ADMIRAL M88

Official No:    97556    Port Number and Year: 5th in  Granton, 1891 (GN37)                                                                                   -   in Milford, 1891  (M88)                                                                                   -   in Liverpool, 1894 (LL53)

Description:  Steel liner; steam screw; coal burner.  Ketch rigged: foresail, mainsail and mizzen.

Crew: 9 men (1891).

Registered at Milford: 1 Dec 1891

Built: Hawthorns & Co., Leith, 1891  (Yard no. 41)

Tonnage: 132 gross 41.7 net

Length / breadth / depth (feet):  100 / 20.1 / 10.1

Engine:2-cyl. 48 rhp.  Engine and double ended boilers by builders.

Owners:   As GN37 Oct 1891: Thomas L. Devlin, Granton, Edinburgh (owner/manager)   As M88 1 Dec 1891:  Milford Haven Fishing Co., 273 Central Chambers, 93 Hope St., Glasgow. Manager: Thomas W. Duncan.   As LL53 5 Oct 1894: Liverpool Steam Fishing Co., North West Corner of Canning Dock,  Liverpool. Manager: Robert Harley, 88 Bedford St., Liverpool.    1900: French owners.   [Information from Granton http://www.grantontrawlers.com/ ]

Landed at Milford: 21 Nov 1891 - 2 Oct 1894.

Skippers: Henry Scott (Cert: 0231) Age 44. Born London. Residing Hakin. 16 Jun 1893                  Thos. Leyland (05547) 40. Hull. Hakin. 17 Jan 93                  Thos May (Jun). (2097) 26. Hull. Gt. Eastern Terrace, New Milford. 31 Dec 1893                  Fred Hardisty (1891) 26. Barton. Mrs. Scott, Robert Street, Milford. 5 Jan 1894                  R. Saunderson (2934) - - - 7 Feb 1894                  James Smart (2005) 35. Hull. ---                  Thos. Leyland (05547) 40. Hull. Hakin. 1 Jul 1894

Notes:  11 Jan 1895: Collided with Seacombe Landing Stage at Liverpool, and had bow stove in, with other damage.  [The Morning Post, Saturday 12th January 1895.]

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed. 5 Oct 1894: Transferred to Liverpool.

 Accidents and Incidents:

From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 8th January 1892:

 

On Friday morning about five o'clock, a fire was discovered aboard a hulk named the "Canada" lying in Milford Docks. The steam trawler "Admiral", which was lying in the dock, promptly applied the water hose to the fire, which was quickly extinguished. On examining the "Canada", the remains of a man, in the form of one unrecognisable black mass, was found. An inquest was held on the body at the Globe (Public House), on Tuesday afternoon before the coroner (Mr. James Price) and a jury. The engineer of the "Canada" (which was used as a ice hulk), deposed that the hulk was locked up at 2.45 pm on Thursday, and that there were no fires on board. He was present when the body was found near the door. The only entrance to the galley was fastened by a padlock on Thursday afternoon. He had no knowledge of the deceased, who must have got into the galley by raising the hatch. The fire was not laid. Other witnesses were called, but were unable to give any information respecting the deceased. Doctor Warren deposed that the remains were those of a human being, and the death was caused by burning. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the evidence.

 

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From the Western Mail of Monday 21st March 1892:

 

GREAT CATCH OF FISH AT MILFORD

    The steam trawler Admiral (Captain H. Dove), belonging to the Milford Haven Fishing Company (Limited), has just landed the largest catch of prime fish known here, having over 3,100 lb of soles alone, in addition to other fish.

 

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From  The Yorkshire Herald and The York Herald, of  Tuesday 24th January 1893; pg. 3; Issue 12992  (paragraphing added):

 

MISCONDUCT OF A HULL SKIPPER. ― CERTIFICATE SUSPENDED.――  Yesterday afternoon a Marine Board enquiry was held at Hull into a charge preferred by the Board of Trade against William Henry Ferrand, skipper of the steam trawler Industry, for having left his vessel and gone ashore at Clare Island, Clew Bay, County Mayo, for the purpose of drinking, and that during his absence the vessel stranded.

    Mr. H. Saxelbye, instructed by the Board of Trade, appeared for the prosecution and in opening the case said that in April last, the trawler Industry, along with several other smacks [sic], was fishing out of Milford Haven.  On the afternoon of 6th April they were fishing in Clew Bay, north-west coast of Ireland, when defendant and five other skippers went on board the steam trawler Premier.  Here it was arranged that all should go on shore.  The defendant and two other skippers stayed ashore all night, and the other two returned to their vessels the same night.  It was alleged that these two men took the boat to their vessels when they went on board, and the other three, although they wanted, could not get to their vessels.

    The following morning the three men went down to the beach, and about 6 a.m. the master of the Industry was told his vessel was ashore.  It appeared that the second hand whilst going to fetch the skipper had got too near the rocks and ran ashore.  Subsequently the vessel was towed off by another trawler, the Admiral, also of Milford.  By some means the nets became entangled round the propeller and it was necessary to get back again on shore. 

    This was done, and the next morning the smack was tried and got ready for sea.  The defendant and the skipper of the Admiral then went to a public house and stayed there.  The defendant had since admitted that they stayed until he was the worse for drink, and when he went back he did not know his way out of the harbour, and his vessel the Industry was taken in tow by the Admiral.  For these services rendered by the Admiral the owners claimed £300 salvage and the case was brought before the judge of the County Court and Nautical Assessor on December 23rd, at Hull, when a verdict was given for £400.

    After evidence had been called, defendant said that he was on shore purposely to buy some food, for which purpose he had borrowed £2 from one of the skippers.  When his vessel went ashore it was not fast on the rocks, and it only took the Admiral about ten minutes to tow her off and he expected that the Admiral was giving him a friendly pull.  He would have done the same for the Admiral if necessary.  He absolutely denied the allegation that he was drunk at any time during their stay on shore.  He had held a master's certificate for competency for 21 years and this was the first time he had transgressed.―

    The court found that although Ferrand had evidently not been under the influence of drink, yet he had been guilty of gross misconduct for leaving his vessel without the consent of the owners and without leaving a competent man in charge, and thought they were adopting a lenient course by suspending hos certificate for six calendar months.

 

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From the Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph  of Wednesday 7th June 1893:

 

SHOCKING ACCIDENT TO A SKIPPER. - Mr T. Leyland, skipper of the steam trawler "Admiral", met with a serious accident last week. The "Admiral" came in on Wednesday last, in consequence of the accident, it having been out out only three days. We are given to understand that the skipper was riding the trawl warp on the winch when, by some means, the hand spike slipped, throwing Mr Leyland across the warp, the hand spike striking him violently in the face, inflicting three serious wounds around the left eye and front part of the face, which rendered him unconscious. The flow of blood having been stopped, the vessel was steered for dock, and on its arrival here, Mr Leyland had recovered remarkably well, considering the seriousness of the accident. He was taken to Dr Griffith, who thought it a miracle he had not been instantly killed, and from thence to his home at Hakin Point, where he is going on as well as can be expected, although it is feared that he will lose the sight of the left eye. The "Admiral" left the next day, in command of Mr W. Jones, with Mr Scott as second-hand, and we trust that ere long Mr Leyland will be in position to again resume his duties.

 

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From the Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph  of Wednesday 5th July 1893:

 

LOSS OF FISHING GEAR. - The steam trawler 'Admiral' met with a singular misfortune last week.  She came into dock on Friday, leaving for another trip the same day, but had to return on Saturday, having lost all her gear owing to the parting of the warp, when in close proximity to the Smalls.

 

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 From the Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph  of Wednesday 23rd May 1894:

  

COLLISION IN THE DOCK.―  A singular accident occurred in the dock on Thursday morning, which fortunately did not result in any serious disaster. The fishing smack "Spitfire", of Ramsgate, was lying alongside the ice hulk for the purpose of taking in ice, when the steam trawler "Admiral" collided with her at full speed.  The concussion severed the smack's ropes by which she was fastened, and battered her stern. The accident occurred, it is believed, by some misunderstanding; the engines instead of being full astern were full speed ahead. The smack is being repaired by Mr J. Rees, shipwright.

 

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 Extracts From the Skipper's Log Book:

 

23.8.1892.

 Off Longships. - Cylinder cover broken.- defective bolt. 

 T.Leyland.

 

19.05.1893.

 The steam trawler "Bournemouth" collided with us ("Admiral"), whilst former was steaming across docks.  "Admiral" was moored alongside ice huts, beddings lifted on starboard side, "Bournemouth" steaming down the dock at five miles per hour.

T.Leyland. (Skipper).

 

13.11.1893.

 Fishing off the Smalls, discovered a break in the plunger of main feed pump. (A flaw).

 H.Scott. (Skipper).

 

 

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