Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 67441
Completed: 1873
Tonnage: 53.27n.r.t
Gross Tonnage: 53.27
Net Tonnage: 33.32
Length: 68.7 ft
Breadth: 18.8 ft
Depth: 8.95 ft
Rig: Dandy – trawling & lining
Built: Smith & Sons, Great Yarmouth

History

16.10.1873: Launched by Smith & Sons, Cobholm Island, Great Yarmouth, for their own account as LIVONIA, “the finest smack ever built in Yarmouth and intended for carrying and trawling.”
31.10.1873: Registered at Gt. Yarmouth (YH576) in the ownership of Smith & Sons, Gt. Yarmouth. Samuel Smith designated managing owner.
1.2.1875: Arrived Billingsgate and landed 500 packages of trawl fish, this being the first consignment by water this season. The fish was in good conditioning and made a good market.
30.12.1876: PORT OF GREAT YARMOUTH. N. SUFFLING is favoured with instructions from Messrs Smith & Sons (who are retiring from the fishing business) to sell by auction, at the Star Hotel. Quay, Great Yarmouth. On TUESDAY, Jan 9th 1877, at 6 for 7 o’clock in the evening, all the under mentioned first class oak built and copper fastened fleet of CARRYING CUTTERS and TRAWLING SMACKS, of the respective registered dimensions as below stated, together with all their abundance and well-found Sails, Stores, Material and Fishing Gear. Lot 1. – The carrying CUTTER LIVONIA, Carvel built in 1873; length 68.7 feet, breadth 18.75 feet, Depth 8.95 feet, 53.27 tons. The above vessel is nearly, in every respect, as good as new, she has about 34 tons of pig iron and Kentledge’s ballast, and can carry about 800 packages of fish…. The vessels are lying at the Fishwharf, Great Yarmouth, where they may be inspected. An inventory of each vessel’s stores will be duly published. And further information may be obtained upon application to Messrs Smith and Son, St. Peter’s Road or the Auctioneer,38 South Quay, Great Yarmouth.
13.1.1876: Reported that LIVONIA was sold for £1,175 to Mr A. D. Stone, Gt. Yarmouth (On behalf of The Great Yarmouth Steam Trawling & Carrying Co Ltd, 60 South Quay, Gt. Yarmouth).
28.3.1877: Placed on the slip at Gt. Yarmouth.
2.4.1877: Unslipped.
20.5.1882: FOR SALE IN ONE LOT, BY PRIVATE TREATY. The following first-class Yarmouth-built and well found TRAWLING SMACKS, viz:- PIONEER 81tons; FLAME 70 tons; FLASH 58 tons; SPARK 63 tons; LIVONIA 53 tons; BRITISH LION 50 tons; BRILLIANT 50 tons; DIAMOND 48 tons. All are now fully employed as Fish Carriers attending upon a fleet of smacks in the North Sea. No expense has been spared in maintaining these vessels in a very high state of efficiency. This is a splendid opportunity for any person wishing to continue this business. Apply to Mr. H. F. Brooks, South Quay, Great Yarmouth.
8.7.1882: Notice to Smack owners and others. Owners of Trawling Smacks and Tradesmen are hereby informed that I have purchased the Cutters PIONEER, FLAME, FLASH, SPARK, LIVONIA, BRITISH LION, BRILLIANT, and DIAMOND recently the property of the Great Yarmouth Steam Trawling and Carrying Company Limited, and it is my intention to continue the business lately carried out by the said company, under direct personal management of Mr. ISAAC BRIDGE of Great Yarmouth, and having regard to the present state of the Trade, I have determined to reduce the price for the carriage of Trunks of Prime or Offal fish, by my cutters from the Fleet to Yarmouth, to 1/3 per Trunk; to London direct 2/6 per Trunk. The price for the carriage of Boxes of Prime and Offal will remain1/6 into Yarmouth, or 3/- to London direct as hitherto. Any steam or carting at Yarmouth will be charges in addition to these rates as usual. The reduced rates will take effect on Saturday 8th inst., and remain in force until further notice. I have given special instructions that may Cutters shall always be plentifully supplied with Ice, and nothing shall be left undone by me which may be conducive to the interest of those favouring my Fleet with patronage. … FRANK LELEU, Sole Proprietor. 112 Lower Thames Street, London, E.C. 6th July 1882.
1884: Converted to dandy rig.
1888: Owners became F. & J Leleu Ltd, 55 Eastcheap Buildings, City, London. Fraser Robinson, South Denes Road, Yarmouth designated manager. Working with the fleet of North Sea Trawling Co Ltd, 13 Fish Hill, City., London. William Burdett-Coutts designated manager.
18.12.1888: Sale of Fishing Smacks.- the sale of the seventy-five fishing smacks, belonging to Messrs. F. and J. Leleu (Limited), commenced on Wednesday afternoon, at Lloyd’s Captains Rooms, Royal Exchange, London, and continued on Thursday afternoon. There was a good attendance of smack owners and others. …. On Thursday 19th, a further twenty-three vessels were sold, including CARLISLE £150, EVANGELINE £240, LIVONIA £200 and M.A.G. £170, bought by Richard C. Ward, 12 Alfred Terrace & Robert Westby, Fleetwood. Richard C. Ward designated managing owner. The EVANGELINE was sold on to James Hastings, 29 Olive Road, Southtown, Yarmouth. The CARLISLE to fish out of Milford to use up her tackle after which she will also come to Fleetwood.
12.2.1890: About 2.00pm entered harbour and preparing to berth at Jubilee Quay. Sk. Richard Johnson, threw a line over one of the timber heads of the smack ELIZABETH (FD2), but in stepping back put his foot in the coil of rope. As the boat was moving forward the rope coiled round Johnson’s leg between the ankle and the knee, injuring it badly. The skipper was taken home and attended by Dr. Penman who found that the limb was broken and badly bruised.
15.3.1890: Sk. Richard Johnson (51), died at home having contracted erysipelas. He left a widow and twelve children.
18.3.1890: At the inquest held at Fleetwood Police station a verdict of accidental death was recorded.
27.10.1890: Taking advantage of a favourable breeze some thirty smacks left for the fishing grounds. In collision with WILLIAM and JOHN (FD162) whilst tacking, injuring Jeffrey Wright the skipper of the WILLIAM and JOHN who was standing almost underneath the mainsail with his arm on the pump when hit by the falling main boom, severely damaging his arm. He was conveyed to Preston Infirmary for attention.
31.1.1891/1.2.1891: Very few of the trawlers that returned home came back without some loss or damage. With very bad weather in the Irish Channel the fleet had attempted to reach the Irish coast but the weather on 26th January was so severe that they remained at anchor until the following day. Only a few boats made the Irish Coast and many put into Peel and Ramsey for shelter. In the midst of the heavy gale which lasted for six hours the Fleetwood boats that were still at sea suffered damage. Returned with beam broken and sails blown away. Landed 47 baskets of fish, chiefly hake, whiting, rock cod, haddock and ray which realised £12.
2.2.1891: Nearly all the boats alongside were undergoing repairs, some had landed fair catches which made around £12 gross.
8.1891: Gt. Yarmouth registry closed.
2.9.1891: Registered at Fleetwood (FD65).
30.9.1892: In boisterous weather took part in Fleetwood Regatta on a 45 mile course, finishing first on time handicap.
14.10.1892: During a gale which sprang up in the morning, the prawners COCKLE GIRL (owner Mr John Roskill) and MOSS ROSE (owner Mr J. Moss) were in considerable danger. COCKLE GIRL picked up and eventually both boats brought safely into Fleetwood.
21/22.12.1894: A whole fleet of trawlers and cargoes were lost during the great storm over Europe.
22.12.1894: Returned to Fleetwood (Sk. Nuttall) with gear lost and split mainsail.
2/3.9.1902: The majority of the Fleetwood fishing smacks, were at sea when the gale sprang up but managed to reach shelter without loss of life. Most had a very rough time of it resulting in sails torn or blown away, spars broken and otherwise damaged. Being on the north side of Morecambe Bay and with only minor damage, put into Peel for shelter.
2.6.1904: Sold to William Preston, Adelaide St, Fleetwood. William Preston designated managing owner.
7.10.1913: Tonnage altered to 24.46net as per Surveyor’s Certificate dated Liverpool 6.10.191.
21.11.1916: Sold to Ernest Tomlinson, Manor Road, Fleetwood. Ernest Taylor, London Street, Fleetwood designated manager.
4.4.1923: Sold to James E. Sellers, 56 Carr Road, Fleetwood, later 49 Poulton Road, Fleetwood. Last skipper Samuel Colley, 37 Flag Street, Fleetwood.
1930: Sold for breaking up.
17.10.1930: Fleetwood registry closed “Broken up”.
Changelog
26/12/2008: Page published.
12/12/2014: Information updated.
23/11/2023: Information updated.