TANTALLON CASTLE

TANTALLON CASTLE H354 / M111

John Stevenson Collection

Official No: 106747 Port Number and Year: - in Hull, 1897 H354)
11th in Milford, 1905

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

Crew: 9 men

Registered at Milford: 9 Dec 1905

Built: Hawthorn, Leslie & Co., Leith, 1897 (Yard no. 63)

Tonnage: 184.36 gross 53.56 net

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 112.5 / 21.1 / 11.15

Engine:

Owners:

As H354

1897: James Albert Smith, Hull

1902: C. H. Fox, Hull

1902: William Brumby, Hull

Nov 1904: John Pettit, Docks, Milford.

As M111

9 Dec 1905: William Jenkins, 60 Priory Rd., Milford

Landed at Milford: 27 Nov 1904 - 8 Jan 1908

Skippers: J. Cutler cert. no. 5311, age 36, born Yarmouth; residing Dartmouth St., Milford; signed on 1 Dec 1905; 3 Jan 1906

Henry Clark 6177, 25, London; 13 Greville Rd., Milford; 12 Feb, 7 Jul 1906

James Gale 1771, 44, Hull; Brooke Ave., Milford; 18 Aug 1906

Henry Scott 0231, 57, London; St. Ann's Rd., Hakin; 8 Jan 1908

Notes: Sister ship of ROSSLYN CASTLE.

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 11 Jan 1908. Vessel foundered 12 miles S of Saltees.

Accidents and Incidents:

From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 11th January 1905:

A serious mishap befell the steam trawler 'Tantallon Castle', owned by Mr John Pettit, early on Tuesday morning. She came into dock on Monday morning, having made a very successful trip. At night, she was berthed in the south-west corner of the dock, and the following morning it was seen that she was to a great extent enveloped in the water. Had she been berthed in any other portion of the dock she must have been more completely covered than was the case, for there happens to be a bank just on the spot where she foundered.

The cause of the accident appears to be the neglect of someone to see that the sea-cock, or stop valve, was properly secured. The dock authorities were quickly at work, pumping operations being brought into play with commendable promptitude, whilst the diver was also requisitioned.

The usual supply of coal, amounting to many tons, had been shipped the previous day. The damage to the vessel and her machinery is sure to be great, and sympathy is expressed on all hands with the owner in the misfortune, especially as the boat was only recently brought to the port. It will be remembered that a short time back a similar mishap was only just prevented on another of the trawlers.

Log book entry:

11.01.1908

About 4.30 a.m., 12 miles S of Saltees Island.

Sprang a leak and foundered. Cause unknown

Henry Scott (Skipper)

G. Springer (Chief Engineer)

______________________________

From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph, Wednesday, 15^th January 1908:

Loss of the “Tantallon Castle”

The steam trawler “Tantallon Castle” was lost on Saturday morning. The vessel was fishing about 12 miles off the Smalls at 4.45 am. The second engineer was engaged at the time painting in the engine-room when he perceived water gathering round his heels. He called the chief, but they could not locate the source of the leakage. The usual methods were adopted to stem the inrush, but it became so great that they had perforce to take to the small boat. The vessel foundered about 7 o’clock. The men rowed about and espied a smack which proved to be the “Ethel”, of Brixham, and they made for her and were taken aboard. Later in the day they were transferred to the steam trawler “Japonica” and brought safely into Milford on Saturday night. The “Tantallon” belonged to Messrs W. Jenkins and Co. She was not wholly covered by insurance. The skipper was the veteran Capt. H. Scott.

[Note: Both the ship's log book and the Register of Milford Fishing Boats gives the location of the sinking as off the Saltee Islands, Co.Wexford, rather than the Smalls. The unexplained leak which caused the vessel to founder may be compared with the incident which occurred in 1905 - see newspaper article above.]

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