DAVID OGILVIE LO363 (2)

 

Courtesy of Milford and West Wales Mercury

Official No:  182855   Port and Year:   London, 1948 (LO363)

Description: Steel side trawler; single screw, oil burning.  Cruiser stern.

Crew:  12 men

Built: 1948, by J. Lewis & Sons, Aberdeen.  (Yard no. 209)

Tonnage:  341 grt  126 net.

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 136 (148 oa)  / 24.6 / 13.1

Engine: T 3-Cyl. 143 rhp.  Engine by builders, and boiler by David Rowan.

Owners:

 

25 Sep 1948: T. J. Jenkerson & D.G. Jones, Docks, Milford

Manager: Leslie F. Jenkerson, 'Homeland', Marble Hall Rd., Milford.

 

1958: North Star Steam Fishing Co., Aberdeen

Manager: J. A. Harrow, Commercial Quay, Aberdeen

 

Landed at Milford:  28 Sep 1948 - 3 Jun 1956

Skippers: Tom Donovan, DSC (1950-52); James Hastings (1953-54)

Notes: 1967: Broken up.

 Accidents and Incidents

From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 13th January 1950:

    Asked on Thursday about the prospects of Far South fishing, Mr. J. C. Ward told The Guardian, "The potentialities are great, and I am very pleased with the results.  He explained that on the first experimental voyage hake was found south of Cape Blanco, about 600 miles below the canaries.  On the present trip, trawls were shot in the same area, but there was practically no fish, and the Company's four trawlers moved nearly 250 miles further south towards Cape Verde, where hauling was more success.

    "From wireless reports I understand they are getting heavier catches than last time," added Mr. Ward.  "The Maythorn got a wire round her propeller on Sunday, but cleared it, and is carrying on fishing.  We expect the first of the boats to arrive back in Milford for the weekend of January 22nd."

    The round voyage involves a run of 5,000 miles, equivalent to a return trans-Atlantic trip, and three extra hands are carried on each trawler, because fishing can and does continue around the clock, and stowing has to be carried out smartly in the tropical heat.  Their escape from the winter gales on home grounds into the more tranquil conditions around Latitude 20N, and the catches, should ameliorate Milford's pressing problem hake shortage.

    Mr. Ward is to be commended on his foresight and courage, and his skippers and crews deserve praise for their eager and fruitful co-operation.  The Steam Trawling Company's trawlers concerned are the Milford Duke, Duchess and Marquis (Skippers Saunders, Jobson and Rich), and the Maythorn (Skipper Beckett), while the David Ogilvie (Skipper Tom Donovan) of Messrs. Jenkerson's fleet, and the Barry Castle (Consol, Swansea) are also fishing in the area.  The Arthur Cavanagh (Milford Fisheries), in charge of Skipper Arthur Harvey, was stated on Thursday to be still steaming southwards towards the new grounds.

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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 27th January 1950:

 

    On Friday, Saturday and Monday, five trawlers from the West African grounds landed £24,221 worth of hake at Milford.  One of the boats, the Milford Duke (Skipper Albert Saunders) established a new all-time record for a local trawler, grossing £6,110 for a 23-day trip.

    Here are the trawlers and their catches, which totalled 3,381 kits or 253 tons of hake:

Friday -     Milford Marquis (Skipper Harry Rich) 645 kits, £4,791;

Saturday - Milford Duchess (Skipper Jimmy Jobson) 758 kits, £5,533;

Monday -   Milford Duke (Skipper Albert Saunders) 847 kits, £6,110; 

                Maythorn (Skipper Gilly Beckett) 520 kits, £3,747;

                David Ogilvie (Skipper Tommy Donovan) 611 kits, £4,040.

    The first four trawlers belong to the Milford Steam Trawling Company, and the Ogilvie to Jenkerson.  She is oil-fired, and the others diesel ships.

    Mr. J. C. Ward, who inspired the "Far South" experiment, said their boats had completed a round voyage of 4,212 miles, and the first boat to return, the Marquis, had only fished for four days, eighteen days being spent in steaming.  "We are going back to the same grounds," he added.

    "It was like a summer cruise," said sunburned Skipper Rich.  The boats fished in Latitude 20 degrees North.

    Following complaints from buyers in other parts of the country about the quality of the fish landed, the future of the "Far South" fishing may depend on the landings from the trips now in progress.

    Mr. J. C. Ward said on Thursday, "There have been complaints about the quality of some of the fish landed from the West African Coast fishing grounds, and the Maythorn, which has not got a refrigerator on board, has been diverted to northern waters, as have two of our older steamers which have not been on the southern trips before, but which we intended to send on this trip.  The Milford Duchess and Marquis, which have refrigerators aboard, are now on their way to southern waters, and we propose that the Milford Duke shall leave for the same grounds this weekend.  The reason the Duke is going later is so that we can spread out the landings.  We intend to have another go, and see what happens."

 

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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 18th January 1952:

 

FISHING "LEAGUE"

"DUKE" AT THE TOP AGAIN

 

    After two years as "runners-up", Skipper Albert Saunders and the "Milford Duke" are once again in top place in the Milford fishing "league".  In 1951 Skipper Saunders caught a greater value of fish than any other individual trawler captain in the port.

    Second in the league on last year's results is Skipper W. Burgoyne, who has moved up a place, closely followed by Skipper Steve Pembroke, who was sixth in the list of 1949 catches.  "Crack" Skipper for 1948 and 1949, Skipper Tom Donovan, D.S.C., is a close fifth in results while consistent Skipper James Jobson again occupies fourth position.

    Here are the leading positions, the ships being classed according to size.

 

THE BIG SHIPS

1.  Milford Duke (A. Saunders), Milford Steam Trawling Co.

2.  Maretta (W. Burgoyne), United Trawlers.

3.  Westcar (Steve Pembroke), Westward Trawlers.

4.  Milford Duchess (J. Jobson); 5, David Ogilvie (T. Donovan, DSC); 6, Maythorne (H. Rich); 7, Cotswold (J. Clarke); 8, George Hastings (H. Ryan); 9, Lady Olwen (George Coe).

 

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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 15th May 1953:  

 

FISHING FIGURES.—  This has been another week of fluctuating prices, but best quality has remained steady in demand and value.  .....

Best of the big boats was the David Ogilvie (Skipper James Hastings), who had 165 of hake in a voyage that grossed a hundred pounds or so short of the £2000.

 

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From the West Wales Guardian of 10th November 1954:

 

    A comparative newcomer to hake boats, Skipper George Spooner had a very good trip this week in the Their Merit, his 276 kits including 20 of large, 54 of medium and 47 of small hake of perfect quality.  With hake maintaining its price level, the trip was worth £2,500. 

    In a sister ship, the David Ogilvie, Skipper James Hastings also had a nice catch, his 311 kits including 8 large, 2o medium, 120 small, plus 11 needles, to gross over £2,300.  Thursday's only trawler, the Arthur Cavanagh (Skipper Billy Burgoyne), had 103 of hake and grossed £2,100.

 

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L to R, back row: Bosun Harold Smith, 3rd Hand F.E. Blowers, Deckhands Bobby Lincoln and Paul Zacharski, Cook Victor Aldred, Deckhands Jim Evans and Tom O'Sullivan

Front row: Ch.Eng. Dick Diment, Mate John Utting, Skipper James ('Chas') Hastings, Firemen Roy Boswell and Ted Bazanuwski, 2nd Eng. Byron James

From the West Wales Guardian of unknown date, in 1954-55

John Stevenson Collection

 

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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 25th May 1956:

 

    A staggering blow to the depressed Milford fishing industry is the news that the old established trawling firm of Messrs. T. J. Jenkerson and Sons is going out of business.  The decision means that five Castle class trawlers and the only oil-fired post-war vessel in port will be withdrawn from fishing, throwing another 70 trawlermen out of work.  In addition, the firm has a considerable administration and maintenance staff, and is principally concerned in the Milford Engineering Company, Ltd., which will also be seriously affected.

    Two weeks ago Messrs. Jenkerson, whose principals are the brothers Leslie and Kenneth, scrapped two Castle boats, the Hatano and Alexander Scott. 

    The present fleet consists of the coal burners Lephreto, Damito, William Bunce, Our Bairns, Their Merit, and the oil burner David Ogilvie, which was built in Aberdeen in 1949. 

    It is expected that all the ships with the exception of the David Ogilvie will go to the scrap yard.

 

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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 8th June 1956:

 

..........

    Last week we reported that the Hon. Hanning Philipps and Mrs Philipps had joined the Board of Directors of the Milford Steam Trawling Co., Ltd.

    This week the firm has purchased one of Messrs. Jenkerson's vessels, the Settsu (built 1924) and the Managing Director (Col. D. C. Bruton) stated: "We also intend to buy the Our Bairns."

    The Settsu sailed on Thursday morning for her new owners in charge of her regular master, Skipper Norman Brown.

    The Our Bairns (built 1917) is due in from sea this week-end when it is expected she will be taken over by the Steam Trawling Co.

 

Docks Company Buy Trawler

    Another announcement which ahs been received with much satisfaction is the news that Milford Docks Company on Wednesday bought the Jenkerson trawler Their Merit.

    Mr. J. C. Ward, general manager of the company, stated on Thursday:  "The Their Merit has been bought by the Milford Docks Company and will operate from the port under the management of Merchants (Milford Haven) Ltd.  Her present skipper, Mr. George Spooner, and most of the same crew will remain with the ship which it is hoped will return to sea on Saturday morning.  She will be renamed to include the word 'Merchant'."

    The Their Merit was built in 1919 at Port Arthur, Canada.  Her purchase by the Docks Company has been welcomed not only because it is a practical sign of the company's declared aim to help the fishing industry in whichever way it can.

 

Returns to Where She Was Built

    Messrs. Jenkerson's oil-fired trawler the David Ogilvie, built in Aberdeen in 1949, has been sold to the same port.  Mr. T. K. Jenkerson told the "Guardian", "The David Ogilvie has been sold to the North Star Fishing Co., Aberdeen, and will leave some time next week."

 

 

 

 

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