S.T. Bangkok – GG206

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm and Bert van der Toom

Technical

As built…………..
Official Number: 106779
Yard Number: 210
Gross Tonnage: 188g
Net Tonnage: 66
Length: 112.6 ft
Breadth: 21.0 ft
Depth: 11.6 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl (320ihp later recorded as 350ihp) by Bailey & Leetham, Hull
Swedish registration: O.N.3948. 34,4 x 6,3 x 3.54 metres 189.97g. 75.56n
Dutch registration: 34,37 x 6,30 x 3,50 metres 183.43g 68.34n

History

28.9.1897: Launched by Mrs R. Blades at Cochrane & Cooper, Grovehill shipyard, Beverley (Yd.No.210) For East Coast Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull as BANGKOK.
4.11.1897: Registered at Hull (H379).
6.11.1897: Completed. Landing at Hull.
3.1899: On an Iceland trip, saw the Hull steam trawler RICHARD SIMPSON (H91) stranded at Portland with a Grimsby steam trawler standing by, then lost to view in a very heavy snow storm.
26.3.1899: On return to Hull reported that crew of RICHARD SIMPSON were safe and in Reykjavik.
24.2.1900: Following last week’s gales, arrived Aberdeen with Grimsby smack DEVOTION (GY1038) in tow, picked up disabled with decks completely swept and only stump of mainmast remaining. Landing into Aberdeen.
18.5.1900: Sold to West Riding Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby.
22.5.1900: Hull registry closed.
23.6.1900: Registered at Grimsby (GY1175).
12.1901: Sold to Göteborgs Angfiske AB, Gothenburg, Sweden (Melcher Lyckholm and Hilding Larsson)
3.12.1901: Grimsby registry closed.
12.1901: Registered at Gothenburg (GG206). With a British crew landing mainly into Grimsby.
1.1.1902 – 31.3.1902: Working in the Moray Firth.
1903 – 1910: Fishing out of Grimsby and Fleetwood with British Fishing Masters and part British crew.
20.5.1904: At Wick Sheriff Court, Sk. Adolf Falk pleaded guilty to fishing inside the three mile limit off Clythness on 13 February. He had been reported by the skipper of the Buckie fishing boat VINE. The Sheriff found the charge proved and imposed a penalty of £75 or forty days imprisonment.
29.6.1904: Arrested by Fishery Board steamer VIGILANT (134grt/1886) (Capt Alex. Alexander) fishing within the prohibited limits in Kilbrannan Sound, Arran. When sighted the trawler made off but when pursued hove to. Brought into Campbeltown. At Campbeltown Sk. Svend T’jenvold was convicted of contravention of the Herring Fishery (Scotland) Act 1889 and fined £50 with forfeiture of the net. He had onboard about four tons of fish.
23.10.1904: Stranded on Drone Point, Castletown, Berehaven, Co. Cork. Refloated next tide without damage.
9.11.1904: At Bantry, Co Cork petty sessions, Sk. Adolph Falk, Dock street, Fleetwood and Sk. John Reade, Upper Warren Street, Fleetwood of the steam trawler DESIDERATUM (H154) were each fined £21 and £2 10s costs for trawling within the three mile limit in
Bantry Bay.
10.11.1904: Went to the assistance of the Chester registered schooner ARIEL (71nrt/1870), cargo copper ore, which in attempting to leave Berehaven Harbour, Co. Cork suffered from a loss of wind and was driven ashore by the tide at Coltrock. Connected and refloated but badly damaged the schooner filled and foundered in about 5 fathoms. Crew saved.
1905: New boiler fitted.
10.4.1905: One of five steam trawlers working close to the limits at the south end of the island of Gigha sighted by the Fishery Board
steamer MINNA (281grt/1900)(Capt McEwan). The MINNA put into Ardminish Bay having received complaints from Gigha of steam trawlers fishing inside the limits. Coming out after dark caught the BANGKOK fishing one and a half miles off the land. The trawler was boarded, the skipper placed under arrest and ordered to proceed to Campbeltown. At the Sheriff’s Court later in the day, Sk. T’jenvold was charged with contravention of the Herring Fishery (Scotland) Act 1889 and as this was his second offence within the past year the Sheriff imposed a fine of £100, confiscation of the net, or two months imprisonment.
11.7.1906: Put back to Grimsby with engine break down.
24.8.1906: In darkness and raining heavily, just before midnight stranded at Killiness Point, Luce Bay. Fishermen Alexander, James and David Chalmers of Drummore rowed out to the trawler which was sounding her siren continuously and firing flares. The trawler came off
but shortly afterwards went aground on a reef of rocks known as the Isle Stones which project in a SE direction at a point about 250 yds to the S of Killiness Point. Boarding the trawler, Alexander Chalmers, at the request of the master, pointed out on the chart exactly where the vessel lay and gave directions as to how to get her off. The trawler was refloated and continued her passage. The value of the BANGKOK was £2,750.
17.4.1907: At Elgin Sheriff Court, Sk. John Cogdin, Fleetwood, fishing master, was charged with two counts of contravening the Moray Firth bylaws; he pleaded guilty. A fine of £10 for each offence was imposed with the option of seven days imprisonment, to be consecutive – £20 or fourteen days.
3.5.1907: At Campbeltown Sheriff court, Sk. William James Wood, 57 North Albert Street, Fleetwood, fishing master, was charged that on 6th March he was sighted by the Fishery Board steamer VIGILANT (Capt Alex. Alexander), working inside the Firth of Clyde (a straight line drawn between the Mull of Kintyre and Corsewall Point). After legal discussion, Wood was convicted and a fine of £15 or ten days imprisonment imposed.
18.7.1907: In the Admiralty Court, London, action was brought by Alexander, James and David Chalmers of Drummore, to recover salvage
remuneration for services alleged to have been rendered to the steam trawler BANGKOK on 23 August 1906. According to the defence the
trawler was never in any danger and came off without any assistance from the plaintiffs. While denying that salvage services had been
rendered the defendants offered £20. The court agreed that the services were in the nature of salvage, but that £20 tendered was adequate remuneration. Judgement was given for the defendants with costs from the date of tender and plaintiff’s costs up to the time of payment.
26.1.1908: At the tail end of a remarkable fog that had enveloped the Humber, when making for the new Fish Dock entrance took the ground on the south side of the piers and came fast. Tug STAG (38grt/1883) in attendance but failed to refloat on the falling tide. Came off the following tide and berthed in the Fish Dock with two propeller blades stripped.
5.2.1908: While fishing in the Moray Firth some seven miles off the coast of Caithness, ran over and carried away five nets and destroyed eight nets with ropes, belonging to the Wick fishing boat BENAIGEN (not identified) to the value of £68 10s. Questions were asked in the House of Commons and the incident referred to the Crown Office.
1.6.1908: Arrived Tail-of-the-Bank, Fleetwood for Glasgow. Landing at Fleetwood.
4.9.1908: Landed 80 boxes.
25.8.1908: Landed 180 box (100 hake).
2.10.1908: Landed 40 boxes (30 hake).
15.2.1909: Landed 180 boxes.
3.3.1909: At Stranraer Sheriff Court, Sk. Hans Edward Anderson, fishing out of Fleetwood, plated not guilty to trawling two and a half miles off Bennan Head. When the Fishery Board steamer VIGILANT (Capt Alex. Alexander) came in view Sk. Anderson maintained that they were drifting with the net onboard for repair. The case was proven and Anderson was fined £50 or one month imprisonment, and forfeiture of catch (about 1 ton) and gear.
17.3.1909: Landed 100 boxes.
13.4.1909: Landed 150 boxes.
19.4.1909: Landed 143 boxes.
18.6.1909: At Campbeltown, Sheriff Court, Francis Crottie, Fishing Master, was fined £10 for two offences of otter trawling inside the Firth of Clyde (a straight line drawn between the Mull of Kintyre and Corsewall Point).
7.10.1809: Landed 50 boxes.
12.11.1909: Landed120 boxes.
22.11.1909: Landed 95 boxes.
3.12.1909: Landed 111 boxes. Last landing at Fleetwood.
1910: Fishing out of Gothenburg. Sold to AB Gadus Fabriker, Gothenburg (Melcher Lyckholm).
1911: Registered at Gothenburg as HELGA (GG206).
14.1.1915: Sold to Fiskeri AB Avance, Gothenburg Johan August Nilsson, Adolf Frederick Magnusson and Fritz Winter Balkenhausen).
28.9.1923: In the Skagerrak, just before noon, with skilful seamanship rescued Capt C.W. Spencer and Capt C. Berry crew of the British
balloon MARGARET taking part in the Gordon-Bennett race. The MARGARET had ascended from Brussels at 5.09 pm the previous day heading for Sweden but heavy rain forced them to descend dragging the basket through the sea.
1925: Company in liquidation. Sold by liquidator to Trål AB Kalken, Gothenburg (Johan August Nilsson).
7.3.1929: Sold to NV Stoomvisscherij “Emergo”, IJmuiden (J. M. Barneveld).
14.3.1929: Registered at IJmuiden.
17.3.1929: Registered at IJmuiden as STORMVOGEL (YM96(IJM96)).
3.1934: Sold to W. Kramer Snr & J. P. Booij, IJmuiden.
31.5.1934: Registered at IJmuiden as VIOS IV (IJM96).
11.11.1941: In the North Sea off IJmuiden (Sk. Hendrik Wijker), sighted by aircraft of Coastal Command while on a ‘Rover’ patrol along the Dutch coast. Under the assumption that they were under German command, strafed, bombed and sunk by Lockheed Hudsons of RCAF 407
Coastal Strike Squadron based at Northcoates, Lincolnshire. Three crew members killed *.
2.12.1941: IJmuiden registry closed.

Crew members killed *
Hendrik Wijker, skipper, aged 50 from Velsen
Petrus Kuijken. stoker, from Haarlem
Frank de Jager, aged 50 from Scheveningen

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Vios IJM96

S.T. Vios IV IJM96
Picture courtesy of The Bert van der Toom Collection

S.T. Vios IJM96

S.T. Vios IV IJM96
Picture courtesy of The Bert van der Toom Collection

Changelog
07/02/2022: Page published.

sv Reliance (2) – BM68

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 114254
Gross Tonnage: 49.81
Net Tonnage: 38
Length: 69.8 ft

History

1904: Built Galmpton for Richard Lewis Lamswood, 4 Trafalgar Terrace, Brixham & others, as RELIANCE.
4.3.1904: Registered at Brixham (BM68). Richard L. Lamswood designated managing owner. Regularly participated in Brixham Regatta (Sk. R. L. Lamswood), in ketch rigged smack classes, often in the prize list.
29 & 31.5.1909: Winner of the Brixham Trawler Class at Swansea Regatta. Prizes, a gentleman’s gold watch and chain and a lady’s gold watch and chain.
1913: Sold to Eynon H. Llewellin, Pen-Bryn, Milford Haven.
1918: Sold to John H. Collins, Abercrombie Road, Fleetwood & others.
9.11.1918: Alongside at Ramsey, IoM. Skipper, Amos Sumner, Warren Street, Fleetwood, went ashore.
10.11.1918: At daybreak his body discovered in the harbour.
12.11.1918: The remains brought back to Fleetwood in RELIANCE.
14.11.1918: Interred at Fleetwood Cemetery. Sk. Sumner left a son and two daughters.
1919: Brixham registry closed. Registered at Douglas, IoM (DO228).
2.1830: Sold to John M. Barnard & others, Trawl Market, Lowestoft. Douglas Registry closed.
20.2.1920: Registered at Lowestoft (LT779).
14.3.1933: Lowestoft registry closed “Broken up.”

Changelog
01/02/2022: Page published.

S.T. Ben Rossal – A176

Occasional Visitor
Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 127137
Yard Number: 295
Completed: 1907
Gross Tonnage: 299
Net Tonnage: 114
Length: 130.4 ft
Breadth: 22.5 ft
Depth: 12.2 ft
Built: John Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co, Aberdeen
Engine: T.3-cyl by Clyne, Mitchell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen

History

24.10.1907: Launched by John Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co, Aberdeen (Yd.No.295) for Richard Irvin & Sons Ltd, North Shields as BEN ROSSAL.
3.12.1907: Registered at Aberdeen (A176).
12.1907: Completed.
23.12.1907: Landed at Aberdeen.
17.1.1908: Landed at Aberdeen.
16.3.1908: At Aberdeen landed from an Iceland trip 1150 boxes 150 score.
13.4.1908: At Aberdeen landed 800 boxes 160 score.
16.1.1909: When outwards from Fleetwood in very rough weather grounded on the Steep Breast in the Wyre Channel. Got off on the following tide with the aid of a tug.
15.4.1909: At Aberdeen one of eleven trawlers landing, seven German, one French and two local boats, the average landing being 70 tons and £290 gross. From Iceland landed 120tons 4cwts, easily the best catch and a record weight, exceeding £459 gross (this statement was later challenged.).
19??: Remeasured 273g 105n.
12.1910: Sold to Sociedad Aurora de Pesca Ltda, Lisbon, Portugal.
29.12.1910: Aberdeen registry closed.
1911: Registered at Lisbon as MARIA LEONOR.
By 1925: Owned by Compania Portuguesa de Pesca, Lisbon.
21.8.1941: At Lisbon landed thirteen survivors from the British motor tanker HORN SHELL (8972grt/1931) (Capt A. McDougall), Britain for Mexico, torpedoed on 28th July by the Italian submarine BARBARIGO and sank SE of the Azores. The survivors had been in an open boat for fifteen days.
1967: Believed sold for breaking up.

Changelog
21/12/2021: Page published.

S.T. Kitty (1) – A819

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm, Andy Hall and George Westwood

Technical

Official Number: 106545
Yard Number: 365
Gross Tonnage: 135.31
Net Tonnage: 33.31
length: 96.9 ft
Breadth: 20.15 ft
Depth: 11.80 ft
Built: A. Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen
Engine: 320ihp C.2-cyl and boiler by A. Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen

History

6.1897: Completed by A. Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Yd.No.365) for Frederick James Brown, Grimsby and Thomas Henry Lundy, Aberdeen (64/64 joint owners) as KITTY.
31.5.1897: Registered at Aberdeen (A819). Landing mainly into Grimsby and Aberdeen.
12.12.1897: Alongside Commercial Wharf, Aberdeen. George Kite (36), fisherman, fell 25ft into the graving dock, his fall broken by 2ft of water in the dock bottom. Attended for severely cut head.
22.9.1898: Sold to Thomas Henry Lundy and William Hall Dodds, Aberdeen (64/64 joint owners). Thomas H. Lundy designated managing owner.
3.11.1898: At Aberdeen landed from a Faroe trip, five ling, total weight 322lbs; the largest 86lbs.
1.12.1898: Sailed for Faroe grounds (Sk. Tyvold).
13.12.1898: Arrived Aberdeen and reported loss of crewman John Hales (23), Grimsby, washed overboard in heavy seas on 6th December.
17.10.1899: At Aberdeen with one other liner landed a total of 11 tons.
27.3.1903: At Aberdeen, Sk. John Morrice reported that he had called at St. Kilda and noted that there was a scarcity of clothing and boots amongst the islanders. Through the kindness of W. H. Dodds & Co, clothing, mails etc will be made up for delivery to St Kilda on the next trip.
29.3.1903: Sailed Aberdeen for West of Scotland grounds (Sk. John Morrice), weather permitting the goods and mails to be landed at Hirta.
16.9.1903: Arrived Aberdeen. Sk Morrice reported that during the trip they had again called at St. Kilda with mails and goods, anchoring in Village Bay, Hirta and remained there for three days, delayed by strong winds. He found the islanders in the best of health and was very impressed by their hospitality. On Sunday he and several crew members attended divine service and the minister paid them the courtesy of delivering the latter part of his sermon in English. There was however much discontent in that the islanders had refused to pay the tax in kind, on cattle and sheep numbers, etc and were much in arrears. As a result the owner, Sir Reginald MacLeod of MacLeod, through his agent, had indicated that he would not supply the regular consignment of oatmeal at the end of the year. When Sk. Morrice stated that he would return to the islands at a later date, he was given a list of purchases to be made on their behalf.
5.6.1905: Arrived in Aberdeen and reported loss of the boat in the recent gale in the West of Scotland.
19.3.1907: Sold to James Strachan Milne, Aberdeen. James S. Milne designated managing owner.
19.5.1909: At Fleetwood landed 260 boxes, 50 halibut.
1.7.1909: At Fleetwood landed 50 boxes, 300 halibut.
22.11.1909: At Fleetwood landed 20 boxes, 230 halibut.
8.8.1910: At Fleetwood landed 98 boxes, 130 halibut.
1.1.1914: Tonnage altered to 49.48 net under provision of Merchant Shipping Act 1907.
27.2.1914: Sold to William Alexander Leith and John Walker (64/64 joint owners), Aberdeen. William A. Leith designated managing owner.
19.1.1917: Sold to John Sheriff Ellis, Scarborough.
28.2.1917: Aberdeen registry closed.
2.3.1917: Registered at Scarborough (SH290).
12.3.1917: Sold to Alliance Steam Trawling Co, Scarborough.
29.5.1917: Requisitioned for Fishery Reserve.
1919: Released.
4.6.1919: Sold to John Henry Waite, Scarborough/Winterton-on-Sea. John Henry Waite designated managing owner.
21.1.1920: Sold to Harry F. Eastick, Gt. Yarmouth, James William Powley, Caister-on-Sea and William Thomas Pipe, Lowestoft.
14.2.1920: Scarborough registry closed.
16.2.1920: Registered at Yarmouth (YH250). James W, Powley designated managing owner. Trawling, working short trips landing into Yarmouth.
26.8.1920: Landed 15 tons of fish. Prices remained at high levels.
1.1.1921: Landed a 3ft, 3st sturgeon. Bought by Mr Neville Clarke as a gift for the King and left Yarmouth on the Saturday morning train for Sandringham.
26.1.1922: Landed under 400 stone, comprising (stones), 203 plaice, 33 prime, 50 whiting, 30 roker, 13 cod and 15 codling, etc.
3.2.1922: Landed 65 stone, made up of 4 prime, 15 plaice, 15 roker, 23 whiting and some cod and codling, etc.
27.2.1922: Landed a sturgeon weighing 15lbs, purchased by Mr Robert Beazor.
6.9.1922: Landed 628 stone.
11.1.1923: On the Fish Wharf, Gt. Yarmouth offered for sale Without Reserve by Norford Suffling Ltd on behalf of Messrs H. F. Eastick and J. Powley who are dissolving partnership. Vessel has been extremely well kept having recently had new wooden decks, new funnel and ventilators, boiler re-tubed, new condenser tubes, plates and brass ferrules, bunker side and stoke hole plates renewed. In 1922 tail end withdrawn, crank shaft lifted and engine thoroughly adjusted. Trawl winches in first class condition and can work 300 fathoms of wire on each drum. Bunkers will stow 55 tons of coal. Now trawling from Yarmouth and will be sold “as from sea” with full trawling outfit and usual inventory of sea-going stores. No person requiring a handy-sized vessel for trawling, seining or lining should miss this chance of buying at absolute Market Value Only.
11.1.1923: Sold to Newton, Sons & Co Ltd, Sunderland for the sum of £1,323.
13.1.1923: Yarmouth registry closed.
1.1923. Registered at Sunderland (SD276). Benjamin L. Newton designated manager. Landing into North Shields and Sunderland.
9.4.1923: At North Shields, landed a fair supply.
18.7.1925: At North Shields, landed, but with 450 boxes and 30 score on the market prices were only moderate.
24.7.1925: Homeward from the fishing grounds in dense fog, stranded on the belt of rocks between Whitburn and Roker, known as the Bents. Signals of distress alerted the Life Saving crew but their services were not required as the vessel was in no danger. Tugs attended but because it was low water services could not be rendered. Came afloat on next tide and berthed at North Shields.
1928: Sold to John H. Irvin, Tynemouth.
7.2.1931: In the morning outwards from North Shields for the fishing grounds. The steam trawler CHAMPION (HL37) (Sk. T. Gibbs, North Shields), also outwards, in going astern to avoid the KITTY took the ground at the end of the Groyne, South Shields. Came afloat on the afternoon tide and proceeded to Clelland’s, Willington Quay slipway for survey.
1931: Broken up. Sunderland registry closed.

Changelog
20/11/2021: Page published.
25/11/2021: Updated information.

S.T. Agnes H. Wetherly – A473 – Seasonal visitor

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 139795
Yard Number: 428
Completed: 1917
Gross Tonnage: 229.29
Net Tonnage: 88.55
Length: 115.1 ft
Breadth: 22.7 ft
Depth: 12.1 ft
Built: John Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co
Engine: T.3-cyl by Wm Beardmore & Co Ltd, Glasgow

History

3.1917: Launched by The John Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co. (Yd.No.428) for Wetherly’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Aberdeen as AGNES H. WETHERLY.
3.1917: Completed.
30.3.1917: Registered at Aberdeen (A743). First skipper W. J. Anneson.
5.1917: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-6pdr) (Ad.No.3041). Based Egypt.
By 4.1.1919: Returned to owners at Aberdeen.
9.8.1919: Landed 700 boxes/2 tons loose.
27.11.1919: Landed 229 boxes/ 8cwt.
1920-23: Fishing out of Aberdeen.
26.2.1923: At Fleetwood landed 140 boxes.
16.8.1923: At Fleetwood landed 129 boxes.
2.2.1924 -19.12.1925: Taking bunker coal at Burntisland.
7.3.1926: At Fleetwood landed 230 boxes. One of twenty-eight trawlers landing that day. There was brisk demand and higher prices were realised.
7.10.1926: At Aberdeen Sheriff Court an extraordinary case unfolded. John Mitchell, 23 Gordon Street, Aberdeen, cook, denied that on August 5 he failed without reasonable excuse to join the ship. Sk. Thomas Fitzpatrick, 6 King Street, Aberdeen had been drinking with the accused in the morning. The crew were ordered to join the ship at 12 noon, Mitchell came onboard under the influence of alcohol, but at the order to let go, he jumped ashore. The skipper then jumped ashore and ran after Mitchell to get him to come back on board, Mitchell started sparring and the skipper knocked him down. Mitchell said that there had been drink brought onboard before sailing and it was ‘touch and go’ whether the skipper was capable of taking the ship to sea, he therefore jumped ashore. The Sheriff said that the evidence was hopeless on both sides and the skipper was not setting a good example to the crew. The complaint was dismissed.
22.11.1926: Took bunker coat at Burntisland.
18.1.1927 – 14.5.1927: Taking bunker coal at Granton.
18.2.1927: Sold to Richard Watson Lewis, Aberdeen.
11.1932: Company wound up and all vessels sold.
15.12.1932: Sold to North Eastern Fisheries Ltd, Aberdeen. Smith & Holmes, Aberdeen agents.
29.12.1934: Landed 110 boxes/2 score.
12.3.1935: Landed 250 boxes/10 score.
10.6.1935: Landed100 boxes/3 score.
25.9.1935: Landed180 boxes/6 score.
21.1.1936: Landed 180 boxes/12 score.
16.3.1936: Skipper John Wood Smith, 199 Victoria Road, Aberdeen, left the trawler about noon. About 1.00pm he called at an office in King Street and complained of feeling unwell. A doctor was summoned and Smith was found to be seriously ill. He was taken to the Royal Infirmary where he lapsed into unconsciousness and died at about 4.00pm.
29.1.1937: Having been almost swamped by a huge wave at Faroe, arrived Macduff with 200 boxes of fish.
25.3.1937: Landed 220 boxes/10 score.
3.7.1937: Landed 120 boxes/1 score.
29.9.1938: In dense fog, stood by the Grimsby trawler WORSLEY (GY506) which had stranded in the early morning under Berry Head, near Torness on the south west coast of the island of Hoy. The Longhope lifeboat, THOMAS McCUNN, and life saving brigade, alerted by Wick radio, also attended and the lifeboat took off crew. Middlesbrough steam tug KINGS CROSS (282grt/1918) arrived on scene from Scrabster and reported attempting to refloat. At 10.56am reported that trawler was filling with water. Tow abandoned after two hours, tow rope and wires lost. Vessel total loss.
27.9.1938: Landed 210 boxes/3 score.
1.11.1938: In heavy weather sheltering in Pierwall Harbour, Westray (Sk. William McPherson). Alerted by the Norwegian motor vessel STIRLINGVILLE (4995grt/1935), which had sighted the MARSTAL registered auxiliary schooner Nordstjernen (242grt/1913), Riga for Ireland, cargo timber, dismasted with engine out of action. The motor vessel was unable to help as she was in ballast. Put to sea towards casualty. After three hours came upon the schooner, and found the crew of seven suffering from the intense cold and wet and with great difficulty the tow was connected at the third attempt. When passing the tow, the schooner had rammed the trawler stern and Daniel McPherson, son of the skipper narrowly escaped injury.
2.11.1938: After a hazardous tow reached the safety of Pierwall Harbour.
4.11.1938: With weather moderated somewhat, at about 3.00am sailed Pierwall Harbour for Kirkwall with tow. After another difficult journey safely delivered to anchor in Kirkwall Bay. At about 3.30pm sailed for Aberdeen to catch the Saturday morning market with her catch.
7.8.1939: Landed115 boxes/15 score.
17.6.1940: Requisitioned for war service as an armed patrol vessel (P.No.4.279) (Hire rate £66.15.10d/month) – listed as AGNES WETHERLY.
7.1941: At Dundee payed off for refit.
16.11.1942: Sold to William Carnie Jnr & Thomas Young Carnie, Granton. William Carnie Jnr designated manager.
12.1945: Returned to owner at Aberdeen.
15.12.1945: Aberdeen registry closed.
12.1945: Registered at Granton (GN9).
30.3.1946: Sold to George Robb & Sons Ltd, Aberdeen.
15.11.1946: Registered at Aberdeen as Viking Monarch (A25). (MoT Minute RGNo.1573/1946 dated 9.11.1946).
15.9.1952: At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, William Robertson, 73 Ruthrieston Circle, Aberdeen admitted three breaches of the Merchant Shipping Act by failing to join the ships, VIKING MONARCH, DELIA (A182) and LINBURN (?) at the time arranged. Robertson had two previous convictions and was sent to prison for twenty-eight days.
24.12.1952: While alongside in Aberdeen a fire broke out in the forecastle. The outbreak was seen by a box pool employee at about 4.30 am and the alarm was raised. The Fire Brigade arrived and succeeded in extinguishing the blaze but there was considerable damage.
22.1.1953: At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Francis Kane, 22 St. Andrew Street, Aberdeen, deckhand, was charged with disobeying a lawful command to sail in the trawler on August 7, 1952. Although this was Kane’s second offence, he overslept and was late, but did not delay the sailing. Fined £8 with 35/- expenses.
27.8.1953: At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Robert G. Buchan (26), 31 Ugie Street, Peterhead who had failed to sail on three separate occasions was fined a total of £16. Buchan pleaded guilty to (1) on August 15 1952 while fireman on the Aberdeen steam trawler GEORGE ROBB (A406) failed to sail: (2) on August 20, 1952, when fireman on the Aberdeen steam trawler VIKING MONARCH, failed to sail: (3) on October 9, 1952 while deckhand on the ‘Shields steam trawler JOHN DONOVAN (SN52), failed to sail.
29.7.1955: Arrived Aberdeen from the Faroe grounds.
30.7.1955: At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, George Muir, c/o The Seamen’s Mission, Aberdeen, a fireman, was charged with knowingly concealing 50 cigars and 230 cigarettes with intent to evade duty when the trawler berthed yesterday. He was fined £7 10/- with the goods confiscated.
20.9.1955: With two other trawlers, despite the ongoing strike at Aberdeen, landed 450 boxes. There was good demand for the catches at the sales.
17.4.1956: At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Benjamin Cross (29), 1 Barron Street, Woodside, Aberdeen along with two others admitted failing to join the steam trawler BEN GLAS (SN336) on 22nd March, saying that the trawler had a leak in the forecastle and was not seaworthy. The trio were given a further opportunity to join the vessel but they refused. Cross had seven previous conviction. All three were sentenced to 28 days imprisonment. Cross was then brought back into the dock and pleaded guilty to failing to sail with the VIKING MONARCH on 11th February . He was sentenced to a further 28 days imprisonment.
10.8.1956: At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Robert Mundie (25), 1 Kerloch Gardens, Aberdeen was fined £7 10/- for failing to join the trawler and sail. He had three previous convictions.
12.1.1959: Responded to distress of Aberdeen steam trawler GEORGE ROBB (A406), stranded some 100 yards from shore in Deer Sound, Orkney. Connected but at high water failed to refloat. The weather is calm and the trawler and crew are in no immediate danger. Subsequently refloated and proceeded.
16.11.1960: Landed at Aberdeen. Last skipper Joseph Findlay.
1960: Sold to Dutch shipbreakers.
7.4.1961: Aberdeen registry closed “ Advice received from beneficial owners.”

Changelog
07/09/2021: Page published.