HYDRANGEA M130

Official No:    107047    Port Number and Year: 13th in Milford in 1896

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

Crew: 9 men

Registered at Milford: 17 Nov 1896

Built: Edwards Bros., North Shields, 1896.  (Yard no. 526)

Tonnage: 145.15 gross 27.95 net

Length / breadth / depth (feet):  106 / 20.65 / 11

Engine:

Owners:   17 Nov 1896: Cornelius Cecil Morley, Co. Wexford William Geoff Davies Goff, Co. Wexford.   9 Mar 1903: Southern Steam Trawlers Co., 127 Quay, Waterford

Landed at Milford: 16 Nov 1896 - 19 Feb 1905

Skippers: John Turner cert. no. 2948, age 30, born Leeds; signed on 3 Nov 1896; 1 Jan, 11 Aug 1897; 10 Jan, 5 Jul 1898 J. W. Rumble 5019, 29, Hull; 7 Jul 1897 J. W. Setterfield 3670, 27, Ramsgate; 3 Jul 1899; 4 Jan, 3 Jul 1900; 17 Jan, 1 Jul 1901 D. Smith 3566, 33, Lincoln; 11 Jul 1901; 15 Jan, 2 Jul 1902; 8 Jan 1903 M. Kingston 4536, 34, Hull; 14 Mar, 1 Jul 1903 A. Barnes 3860, 30, Brixham; 14 Oct 1903; 8 Jan 1904 George Masters 5545, 33, London; 16 Jul 1904; 3 Jan 1905

Notes:  15 Jun 1905: Wrecked on the Seven Stones, near Land's End. [See story below.]

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 20 Jun 1905

 Accidents and Incidents:

Log book entries:

28.10.1900.

Off Maidees Lights.

Vessel slightly damaged through touching bottom, defect of compass which led skipper too close to the shore.

    J. W. Setterfie1d. (Skipper)

 

26.01.1901.

40 miles NNW of Innishturk.

W. Kimber, age 45, First Engineer (Chief);  British, born in Cardiff, residing in Milford.

Left thigh broken.  Vessel was struck by heavy sea causing her to heel over and the Chief Engineer slipped on the stoke hold plating falling heavily.

    John William Setterfield. (Skipper).

 

26.08.1901.

6 miles from the Smalls.

Towed Brig 'Globe' into Milford Haven.

    D. Smith. (Skipper).

 

06.03.1904.

45 miles SW by W of St. Ann's Head.

Towed the "Helena Trecerza", lost jib boom and top mast.  Towed her into Milford Haven.

    G. Masters. (Skipper).

 

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From the Aberdeen Weekly Journal of Wednesday, February 8, 1899; Issue 7883.

 

A TRAWLER IN TROUBLE AT FAROE

 

    The steam trawler Hydrangea, M130, of Milford Haven (Captain Thomas) which arrived at Aberdeen on Sunday afternoon from the Faroe fishing grounds, narrowly escaped being heavily fined for having been within the three mile limit in these waters.  It appears that the trawl gear of the Hydrangea had broken down and Captain Thomas made for the port of Westmannhaun for repairs.  The vessel on entering the port was at once arrested, and the captain brought before the magistrates at Thorshaun, where he was charged with having been found within the three mile limit with his trawl gear on deck.  A new Danish law, it appears, had come into force on the day in question (last Thursday), which required that every foreign trawler within the limit must not have its trawl gear on deck, but stowed below.  The law further prohibits any foreign trawler entering any of the ports at Faroe, unless under stress of weather, or in want of provisions or medical aid, under a penalty of £125.  Further, natives of Faroe are only allowed to repair the engines of foreign trawlers, not their trawl gear.  Captain Thomas, on being brought before the magistrate, pleaded ignorance of this new law, which had only come into force on the day he entered the port of Westmannhaun.  After some consideration the magistrate dismissed Captain Thomas, on condition that he quitted the port within one hour.

 

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From the Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 9th March 1904:

 

    On Sunday evening the schooner "Helena Tregenza" (Captain Paynn, owner and master) which was bound from London to Barnstaple with cement and manure, was towed into Milford by the steam trawler Hydrangea, skipper George Masters.  In the heavy weather which prevailed last weekend, she had lost her foremast and bowsprit, and when the trawler came in sight on Sunday morning at about ten o'clock, the master signalled for assistance, and was taken in tow about twenty five miles west-south-west of Milford Haven. She carries a crew of five hands, and will be repaired before she leaves this port.

 

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From the Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 1st March 1905:

 

    The steam trawler "Hydrangea" on entering the dock on Monday of last week reported that a fire had broken out in the forecastle on the previous day, when the vessel was seven miles  off the Saltees lightship. The deckhand, a man named Nickerson, was at the time sleeping in his bunk.  The poor fellow was removed with all speed to institute  of the R.N.M.D.S.F., Char1es Street, where he received every possible attention.  Every thing that could be done, humanely speaking, was done to alleviate his intense suffering.  Despite all efforts, however, he succumbed to his injuries on Thursday morning. 

    The funeral took place on Saturday morning, when the remains were followed to the grave by a number of the fishing fraternity.  The case is a particularly sad one, as Nickerson had been out of employment for a long period, and had only lately come round to Milford, this being his first trip.  He leaves a wife and family who are in poor circumstances.

 

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From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 21st June 1905:

The crew of the Milford trawler "Hydrangea" were landed at Penzance on Friday night. The Milford steam vessel struck a sunken rock off Seven Stones in foggy weather shortly before midnight on Thursday. The crew were nearly swamped in their punt and were rescued by the Lightship. The "Hydrangea" blew up just as the crew left her.

A Penzance correspondence telegraphs:

Signals of distress from the Seven Stones Lightship were observed on Friday morning, and Captain H. T. Reading, Superintendent of Penzance District, procured the assistance of the steam vessel "Lady of the Isles" ,in charge of Captain Anderson. He went to the Lightship in the afternoon, and found on board nine men and a dog, shipwrecked from the Milford trawler "Hydrangea".

The steam trawler left Milford on Thursday morning for the Scilly fishing grounds, and the same night the Captain says he made the Wolf Lighthouse, and made a course for the Seven Stones Lightship. The vessel struck the Seven Stones Rock, [and] made a lot of water, compelling the crew to abandon her. Indeed, water came in so fast that the engineer was up to his waist in it.

Before abandoning the vessel the crew burnt flares, which were observed on board the Lightship, from which a boat was at once launched. It succeeded in picking up the trawler's crew though none too soon, as the trawler's boat was found to be leaking and sank almost as soon as the crew had been rescued. Just after the crew left the trawler an explosion of acetylene gas occurred. The men were taken on board the steamer "Lady of the Isles" and conveyed to Penzance in the evening.

 

 

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