NOBEL FD69 / M118
John Stevenson Collection
Official No: 180343 Port Number and Year: - in La Rochelle, 1946
- in Fleetwood, 1951 (FD69)
- in Milford, 1963
Description: Steel side trawler. Single screw, coal fired. Cruiser stern.
Crew: 12 men
Registered at Milford: 6 Feb1963
Built: by Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley, in 1946. (Yard no. 771)
Tonnage: 298.66 gross 114.02 net
Length / breadth / depth (feet): 129.7 / 24.7 / 11.9
Engine: T-3Cyl. 91 nhp. 10¼ kts. Engine and boiler by Charles D. Holmes, Hull
Owners:
As AUNIS
1946: Association Rochelaise de Pech a Vapeur, La Rochelle.
As FD69
1951: Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co., 238 Dock St., Fleetwood.
1957: Milford Fisheries, Docks, Milford
Manager: Owen Willie Limbrick, 'Windyridge' The Rath, Milford
As M118
1963: Merchants (Milford Haven), Docks, Milford
Manager: Albert Henry Davies
Landed at Milford: 13 Dec 1956 - 24 Apr 1965
Skippers: Arthur Harvey (1957); Jack Bean (1958 - 62); Ivor Phillips (1964 - 65)
Notes:
Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: May 1965. Vessel broken up at Passage West, Cork.
Accidents and Incidents
John Stevenson Collection
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 4th January 1957:
The Super class trawler Nobel, recently purchased from Fleetwood by Milford Fisheries, sailed on Thursday on her maiden voyage from this port in charge of Skipper Arthur Harvey.
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 14th March 1958:
The Milford Fisheries trawler Nobel returned to the port yesterday after being converted to oil firing at Messrs. R. S. Hayes Yard, Pembroke Dock. She is the first of Milford's larger 'hake' class vessels to be converted since the White Fish Authority's grants and loans scheme came into operation.
The managing director of Milford Fisheries Ltd., Mr. O. W. Limbrick, J.P., told us this morning, "The Nobel underwent trials yesterday and is now being fitted out at Milford. We hope she will sail next Tuesday, in charge of Skipper Jack Bean, who is at the moment skipper of the steam trawler Night Hawk. As far as we can see, Messrs. Hayes have done a very satisfactory job of converting her, and in due course we hope the Nobel will be followed by another boat for conversion to oil."
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 1st July 1960:
On the Fisheries trawler Nobel, Mr. George Hill (mate) was suddenly taken ill whilst steaming to the fishing grounds off the coast of Ireland last weekend. He was put ashore in Ireland for hospital treatment (Northern Ireland). Skipper Jack Bean wirelessed the news home, and Mr. George Trip (mate) sailed on the Fisheries trawler Arthur Cavanagh on Monday to replace his sick colleague. The Nobel had left Milford on Saturday.
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 5th January 1962:
The hake trawler Boston Heron, formerly of the Milford Fisheries fleet, is being prepared for sea and it is expected she will sail on Monday on her first voyage for her new owners Merchants (Milford Haven). She will be in charge of Skipper Jack Bean, her master with the old owners.
The trawler Nobel is also being got ready, and a spokesman for Merchants Ltd. said it is hoped to get her away in a week to ten days. She will be in charge of Skipper Albert Riby, who was her master while with the Fisheries fleet.
[The NOBEL was transferred to the Milford Register as M118 on 6th February 1963.]
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 8th November 1963:
The future of the hake class fishing trawler Nobel, the only remaining vessel owned by Merchants (Milford Haven) Ltd., is in the balance. The ship, which grossed £1,095 on Monday's market, is due to undergo extensive repairs, and her owners state that she will probably need re-fitting.
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Transcription of a cyclostyled letter in the Les Jones Archive:
MILFORD HAVEN FISH TRADES PROTECTION ASSOCIATION LIMITED
The Docks,
Milford Haven
11th January, 1964
Dear Sirs,
Merchants (Milford Haven) Limited
We believe that those connected with the Industry at the port are aware of the circumstances which have caused the enforced lay up of our Associate Company's trawler "Nobel".
It is vitally important, at this time, when it is known that some of the largest trawlers are to leave Milford, that everything possible should be done to retain the "Nobel" as an active unit of the fleet.
The repair work necessary to put the vessel in first class condition calls for an outlay which the Company cannot afford out of its existing resources and additional capital is required for this purpose.
The Company has a considerable amount of unissued Share Capital and we wish to make it known to you that some of those shares are now available.
It is in the interests of the Trade and Industry at this port that the means whereby the "Nobel" can resume fishing operations should be forthcoming and we believe that all interested parties will recognise the benefit to be gained from this and from the activities of the Company as Agents and Managers of visiting foreign fishing vessels.
Already there has been a good response from our members and it is hoped that others will be equally interested in obtaining some of the shares that are now being offered.
If you wish to obtain any of these Shares please complete the enclosed form of Application and return it to this office as soon as possible.
Yours faithfully,
A. H. Davies
Secretary
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 31st January 1964:
..............., news here is that one local trawler which has been tied up for nearly nine months is expected to sail again within three weeks. She is the Nobel, belonging to Merchants, Ltd., and is nearly ready for sea after re-tubing.
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 16th October 1964:
Mr. Leslie Yolland, Chairman of Merchants, Ltd., has had to put up with a fine old lot of leg pulling on the fish market this week. "Welcome home, Skipper, how are your sea legs?", etc.
All because Mr. Yolland had just completed a nine day trip on the trawler Nobel, one of Merchants, Ltd. vessels, which is skippered by Mr. Ivor Phillips, but Mr. Yolland could well afford to laugh at all the comments - for the trip grossed £1,980, which in his own words "wasn't bad for nine days at this time of the year."
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 29th January 1965:
BACK TO SEA.— Two local trawlers return to sea this weekend after refit. They are the Rudilais (Skipper Vaughan Davies), belonging to Westward Trawlers, and the Nobel (Skipper Ivor Phillips) belonging to Merchants Ltd. The Rudilais sails tomorrow and the Nobel on Monday.
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 23rd April 1965:
The Milford trawler Nobel, (Merchants Ltd.) developed a mechanical fault on Monday, 70 miles off Barra Head, off the south west coast of Scotland. Chief Engineer Read made untiring efforts to repair the trouble but without success, and Skipper Ivor Phillips had to radio for help. On Wednesday night the Fishery protection vessel Brenda arrived and gave assistance, and on Thursday, after four days of helpless drifting, the trawler was able to start for home under her own power.
Skipper Philips has been in twice daily touch with the firm's chairman, Mr. Leslie Yolland, owing to the illness of the secretary, Mr. Albert Davies. "The Brenda gave invaluable help," said Mr. Yolland.
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 28th May 1965:
The big hake class trawler Nobel, belonging to Merchants Ltd., left on Wednesday morning for Cork, where she will be scrapped. Built in 1946, she has been sailing for Merchants for the last seven years.
Skipper on her last voyage was Mr. Teddy Davies and his crew, Mr. Leslie Edwards (Mate); Messrs. Bert Spindler, C. Setterfield and Walter Moxey (Deckhands); Mr. W. H. Read (Chief Engineer); and Mr. E. Scribbens (Second Engineer).
The Nobel is not to be replaced at the present.
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