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Grimsby Fishing Vessels

665K views 2K replies 282 participants last post by  HauntedSerenade 
#1 ·
Hi everyone, I've started this thread to discuss Grimsby fishing vessels. I'm in the process of compiling a database of the above and, would welcome any contributions on this theme. ie. photo's, stories of life on board, histories of the vessels etc.

Hopefully as this thread develops, it can become a reference point for people with similar interests.

Regards

Clem
 
#437 · (Edited)
GY354 Peken

Hi Trevor, the picture came from the old Welhome archives (now closed), a photocopyed thumbnail.

Ref: the spelling of Pekin; Lloyds 37/38 still have her as Peken.

Cheers

Clem


Official Number: 127823
Port of Registry: Grimsby
Number: GY354
Name: Peken
Callsign: MCSY
Type: Steam Trawler
Built: 01/08
By: Cochrane & Sons Ltd. Selby
Gross Tonnage: 228
Net Tonnage: 119
Length: 120 ft.
Beam: 22 ft.
Draught: 11.4 ft.
(Note: Measurements are in Feet and Tenths of Feet)
Engines: T 3cy. 66RHP
By: C.D. Holmes & Co. Hull
Owner: Diamonds Steam Fishing Co. Ltd.
Manager: H.G. Hopwood
Comments: 01/08 H.L. Taylor; 10/22 Diamond Steam Fishing Co. Ltd.
Admiralty Service: Tr 228/07; 1-6pdr. Hired as M/S 1914-19 (spelt Pekin in most WWI lists); 07/40-08/45 as FY1821
Fate: Scrapped 09/58


Clem
 
#444 ·
Hi Trevor, the picture came from the old Welhome archives (now closed), a photocopyed thumbnail.

Ref: the spelling of Pekin; Lloyds 37/38 still have her as Peken.

Cheers

Clem


Official Number: 127823
Port of Registry: Grimsby
Number: GY354
Name: Peken
Callsign: MCSY
Type: Steam Trawler
Built: 01/08
By: Cochrane & Sons Ltd. Selby
Gross Tonnage: 228
Net Tonnage: 119
Length: 120 ft.
Beam: 22 ft.
Draught: 11.4 ft.
(Note: Measurements are in Feet and Tenths of Feet)
Engines: T 3cy. 66RHP
By: C.D. Holmes & Co. Hull
Owner: Diamonds Steam Fishing Co. Ltd.
Manager: H.G. Hopwood
Comments: 01/08 H.L. Taylor; 10/22 Diamond Steam Fishing Co. Ltd.
Admiralty Service: Tr 228/07; 1-6pdr. Hired as M/S 1914-19 (spelt Pekin in most WWI lists); 07/40-08/45 as FY1821
Fate: Scrapped 09/58


Clem
Just found this of the PEKEN Clem!
Steve
 

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#442 · (Edited)
The photographic collection has been returned to the library in Grimsby, but the files and news cuttings of everything that ever happened to these fishing vessels have gone over to Hull! This does not surprise me. The Grimsby fishery section in our library was acknowledged as being amongst the most comprehensive in the world. It was not greatly advertised but students of the industry used it fully until the National Fishing Heritage Centre opened here and the man in charge demanded that all should be his. So it was, and lots of material was archived there with viewing by appointment only, and the bulk of it went to the Welholme Galleries was which relatively cold and damp and totally the wrong environment, both for the photographic collection and the public. Perhaps it should have been left where it had been for so many years and enjoyed in it's entirety.
Steve
 
#449 ·
Clem thought this list may be of use, so I have, at last, placed it on line.
http://freepages.family.rootsweb.com/~treevecwll/grimsbyreg.htm
( Part of Hearts of Oak )
It merely lists the Registrations and the vessels names.
If anyone has any additions or corrections, I would be pleased
to revise the list. I am currently transcribing the PZ registration
vessels from 1865-1963. If you have any specific requests, I
will keep an eye open and get back as soon as I can.
Best Wishes, Raymond
 
#452 ·
GY92 Sindonis

Hi Hilary, here's the next one on your list.

Cheers

Clem

Official Number: 163953
Port of Registry: Grimsby
Number: GY92
Name: Sindonis
Callsign: GYBR
Type: Steam Trawler
Built: 11/34
By: Smiths Dock Co. Ltd. South Bank; Middlesbrough
Gross Tonnage: 440
Net Tonnage: 164
Length: 162.1 ft.
Beam: 26.7 ft.
Draught: 12.9 ft.
(Note: Measurements are in Feet and Tenths of Feet)
Engines: T 3cy. 99RHP
By: Smiths Dock Co. Ltd. South Bank; Middlesbrough
Owner: Loyal Steam Fishing Co.
Comments: Ex. Sudanese (Hellyer Bros. Ltd. Hull); 02/39 to Grimsby as GY92; 05/39 renamed Sindonis till 03/40
Fate: 29/05/41 Sunk by aircraft at Tobruk

Admiralty Service: (ex. Soudanese?) Purchased as A/S Trawler 08/39; Pennant FY120; Armament 1-4in; 29/30 Sep. 40 involved in the sinking of Italian submarine Gondar helped rescue all but 2 of submarines crew

http://www.navy.gov.au/spc/history/ships/stuart1.html


Skipper J. Crockett 04/40 (ex. HMT Hammond FY149)

http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RNR_officersC.html
 
#453 ·
Sunningdale/Sudanese/GY.3547

Hi Hilary, here's the next one on your list.


Many thanks, Clem.

As you and the other regulars might have gathered, I am struggling to keep up here while having no Internet access at home. There are other threads I would love to contribute to as well, but I'm just sticking to this one as best I can.

I have found a way in which I might be able to keep up and contribute a little. I can make a temporary copy of the last page in the thread on my stick, take it home, look in my files and see if I have anything useful, then bring notes back to post the next morning. That's the theory anyway.

So here is my very small contribution to the recent discussions - some of it quite a while ago, but I'll try to improve the turnaround!

The Times, Monday, Apr 10, 1967; pg. 3
INQUIRY INTO TRAWLER SKIPPER’S DEATH
A Board of Trade inquiry will be held tomorrow into how a Grimsby trawler skipper, Mr George Reynolds, aged 50, died while he was helping to deliver a “mini-trawler” for Stenton Trawlers Ltd, of which he had just been made a director. Mr Reynolds went overboard from the trawler Sunningdale as she sailed for home across the North Sea.


The Times, Thursday, Mar 23, 1939; pg. 16
TRAWLER AND STEAMER IN COLLISION
The Hull trawler Sudanese and the steamer Grangemouth (1,419 tons) came into collision during a hail storm 17 miles north of the River Humber yesterday. According to messages from the Sudanese, she had taken off the passengers and crew of the Grangemouth, which was badly holed and was asking for tugs. In response the Grimsby tug Lynx and the Humber lifeboat set out.

GY.3547
I came across this in Cox’s Steam Trawlers and Liners of Grimsby.

“Readers may have seen a photograph of GY.3547, and led to believe it was a Grimsby vessel. Even when used as an illustration, is titled incorrectly, omitting the full stop which is clearly visible in the photograph, probably because the name was not known. Even a casual glance will show there is no name on the bows, no port letters and numbers on the quarter or funnel, as required by the regulations before a vessel can be registered. It was never a Grimsby vessel, being in fact the Admiralty Mersey class vessel Edward Williams, which became the Cape Trafalgar, of Hull. The GY was the port of delivery of the vessel, and the number the Admiralty number of the Edward Williams. The photo was probably taken about 1922, before its journey to Hull.”

Now all you experts can start poring over your pictures of the Cape Trafalgar to see whether you think Cox was right.

Hilary
 
#454 · (Edited)
Brilliant detective work Hilary. I have the book by Cox as you know, but totally failed to spot that! Do you have the details of the loss of the pair trawler MARGARETHE BOJEN in 1979. A friend of mine lost his bother, Terry Spencer, on her when she capsized in the North Sea. The skipper was John 'Lemon' Richardson All the crew were lost.
Steve
 

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#457 ·
Hello.

I have been following the discussions here without having anything to contribute, because I have little access to useful data. BUT I can definetely state that the picture of GY.3547 is not of a mersey class trawler, like Cape Trafalgar. The hull shape is wrong, and the wheelhouse too.

Birgir Thorisson, Iceland.
 
#458 · (Edited)
Hi folks.
I've just looked at some pics of a Mersey class trawler and, I agree with Birgir, the images don't seem to compare with Steve's GY3547. I have seen a photograph of a 'Strath' Class trawler, and it seems more like GY3547.

I'll put the image of HMS Richard Bennett into this post as soon as I've scanned it.

I have to say, having cross referenced info. from Cox's publications many times in the past, I've yet to find an error in his works.

Cheers

Clem

Edit: I'm having second thoughts now I've looked at Richard Bennett again.
 
#459 · (Edited)
Hi Birgir,
Well spotted!
After finding a photo of the Cape Trafalgar, built in 1917, the picture of GY3547 is definately not that ship. In fact the Mersey class had whalebacks.
So Charles Cox had the wrong information, but he is no longer with us to defend himself.
Here is a thumbnail of Mersey Class, Cape Trafalgar which would have been taken in 1923 when Hudson Brothers bought her.
So it is back to the drawing board!
Steve
 

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#463 ·
My theory is that the trawler in question is in fact the PEKEN. She was built in 1908 for H.L. Taylor and remained with that firm all her life, being scrapped in September 1958. Her port registration was GY 354. The build of the ship in the photo fits well with "The cut of her jib". Apart from the obvious missing name Funnel reg numbers and different funnel colours. Why was an extra number added? Which leads me to think she was either used in an early film, or was on passage incognito., ie decoy ship.
Any ideas anybody?
Steve
 

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#467 ·
Hi birgir,
after opening all of the various photo's posted, using Adobe photoshop to manipulate the photo's it is quite obvious that your statements are correct the vessel shown as GY 3547 is definately not the Peken.

As you say the bridge is all wrong as well as the other features

Having had time to also look at the drawings of the various vessels it clearly shows the difference in the bow stern and wheelhouse, the Strath class has a taller wheelhouse than that of the Mersey class and the bow arrangement is totally different.
Its not unlike the drawings showing an 86' wood drifter type vessel

Still doesn't help ID the vessel but I for one am no convinced its not the Peken
 
#468 ·
The PEKEN I was referring to was not Strath, Mersey, or Castle class as she was built in 1908. If you compare the photo GY 3547 with the PEKEN photo, the only obvious structural differences are on the hurricane deck in the latter photo which has the white plates removed, and the stern has had a small deckhouse built for a toilet and locker. After serving through two world wars many changes took place on these trawlers. In fact a lot of the ' bridge aft side' ships had their wheelhouses uprooted from aft and built forward of the funnel. Very confusing when researching these ships!
Steve
 

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#469 ·
I am trying to obtain any relevant information regarding the loss of the Grimsby seine net vessel, the FOURISLES, which was lost with all hands in October 1961.
The first reports were in the Grimsby Evening Telegraph on 20th Oct, with the headlines..."The search is on for missing seiner." Then further reports stated that wreckage had been washed ashore on the Dutch coast.
Any help with this will be much appreciated. Maybe a photo will come to light!
Steve
 
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