CLUNY M86

Official No:  128371    Port Number and Year: 31st in Buckie, 1908 (BCK28 )

                                                                               5th in Banff, 1914 (BF71)

                                                                              2nd in Milford, 1920

Description: Steel side liner; steam screw, coal burning. Nets and lines. Ketch rigged: mainsail, mizzen

Crew:  8 men, 1 boy

Registered at Milford: 9 Feb 1920.

Built: 1908 by H. Reynolds Shipyard, Oulton Broad, Lowestoft.

Tonnage: 83.38 grt  36.03 net.

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 84.2 / 19 / 9.3

Engine: C 2-Cyl. 20 hp. 9 kts.  Engine and boiler - 1908, Elliot & Gerrard, Beccles

Owners:

 

As BCK28

1908: A. J. Seymour, Gordonsburgh.

 

As BF71

1914: J.W. and Isabella Smith, Macduff

 

As M86

9 Feb 1920: Edward Charles Edwards, 'Devon House' St. David's Rd., Milford

 

23 Mar 1921: Edith Rainbow, 27 Shakespeare Ave., Milford

 

Landed at Milford:  4 Feb 1920 - 24 Apr 1927

Skippers:

Notes: Feb 1915: Requisitioned as Admiralty hired drifter (No. 2476).  Returned 11 Oct 1919.

27 Apr 1927: Vessel became constructive total loss through striking the St. Patrick's Bridge reef, Kilmore, Co. Wexford. [See below.]

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 3 Jun 1927

 Accidents and Incidents

Statement by William Frederick Reid.  No 10, Gracechurch Terrace. [Milford]

26th January 1927.

I have held a Skipper's Ticket for the last three years and I have been Master of the "Cluny" for the last 12 months.

We left Milford Haven about 8 a.m. on Friday January 7th 1927 bound for the fishing grounds off the Bailey Light (Dublin Bay). We were eight men on board all told. We commenced hauling our gear about 4 o' clock on Sunday morning January 9th and our engines had been going slow ahead at intervals to keep our head off the tide. We had been about two hours like this when about 6 a.m. I rang the engines astern to pick up our Dan. After a few revolutions astern I heard a thumping noise in the engine room. The engines immediately stopped and the engineer reported that the intermediate shaft had broken short up to the after coupling. Our Engineer carefully examined the damage and did what he could to enable us to proceed but we found that we could not work the propeller and so we proceeded under mizzen and mizzen sail rigged up on fore stay. The weather was moderate and wind light from North West. We were about 2 to 3 hours trying to effect repairs and getting the sail fixed up and our fish stored away and it would therefore be between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. when we got some way on.

The wind was North West, too light for us to get any proper headway and the weather was moderate and getting finer. The wind kept North West and very light the whole of the way until we got within three miles of Holyhead Breakwater. We sighted the Holyhead mail boat "Scotia" ex Holyhead about 3.30 p.m. on the 10th about 6 miles off the Breakwater and I put up signals and blew our whistle.

He came up to us and I asked him to send a Wireless message to Holyhead for some one to stand by us or tow us which he promised to do. We were gradually making headway towards Holyhead but the tide was stronger than the wind and we made hardly any progress. We got within about three miles from Holyhead Breakwater at about midnight on the 10th when the wind shifted to South West and the tide was going strong to the North so we dropped one anchor with about 40 fathoms of chain in about 9 fathoms of water. Our position when we came to an anchor was three miles North by West of the Breakwater light. We found that our anchor would not hold and we commenced to drag. I saw the steamship "Maidie" coming up from the Southward just after we let go our anchor and when she got up close to us I blew our whistle and she came up to me and asked what we wanted.

I told him we were broken down and that I wanted towing inside the Breakwater. He asked me what I was prepared to pay but I refused to name any sum. He took our tow rope at 1 a.m. on the 11th January and our position then was about five miles Breakwater bearing South South West, wind freshening from South West. The "Madie" berthed us alongside the Quay in Holyhead at 2.15 a.m. Just as the "Madie" took us in tow the Holyhead Lifeboat came up to us in response to the Wireless message sent in by the "Scotia". I could have managed to have got in with the assistance of the Lifeboat (steam).

The "Madie" had little trouble in towing us. He left Holyhead about 2.45 a.m. Her Skipper asked me to sign a short statement which he prepared as to the time he spoke to us and the time we got in.

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From The Irish Times of Friday 29th April 1927, p.8:

 

SCHOONER AGROUND

ACCIDENT ON WEXFORD COAST

 

    The Milford Haven schooner, Cluny (100 tons), went aground on St. Patrick's Bridge, Kilmore Quay, County Wexford, at about 1.30 p.m. on Wednesday.  The vessel, which had been engaged on fishing operations, it appears, lost her course and struck the bridge.  Her position is said to be in no way dangerous.

    The Kilmore Quay lifeboat went to her assistance, but the crew of the Cluny, numbering seven, have remained on board.  So far, no damage has been sustained by the vessel, which, it is expected, will be refloated safely.

 

 

From The Irish Times of Thursday 5th May 1927:

 

TRAWLER WRECKED AT WEXFORD

CREW TAKEN OFF IN LIFEBOAT

 

    The trawler Cluny, of Milford Haven, which became fast when struck on St. Patrick's Bridge, Kilmore quay, Co. Wexford, on Wednesday of last week, has become a total wreck.  On last Monday morning she commenced to drift, and her rudder broke away and she was carried off.  A signal of distress was hoisted from the trawler, following which the Kilmore Quay lifeboat proceeded to her assistance, and within an hour had the crew of the distressed vessel landed on the quay.

 

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