GEORGE HASTINGS H186
Official No: 148957 Port and Year: Aberdeen, 1928 (A379)
Hull, 1930 (H186)
Fleetwood, 1954 (FD9)
Description: Steel side trawler; single screw, coal burning. Ketch rigged
Crew:
Built: 1928; by Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley. (Yard no. 507)
Tonnage: 276 grt 122 net.
Length / breadth / depth (feet): 125 / 23.5 / 12.8
Engine: T 3-Cyl. 96 nhp = 10.5 kts; by Charles D. Holmes, Hull
Owners:
As LOCH LEVEN A379
4 Dec 1928: Loch Line Steam Trawling and Fishing Co., Aberdeen
Manager: H. A. Holmes
As H186
20 Jan 1930: Hellyer Bros., Hull.
1936: Caledonian Fishing Co., Hull
Manager: Harry Wight (23 Aug1939: Loch Fishing Co., Hull.)
22 Jan 1946: A. & M. Smith, Hull
Managers: Mark & Graham Hellyer
Renamed GEORGE HASTINGS H186
1948: Sold to United Trawlers (M. Laboa & H.J. Horwood), Milford Haven
Manager: Henry J. Horwood
As FD9
25 Feb1954: Dinas Steam Trawler Co., Fleetwood
Manager: Alfred J. Marr
4 May 1954: J. Marr & Son, Fleetwood .
Landed at Milford: 25 Jul 1948 - 14 Oct 1953
Skippers: Notes: 31 Aug 1939: Requisitioned by the Admiralty as LOCH LEVEN and converted to a minesweeper (P.No.FY.642).
6 Feb 1946: Returned to owners.
Oct 1953 - Feb 1954: Laid up at Milford Haven. (United Trawlers in liquidation.) [See story below.]
Jun 1954: Broken up at Llanelli
[Information from the Fleetwood Maritime Trust and the Bosun's Watch website.]
Accidents and Incidents:
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 16th July 1948:
"This is the finest gesture ever made in the port," declared Skipper Steve Pembroke, of the United Trawler Company's vessel, Loch Leven, when, at a unique ceremony in Milford Docks on Friday afternoon, she was re-named the George Hastings, to commemorate the skipper and crew of the United Trawler Company's trawler Craigewan, lost with all hands in 1945.
The re-naming took place with simple, sincere dignity on the deck of the trawler as she lay in the dock beflagged after completing the week's top trip and with her new name freshly painted in white on the bow and the cabin lifebelts. On the dockside a small crowd of workmen stood reverently bareheaded amidst the noise and din of the docks, as the Rev. D. A. Sweet dedicated the vessel to the memory of Skipper George Hastings and his crew of 11.
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 28th December 1951:
Not for many years have the after Christmas sailings been interrupted at Milford as they were on Thursday and today. Nearly a score of boats left the dock at 3 a.m. on Thursday to lie out in the stream ready for the crews to come aboard at 9 a.m. Came 9 a.m. and none of the crews could be ferried out to the waiting trawlers sheltering from Chapel Bay up to Burton Reaches from the ravages of one of the worst December gales in memory, with agust of 92 miles an hour recorded at St. Ann's Head at 11 a.m. on Thursday. Trawlers were dragging their anchor the length and breadth of the harbour, and several had to keep steaming from the time they left the dock at 3 a.m. until all steamed back in on Thursday's afternoon tide. With spray blotting out the masts of a number of boats, it was impossible for a tender to reach them, and the skeleton crews who had taken the trawlers out and been in action all day described conditions as devilish when they stepped ashore again late in the afternoon. Last night there were approximately trawlers in dock, ready to leave for the fishing grounds.
Meanwhile, only six of the port's fleet are still at sea: the Sea Hunter expected this weekend, the Nolton and Steynton (pair), George Hastings and Thomas Booth, due about the 20th, and the Dagon on January 5th.
Ashore, apart from minor incidents in the way of loosened tiles and broken panes, there was comparatively little damage. Winds were well below the maximum on record, 113 miles per hour at St. Ann's Head on January 18th, 1945
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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 26th February 1954:
It was announced on Thursday that three Milford trawlers had been sold to Fleetwood, and the first of them is expected to leave this week-end. The trawlers - the Super class Tekoura, and the castle boats Gunner and George Hastings, have been sold by the bank to Messrs. John Marr and Son, Fleetwood. They formerly belonged to United Trawlers Ltd., which went into liquidation recently, and all are coal burners. Marrs bought the trawler Maretta from United last year, and own a number of former Milford trawlers, including the Daniel Clowden and George Adjell.
The Gunner and Tekoura have been laid up since October, but the George Hastings was tied up some time before that.
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 5th March 1954:
The former United trawler Tekoura left for Fleetwood on Saturday in charge of Skipper Sid Hearne and a local skeleton crew. Her sister ships George Hastings and Gunner were taken this week to join their new Fleetwood owners by other skeleton crews in charge of Skippers Albert Saunders and James Hewett. All three boats have been purchased by the Dinas Trawling Co. (Messrs. Marr), the sale being arranged for the bank by Mr. E. E. Carter.
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