CHERITON  M118

As CHERITON H519

Thanks to Jonleif Joensen via Jim Porter

Official No:  144537     Port Number and Year:  252nd in London, 1920 (LO360)                                                                                                         9th in Milford, 1920                                                                                          -   in Hull, 1938 (H519)

Description: Castle Class steel side / beam trawler; steam screw, coal burning.

Crew: 10 men (From 18 Nov 1937: 12 men).

Registered at Milford: 27 Jul 1920.

Built: 1917; Smith Docks Co., South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesborough (Yard no. 710)

Tonnage: 275.13 grt  107.43 net

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 125.5 / 23.4 / 12.85

Engine: T 3-Cyl. 61 hp.10 kts.  Engine and boiler by builders.

Owners:   As THOMAS ROBINS LO360 25 May 1920: The Secretary of the Admiralty, Whitehall, London SW1. Managing owner.   6 Jul 1920: David Pettit, 'Westcliff', Wellington Rd., Hakin (64/64) Managing owner. 27 Jul 1920: As CHERITON M118.   2 Nov 1934: Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co. Ltd., Dock St, Fleetwood. Manager: Basil A. Parkes, 'Clydesdale', Whiteside Way, Cleveleys, Lancs.   13 Apr 1938: Saint Andrew's Steam Fishing Co. Ltd., Hull. Manager: B.A. Parkes. 16 Apr 1938: As H519

Landed at Milford:  26 Jul 1920 - 17 Aug 1934

Skippers: W.H.  Fransham 4943 (1920).

Notes:  Thomas (Lowton) Robins, age 18, born Portsmouth; Master's Mate, HMS VICTORY, at Trafalgar. (Carew) Cheriton is a village between Pembroke and Tenby. 28 Sep 1917: Launched for the Admiralty (No. 3531) as THOMAS ROBINS. 1x12 pdr. 4 May 1920: Bought by David Pettit at a sale of ex-government trawlers, held at the Masonic Hall, Milford. 31 Jun 1920: As CHERITON, and London register closed on 6 Jul 1920. 19 Nov 1938: Stranded at full speed on the SW extremity of Skea Skerries in Westray Sound, Orkney. Crew taken off by local boats. Salved but declared CTL and sold for demolition. [See newspaper reports below.] 10 Feb 1939: Hull register closed.

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 13 Apr 1938. Transferred to the port of Hull.

Accidents and Incidents

From The Times, Saturday, Jan 25, 1936; pg. 21; Issue 47281; col D:       

Mails and Shipping

..................

ESCALLONIA.— Malin Head Wireless Station. Jan 23. — Following received from British trawler Cheriton at 8.30 p.m. — Trawler Escallonia reached Rockall, condenser door broken completely in two, trying to make repairs. Cheriton standing by.  Malin Head Wireless Station. Jan 24. — Following received from British trawler Cheriton at 11.50 a.m.: — Taken Escallonia in tow 25 miles from Rockall Bank, 11.15 a.m.

 

ESCALLONIA ON 132101 GY631; Grimsby 1911; Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co., Dock St, Fleetwood.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From The Scotsman of Monday 21st November 1938. p.15:

 

TRAWLER ON SKERRIES IN ORKNEY

Crew Land in Ronsay: Vessel Beached in Sinking Condition

    The gale which swept Scotland during Friday night and Saturday morning caused damage to shipping in the North.  It was followed by wintry weather on Saturday, but yesterday was pleasant.

    The trawler Cheriton, of Milford registration, but owned by a Fleetwood company, struck Skea Skerries, south of Westray (one of the northern Orkney Isles) on Saturday afternoon.  She was beached in a sinking condition on Ronsay Island in the evening,

    Early on Saturday afternoon coast watchers on Westray saw the Cheriton aground.  There was a heavy sea running.  On receiving information by telephone, Kirkwall coastguards informed Stromness lifeboat, which set out about 3 p.m. on the 30-mile journey to Skea Skerries.  The coastguards broadcast, via Wick radio, to all shipping in the vicinity, giving the Cheriton's position.  About 4 p.m., an American steamer, Seanmail, radioed that she was eighteen miles north-east of Noup Head, and proceeding to the help of the Cheriton.  About 4.15 the Grimsby trawler, Indian Star, radioed that she would reach the Cheriton in three or four hours time.  About 4.45 Wick radio received a message from the Cheriton, that she was filling with water and heeling over.  The crew were trying to launch their smallboat, and their situation was very dangerous.

    Meanwhile, the fishery protection vessel, Betty Brodie, left Kirkwall for Westray with life-saving apparatus, while the fishery cruiser Freya set out from Fara Sound.

DISTRESS ROCKETS

    About 6, the Cheriton, which had drifted off the Skea Skerries in the direction of Rousay, radioed that she was full of water, that she had no steam, and requested the assistance of a lifeboat.  The crew sent up distress rockets.  Shortly afterwards the stokehold fires were flooded out, and the crew had barely enough steam left to beach the vessel at Ham Bay, Rousay.

    The crew had previously launched their smallboat, which was alongside and, assisted by islanders, they abandoned their vessel, which had developed a heavy list.  The Cheriton's crew, who were exhausted by their struggle with the gale, received hospitality at various houses on Westray.

    The Cheriton, which is a vessel of 107 tons net, is owned by the Boston Deep Sea Fishing and Ice Company, Fleetwood.  Skipper Brown and the crew belong to Hull.

.............

[Note: At the time of this incident, the CHERITON was registered at and sailed out of Hull.]

 

From The Scotsman of Monday 28th November 1938. p.7:

 

DISABLED TRAWLER TOWED INTO ABERDEEN

    Ten members of the crew of the ill-fated Milford Haven trawler, Cheriton, which stranded on Ronsay, one of the North Isles in the Orkneys, on the previous Saturday, were landed at Aberdeen on Saturday morning aboard the steamer St. Fergus.  The men later left for Hull.

    Early yesterday afternoon the Leith salvage vessel Bullger arrived at Aberdeen Harbour with the Cheriton in tow, having been successful in getting the stranded vessel off the beach at Ronsay.  The disabled trawler will be surveyed to-morrow.

   

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