Tag Archives: Boston DSF

S.T. Bulby (2) – FD147

Technical

Official Number: 180327
Yard Number: 756
Completed: 1946
Gross Tonnage: 361
Net Tonnage: 139
Length: 136.1 ft
Breadth: 25.2 ft
Depth: 13.2 ft
Engine: 600ihp T.3-cyl by Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull
Speed : 11.9 knots
Built: Cook Welton & Gemmell, Beverley

History

8.10.1945: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.756) for Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Fred Parkes, Blackpool, manager) as BULBY.
1.1.1946: Completed.
3.1.1946: Registered at Fleetwood (FD147).
7.10.1946: Sold to Seddon Fishing Co Ltd, London & Fleetwood (B. Kilaczycki, London, manager).
27.7.1949: Sold to J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood for £40280.
9.11.1953: Sold to National Trawling & Fishing Co Ltd, Cape Town for £46750.
27.1.1954: Fleetwood registry closed. Registered at Cape Town (CTA52).
20.4.1960: Involved in collision with steam trawler CAPE MATAPAN (CTA382) (321grt/1925) 2 miles off Cape Town with the loss of the CAPE MATAPAN.
Pre 1966: Company sold to Irvin & Johnson Ltd, Cape Town, who became managers.
1968: Stripped of all usable parts and non-ferrous metals.
12.1968: Scuttled at ‘Irvin Johnson’ artificial reef in False Bay.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Bulby CTA382
Picture courtesy of Janet Hannah

S.T. Bulby FD147
Picture courtesy of the JJ collection

S.T. Bulby FD147
Picture courtesy of Phil Rogers

Changelog
22/01/2009: Page published. 7 updates since then.
18/01/2023: Added image.

S.T. Normanby FD31

Additional information courtesy of Andy Hall

Technical

Admiralty Number: 3521
Official Number: 143903
Yard Number: 700
Completed: 1917
Gross Tonnage: 275
Net Tonnage: 112
Length: 125.5 ft
Breadth: 23.4 ft
Depth: 12.8 ft
Engine: 480ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by Hawthorn, Leslie & Co Ltd, Newcastle
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, Middlesbrough

History

5.3.1917: Laid down.
19.6.1917: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough (Yd.No.700) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as WILLIAM SPENCER (Ad.No.3521).
25.7.1917: Completed (1 – 12pdr and W/T).
1919: Registered by The Admiralty at London (Part I) O.N.143903.
1919: Allocated to Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries and engaged in commercial trawling.
1920: Allocated to the National Fishery Scheme for the setting up of the Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society Ltd, London.
1.1921: At Brightlingsea fitted out for fishing under Special Survey of Lloyd’s Register and classed 100A1 Stm Trawler at Brightlingsea.
1.1922. Scheme abandoned, the necessary working capital of £100,000 having not been subscribed. Laid up at Brightlingsea. Advertised for sale several times.
11.1924: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Boston (Fred Parkes, Wyberton, Boston, manager).
14.11.1924: London registry closed.
21.11.1924: Registered at Fleetwood as NORMANBY (FD31).
1926: Company registered office transferred to Fleetwood (Fred Parkes, Blackpool, manager).
19.9.1935: Completed some structural alterations to enable better look-out and sailed Fleetwood for Azores chartered by relatives to try and locate auxiliary yacht ALTAIR,(14grt/1909) (Lieutenant Colonel Noel Meredith Vibart DSO), four crew all told*, which had left Flores Island, Azores for Plymouth on 1 August and overdue. Apart from a message given by a Portuguese vessel that a craft which may have been the ALTAIR had been sighted south-east off the Azores on 29 August, there has been no further information concerning the yacht. Search was unsuccessful.
1.1936: Sold to Liston Carnie, William Carnie Jnr & Thomas Young Carnie, Glasgow. (William Carnie Jnr, Glasgow managing owner).
31.1.1936: Fleetwood registry closed.
2.1936: Registered at Granton as ASTROS (GN48).
18.12.1939: Attacked by German aircraft 115 miles E by N of May Island; superficial damage.
28.12.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a boom defence vessel (P.No.Z.130) (Hire rate £80.4.2d/month).
3.12.1943: Compulsorily acquired by M.O.W.T. Granton registry closed.
7.1945: Based at Portsmouth (Fraser & White Ltd, Portsmouth, agents).
11.1945: For disposal.
3.1946: Sold to Joseph Croan, Newhaven, Edinburgh.
1.1947: Registered at Granton (GN31).
11.9.1948: Sailed Granton for Faroe fishing grounds (Sk. Carnie Seaton).
21.9.1948: Arrived Aberdeen with storm damage sustained off the Faroes; funnel damaged, bent over and fractured. In gale, wind entering the damaged funnel had fanned the fires in the boiler room, and at one stage there was a danger of a flash back igniting the bunker coal. The skipper, foreseeing the danger, had turned the ship’s head into the wind until a tarpaulin could be thrown around the funnel. Finding it difficult to raise steam, the skipper radioed for the steam trawlers THOMAS L. DEVLIN (GN58) and META PATON (GW14) to standby. With difficulty the fireman managed to maintain enough steam to proceed at slow speed to Aberdeen, escorted by the META PATON. Met by the owner, Joe Croan, and arrangements made to send her catch of 450 boxes to Newhaven by road.
1960: Sold to BISCO (£2800) and allocated to Shipbreaking Industries Ltd, Charlestown, Fife for breaking up (Contract No.62E).
15.3.1960: Delivered Charlestown from Granton under own power.
26.5.1960: Breaking up commenced.

(William Spencer, Yeoman of the Powder Room (prest), age 28, b. Newcastle – VICTORY (SB392))

* Crew of yacht (cutter) ALTAIR – Lieutenant Colonel Noel Meredith Vibart DSO, London, owner; Ian Macdonald, Glasgow, Cambridge university undergraduate; Patrick Richardson, Long Ashton, Bristol, Oxford university undergraduate and Basil Jefferies (18), Talywain, Monmouthshire, ships boy.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Normanby FD31
Picture courtesy of Fred Baker

Changelog
21/01/2009: Page published. 5 updates since then.
26/02/2016: Information updated

S.T. Brabant FD239

Additional information courtesy of Bill Blow

Technical

Admiralty Number: 3717
Official Number: 144640
Yard Number: 333
Completed: 1918
As built: 360disp 125.6 x 23.5 x 12.8 feet
Gross Tonnage: 279
Net Tonnage: 106n
Length: 125.6 ft
Breadth: 23.5 ft
Depth: 12.8 ft
Built: Ailsa Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Ayr
Engine: 480ihp T.3-cyl by Ailsa Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Troon
Boiler: James Nielson & Son Ltd, Glasgow

History

25.4.1918: Launched by Ailsa Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Ayr (Yd.No.333) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as EMMANUEL CAMELAIRE (Ad.No.3717).
20.5.1918: Commissioned.
25.5.1918: Completed as a minesweeper (1-12pdr and W/T).
1.10.1918: At Penzance F.C.T. Escort (Lieut. RNR).
24.1.1921: Registered by The Admiralty as a fishing vessel at London (LO497). Official No.144640.
1922: Sold to Cie Belge Maritime du Congo, Antwerp and used as a tug. Registered at Antwerp as PRESIDENT FRANCQUI.
4.10.1923: London fishing registry closed.
1923: Registered at Matadi, Belgian Congo.
1936: Sold to Soc. Anon Pêcheries du Nord, Fécamp. Re-classed as a trawler. Registered at Fécamp.
11.1938: Sold to Rhondda Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby (Consolidated Fisheries Ltd).
10.11.1938: Registered at Grimsby as BRABANT (GY544).
10.11.1938: Sir John Denton Marsden, Bart appointed manager.
31.8.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (P.No.FY.586) (Hire rate £84.0.0d/month).
10.2.1940: Steam trawler THERESA BOYLE (GN4) (Sk. Oliver Bell) damaged by German air attack when fishing 115 miles ExN of Aberdeen. Took to boat and vessel foundered.
12.2.1940: At 4.30 p.m. RAF aircraft overflew boat, rocket fired. Aircraft communicated with HMTrawlers BRABANT and ALMANDINE (H415) (P.No.FY.645), ‘sweeping 10 miles away. After 50 hours in open boat survivors picked up by ALMANDINE and landed at ?? at 6.00 p.m. all crew suffering from exposure.
24.8.1941: Shot down a twin engined German bomber (Lieut. J. H. A. Winfield RNR).
15.1.1944: Sold to The Clifton Steam Trawlers Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood.
20.1.1944: Hulbert Murray Bird appointed manager.
12.1945: Returned to owner.
26.9.1946: Grimsby registry closed.
9.1946: Registered at Fleetwood (FD239).
6.1956: Company taken over by Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd, Fleetwood. (Fred Parkes, Blackpool, manager).
4.3.1957: Sold to BISCO and allocated to Thos. W. Ward Ltd, Sheffield for breaking up at Milford Haven.
29.4.1957: Arrived Milford Haven.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Brabant FD239
Image from the Internet

HMT Emmanuel Camelaire
Picture courtesy of The Imperial War Museum

S.T. Brabant FD239
Picture courtesy of The John Stevenson Collection

S. T. Brabant FD239
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
16/01/2009: Page published. 6 updates since then.
24/04/2017: Removed FMHT watermark and disputed image.
20/09/2019: Updated information.
07/08/2020: Added images.
10/04/2022: Added an image.

S.T. King Erik GY474

Trawler/Liner

Additional information courtesy of David Lewis, Birgir Þórisson and Bill Blow

Technical

Official Number: 110879
Yard Number: 233
Completed: 1899
Gross Tonnage: 227
Net Tonnage: 90
Length: 114 ft
Breadth: 21.6 ft
Depth: 12 ft
Engine: 420ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by Charles D. Holmes & Co, Hull
Built: Cochrane & Cooper Ltd, Selby

History

29.3.1899: Launched by Cochrane & Cooper Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.233) as a liner for Viking Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby as KING ERIK.
28.4.1899: Registered at Grimsby (GY10). John E. Rushworth designated manager.
28.4.1899: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Arthur Henry Leslie Melville & Eustace Abel Smith, Lincoln (joint mortgagees) (A).
29.4.1899: Completed.
9.1899: Converted to side fishing.
30.9.1899: Mortgage (A) discharged.
30.9.1899: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The York City & County Banking Co Ltd (B).
29/30.1.1901: In North Sea with steam trawler DERBY (GY153), came upon German steamer MARTHA SAUBER (1463grt/1888), running short of coals whilst towing German steamer ETHEL (1036grt/), disabled with broken tailshaft on a voyage from Hamburg to Tyne. Cast off tow and both trawlers connected to ETHEL in position 54.5N 1.37E; towage to the Tyne was resumed at about 11.00am.
31.1.1901: Delivered Tyne at 11.30am.
19.4.1901: The Admiralty Division Court awarded each trawler £250 (Owners-£175; skipper-£25; mate-£15; engineer-£12 and crew £1 each).
6.11.1902: Sold by order of the mortgagee under mortgage (B) to Frank Barrett (64/64), Grimsby.
8.11.1902: Frank Barrett designated manager.
6.11.1902: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The Stamford, Spalding and Boston Banking Co Ltd, Gt. Grimsby (C).
3.8.1904: Mortgage (C) discharged.
16.9.1904: Sold to Ole Gogstad, Sandefjord, Norway registered owner Aktieselsk “KING ERIK”.
29.9.1904: Grimsby registry closed.
10.1904: Registered at Sandefjord (SD33).
31.1.1907: At the Sheriff Court at Elgin, Sk. Hans Christian Andersen was found guilty of trawling within forbidden limits in the Moray Firth and fined £100 or sixty days imprisonment. Fine not paid and imprisoned at Inverness. Released following representation by the Norwegian Government.
1911: Sold to Gustav Emil Forum, Esbjerg. Sandefjord registry closed. Registered at Esbjerg (E169).
10.1911: New boiler by Palmer’s Shipbuilding & Iron Co, Hebburn-on-Tyne.
25.5.1914: Out of Grimsby for Moray Firth fishing grounds, blowing strong SW near gale. At 8.00 am when off Spurn Light, condenser burst. Set course for Grimsby but when off the Bull had to anchor to attend to ingress of water from condenser sea cock and pipework. Ingress not arrested and proceeded Clee Ness, beached and sea cock temporarily sealed, engine room pumped out. At about 2.00 pm summoned tugs, refloated and brought into Grimsby for repair.
1915: Sold to Frank Barrett (64/64), Grimsby.
3.1915: Sandefjord registry closed.
1915: Re measured 228g 90n.
31.3.1915: Registered at Grimsby (GY474).
31.3.1915: Frank Barrett designated manager.
11.4.1915: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-3pdr) (Ad.No.1368). Based Egypt.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Grimsby.
1.1.1920: Sold to William Frank Gower (64/64), Grimsby.
12.4.1920: William Frank Gower designated managing owner.
1.4.1920: Sold to Direct Fish Supplies Ltd (64/64) London.
19.4.1920: George William Payne Margarson, Grimsby designated manager.
23.3.1922: Company in voluntary liquidation.
10.8.1922: Placed in compulsory liquidation.
9.10.1922: Sold by the liquidator George Digby Pepys, to Thomas William Baskcomb (64/64), Grimsby.
8.12.1922: Thomas William Baskcomb designated manager.
27.7.1923: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The Grimsby Trawler Owners Direct Supply Co Ltd, Grimsby (D).
20.6.1924: Mortgage (A) transferred to Harry Allen Baskcomb, Grimsby.
31.3.1925: Mortgage (D) discharged.
1.4.1925: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Harry Allen Baskcomb, Grimsby (E).
1.4.1925: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The Grimsby Trawler Owners Direct Supply Co Ltd, Grimsby (F).
1929: New boiler.
13.11.1937: Mortgage (F) discharged.
24.4.1940: Mortgage (E) discharged.
2.5.1940: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood.
9.5.1940: Basil A. Parkes, Thornton-le-Fylde designated manager.
3.9.1941: Sailed Fleetwood for Icelandic grounds (Sk. Francis H. Davidson); fifteen crew all told.
5.9.1941: Sailed Tobermory for Iceland after repair.
6.9.1941: When some 120 miles WSW of Faroe Islands, at 2330 torpedoed by U-boat (U.141) without warning, ship hit and exploded; all crew lost*.
27.10.1941: Loss reported to families.
7.5.1942: Grimsby registry closed “Ship missing since 5/9/41, presumed lost”.

*Lost – Sk. Francis Henry Davidson (40), Cleethorpes; John Bradford Brewer (32), 2nd Hand; Frederick Durbin (38), 3rd Hand, Hull; George Aisthorpe (56). Ch Eng; William Arthur Watson (37) 2nd Eng, Fleetwood; Eddie Christopher Bowles (54), John James Grundy (20), Fleetwood, Walter Austin Helme (18), Fleetwood, Arthur Leach (44), Hull, Thomas Wall (28), George Wilkins (50), Hessle and Joseph Wroe (37), Hull, Deckhands; George Cyril Bond (25) and William Matthew Lewis (38), Grimsby, Firemen/Trimmers; James Garton (52), Cook..
Note: U 141 (Schuler) hit two trawlers with torpedoes on consecutive days. One was JARLINN and the other KING ERIK. Both vessels exploded

Click to enlarge images

S.T. King Erik GY474 at Grimsby
Picture from the Internet

S.T. King Erik GY474
Picture courtesy of The Steve Farrow Collection

Changelog
16/01/2009: Page published. 5 revisions since then.
02/12/2014: Information updated.
29/12/2018: Removed FMHT watermark and updated information.
04/12/2020: Updated history.

S.T. Boston Heron FD48

Additional information courtesy of David Slinger

Technical

Official Number: 162133
Yard Number: 1201
Completed: 1939
Gross Tonnage: 314
Net Tonnage: 116
Length: 130.7 ft
Breadth: 24.5 ft
Depth: 11.9 ft
Built: Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby
Engine: 125hp T.3-cyl by Amos & Smith Ltd, Hull. Fitted for burning oil fuel F.P. above 150° F
Note: One of the first trawlers built to burn oil under the boiler

History

23.3.1939: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.1201) for Neale & West Ltd, Cardiff as AKITA.
23.5.1939: Registered at Cardiff (CF4).
1.6.1939: Completed as a fishing vessel. Joshua S. Neale designated manager.
30.8.1939: Requisitioned by The Admiralty from the builders having been fitted out as a minesweeper (1-12pdr) (P.No. FY.610) (Hire rate £235.10.0d/month). Based Swansea with M/S Group 133.
10.1945: Returned and re-classed at Barry.
1955: Laid up.
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 Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood.
5.1956: Cardiff registry closed.
5.1956: Registered at Fleetwood (FD48). Fred Parkes, Blackpool designated manager.
1.1957: Registered at Fleetwood as BOSTON HERON (FD48).
19.12.1957: Sold to Milford Fisheries Ltd, Milford Haven. Owen W. Limbrick designated manager.
23.12.1957: Arrived Milford from Fleetwood (Sk. Reggie High) and Milford crew.
18.1.1958: First landing at Milford (Sk. Arthur Harvey).
27.6.1960: Sailed Milford (Sk. Arthur Harvey) on charter to MAAF & WFA for experimental trips to the unproven grounds to the south westward of Ireland known as “the Farm” (South Farm Bank).
12.1961: Sold to Merchants (Milford Haven) Ltd, Milford Haven. Albert Henry Davies designated manager.
30.11.1962: Sailed Milford for North Atlantic grounds (Sk.John William Bean); twelve crew.
3.12.1962: Fishing Minch, SW gale gusting 60mph, Sk. Bean decided to run for shelter in East Loch Tarbert, Isle of Harris. At around 9.0pm struck reef off Stilamair Island, Isle of Scalpay. Vessel pounded by seas with extensive bottom damage. RFA ROBERT DUNDAS (1110grt/1938) and Fisheries Board for Scotland, FPV BRENDA (350grt/1951) ordered to scene. Local MFV SCALPAY ISLES (SY429) (Sk. Finley Morrison) directed operations and five men, including the skipper, rescued by local fishermen and Stornoway lifeboat crew, but seven men lost.
13.12.1963: At the Formal Investigation (No.S.460) held at Milford the Court found that Sk. John William Bean contributed to the stranding by wrongful default in failing to heed warnings given by the Decca Navigator and not taking immediate action. After the stranding all proper steps were taken for the preservation of vessel and crew. Sk. Bean’s certificate was suspended for three months.
1.1964: Fleetwood registry closed.

(Survivors: Milford unless stated. Sk John W. Bean (41); John Donovan (33), Mate; Brian Naden (27), Hakin, Third hand; deckhands Frank Fisher (51), Hakin & Chris McCulloch (27), Hakin.

Lost: Milford unless stated. Jack Dyson (42), Hakin, Bosun; Bill Bailey (62), Pembroke Dock, Ch Eng; Harold J. Edwards (59), 2nd Eng; deckhand Bob Brown 29); cook, Billy Hannaford (37), Hakin; firemen, Harry Harries (59), St. Davids & Bill Prockett (53) Johnston.)

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Boston Heron CF4
Picture from the Internet

S.T. Boston Heron FD48
Picture from the Internet

S.T. Boston Heron FD48
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection

Changelog
15/01/2009: Page published. 3 updates since then.
11/06/2019: Minor update.
17/02/2020: Added an image.
06/07/2020: Updated information.

The Bosun's Watch

Fleetwood Steam and Sailing Trawlers

Tag Archives: Boston DSF

S.T. Bulby (2) – FD147

S.T. Normanby FD31

S.T. Brabant FD239

S.T. King Erik GY474

S.T. Boston Heron FD48