THORNTON M6

Official No:  122933   Port Number and Year:    12th in Fleetwood, 1905 (FD41)

                                                                                  2nd in Milford, 1919

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

Crew:  10 men

Registered at Milford: 6 Mar 1919

Built: 1905 by John Duthie, Sons & Co., Aberdeen.  (Yard no. 259)

Tonnage: 225.12 grt  91.6 net.

Length / breadth / depth (feet):  125.55  / 21.9 / 13.12

Engine: T 3-Cyl. 54 nhp. 10 kts.  Engine: W.V.V. Lidgerwood, Glasgow ; boiler: A. W. Dalgleish, Pollockshaws, Glasgow.

Owners:

 

As FD41

28 Oct 1905: Norbreck Steam Fishing Co., Dock Dt., Fleetwood

Manager: T. F. Kelsall (Later: J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood..)

 

As M6

6 Mar 1919: John McRae Knight, 'Craigland', Wellington Rd., Hakin (Manager)

Morgan Watkin Howells, 19 Hamilton Tce., Milford

 

19 Mar 1919: Emma Bishop, 72 Dewsland St., Haverfordwest (22/64)

John Walters, 36 St. Ann's Rd., Hakin (21/64)

Evan Davies, French Walk, Fishguard (7/64)

 David Morgan, Fishguard (7/64)

Manager: Thomas George Bishop, 'Bryn y Graig', Goodwick. (7/64)

 

10 Aug 1923: David Morgan        )

John Walters                                )

James Henry Bishop                     )  Docks, Milford

Albert Phillip Bishop                     )

Manager: Thomas George Bishop )

 

19 Nov 1934:  Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co., Fleetwood

Manager: B. A. Parkes

 

Landed at Milford: 9 Apr 1919 - 16 Dec 1933

Skippers: Charles Thomas (1925)

Notes: May 1915:  Requisitioned by the Admiralty and fitted as an armed trawler (Ad.No.1764). 1 x 6 pdr.

1919: Returned to owners.

11 Feb 1934:  Sold to Darwin & Mostyn Iron Co., Mostyn, Flints., for breaking up.

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 14 Feb 1935.

 Accidents and Incidents

From the Pembrokeshire Telegraph of Wednesday 20th July 1921:

 

ENTERING MILFORD DOCKS

 

    Robert Seaward, mate Iago, was summoned at the instance of Captain W. J. James, dock master, for breach of the Milford Dock Co.'s bye-laws in entering the port on 30th June.

    Defendant said he was not guilty.

    Commander John Archibald Jones said that at 11.30 p.m. on 30th June he was on duty on the Dock Head when the boats were coming into port.  The first vessel was a motor smack, the second the M.3., and the third the defendant's, the Iago.  They came up in a line with the westward.  The M.3. passed the buoys properly and entered the stonework leading up to the gates.  She had got almost to the gates when the Iago came up and hit the M.3. with her starboard, driving her against the stonework on the Milford side of the dock gates.  It was either gross neglect or wilful attempt to damage the other vessel.  Witness thought the dock gates had gone.  The gates were thin and built something like a vessel.  Once they were hit it would be impossible to close them.  Witness considered it a very serious case.  Returning to the entry of the Iago witness said it was his duty to instruct the vessels as they approached.  He told the defendant to go astern, but instead of doing so he went full speed ahead, causing serious damage to the other vessel.  Apparently after getting through the gates Seaward did go astern.  Witness considered that it was necessary for every vessel to go astern as they approached the gates.  The Iago was going five knots as she entered.

    Defendant asked witness how he could see the relative positions of the boats on a dark night.

    Witness replied that although the time was 11.30 the night was not dark; it was really clear.  In reply to a further question witness said the defendant hit the Thornton - the M.3. - with the bluff of his starboard bow.

    Defendant: The Thornton was the overtaking ship? ― No.

    Defendant then produced two model boats, two strips of wood to represent the stonework  at the entrance to the dock, and two bottle stoppers to represent the buoys marking the channel up to the gates.  Witness and defendant did not agree as to the relative positions of the boats as they passed between the buoys.

    In reply to Captain James, witness said the defendant overtook the Thornton at the gates, and struck her amidships.  He estimated the speed of a vessel by trying to keep up with it on the dock wall.  If he could not walk as fast as the boat was travelling he considered that she was going over four miles an hour.

    Another watchman corroborated Commander Jones's evidence.

 

THORNTON OVERTOOK IAGO

 

    Defendant, giving evidence, said the Thornton was behind the Iago as they entered the buoys.  He insisted that a boat had to keep away from the Hakin side as she entered to avoid being swept behind the gate by the tide, though this was denied by Captain James.  Witness then demonstrated the positions of the boats.  He declared that the Thornton overtook him between the buoys and the gates, and that he struck her in endeavouring to avoid the gate.  The Thornton must have gone astern or he would not have touched her.

    Wm. Blockwell, skipper of The Boys, said he was behind the Iago and the Thornton as they entered the dock.  He was sure that the Iago passed between the buoys first and was later overtaken by the Thornton.  Witness stopped his engines because he thought there would be a collision between the other two boats.

    Commander Jones, recalled, said he was on the pier head at the time with the various vessels practically at his feet.  He expected to see the Iago come in first, because she was first in the bay, but as the Thornton entered the buoys first the Iago should have kept behind her.

    The Chairman said the Bench considered the charge proved and had decided to fine Seaward £5.

    A summons on a similar charge against George Rockley, the skipper of the Iago, was withdrawn.

 

[ Note: The THORNTON's fishing number was M6, not M3. ]

 

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From a local newspaper, probably the West Wales Guardian of Friday 4th December 1925:

 

    On Saturday afternoon, Skipper Charles Thomas, of the steam trawler "Thornton", owners J. H. Bishop, was brought into dock with somewhat serious injuries.  At ten o'clock the vessel was fishing in a heavy sea off the Irish Coast, and the skipper was about to descend from the wheelhouse to examine the fishing gear, when a big sea caused the vessel to lurch heavily, and he was thrown some feet onto the engine room casing, also striking the chain.  It was feared that the ribs on his left side were broken.  He was taken home and on examination by Doctor Williams it was found that no bones were broken, but the skipper was injured internally and may be confined to bed for some time.

 

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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 23rd April 1926:

 

    When out on the fishing grounds this trip Captain Rowlands, of the steam trawler "Thornton", was putting his fishing trawl overboard when the trawl board slipped, and threw the third hand, William Riby, of Dartmouth Gardens, overboard. 

    The seas were very rough at the time, and it was also black dark, which made it hard to see the struggling man in the water.  In spite of the fact that he had heavy boots and oilskins on, he was able to keep himself afloat until a line was thrown to him.  He could, however, do nothing with it owing to the rough sea.  The man then swam to the fore-part of the trawler, where the wires were out, and hung on until, at great risk to himself, the mate was lowered over the ship's side and caught hold of the man in the water, who by this time was almost done.  The mate lifted him up until those on the deck could get a good hold.  When he had been pulled to safety aboard the trawler he was brought round with first aid. 

    Thanks are to due to the mate for his dogged pluck and persistence, without which the poor chap would certainly have drowned.

 

 

 

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