Tag Archives: Boston DSF & I

S.T. Julia Brierley FD103

Additional information courtesy of Mike Thompson

Technical

Official Number: 168578
Yard Number: 1265
Completed: 1943
As built: 670tons disp. 146.0 x 25.25 x 13.2 feet
Gross Tonnage: 380
Net Tonnage: 142
Length: 147.8 ft
Breadth: 25.1 ft
Depth: 13.2 ft
Engine: 700ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by Amos & Smith Ltd, Hull
Built: Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby

History

24.12.1942: Keel laid.
6.4.1943: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.1265 ) (“Fish” class) for The Admiralty as HMS GRILSE (P.No.T.368).
5.7.1943: Completed as an A/S trawler (1-12pdr HA/LA, 3-20mm, ASDIC, DC). Based Mediterranean (Act Sk. Lieut. George Main RNR).
28.11.1944: Ty Act. Sk. Lieut. Harold Chandler RNR appointed CO.
1946: Laid up at Rosyth on Disposal List (SORF, Rosyth).
20.5.1946: Sold to Consolidated Fisheries Ltd, Grimsby for the sum of £18,858. Converted to steam trawler at a cost of £26,239. (Total £45,096).
2.1947: Registered at Swansea (Part I & Part IV) as CARDIFF CASTLE O.N.168578 (SA66). 380g 142n. Sir John D. Marsden, Bart, Lincoln designated manager. Insured for £75,680.
24.6.1947: First trip.
1952: Sold to The Clifton Steam Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood.
6.1947: Converted for burning oil fuel, F.P. above 150° F.
5.1952: Swansea registry closed.
08.5.1952: Registered at Fleetwood (FD103).
13.07.1952: Registered at Fleetwood as JULIA BRIERLEY (FD103). John Channock, Cleveleys designated manager.
6.7.1956: Company taken over and vessel transferred to Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd, Fleetwood. Fred Parkes, Blackpool designated manager.
4.4.1957: Sold to Carry On Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood. Fred Parkes, Blackpool designated manager.
11.1957: On the St. Kilda grounds (Sk. Jim Port). Bosun, Michael Quinn (28) taken seriously ill with a suspected perforated appendix. Sk. Port radioed the missile tracking station on the island of Hirta and the RAF doctor advised that the Bosun should be landed there for attention. During the night a severe gale blew up and they had to dodge for two days until the weather abated. The sick man’s condition deteriorated and he was in need of immediate medical aid. Coming into Parson’s Bay, Hirta, the boat was launched and under the mate, Bill Cossey and six crew they landed on the beach and the sick man was transferred to the hutments. The skipper was advised that the Bosun should be kept on the island and that they were best to continue fishing and pick the man up on the way home. After twelve days they returned and picked up the Bosun who had been under observation and kept comfortable with injections and also took onboard mail from the twenty-eight servicemen stationed on the island. On return to Fleetwood Mr Quinn visited the hospital for a further check up and to see if an operation was necessary.
20.8.1958: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd, Fleetwood, Sir Fred Parkes, Blackpool, designated manager.
By 6.1961: Laid up at Grimsby.
10.1961: Sold to Ets van Heygen Frères SA, Brugge, Belgium for breaking up.
10.10.1961: Fleetwood registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

HMS Grilse

HMS Grilse
Picture reproduced under IWM Non-Commercial Licence

HMS Grilse

HMS Grilse
Picture reproduced under IWM Non-Commercial Licence

S.T. Julia Brierley FD103

S.T. Julia Brierley FD103
Picture courtesy of The John Stevenson Collection

S.T. Julia Brierley FD103

S.T. Julia Brierley FD103
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
14/01/2009: Page published. 5 updates since then.
12/06/2016: Picture added.
01/04/2017: Added images and removed FMHT watermark.
07/03/2021: Updated history and technical details.

S.T. Evalana FD55

Technical

Official Number: 148235
Yard Number: 1351
Completed: 1929
Gross Tonnage: 386
Net Tonnage: 142
Length: 145.3 ft
Breadth: 25 ft
Depth: 11.3 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by McKie & Baxter, Glasgow
Built: O. Anderson (London) Ltd, Wivenhoe

History

192?: Laid down by Otto Andersen (London) Ltd, Wivenhoe (Yd.No.1351).
12.1928: Pollock, Andersen Oil Engines Ltd, London in compulsory liquidation. Assets of Otto Anderson & Co (London) Ltd to be sold by Order of the Sheriff of Essex by auction at Wivenhoe on 25.1.1929. Trawler (partly constructed) (Yd.No.1351) Lot No.490 in catalogue.
22.1.1929: Auction cancelled. Trawler sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Fred Parkes, Blackpool, manager).
c7.1929: Hull launched as EVALANA* (by Miss Evelyn Anne Hayward). Towed to Fleetwood for completion by James Robertson & Sons (Fleetwood) Ltd.
c8.1929: Towed to Barrow for boiler and engine to be lifted in.
15.11.1929: Completed basin trials.
16.11.1929: Registered at Fleetwood (FD55).
18.11.1929: Completed by James Robertson & Sons (Fleetwood) Ltd, Fleetwood. On gridiron for final survey.
19.11.1929: Sailed for West Coast of Scotland grounds (Sk. Albert E. Hayward).
26.11.1929: Landed maiden catch (70 boxes).
8.6.1930: Grounded on Tiger’s Tail, approach to Wyre Dock (one of 23 trawlers inbound). Refloated and subsequently slipped for inspection.
1.1931: Sold to Victor Fourny, Boulogne.
21.1.1931: Fleetwood registry closed.
1.1931: Registered at Boulogne (B1464).
10.1932: Re-measured 384g 126n 142.5 x 25.0 x 13.0 feet.
12.1935: Sold to Pêcheries de la Morinie, Boulogne (P. Ficheux, manager).
11.1937: Sold to Fred Parkes, Blackpool.
11.1937: Sold to Towarzystwo Dalekomorskich Polowow “Pomorse” Sp.z.o.a., Gdynia. Registered at Gdynia as CEZARY (GDY111). Fishing from Ijmuiden.
10.8.1939: Sold to Adam Steam Fishing Co Ltd, London (Basil A Parkes, Cleveleys, manager).
10.1939: Re-measured 388g 140n 145.3 x 25.0 x 11.3 feet
3.11.1939: Renamed COUNT (FD89).
9.2.1940: Requisitioned for war service as a boom defence vessel (P.No. Z.109) (Hire rate £172.1.0d/month).
12.11.1945: Returned to owner.
9.1946: Sold to Chr. Holm Jacobsen, Thorshavn, Faroe Islands.
8.4.1946: Fleetwood registry closed.
9.1946: Registered at Thorshavn as SILDBERIN (TN40).
1949: Sold to P/f Sjovinnubankin, Thorshavn (F. H. Sölvsteen, manager). Registered at Thorshavn as GUTTABERG (TN40).
1955: Sold to P/f Holmur, Faroe Islands (Rosing Rasmussen) for conversion to dry cargo on completion renamed HOLMUR.
1955: Fitted out to dry cargo – 412g 201n 508d.
1955: Re-engined with 545bhp 2stroke 7-cyl oil engine by British Polar Engines Ltd, Glasgow (Engine (Type M47I) built 1942 ex minesweeper/passenger vessel GREEN DOLPHIN, (ex MMS112) Lowestoft, sold to Faroe Islands 1949.)
1957: Lengthened to 157.0 feet loa 145.0 x 25.0 x 14.0 feet, re-measured – 412g 201n 508d.
Pre 1959: K. Hansen, Sorvag, Thorshavn, appointed manager.
1965: Havstein Ellingsgaard, Runavik, appointed manager.
11.1965: Re-engined with 510bhp 2stroke 7-cyl oil engine by Alpha-Diesel A/S, Falkenburg – CP prop.
29.3.1978: Stranded at Olafsjördur, north coast of Iceland on passage Faroe Islands to Iceland with salt. Total loss.

(* Named after Sk. Albert Hayward and family – EV (daughter Evelyn) AL (Albert) ANA (wife Annie)

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Evalana FD55

S.T. SILDBERIN TN40
Picture courtesy of the JJ collection

S.T. Evalana FD55

S.T. Sildberin TN40
Picture courtesy of the JJ collection

S.T. Evalana FD55

M.V. Holmur
Picture from the Internet

S.T. Evalana FD55

M.V. Holmur.
Picture courtesy of the JJ collection

Changelog
14/01/2009: Page published. 5 updates since then.
01/08/2020: Updated information.

S.T. Dunsby H306

Technical

Official Number: 162895
Yard Number: 980
Completed: 1935
Gross Tonnage: 422
Net Tonnage: 160
Length: 157.0 ft
Breadth: 26.7 ft
Depth: 12.3 feet
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough
Engine: T.3-cyl by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, Middlesbrough
Boiler: Richardsons, Westgarth & Co Ltd, Hartlepool

History

20.12.1934: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough (Yd.No.980) for H. Croft Baker & Sons Ltd, Grimsby as MILDENHALL.
1.1935: Completed.
21.1.1935: Registered at Grimsby (GY124).
21.1.1935: Sydney Croft Baker designated manager.
25.1.1935: Mortgaged to Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields (A).
9.1935: As a result of the Abyssinian crisis and failure of British diplomacy, the Government authorised The Admiralty to procure twenty modern trawlers for conversion to minor war vessels.
4.12.1935: Mortgage (A) discharged.
12.1935: Following successful trials sold to The Admiralty (£27,231).
28.12.1935: Grimsby registry closed “On advice from Manager and from the Lords Commissioners of The Admiralty”. Fitted out as a “Gem” class anti-submarine trawler (1-12pdr, ASDIC, DC). Renamed HM Trawler SAPPHIRE (P.No.T.27).
1943: At Harwich. East Coast convoy escort.
1946: Laid up at Rosyth on Disposal List (SORF, Rosyth).
1946: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood. Basil Arthur Parkes designated manager.
9.1946: Restored and re-classed at Liverpool. Registered at Hull as DUNSBY (H306).
1948: Sold to Seddon Fishing Co Ltd, London & Fleetwood. B. Kilaczycki, London designated manager.
1951: Sold to Saint Andrew’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Hull. Basil Arthur Parkes, North Ferriby designated manager.
23.1.1953: At Hull landed from White Sea (Sk.H. Parker) 1,044 kits grossed £3,003. Transferred to Grimsby.
1953: Sold to Findus Hammerfest, Hammerfest (Hammerfest Havfiske A/L, managers). Registered at Hammerfest as FINDUS 1 (F2M)
2.1954: Sold to Hammerfest Havfiske A/L, Hammerfest (Lorentz A. Roksvaag, manager). Renamed SKAIDI (F2M).
2.1954: Converted for burning oil fuel, F.P. above 150° F.
6.1970: Sold for breaking up at Stavanger.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Dunsby H306

S.T. Dunsby H306
Picture courtesy of The Mark Stopper Collection

S.T. Skaidi

S.T. Skaidi F2M
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection

HMT Sapphire

HMT Sapphire
Picture reproduced under IWM Non-Commercial Licence

HMT Sapphire

HMT Sapphire
Picture reproduced under IWM Non-Commercial Licence

HMT Sapphire

HMT Sapphire
Picture reproduced under IWM Non-Commercial Licence

S.T. Skaidi F2M

S.T. Skaidi F2M
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection

Changelog

14/01/2009: Page published. 5 updates since then.
28/05/2018: Removed FMHT watermarks from images.
10/02/2020: Updated information.

S.T. Braconglen FD283

Technical

Official Number: 180337
Yard Number: 377
Completed: 1949
Gross Tonnage: 338
Net Tonnage: 123
Length: 137.5 ft
Breadth: 25.6 ft
Depth: 12.3 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by Amos & Smith Ltd, Hull. Built 1945, fitted 1949. Fitted: for burning oil fuel, F.P. above 150° F
Built: Richards Ironworks Ltd, Lowestoft

History

2.12.1948: Launched by Richards Ironworks Ltd, Lowestoft (Yd.No.377) for Don Fishing Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood) (Basil A. Parkes, manager) as BRACONGLEN.
3.1949: Completed. Registered at Fleetwood (FD283).
13.5.1949: First landing at Fleetwood, 1286 boxes grossed £3,729.
28.7.1950: Last landing at Fleetwood 381 boxes grossed £1,219.
7.1950: Sold to Government of Ceylon, Colombo (Edmund R. A. de Zylva, Director of Fisheries). Taken in hand by Richards and fitted with refrigerated fishroom and air conditioning.
1950: At Lowestoft yard of Richards Ironworks Ltd. Fitted with fish room refrigeration and accommodation modfied and air conditioned by J. & E. Hall Ltd, Dartford.
1950: Fleetwood registry closed.
1951: Registered at Columbo.
Pre 1966: Transferred to Government of Ceylon (Government Stores Dept), Colombo.
1971: Sank in Colombo harbour.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Braconglen FD283

S.T. Braconglen FD283
Picture courtesy of The Osta Collection

S.T. Braconglen FD283

S.T. Braconglen FD283
Picture courtesy of the JJ collection

S.T. Braconglen FD283

S.T. Braconglen FD283
Picture courtesy of Fred Baker

Changelog
14/01/2009: Page published. 3 updates since then.

S.T. San Sebastian FD126

Additional information courtesy of David Slinger
Technical

Official Number: 148223
Yard Number: 57
Completed: 1917
Gross Tonnage: 271
Net Tonnage: 123
Length: 125.7 ft
Breadth: 23.5 ft
Depth: 12.7 ft
Built: Collingwood Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Collingwood, Ontario, Canada
Engine: T.3-cyl by Marine Iron Works, Chicago.
Boiler: 480ihp Canadian Allis Chalmers Ltd, Toronto

History

1.1917: Ordered.
1918: Launched by Collingwood Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Collingwood, Ontario, Canada (Yd.No.57) (Canadian “Castle” – “T.R.” class) for The Admiralty (paid for and built under direction of RCN) as TR.11.
28.6.1918: Completed and commissioned in the Royal Canadian Navy (1-123pdr).
8.1919: Paid off and laid up.
1920: Accepted offer of Rose Street Foundry & Engineering Co Ltd, Inverness (Captain D. J. Munro as agent) to bring drifters with trawlers as escorts to UK for lay-up in Muirtown Basin, Caledonian Canal, Inverness prior to sale and possible refit for classification as steam trawlers (The Rose Street Foundry & Engineering Co Ltd letter dated 12 April 1920).
1921: Brought over at The Admiralty’s expense.
1.1926: Still laid up.
2.1926: Rejected offer for all remaining trawlers at £2,000 each (B. Allenby, Aberdeen letter dated 10 Feb 1926).
8.1926: Sold “as is” to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Grimsby (Fred Parkes, Blackpool, manager).
17.9.1926: Renamed SAN SEBASTIAN (FD126).
04.1932: On three month charter to Sea Fisheries Association of Ireland, to fish out of Dublin, Galway and other ports. Charter to be exended if needed.
05.05.1932: Sailed for Ireland.
17.1.1933: At 6.58 am. stranded near White Beach Point, NE side of Galway Bay, propeller damaged (Sk. William McLennan). At 8.32 am. trawler MALAGA (GY393) (Sk. W. Kay) standing by and will connect and attempt to refloat. At 11.30 am. refloated and taken to anchorage to await tide to Galway. Due to dense fog unable to find the port for 24 hours.
18.01.1933: Spotted in fog by the pilot boat and guided into Galway.
5.6.7.1933: Chartered by Italian Government to provide support for a transAtlantic flight involving 20 to 30 aeroplanes.
9.5.1933: Sailed Fleetwood for NW Atlantic.
19.5.1933: Arrived St. John’s, Newfoundland.
9.1.1937: Sailed Fleetwood at 9.40 a.m. for West of Scotland grounds with a crew of thirteen (Sk. Richard W. Pook).
10.1.1937: At approx 2.5 a.m. ran into heavy rain and reduced visibility of about 2 miles. At approx 3.10 a.m. stranded on rocks off Iommalach Rock 2 miles off Ardbeg, Islay. Pounded heavily on rocks and rolled over to starboard. Crew abandoned and eight men landed on rocks, skipper on a separate rock; four crew lost.
11.1.1937: At about 9.00 a.m. eight men rescued from rock by PIBROCH (96grt/1923) on passage Glasgow-Port Ellen. At approx 2.0 p.m. skipper rescued.
2.2.1937: Fleetwood registry closed “Total loss”.
23.3.1937: At BOT Formal Investigation (No.S.382), it was concluded that the stranding and subsequent loss was caused by the wrongful act and defaults of Sk. Pook. His ticket was suspended for twelve months. It was also found that the stranding and total loss was caused by the defaults of the mate James A. Maunder. He was severely censured.

(Survivors (all Fleetwood unless stated)- Sk. Richard Pook; James Maunder, Mate; Harold Evans, Bosun; William Pye, Ch.Eng; James McLellan; Gilbert Pook; Robert Allen; James Meagher, deckhands; Frank Haugherty, Rochdale, fireman.
Lost – T. W. Archer, 2nd Eng; W. Sharp; Joseph Cox, Blackpool; Joseph Gledhill, Heywood, deckhands.)

Notes

It was a case of every man for himself when SAN SEBASTIAN hit rocks and the crew were thrown overboard.
Four men died and the rest of the shipmates spent hours clinging to rocks before being rescued. The Skipper – who had been seen in hanging in the rigging – was stranded on rocks for 10 hours!

She struck rocks off the coast of the island of Islay, Argyllshire, on her way to the fishing grounds.
A crew member revealed what happened as the ship foundered.

“We felt the ship strike and could see we were on a reef. We launched the lifeboat but it crashed against the rail of the ship. Eight of us were thrown into the sea. The SAN SEBASTIAN had a dangerous list and although we were hanging on we were swept overboard. The last time I saw the Skipper he was in the rigging.”

“I got on the rocks and others came up in the darkness. We counted ourselves and found only 8 present. None of us were fully clothed and we were on the rocks for 7 hours.”
They were picked up by the Glasgow Steamer, Pibroch, and three bodies were later recovered.
Skipper Pook said he realised that survival was going to be a life and death struggle. He had been flung into the sea as the trawler toppled over.

“I was going round in circles and have been swimming about a mile. Then I reached a fairly big rock and, almost exhausted, pulled myself up. It was bitterly cold. I lay down but had to try and keep warm so I waved my arms and stamped my feet.”
While sitting there marooned, one of the ship’s lifebelts was washed on the rocks.”

“Then dawn broke and I saw a boat rescue the crew who had managed to reach the rock that SAN SEBASTIAN had struck. I tried to attract their attention but they were half a mile away and didn’t notice me.
When I had been on the rock 10 hours I saw a boat in the distance. I signaled it and they took me off.”

download the PDF BOT report into the stranding.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. San Sebastian FD126

S.T. San Sebastian FD126
Picture courtesy of John Clarkson

S.T. San Sebastian FD126

S.T. San Sebastian FD126
Courtesy of Elizabeth Shaw

Changelog
27/04/14: Information updated.
16/02/2015: Added survivor account.
16/01/2017: Added BOT report.
10/09/2024: Information updated