CALLIOPE M214

Official No:    127407   Port Number and Year: 15th in Milford, 1907

Description:  Steel side / beam trawler; steam screw; coal burner. Ketch rigged: foresail, mainsail, mizzen

Crew: 9 men

Registered in Milford: 28 Nov 1907

Built: Smith Docks Co. North Shields 1907.  (Yard no. 361)

Tonnage: 240.36 gross 90.68 net

Length / breadth / depth (feet):  120.25 / 21.55 / 11.7

Engine: T.3-cyl. 68 hp. 10 kts.  W.V.V. Lidgerwood, Coatbridge, Glasgow. Boiler: Wallsend Ship Building Co.

Owners:   28 Nov 1907: David Pettit, 'Headland House', 47 Priory Rd., Milford Manager / Owner

Landed at Milford: 4 Dec 1907 - 8 Aug 1914

Skippers: John Henry Dove, Cert. 6628, age 40, born Hull; residing Charles St., Milford; signed on 14 Jan, 7 Jul 1908. George Medway 6777, 29, Brixham, 18 Brooke Ave., Milford; 18 Jan, 10 Aug 1910 John Blake 2145, 41, Brixham, Dartmouth St., Milford; 28 Jan, 13 Jul, 10 Sep 1910 E. Gibbs 7164, 30, Yarmouth, 182 Robert St., Milford; 14 Dec 1910; 4 Jan 1911 Thomas Wm. Leggett 7028, 38, Gorleston, 75 Waterloo Rd., Hakin; 9 Jan 1913 James McDonald 7989, 29, Hull, - ; 1 Feb 1913 T. J. Hawkings 2064, 47, Brixham, - ; 26 Feb 1913.

Notes:  Aug 1914: Requisitioned and converted to a minesweeper, Admy. no. 367. 1 x 3 pdr. June 1915: Renamed CALLIOPE II. 5 Mar 1916: Sunk in a collision off the Butt of Lewis.

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 15 Mar 1916

 Accidents and Incidents:

From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 4th December 1907:

 

    Still they come, with more to follow.  A record in the number of new trawlers arriving has to be chronicled this week.  Last week three fine boats came round:  on Monday, the steam trawler "Urania", built by the Dundee Ship Building Company for the Pembrokeshire Steam Trawling Company, in charge of Captain J. Gardner; on Wednesday the steam trawler "Cleopatra" from the Smith's Dock, for Messrs. D. Pettit and Company (Captain J. Blake); on Thursday, a trawler bearing  the name "Hero" (Captain Hawkins) for Mrs. Harries, Neyland, also from Dundee.  On Tuesday this week came the steam trawler "Dewsland" (Captain Ben Bryant) from the Selby Ship Building Company, to the order of Mr. W. Jenkins and Company, and today another for Mr. D. Pettit and Company, viz., the steam trawler "Calliope" is expected to be brought in by Captain J. Dove, whilst the steam trawler "Gloria", Messrs. Longthorp and James, is said to have left for the fishing grounds.

    During the next few weeks further additions will arrive.  It is well, under the circumstances, that the extension of the Market is proceeding so rapidly.  Another length has been commenced, and will probably be completed by the end of this year.

 

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From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 26th August 1908:

 

    Great excitement was experienced in Milford between five and six o'clock yesterday (Tuesday) morning, when practically all the residents of the town were startled out of their sleep by a large report coming from the direction of the Docks.

    After the opening of the Dock Gates, the vessels were all astir in anticipation of leaving for sea.  The steam trawler "Calliope" (Mr. David Pettit) was starting to and fro with a view of getting into position to advance through the gates.  Another steam trawler, "Falmouth" (Sellick, Morley and Price), was also making for the entrance, but the "Calliope", coming astern, struck the "Falmouth" amidships on the port side.

    The latter immediately began to sink.  The crew, seeing this, got the trawler onto a bank opposite the Dock Gates.  When the water reached the acetylene gas tank in the engine room, a terrible explosion took place.  Flames shot high above the funnel, burning part of the woodwork round the wheelhouse, but the water was gaining ground so fast that it extinguished the fire.  Two members of the crew were thrown violently onto the deck from their feet, but no injuries were sustained by anyone.

    The "Falmouth" partly submerged, and the Dock Company's divers donned their apparatus and were speedily at work effecting such repairs as could be executed.  Pumping operations have begun, and it is expected that the submerged craft will be afloat today.

    The "Calliope" proceeded to sea, but the crew found that the rudder was very stiff, damaged, and completely twisted, and they were compelled to abandon the voyage.

    During yesterday a large number of people visited the docks to watch the divers at work.

 

[ See log book entry below. As a result of this incident, the "Falmouth" was eventually scrapped. ]

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Log book entries:

 

25.08.1908

Collided with the steam trawler 'Falmouth', damaged our rudder post, 'Falmouth' sunk - collision whilst leaving Milford Docks for sea.

    John Henry Dove (Skipper)

    J. Clark (Mate)

 

13.04.1911

Milford Haven

Collided with steam trawler 'Lynmouth' of Bristol, no damaged sustained by this vessel.

    T. Wood (Mate 5533)

 

See FALMOUTH

 

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