TACSONIA

TACSONIA M36

Official No: 112470 Port Number and Year: 2nd in Milford, 1905
- in Grimsby, 1921 (GY1308)

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

Crew: 9 men (10 in 1919)

Registered at Milford: 31 Jan 1905

Built: 1905, Smith's Docks Co., North Shields. (Yard no. 761)

Tonnage: 242.64 grt 76.5 net. (1 Jan 1914: Amended by BoT to 92.95 net.)

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 125.5 / 22.1 / 12.05

Engine: T-3Cyl; 58 rhp., by W. V. V. Lidgerwood, Glasgow.

Owners:

31 Jan 1905: Southern Steam Trawling Co., 127 Quay, Waterford.

Manager: Cornelius Cecil Morley, Docks, Milford

1919: John McRae Knight, Wellington Rd., Hakin

Morgan Watkin Howells, 19 St. Ann's Rd., Hakin

Manager: J. M. Knight

9 Feb 1920: Direct Fish Supplies, London Wall Buildings, London.

Manager: G. W. P. Margarson.

23 Mar 1922: Company in voluntary liquidation.

10 Aug 1922: Placed in compulsory liquidation.

As GY1308

Oct 1922: Charles Dobson, Fish Docks, Grimsby

Landed at Milford: 20 Feb 1905 - 28 Dec 1914; 9 Apr 1919 - 6 Sep 1921

Skippers: M. Kingston cert. 4536, age 36, born Hull; signed on 2 Feb, 3 Jul 1905; 24 Feb, 7 Sep 1906; 9 Jan 1907

James Stanfield 5441, 42, Sheffield; 30 Jul 1906

B. H. Blockwell 2523, 42, Yarmouth; 25 Mar, 11 Jul 1907; 8 Jan, 29 Jul 1908; 5 Jan, 9 Jul 1909

W. Blockwell 4565, 36, Gorleston 21 May 1907; 16 Nov 1909

D. Smith 3566, 38, Lincoln; 6 Jul 1908

William Nightingale 4765, 40, Scarborough; 11 Jan 1911

James Chaney 06638, 37, Norfolk; residing 'Wellington Villa', Wellington Rd., Hakin; 14 Apr, 7 Jul 1911

Henry Dodd 5287, 47, Yarmouth; 3 Jan, 1 Jul, 14 Aug 1912

John Blake 2145, 43, Brixham; 1 Aug 1912

R. R. Bedford 4272, 44, Barrow; 21 Oct 1912

P. Slavis 10048, 28, Barrow; 11 Dec 1912; 5 Jan 1913

E. Ash 7532, 36, Brixham; 28 Jan 1913

A. E. Hitchen 6930, 31, Grimsby; 5 May 1913

A. Radmore, 7439, 38, Milford; 30 Aug 1913

Notes: Jan 1915: Requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to a minesweeper. 1 x 6 pdr. AA
1919: Returned to owners.
Apr 1938: Broken up in the Netherlands.

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 14 Oct 1921. Vessel transferred to the port of Grimsby.

Accidents and Incidents:

From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 22nd February 1905:

Two more of the fine steam trawlers recently built at Shields to the orders of Messrs. Sellick, Morley and Price are at the moment in Milford Docks. They arrived during the week. The steam trawler "Syringa", which is charge of Captain Keene, landed last week, whilst the steam trawler "Tacsonia", Captain M. Kingston, made a trip realising £350 at Monday's market. The vessels belong to a new class of trawlers specially adapted for long voyages, which the above enterprising firm are adding to their already large fleet. They are sister ships to the "Rosa", and alongside the ordinary steam trawler they are leviathans in comparison.

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From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 11th April 1906:

On Tuesday, the steam trawler "Tacsonia" (Captain M. Kingston) landed a fine catch of fish, which included about 380 kits of hake. The sale realised the mammoth total of £776, the largest amount ever realised for a catch on the market.

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Log book entries:

Carried away jib boom and head gear from schooner 'William' of Dublin, having to stop engines for a trawler, and the wind and tide driving my vessel on to the schooner's bow

Coming astern to clear black buoy off Popton Point, collided with lugger 'Girl Pat', doing slight damage to her port rail aft.

Albert Williams, age 43, Chief Engineer; British, born Neyland, residing Neyland.

Fresh wind (NNE). Towing port trawl to the NW, starting to haul at 5 a.m. Getting gear up, stopped engines, lashed wheel, hauled starboard board, started the engines and then found the engines had stopped with the trawl around the propeller, and after finding the cause of it, the pin off the port half wheel gear had worked out. After persevering for 31 hours found it impossible. Signalled to trawler 'Teesmouth' to tow us to Milford, which he did, and beached us at 4 a.m. next morning.

Putting out fender between 'Tacsonia' and 'Cameo', his arm caught between gallows and bow of 'Tacsonia', crushed arm.

From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 14th August 1912:

About 5 o'clock yesterday morning, the steam trawler "Tacsonia" came into Milford Docks and took her berth in the Fish Market. The deckhand aboard her was Harry Milford, a young man about 21 years of age, living in Robert Street, and whilst engaged on putting the cork fender between his ship and another trawler which they were going alongside, so as to avoid any damage by contact, the unfortunate young fellow had his left arm above the elbow jammed between the other trawler's side and the gallows on his ship. His arm was crushed very severely, and the sinews and muscles were badly torn.

Mr. John Manser, the Market foreman, was the first to jump on board and render first aid, whilst Docks Policeman Lucas helped with the bandaging, and stopped the haemorrhage. Harry Milford was then conveyed on the stretcher to Dr. Griffith's surgery, where he was attended by Dr. W. S. Griffith and his assistant Dr. Rice, and thence removed in the ambulance car to the County Infirmary at Haverfordwest. His father called to see him in the afternoon, and ascertained that amputation was advisable.

From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 11th September 1912:

The crisis in the Milford fish trade is the one topic of conversation in the town and port. The exodus has already commenced, and grave concern is being expressed as to what will be the end of it all. Of the intentions of Messrs. Sellick, Morley and Price, our readers are fully cognisant, yet there is hope that developments may take place which will be the means of preventing the loss of the entire fleet to Milford. Much of course depends upon the results of the trading to Fleetwood by the six trawlers which have been transferred.

The boats which have left for sea during the last few days, and which will run for the next three months to Fleetwood, are the steam trawlers "Teesmouth", "Tacsonia", "Sidmouth", "Uhdea", "Essex" and "Syringa". Messrs. F. B. Rees and A. Rainbow, manager and salesman, have also left, together with Mr. W. Lewis as shoreman. The firm have taken offices at Fleetwood, and all arrangements have been completed for the transfer of the business.

From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 9th January 1913:

During the past week the trawlers "Tacsonia" and "Teesmouth", Messrs. Sellick, Morley and Price, and attached to the fleet working at Fleetwood, returned to the port for the purpose of overhauling and repairs. A serious mishap befell the former vessel as she was entering the Docks. She ran into the dock wall with such force as to knock her bow right round. She is now on the patent slip, where several plates have had to be put in. The "Teesmouth" has put to sea again for a trip.

From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 18th June 1919:

Some excitement was manifested on the Milford Docks during last week when it became known that Messrs. Sellick, Morley and Price were disposing of their fleet of steam trawlers. For a considerable time negotiations had been proceeding with the Consolidation Company of Grimsby, but these recently fell through. It is gratifying to know that the greater portion of the fleet has been retained for the port, as will be seen from the following list. Several local gentlemen having come forward, the competition was very keen.

The Alnmouth, Weigelia, and Exmouth have been sold to Fleetwood firms, while the Charmouth, Macaw, Tacsonia, Rosa, Xylopia, Essex, Uhdea, Petunia, Lynmouth, Kalmia, Portsmouth, Weymouth, Syringa, Yarmouth and Magnolia have all found local buyers.

This opens out the question of the need for local trades people and others to invest in the staple industry of this fishing port, as has been done in competing fishing centres.