GENERAL ROBERTS H38
Official No: 93132 Port Number and Year: Hull, 1888 (H38)
Description: Iron side / beam trawler; steam screw, coal burning. Ketch rigged
Crew:
Built: 1888, Cook, Welton & Gemmell. (Yard no. 23)
Tonnage: 142 grt 62 net
Length / breadth / depth (feet): 100 / 20.3 / 11
Engine: C.2-cyl; 45 rhp; by Charles D. Holmes, Hull
Owners:
1888: Hull owners.
Dec 1892: William Wolfe, Docks, Milford
1906?: John Pettit, Docks, Milford
Landed at Milford: 1 Jan 1893 - 21 May 1906
Skippers: 1893 - 1900: John Pettit
1900: Leader
1901: Pettit; Coffee; Hanlon; Coaker
1902: Leader; Pettit; Bradnum
1903: Leader; Barnett; Barnes; Davies
1904: Coker; Dayes; Reader; Pettit
1905: Curtis; Rich; Woodgate; Weymouth; Barrett; Barnett
1906: Barnett; Ross; Pettit.
Notes: 5 Jun 1906: Foundered 12 miles NE of Round Is., Scilly. [See story below.]
Accidents and Incidents
From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 1st April 1896:
A special court was held in Galway on Friday for the purpose of trying the charges of illegal fishing preferred against the masters of two Milford steam trawlers. These two steam trawlers, named respectively "Triton" and "General Roberts", came over from Milford Haven to Galway Bay during the week, and were arrested by a gunboat while engaged in illegal fishing in these waters.
On account of a question asked in Parliament by Mr John Dillon, a gunboat was dispatched to Galway Bay to cope with the illegal trawling there, many complaints having been made by the local fishermen of their boats being nearly run down by steam trawlers during the night, fishing in Galway Bay contrary to the fishing regulations.
The very first night the gunboat was in Galway Bay the two trawlers belonging to the defendants were seized. After a lengthened hearing, J. T. Wales, of the trawler "Triton", and John Pettit of the trawler "General Roberts", the defendants, were fined £5 each, and costs for fishing within the prohibited limits, and £25 costs for steaming about and trawling without having their lights up as prescribed by the bye-laws.
From the Irish Times of Friday , 27th March 1896:
GALWAY, Thursday
At a special Court of Petty Sessions, held today before J.C. Gardiner, Esq., R.M., and Michael Lynch, Esq., J.P., the captains of two steam trawlers, named respectively T.F.[sic] Wales, of the Triton, and John Petit of the General Roberts, were charged with two offences at the suit of the Fishery Commissioners and at the suit of the Board of Trade, first for trawling within prescribed limits on the night of 21st March, and secondly for fishing without lights, as required by statute. The defendants were detected by Lieutenant Adby, of H.M. gunboat Albacore, by the aid of a searchlight. They pleaded guilty to both charges, and for the first offence were fined £5 each. For the second they were fined £25 each, with forfeiture of their nets. The defendants belong to Milford Haven.
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From an unknown local newspaper dated June 1901:
In the King's Bench, Dublin on Tuesday week, judgement was given in the appeal of David Pettit, master of the Milford Haven steam trawler "General Roberts", who was fined £5 and £10-12-0 costs at Dungarvan for unlawfully trawling within the prohibited area off the coast of Waterford on February 9th. It was held that the Bye-law under which the conviction took place was not ultra vires as contended by the Appellant, and the conviction was confirmed, with costs.
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From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph, Wednesday 13th June 1906
THE “GENERAL ROBERTS” SUNK. – On Wednesday morning a telegram was received by the owner, Mr J Pettit, containing the information that the steam trawler “General Roberts” had sunk off the Seven Stones near the Scilly Islands. It transpired that about 10 o’clock the ship sprang a leak and the inrush of water was so great as to extinguish the fires, and the crew were forced to take to their boat and after the vessel foundered they landed at the Scillies. They arrived at Milford on Thursday night. The skipper was Capt. J. Pettit, junior. The General was one of the very oldest trawlers sailing out of the port. …………………..
The following is a list of the vessels lost since February: Shamrock, *Hindustan, Fulmar, Merlin, Palestine, *Cornwall, *General Roberts. Those marked with an asterisk were steam trawlers, the others long-liners. It is re-assuring to know there are quite a number of new trawlers at present on order by different firms. The above losses constitute a disastrous record for the port.
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