1925: At Lerwick damaged in collision with steam drifter LIVELY (BF262).
7.12.1926: Suffered crank shaft damage.
2.6.1928: At Fleetwood landed 160 boxes.
2.3.1932: At Padstow damaged in collision with steam drifter ELIE NESS (LT1259) (Damage repaired by George Overy Ltd, Lowestoft at a contract price of £18.12.0d).
17.10.1932: Damaged in collision with sailing barge LILIAN MAY (71n/?).
3.5.1933: At about 3.00 am hauling in strong winds, heavy sea and a thunderstorm some 70 miles WbyN of St. Ann’s Head, deckhand Reginald Muskett was knocked overboard by a rope. David William Ellis, deckhand jumped into the sea and managed to hold him before becoming tangled in the net. Both hauled back onboard (David William Ellis awarded BoT Sea Gallantry Medal (Bronze)).
30.3.1938: Broke mizzen mast on passage to Downings Bay, Co. Donegal.
12.11.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeping drifter (P.No.FY.926) (Hire rate £27.0.0d/month).
1941: Based Harwich (Ty/Sk. A. F. Meacock RNR).
6.1941: Based Dartmouth.
1.1942: Remains at Dartmouth.
1.1944: John Victor Breech died. R. H. Self appointed manager.
6.1940: Returned to owner.
25.11.1946: Fouled and fractured propeller with gear.
6.10.1947: At Lowestoft landed 170 crans of herring.
16.10.1950: At Lowestoft landed 190 crans.
31.1.1952: Sank alongside in Hamilton Dock, Lowestoft whilst refitting. Salved and returned to service.
3.1956: Sold Belgian principals for breaking up (Sanctioned by MoT & CA letter No. G.S.P.1/1/02039 dated 12.3.1956).
11.4.1956: Sailed Lowestoft for Belgium.
19.4.1956: Lowestoft registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

S.D/T. Olivae R212

S.D/T. Olivae LT1297
Picture courtesy of The Robert Durrant Collection

S.D/T. Olivae YH73

S.D/T. Olivae LT1297
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
03/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
10/02/2015: Picture added.
19/07/2016: Image added.
27/12/2017: Removed FMHT watermark from image.
07/07/2021: Updated history.

S.T. Olden Times SN42

Additional information courtesy of Douglas Paterson and Andy Hall

Technical

Admiralty Number: 4425
Official Number: 143260
Yard Number: 652
Completed: 1919
Gross Tonnage: 202
Net Tonnage: 88
Length: 115.5 ft
Breadth: 22.2 ft
Depth: 12.1 ft
Engine: 430ihp T.3-cyl by Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen
Built: Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen

History

11.4.1919: Launched by Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Yd.No.652) (“Strath” class) for The Admiralty as JOSHUA BUDGET (Ad.No.4425).
1.5.1919: Completed as a fishing vessel.
4.4.1919: Advertised by The Admiralty (Director of Contracts) for sale by tender to be received until 12 noon 10.4.1919.
4.1919: Sold to Richard Wardell Crawford (64/64), Scarborough.
11.6.1919: Registered at Scarborough as MARY CROWTHER (SH99). Richard Wardell Crawford designated manager.
14.4.1920: Sold to The Forth Steam Trawling Co Ltd (64/64), Edinburgh. Henry O. M. Lees, Granton appointed manager.
28.5.1920: Scarborough registry closed.
29.5.1920: Registered at Granton (GN61).
10.1920: Registered at Granton as FORTH VIEW (GN61).
31.7.1922; Company in voluntary liquidation “with a view to its reconstruction.” James Paterson, Edinburgh appointed liquidator and to enter into an arrangement with a new company, Forth Steam Trawling Co (1922) Ltd, for the sale to it of the whole business and assets of the company.
8.11.1922: Reported that the Forth Steam Trawling Co (1922) Ltd, Edinburgh had been formed.
24.12.1922: Forth Steam Trawling Co Ltd removed from register.
12.2.1923: Sold to Forth Steam Trawling Co (1922) Ltd, Edinburgh along with FORTH BANK (GN62)), FORTH HAVEN (GN60) and FORTH VALE (GN52). Henry O. M. Lees, Granton appointed manager.
8.1925: Vessels to be sold and proceeds applied to reducing bank overdraft; balance of overdraft to be met by Directors.
1925: Sold to Société Nouvelle des Pêcheries à Vapeur, Bordeaux.
15.9.1925: Granton registry closed.
1925: Re-measured 208g 53n 35,26 (115.7) x 6,67 (21.9) x 3,29 (10.8) metres (feet).
9.1925: Registered at Boulogne as ROCHE IVOIRE.
4.1934: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood.
1934: Re-measured 202g 88n 115.4 x 22.1 x 12.1 feet.
10.4.1934: Registered at North Shields as OLDEN TIMES (SN42).
4.5.1934: Sold to David Dougal, Tynemouth & others (c/o R. Irvin & Sons Ltd, North Shields).
25.11.1939: Requisitioned for war service and appointed for minesweeping duties. Employed on auxiliary patrol duties (Hire rate £63.2.6d/month).
20.2.1940: Returned.
8.1954: Sold to BISCO and allocated to C. W. Dorkin & Co Ltd, Gateshead for breaking up.
1954: North Shields registry closed.

(Joseph (aka Joshua) Budget (aka Budgett, Buggett, Budger) AB, b. Frome, Somerset, age 26 – ROYAL SOVEREIGN (SB566) killed in action 21 Oct 1805 at Trafalgar)

Changelog
03/01/2009: Page published. 5 updates since then.
09/09/2016: Significant information update.

S.T. Octavia H274

Additional information courtesy Dictionary of Shipwrecks off the Isle of Man by Adrian Corkhill c2001 and Bill Blow.

Technical

Official Number 123238
Yard Number: 99
Completed: 1906
Gross Tonnage: 173.15
Net Tonnage: 53
Length: 108.5 ft
Breadth: 21.6 ft
Depth: 11.5 ft
Engine: 270ihp T.3-cyl by Amos & Smith, Hull
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley
Speed: 9.5 knots

History

11.12.1905: Provisionally registered at Hull (H876).
13.2.1906: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley (Yd.No.99) for Hellyer’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Hull as OCTAVIA.
22.3.1906: Completed (Charles Helyer, manager).
29.3.1906: Registered at Hull (H876).
1.1.1914: Tonnage altered to 67.52 net under provision of Merchant Shipping Act 1907.
29.5.1917: Requisitioned for Fishery Reserve.
1919: Released.
9.1.1919: Sold to Charles Dobson (64/64), Grimsby.
9.1.1919: Charles Dobson designated managing owner.
7.2.1919: Hull registry closed.
10.2.1919: Registered at Grimsby (GY102).
10.10.1919: Sold to The Home & Colonial Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Great Yarmouth.
13.10.1919: William Thomas Young appointed manager.
12.12.1919: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to National Provincial & Union Bank of England Ltd, London (A).
23.4.1921: William Charles Pitcher, Gorleston appointed manager.
9.3.1922: Nat Swann, Gorleston appointed manager.
15.2.1924: Mortgagee re-styled National Provincial Bank Ltd, London.
24.8.1925: Mortgage (A) transferred to Eleanor Stewart, Newcastle upon Tyne.
23.9.1925: Sold by mortgagee under mortgage (A) to Fred Parkes, Blackpool (managing owner).
16.10.1925: Fred Parkes appointed manager.
31.12.1925: Sold to Sydney Charles Fox (16/64), William Claudius Farrow (16/64), William Boyd (16/64) and George Altoft (16/64) all Hull.
7.1.1926: Grimsby registry closed.
7.1.1926: William Claudius Farrow designated managing owner.
11.1.1926: Registered at Hull (H274).
1926: Sold to Ocean Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Hull (George Altoft, manager).
6.11.1929: Sold to Holderness Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull (Kenneth Pocklington, managers).
1930: Kenneth Pocklington & James C. Wood appointed joint managers.
8.1.1936: Henry Laverack fell overboard in St. Andrews Dock, recovered and subsequently died from heart failure.
1936: Sold to Robert Hudson, Preston (managing owner) (The Sun Steam Trawling Co Ltd, managing agents).
15.8.1936: First landing at Fleetwood, 55 boxes grossed £85.
13.2.1937: Foundered after collision 12m SE of Maughold Head, Isle of Man with the Fleetwood trawler GEORGE COUSINS (LO66); crew taken onboard GEORGE COUSINS.
14.2.1937: Survivors landed at Fleetwood. Wreck lies at a depth of 23.5 m in an upright position minus funnel.
26.7.1937: Hull registry closed “Total loss 13.2.37”.

Note : On Saturday night on the 12th of February 1937, the Hull registered trawler OCTAVIA, H 274, was in collision with the Fleetwood vessel GEORGE COUSINS roughly 12 miles south-east of Maughold Head on the Isle of Man. OCTAVIA was so badly damaged that she sank in a few minutes. The crew managed to scramble aboard GEORGE COUSINS with no loss of life.

Aboard the OCTAVIA, two of the crew, the bosun H. Haslam and a deckhand W.Durbin had a very lucky escape. The two men had turned in and were asleep when water began to rush in through a gaping hole. The forecastle door jammed with the force of the impact and a lamp was upset pouring blazing paraffin all over the deck. For a few moments it was touch and go until they were able to force the door and release the men.

The wreck lies at a depth of 23.5m and is still intact today, although the superstructure has sustained some damage. OCTAVIA stands upright with a slight starboard list although the funnel is detached.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Octavia H274

S.T. Octavia H274
Picture courtesy of The Mark Stopper Collection

Changelog
03/01/2009: Page published. 5 revisions since then.
20/08/2014: Information updated with latest information.

S.T. Oku CF3

Additional information courtesy of David Slinger

Technical

Official Number: 148311
Yard Number: 882
Completed: 1929
Gross Tonnage: 303
Net Tonnage: 113
Length: 131 ft
Breadth: 24 ft
Depth: 13.2 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough

History

3.10.1929: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough (Yd.No. 882) for Neale & West Ltd, Cardiff as OKU.
10.1929: Completed. Joshua S. Neale & Morley H. Neale designated managers. Registered at Cardiff (CF3).
31.8.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (Ad.No. (P.No.FY.660) (Hire rate £142.13.3d/month).
2.1945: Returned.
5.1956: Neale & West Ltd closed their Cardiff base citing high coal prices, unruly crews and Spanish over-fishing; vessels for sale.
5.1956: Five vessels bought en bloc by Fred Parkes, Blackpool – AKITA (CF4), CHAFFCOMBE (CF18), OKU (CF3), SASEBO (CF27) and St. BOTOLPH (CF8).
5.1956: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd, Fleetwood. Fred Parkes, Blackpool designated manager.
9.6.1956: Arrived Fleetwood.
10.2.1957: Sold to BISCO and allocated to Thos. W. Ward Ltd, Sheffield for breaking up.
19.2.1957: Sailed Fleetwood for Barrow.
20.2.1957: Delivered Barrow.
1957: Cardiff registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Oku CF3

S.T. Oku CF3
Picture courtesy of The Greenday Collection

S.T. Oku CF3

S.T. Oku CF3
Picture courtesy of The Greenday Collection

Changelog
02/01/2009: Page published. 3 updates since then.
20/12/2015: Pictures added.
08/04/2018: Removed FMHT watermark from images.
05/07/2020: Updated information.