Additional information courtesy of Andy hall
Technical
Official Number: 139320
Yard Number: 676
Completed: 1917
Gross Tonnage: 262
Net Tonnage: 104
Length: 121.8 ft
Breadth: 22.6 ft
Depth: 12.2 ft
Engine: 515ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull.
Built: Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby
History
Class of two vessels Yard Nos 675-676 built to amended design of ONYX (Yd.No.581). Contracts were signed with Cochrane’s to build the vessel and with Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd to make the engine and boiler. The names chosen were CORNELIAN and SAPPHIRE. In 1919, due to delays and problems beyond the shipyards control, a new total build price of £9,303.6.8d was agreed between Kingston’s, Cochrane’s and Charles D. Holmes. Total cost with all fees, classification and fishing gear £10,166.15.6d.
28.10.1916: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.676) for Kingston Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull as SAPPHIRE. Building of vessel and machinery delayed by wartime shortage of components.
4.1917: Hull completed and towed to Hull for machinery outfit.
10.9.1917: Registered at Hull (H580).
29.9.1917: Steam raised and engine turned.
4.10.1917: Completed trials and accepted.
9.10.1917: Sailed Hull for North Sea grounds.
10.10.1917: Arthur Taylor designated manager.
17.10.1917: Landed.
5.12.1917: Requisitioned for war service (Ad.No.3077). Fitted with 1-12pdr, W/T and mine-sweep. Renamed SAPLER. Fitted out as Half Leader.
1.10.1918: At Falmouth working with Fleet Mine Sweepers (Asst P.M.S.O.) (Lieut. RNR).
26.02.1919: At Falmouth for refit and restoration by Cox & Co (Engineers) Ltd at Admiralty expense (£1,085).
31.3.1919: Arrived Hull. Taken off hire and returned to owner. Reverted to SAPPHIRE (H580). Work began on fitting out for return to fishing.
4.1919: Work completed (included – fishroom fitted with new boards, all running gear overhauled and new blocks and wires). All work at Admiralty expense.
5.4.1919: Sailed for North Sea grounds.
4.7.1919: Deposit paid by Lawrence Golding Fenner, Twickenham to W. A. Massey & Sons Ltd, Hull shipbrokers (£2,250).
11.7.1919: Sold to Lawrence Golding Fenner, Twickenham en bloc with near sister ship GARNET (H495). Joseph A. Taylor, Fleetwood, designated manager.
28.7.1919: Balance paid £20,250 giving total for pair £45,000 gross £44,700 net (£150 to shipbroker).
1.8.1919: Sailed Hull for Icelandic grounds under new owners.
28.11.1919: Hull registry closed.
29.11.1919: Registered at Fleetwood (FD358).
20.4.1920: Sold to Garnet Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood. Joseph A. Taylor designated manager.
27.7.1920: At Fleetwood Magistrates Court: Deckhand John E. Wharton was fined £3 for disobeying a lawful order.
8.12.1920: At Stornoway Sheriff Court, Sk. Jeffrey Tomlinson, Fleetwood was charged with illegal trawling in the Minch. He pleaded guilty and was fined £50, with the alternative of sixty days’ imprisonment; trawl gear in use when detected was confiscated to the Fishery Board for Scotland.
1922: J. Nierinck designated manager.
28.1.1925: Sold to The New Docks Steam Trawling Co (Fleetwood) Ltd, Fleetwood.
3.1925: Sold to Perihelion Steam Fishing Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby.
3.3.1925: Fleetwood registry closed.
4.3.1925: Herbert George Crampin designated manager.
5.3.1925: Registered at Grimsby (GY254).
16.8.1928: Transferred to fish out of Aberdeen.
12.1928: Sold to Dublin Trawling, Ice & Cold Storage Co Ltd, Dublin.
17.12.1928: Grimsby registry closed.
1.1929: Registered at Dublin (D18). P. Fannon designated manager.
10.3.1929: While fishing off the Isle of Man fouled propeller with trawl and unable to clear. Steam trawler DALBY (GY154) (Sk. Radford) responded to distress, connected and delivered Douglas where propeller was freed.
6.10.1931: Laid off Rockabill Light for 15 hours with boiler blow down pump trouble. Repaired and proceeded.
1.1935: Sold to Alexander Malcolm Morrice, Mary T. Morrice, John Morrice Margaret Morrice and George D. Taylor (joint owners), all Aberdeen.
1.1935: Dublin registry closed.
9.1.1935: Registered at Aberdeen (A248). Alexander Malcolm Morrice designated managing owner.
16.5.1935: Registered at Aberdeen as MARGARET MORRICE (A248) (BoT Minute RG 1153/35).
1936: Sold to David Dryburgh, Leith (Planet Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Edinburgh).
7.1.1936: Aberdeen registry closed.
1.1936: Registered at Granton as INVERCAULD (GN47).
13.4.1936: Sailed Granton for fishing grounds.
14.4.1936: Some sixty miles off Aberdeen in heavy weather, disabled and drifting with propeller shaft problems; unable to rectify. Steam trawler HUNTER (A289) outward for Shetland grounds, responded to distress, connected and commenced tow to Aberdeen.
15.4.1936: Delivered Aberdeen. Although only sixty miles, passage hampered by gale and heavy seas.
1940: Sold to Carnie & Gibb, Newhaven, Edinburgh (W. Carnie Jnr, manager).
16.7.1940: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (P.No.FY.1938) (Hire rate £76.8.4d/month).
1.1.1941: Based Belfast with M/S Group 144 (Ty/Sk. J. W. Carter RNR).
1941: Sold to J. Bennett (Wholesale) Ltd, London. William A. Bennett designated manager.
1942: Based Belfast with M/S Group 140 (Ty Lieut. J. H. McVea RNVR).
11.1945: Returned to owner. George Robb & Sons Ltd, Aberdeen, local managers.
2.10.1950: Sailed Aberdeen for Icelandic grounds (Sk. Albert S. H. Robb); twelve crew.
16.10.1950: While fishing experienced boiler trouble, intended to put into Vestmannaeyjar but damage got progressively worse and decided to make for Reykjavik.
18.10.1950: At 2.10 a.m. Skagi Light was abeam and shortly after vessel struck the rocks one mile NW from the Light. Icelandic patrol boat responded to the distress call and took off entire crew. At 7.00 a.m. heavy seas were breaking over the vessel and there was no hope of salvage.
1950: Granton registry closed.
13.5.1951: At BOT Formal Investigation (No.S.418), the Court found that the casualty was due to the default of her skipper, Albert Robb in respect that he left the vessel in charge of two uncertificated members of the crew whilst navigating close to a dangerous coast. Bearing in mind Sk. Robb’s many years of good service at sea his ticket was suspended for six month
(Note. Building instalment costings:
Shipbuilder
1.8.1916: Frames up – £1245
12.9.1916: Plating completed – £1245
30.9.1916: Launch – £1245
27.3.1917: £500
12.6.1917: £500
3.7.1917: Extras – £200
12.10.1917 : Final – £148.6.8d Total – £5,083.6.8d
Engine and boiler maker
25.6.1917: £1055
10.8.1917: £1055
11.9.1917: £1055
12.10.1917: Final – £1055 Total – £4,220
Humber Electrical Engineering Co Ltd, Hull – Electrical installation £291.10s
Click to enlarge image
S.T. Sapphire FD358
Picture courtesy of The Fred Baker Collection
Changelog
04/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
02/07/2017: Removed FMHT watermark from image.
04/04/2018: Significant information update.