THOMAS BARTLETT

Accidents and Incidents

From the West Wales Guardian, Friday 6th June 1923:

During the recent weeks several Milford steam trawlers have been experimenting with a newly patented French fishing trawl, which some people declare will eventually supersede the old British trawl. It is understood that the cost of using this new arrangement is a heavy burden upon the owners, because a certain sum has been paid each day for the liberty of using this French trawl, but apparently a much greater return of fish is being secured by its use. The French trawl is much larger than the one in common use, and it is so completed that with the use of bottles on the line the top of the net does not go below the surface.

It is used aboard the "Callancroft", "Thomas Bartlett", "James Green" and some other trawlers. On her last trip the first named secured 220 kits of hake, the "Thomas Bartlett" about 400 kits and the "James Green" about 260 kits. This shows that the use of the new French trawl has caused supplies to be heavier.

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Statement by Edward Major, of 45 Great North Rd., Milford:

I am Skipper of the steam trawler LEUKOS of Aberdeen, A103, fishing out of Milford. I have been skipper of her since January 15th 1927.

We left Milford Docks by noon high tide on Saturday February 27th bound for the fishing grounds. Owing to the weather being stormy, we came to anchor off Popton Point with 45 fathom of chain and our big anchor. It was blowing strong from south to south-west when we anchored. It was blowing strong all through Saturday night from about the same quarter, going more to the westward on Sunday morning.

About 10 am Sunday we observed the steam trawler THOMAS BARTLETT coming in from sea and anchoring about 40 to 500 yards from us. The tide then was about half flood, the wind south west to west, blowing strong of gale force. The Bosun was on watch and he reported to me that the THOMAS BARTLETT was dragging her anchor and coming in our direction. I then saw the THOMAS BARTLETT about 20 or 30 yards away and it appeared to me that she would drive across our bows. I blew our whistle once and shouted to him. I saw him slack away his chain and moved his engines astern, but he did not clear us, and he hit our stem with his midships on his port side. His head then went to starboard and he dropped down alongside of us on our starboard side. We did not shift our position of anchorage at all. We examined our bow after the collision and no damage was then apparent.

We went to sea on Monday the 28th February and had only been at sea about an hour when we found water coming through the bow in the way of the stem, but our Chief Engineer was able to make temporary repairs and we carried on with our voyage.

[The Bosun was Charles Richard Johnson, of 14 Greville Rd., Milford, and on watch with him was the Third Hand, Alexander M. Symmons, of 38 John St., Neyland.]