SHEILBURN M15
John Stevenson Collection
Official No: 129357 Port Number and Year: 17th in Aberdeen ,1911 (A365)
1st in Milford, 1945
Description: Steel side trawler; steam screw, coal burner. Pareja (Spanish) method. Ketch rigged: mizzen.
Crew: 11>9>12 men
Registered at Milford: 12 Feb 1945
Built: by Alexander Hall & Co., Aberdeen, in 1911. (Yard no.
Tonnage: 211.52 gross 80.78 net
Length / breadth / depth (feet): 117.3 / 22.35 / 13.68
Engine: T 3-cyl.. 66 nhp. 10.5 kts. Engine and boiler by builders.
Owners:
As ANN FORD MELVILLE A365
1911: Mrs. A. Melville, 39 Murray Tce., Aberdeen.
Manager: James S. Melville
Renamed STAR OF FREEDOM
1922: Walker Steam Trawling, Commercial Rd., Aberdeen.
Manager: T. Walker.
Renamed SHIELBURN
1933: D. Wood & J. Flett, Aberdeen
1940: D. Wood, Aberdeen.
1941: Henderson Trawling Co.,
Managers: J. Marr & Son.
As M15
12 Feb 1945: Westenborg Trawlers, Docks, Milford
Manager: H. Westenborg
25 Sep 1945: Lewis Wilcox & Co., 'Longleat', Johnston.
28 Mar 1951: J. C. Llewellin (Trawlers), Docks, Milford
Manager John Charles Llewellin.
Landed at Milford: 9 Feb 1945 - 1 Apr 1956
Skippers: Lenny Brown (1946); Matt Owston (1951); Victor Adams (1953); Charles Shearing (1956)
Notes: Apr1915: Requisitioned as ANN FORD MELVILLE and converted to a minesweeper. (Admy. no.1347). 1 x 6 pdr.
1919: Returned to owners
Mar 1944: Requisitioned as SHIELBURN (P.No. 4.439) and converted to an Esso (fuel carrier).
Oct 1944: Returned to owners.
Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 18 May 1956; vessel broken up at Ward's Yard, Castle Pill.
Accidents and Incidents:
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 28th June 1946:
"Fifty miles with death" sounds like the title of a thriller but it was more than a thrill for the crew of the steam trawler Shielburn which steamed throughout Tuesday night with a live mine on the deck on top of a pile of fish.
Skipper Lenny Brown, Stratford Road, was fishing in darkness on Tuesday night, fifty miles to the south-west, on grounds recently declared clear after sweeping. The trawl was hauled inboard, the bosun, Mr Billy James, Pr1oryville, opened the cod-end and fish poured onto the floodlit deck. Suddenly there was a cry of, "Look out!" and a mine slid onto the heap of fish.
"Thank God, there was no explosion," said a member of the crew afterwards. It was an amazing escape. But all was not over yet. With their black cargo of death standing upright on its bed of silver fish, the trawler turned about and steamed for port.
The crew were quite unconcerned after the first shock and on arrival at Milford it was not long before a Royal Naval Mine Disposal Squad from Swansea was on the scene. The mine on the deck could be seen from the shore and the crew were taken off while the detonator was removed. The mine was later taken to the Royal Naval Mine Depot. This is the third mine reported this week from the same grounds.
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 17th August 1951:
The Milford steam trawlers River Spey and Shielburn, owned by J.C. Llewellin (Trawlers) Ltd., landed a record post-war trip at Milford on Tuesday. In a twelve day trip to the western Irish fishing grounds, they caught 401 kits, to gross £4,310, which is £104 in excess of the previous best pair voyage.
The trawlers, in charge of Skipper Jack Garnham (Sen.) and Mat Owston, had a lovely catch which included 193 kits of big hake, 95 of medium and 31 of small.
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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. .....
Top pair trip was that of the River Spey and Shielburn (Skippers Matt Owston and Victor Adams) who had 76 of large hake, 85 of medium and 69 of small between them to gross £2,716.
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 10th February 1956:
Mr. Charles Shearing, skipper of the Shielburn, was brought ashore ill when she docked on Tuesday morning, Skipper Shearing lives at 166 Priory Road.
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