Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm and Birgir Þórisson

Technical

Official Number: 113740
Yard Number: 639
Completed: 1900
Gross Tonnage 185
Net Tonnage: 73
Length: 116.0
Breadth: 21.1 ft
Depth: 11.0 ft
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields
Engine: 375ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by North-Eastern Marine Engineering Co Ltd, Sunderland

History

27.8.1900: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields (Yd.No.639) for Boston Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Boston as INDIAN.
10.1900: Completed.
14.11.1900: Registered at Boston (BN90). Fred Donnison designated manager.
15.2.1901: At Boston the Mayor, Alderman Simond, presented a pair of binocular glasses to Sk. Arthur Munyer, formerly skipper of the steam trawler ETRURIAN (BN85) and now of the INDIAN, in recognition of his bravery in rescuing three of the crew of the Maryport registered brigantine BESSIE WHINERAY (153grt/1865). On passage London for West Hartlepool, eight crew all told, cargo 250 tons of iron ore. Within five miles of her destination a gale set in, increasing in force the master decided to stand off the coast. On the following day the sails were blown away and with heavy seas shipped, the vessel opened up and started to leak. Two pumps were manned but they became choked and unusable. On 4th August when some 15 miles E of Spurn the order was given to abandon and the boat was launched. With the crew in the boat the brigantine plunged by the head, overturning the still attached boat, and foundered. The captain and four of the crew were swept away and drowned and the other three got clear and clung to the keel of the upturned boat. The steam trawler ETRURIAN (BN85) came upon them and by the skilful seamanship of Sk. Munyer, the three men were taken onboard.
22.3.1901: At Peterhead landed a splendid shot of 200 boxes.
14.12.1901: At Boston landed from a Faroe trip of 19 days (Sk. Reynolds), the catch realising £180.
16.12.1901: Outwards for the fishing grounds stranded on the Long Sands.
17.12.1901: Following a big flood and assisted by The Eastern Sea Fisheries Joint Committee patrol steamer PROTECTOR (161grt/1904), refloated and with no damage found, proceeded to sea. When about 160 miles from land lost her rudder. A jury rudder was rigged and course set for home.
21.12.1901: Arrived off The Wash and assisted into port by the steam trawler SALMON (BN41).
1902: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Boston.
7.1.1903: Arrived Boston from a Faroe trip (Sk. Reynolds) of 23 days with exceedingly rough weather and only able to fish for six days.
2.2.1903: Arrived Boston from a Faroe trip (Sk. Reynolds) of 24 days, again with very rough weather. The catch realised £220.
28.2.1903: Arrived Boston from a Faroe trip (Sk. Reynolds), reported once again severe weather and approaching Faroe the wheelhouse roof and compass was lost and the Third hand, Burton, who was on the wheel had his nose broken; a trawl was also lost. The trawler was navigated for eighteen days by following the track of other vessels.
2.3.1903: Landed after 23 days, 130 score of cod and 160 kits, haddock and soles, realising £190.
30.5.1903: Arrived Boston from Iceland grounds (Sk. Petterson) after a trip of 20 days.
1.6.1903: Landed 450 kits which realised £88, her salt fish catch had been landed at Kirkwall realising £114.
29.1.1906: James Scott (30), labourer of no fixed abode was spotted by a fishing apprentice in the forecastle. With the manager and ship’s husband he was apprehended.
30.1.1906: At Boston Borough Police Court, Scott was charged with loitering on Boston Dock with intent to commit a felony. Pleaded guilty and sentenced to two months imprisonment with hard labour.
11.7.1906: William Avery (17), fishing apprentice was charged under the Merchant Shipping Act with disobeying the lawful commands of the skipper to join the trawler. The defendant said he wanted to join the WITHAM (BN171). Avery had previously been convicted and he was given one month imprisonment with hard labour.
2.9.1908: Outwards for the fishing grounds, on passing the Boston steam tug SPRAY (58grt/1897) there was a steering gear failure and stranded in the river near the Rifle Butts. Refloated on the evening tide and having sustained no damage proceed to the North Sea grounds.
1909: Thomas D. Donaldson designated manager.
11.6.1909 Arrived Boston from an Iceland trip (Sk. Eggers) and reported that the steward, Charles Nixon had died from an internal complaint and had been landed for burial at Kirkwall.
26.11.1909: At Alford, Lincolnshire Petty Sessions, Sk. George Smalley, Lincoln was charged with using an otter trawl off Chapel St Leonards, Lincolnshire on Friday 5th November within territorial waters and only one mile off the coast where many longshore fishermen had lines set. When stopped by The Eastern Sea Fisheries Joint Committee patrol steamer PROTECTOR, Smalley stated that it was hazy and he was unsure of his position. Other evidence was produced and the Bench convicted and imposed a fine of £15 with costs.
1910: Fishing out of Fleetwood (Fred Donnison, Fleetwood managing agent).
26.8.1910: At Fleetwood landed 172 boxes.
14.10.1910: At Fleetwood landed 140 boxes.
2-5.1911: Along with Boston trawlers HUNGARIAN (BN59), FISHTOFT (BN94) and ANGERTON (BN92) on charter to Bookless Brothers Ltd, Aberdeen/Sheffield fishing out of Hafnarfjörður, Iceland.
1912: Daniel Walker designated manager.
22.8.1914: Fishing in the North Sea (Sk. James Henry Royal). Captured and sunk (officially fate listed as “unknown”) by German torpedo boats in North Sea, along with FLAVIAN (BN86), and JULIAN (BN89). Crews interned for duration of war.
9.1914: Boston registry closed.
27.2.1915: Reported that Ch. Eng G. Christian interned at Paderborn, Germany had died.
8.1.1918: At Boston, 632 prisoners landed on their return from Ruhlebon and other German internment camps, amongst them sixteen fishermen including Charles Walkerley skipper of the JULIAN.

Changelog
04/07/2021: Page published.

Additional information courtesy of Finn Björn Guttesen, Christine Simm and Birgir Þórisson

Technical

Official Number: 113739
Yard Number: 639
Completed: 1900
Gross Tonnage: 186
Net Tonnage: 75
Length: 116.0 ft
Breadth: 21.1 ft
Depth: 11.0 ft
Engine: 375ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by North-Eastern Marine Engineering Co Ltd, Sunderland

History

28.8.1900: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields (Yd.No.639) for Boston Sea Fishing Co Ltd, Boston as HUNGARIAN.
10.1900: Completed.
6.11.1900: Registered at Boston (BN89). Fred Donnison designated manager.
11.9.1901: At Boston landed an unusual supply of large haddock, realised £304.
1902: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Boston. Fred Donnison designated manager.
8.4.1903: At Boston landed from a sixteen day Faroe trip and realised £308.
29.8.1903: Outward to the fishing grounds grounded in the river and came fast. Towed off, returned to port and after survey sailed again for the fishing grounds.
19.1.1904: Arrived Bremen with the German schooner GERMANIA in tow. Vessel picked up disabled with some sails lost, one man drowned and one sick, while on a voyage from Southampton to Bo’ness with cargo of iron.
29.2.1904: At Boston Borough Police Court, Alfred Roberts (32), fisherman of the steam trawler HUNGARIAN was charged with being drunk and disorderly in South Street on 27th February. Fined 2s 6d and 6d costs.
1909: Thomas D. Donaldson designated manager.
10.12.1909: At anchor near the pilot sloop waiting for the tide to proceed to Boston (Sk K. Newman). The Ramsgate registered schooner NANCY (117tons/1890) (Master/owner George Smith (60), Sandwich), having loaded 210 tons of coal at Boston for Ramsgate, had been towed out of Boston by the tug BULLDOG (72grt/1884) and at about 6.30pm went to anchor with lights burning, about three cables from the pilot sloop. In the early evening in darkness and driving rain, the trawler weighed anchor by the light of a flare, the crew did not see the schooner ahead of them. When under way struck the bows of the NANCY which foundered quickly, the crew of five being taken off with some difficulty by the trawler’s boat and taken onboard.
11.12.1909: Survivors landed at Boston. NANCY subsequently salved, repaired and returned to service.
1910: Fishing out of Fleetwood (Fred Donnison, Fleetwood managing agent).
15.12.1910: At Fleetwood landed 50 boxes.
7.1.1911: At Fleetwood landed 50 boxes and 380 pairs of soles.
2-5.1911: Along with Boston trawlers FISHTOFT (BN94), INDIAN (BN90) and ANGERTON (BN92) on charter to Bookless Brothers Ltd, Aberdeen/Sheffield fishing out of Hafnarfjörður, Iceland.
1912: Daniel Walker designated manager.
23.12.1913: At Boston Borough Police Court, Thomas Hiley, California Place, Skirbeck, fisherman was fined 40s and 20s 6d costs for stealing two balls of twine from the trawler HUNGARIAN. Twine had been going missing from the trawler for some time.
11.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-6pdr) (Ad.No.525). Based Larne, Co. Antrim.
4.3.1916: At Larne, struck by mail steamer PRINCESS MAUD (1655grt/1904), when swinging in the harbour on arrival from Stranraer. Sustained damage to shell plating on the port quarter, but seaworthy.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Boston.
21.10.1919: Offered for sale by auction at the Baltic Exchange, London by Messrs Kellocks, with the steam trawlers, FISHTOFT (BN94), ETRURIAN (BN85) and CAMBRIAN (BN75). No change of ownership so possibly failed to reach reserve.
1920: Fred Parkes, Wyburton designated manager.
1922: Sold to E. Lombard, Arcachon. Boston registry closed. Registered at Arcachon as VILLE D’ARCACHON II.
1922: Remeasured 193g. 58n.
By 1930: Sold to Armement G. Verdet, Arcachon. LR 1930-31 annotated “ Now a pontoon “.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Hungarian BN89

Changelog
03/07/2021: Page published.
04/07/2021: Added an image.

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 113742
Yard Number: 648
Completed: 1901
Gross Tonnage: 187.60g
Net Tonnage: 75n
Length: 116.00 ft
Breadth: 21.1 ft
Depth: 10.9 ft
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields
Engine: 400ihp T.3-cyl by MacColl & Pollock Ltd, Sunderland

History

19.2.1901: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields (Yd.No.648) for Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Boston as FISHTOFT.
3.1901: Completed.
12.4.1901: Registered at Boston (BN94). Fred Donnison designated manager.
26.8.1902: Sailed Boston with fish merchants and others for day trip.
17.3.1903: Disabled with broken tail shaft some 200 miles NE of Spurn Point. Picked up and towed into port.
19.4.1908: Fishing off Iceland (Sk. Eggers), caught in a gale, deckhand Alfred Lowe (19) who was on the wheel when the wheelhouse was stove in, was washed overboard and drowned.
1909: Thomas D. Donaldson designated manager.
11.6.1910: At Aberdeen landed 60 boxes and 111/2 tons of side fish (Messrs Irvin, agents).
7.1910: Fishing out of Fleetwood (Fred Dennison, Fleetwood managing agent).
17.8.1910: Typical landing at Fleetwood – 200 boxes.
23.9.1911: At Boston (Sk.George Smalley) landed 208 kits of haddock and other fish realising £247.
1912: Daniel Walker designated manager.
11.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-6pdr) (Ad.No.522).
By 1918: Based at Buncrana, Co. Donegal.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owners at Grimsby.
21.10.1919: Offered for sale by auction at the Baltic Exchange, London by Messrs Kellocks, the steam trawlers, FISHTOFT, HUNGARIAN, ETRURIAN and CAMBRIAN.
11.1919: Sold to John Reynolds & Arthur Lunn, Boston. Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd remained managers (Arthur Lunn designated manager). Vessel completed three trips but Ch Eng was concerned that there was a knocking in the engine and it was decided to put her on the slip to determine the cause.
10.12.1919: In the morning, being ready for sea, she was being hauled out and when suing, side blocks, which it was said were properly pulled in, slipped away and she fell on her starboard side causing some damage and considerable damage to the cradle.
15.1.1920: Refloated. Prior to this date vessel hauled upright. Repairs carried out at an estimated cost of £100 and occupation of the slip for 37 days at a cost of £5 10s per day. It was agreed that £1,250 was a reasonable sum for raising the vessel and this would be claimed by the slipway owners from the Grimsby Steam Fishing Vessel Mutual Insurance and Protecting Co Ltd. with which the vessel was insured.
1.1020: Arthur Lunn designated manager.
14.9.1920: Arrived Ostend with a disabled vessel in tow, picked up in the North Sea.
7.12.1920: At Boston Borough Police Court, Alfred George Farman, South Norfolk Place; John Westmoreland, James Street and John William Handley, Caroline Street, all Boston, were summoned for disobeying a lawful command, in that they failed to join the trawler on 3rd December resulting in delay of sixty-four hours and loss of earnings for the owners. They were each fined 20s and 10s costs.
21.10.1921: In the Commercial Court of the King’s Bench, Mr Justice Greer presiding, John Reynolds, Market-place, Boston brought an action against the Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd claiming damages for alleged negligence in hauling plaintiff’s trawler FISHTOFT on to the slipway on 10th December
1919. The trawler fell on her starboard side and was damaged taking about a month to right her. Reynolds also claimed for demurrage of £950.
24.10.1921: Mr Justice Greer found that the accident was due to want of care on the part of the defendants, but the finding of negligence did not dispose of the case, because in his judgement the regulation made by the defendants with regard to the use of their apparatus by persons and firms, applied in this case. They were regulations which the defendants intended to be the terms on which they would accept vessels coming on their slipway and plaintiff’s representative knew all about them. The clause in question was that persons using the slipway did so at their own risk. In his judgement defendants were protected by the regulations and there must be judgement for them accordingly.
3.3.1922: The Court of Appeal dismissed with costs an appeal by Mr John Johnson, part owner of the trawler FISHTOFT, from a judgement by Mr Justice Greer dismissing his action against the Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd.
By 1923: John Reynolds designated managing owner.
24.3.1923: Sailed Boston for the North Sea fishing grounds (Sk. James Bartholomew).
31.3.1923: Fishing. At about 8.00am. it was found that they had picked up the boom of a smack about 25ft long. Owing to the length they had to lift it as high as possible up to the mast head, but despite that it still hung over the side and foul of the net. John Peters England (49), third hand, Napoleon Terrace, Skirbeck was holding on to a rope attached to the boom and an attempt was made to get the boom onboard by heaving it aft. The boom sprang into the ship, striking the barrel of the winch. The force of the impact caused the top end of the boom to snap off and in falling struck England and knocked him down; he died within ten minutes of the incident.
3.4.1923: At the Coroner’s Court a verdict of “Accidental death” was recorded.
12.2.1924: At Boston County Court, His Honour Judge H. E. Chapman sitting, Mrs Charlotte England sued John Reynolds, trawler owner; this was an application for arbitration under the Workmens’ Compensation Act. His Honour said this was a most unfortunate case, he was bound by an iniquitous decision of a previous case. The Act said that it should not apply to men remunerated by a share of the profits. Eventually a case went to the House of Lords and their decision was binding. It was particularly unfortunate, because if this incident had happened later the new Act would have come into force and Mrs England would have been entitled to have received compensation.
6.2.1924: At Boston landed “and made a good price”.
24.3.1924: On return to Boston, Sk.Royal reported that when 120 miles out they sighted a vessel floating bottom uppermost which they believed was the Canadian built wooden steam drifter LUSBY (BN196) belonging to the Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd. LUSBY had sailed Grimsby on 12th February for the fishing grounds with a crew of eight and was not seen or heard from again.
1924: Sold to Martial Pinselle, Arcachon. Numa Laurie et Cie, managers. Boston registry closed. Registered at Arcachon.
10.1925: Stranded at Arcachon. Total loss. Arcachon registry closed.

Changelog
19/06/2021: Page published.