APLEY M226

 

Kindly supplied by Ann Axton

Official No:  127417   Port Number and Year: 7th in Milford, 1908

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

Crew:  9 men

Registered at Milford: 16 Oct 1908

Built: 1908 by Smith's Dock Co., N. Shields.  (Yard no.384)

Tonnage: 221.88 grt  84.85 net.

Length / breadth / depth (feet):120.5 / 21.6 / 11.6

Engine: T 3-cyl. 68 hp. 10 kts.  Engine: 1908, by W.V.V. Lidgerwood, Coatbridge, Glasgow.  Boiler: 1908, by David Rowan & Co., Glasgow

Owners:

 

16 Oct 1908: Neyland Steam Trawling & Fishing Co., Neyland.  

Manager: Alexander Scott, Hazelbeach, Neyland.

Chairman: Sir Charles Phillips, Picton Castle.

 

Landed at Milford:  21 Oct - 3 Nov 1908; thereafter landed at Neyland

Skippers:

William Henry Davies, cert 5716, age 31, born Caerphilly, residing 'Laburnum House', Hazelbank, Llanstadwell; signed on 7 Oct 1908; 12 Jul 1909; 8 Jan, 10 Sep 1910; 12 Jan 1911.

Henry Bertram Clarke, 6177, 31, London,; Shakespeare Ave., Milford:25 May 1911; 16 Feb 1912; 2 Feb 1913 (residing 14 Trafalgar Rd., Milford); 17 Jul 1913 (residing 31 Shakespeare Ave., Milford).

C. Few 8822, 34, London, - : 12 Nov 1912.

G. Foster 5561, 40, Scarborough, - : 28 Nov 1912, 10 Jan 1913.

Notes: 

Apley: "Mr. Thomas Meyrick, of Bush, Pembrokeshire, Esquire, and of Apley Castle in the county of Shropshire .... ".  (The Times, 1st May 1880.)  The name was given to several places in Pembroke Dock.

Aug 1914: Requisitioned and converted to a minesweeper (Admy. no. 143) 1 x 3 pdr.

6 Dec 1917: Mined by UC-71 (Oberleutnant zur See Ernst Steindorff), off Worthing.

See articles from log books and local newspapers below.

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed:

"Registry closed November 11, 1918.  Vessel totally lost while on Admiralty Service on or about December 6, 1917. Certificate not delivered up.  Advice of the hand of the Secretary of the Company received.   A. J. Mullens. Regr."

 Accidents and Incidents

Log book entries:

 

03.12.1908

At sea.

Thomas Phillips, forty-seven years of age, second engineer, Welsh, born Neyland, residing at James Street, Neyland - Ship gave lurch throwing him against boiler and bruising rib.

    W.H. Davies (Skipper)

 

23.12.1908

At sea.

Fred Stimson, thirty-five years of age, first engineer, English, born South Shields, residing at High Street, Neyland - Shipped heavy sea down engine room and cutting knee open.

    W.H. Davies

 

_____________________

 

From The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of Friday 23rd October 1908:

 

THE NEYLAND TRAWLERS.

    At Milford Haven Fish Market on Wednesday morning the third new vessel belonging to the Neyland Steam Trawling Company, viz., the Apley, landed the produce of her maiden voyage. The gross sum, realized £172, which is lower than the maiden trips of her sister ships the Bush and Angle. Two more trawlers are shortly expected to he delivered to the company, the Slebech and the Caldy. The company have not yet opened their market at Neyland, although everything appears to be in a forward state.  The ice factory is already turning out ice, and owing to a shortage in the supplies at the Milford factories some of the Milford trawlers have been supplied. Operations cannot now long be delayed, and it will be interesting to see what effect the rival markets will have on the Milford trade.

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From The Cardiff Times of Friday 21st November 1908:

Neyland's New Industry.

ICE FACTORY AND FISH MARKET

Opening Yesterday.

    The new ice factory and fish market at Neyland were formally opened on Monday by Lady Philipps, of Picton Castle, and Mrs Kingsford, of Pembroke Dock, respectively. The ice factory, which is situated at Barnlake Point, has a complete installation of electric light, and is fitted with the most modern labour-saving appliances, altogether suited in every way to meet the requirements of a modern fishing port. The new building is a red brick structure. It is built of the best material on a rock foundation, the work of construction having been carried out by Messrs Davies and Griffiths, Tenby. The plant which has been installed renders the factory one of the most up- to-date, and is capable of an output of 35 tons per day. Its storage capacity is 740 tons of ice, so that for at least 12 months a regular supply of ice to the trawlers trading to the port is assured. Each trawler takes 10 or 12 tons of ice each voyage. The fish market is a spacious building, capable of enlargement as the necessities of the port demand it. In order to enable trawlers to discharge their catches at any state of the tide the company has constructed a ferro concrete jetty, 180ft. long and 60ft. wide. The ice and water for the trawlers will be conveyed to the vessels over this jetty. The discharging appliances consist of hydraulic cranes supplied by the railway company. The charges at Neyland port compare most favourably with those at other fishing ports in the kingdom.

    On Monday the ice factory and fish market were opened in the presence of a large and representative assembly, and lying alongside the market were two trawlers, which had just arrived with cargoes which realised £93 and the Apley £81. Amongst those present were Sir Charles and Lady Philipps, Sir Owen Scourfield, Rear-Admiral and Mrs Kingsford, the Hon. Frederick T. Allsopp, Mr Harry E. E. Philipps and Miss Philipps (Picton Castle), Col. Frederick C. Meyrick, C.B., Capt. Enoch Davies, Mr C. W. Rees Stokes, Mrs Bromfield, the Mayors of Haverfordwest and Tenby, Dr. George Griffith, Mr S. B. Sketch, Mr G. H. D. Birt (Milford Haven), the chairman and members of the Neyland Urban District Council, the officers of the Welsh Regiment and of the R.G.A., Defensible Barracks, Pembroke Dock, Canon Lloyd, Cressborough, Archdeacon Williams, etc.

Genesis of Neyland Industry.

    After a short prayer had been said by Archdeacon Williams, Sir Charles Philipps recalled the reasons which had brought into existence the Neyland fishing industry. Neyland, he said, had been hard hit by reason of the discharges from the dockyard and the removal of the Irish traffic to Fishguard. He denied that the new industry would have an injurious effect on Milford, contending that there was room in that magnificent harbour for two fishing ports. Neyland and Milford combined would not equal Grimsby.

    Lady Philipps then unveiled the tablet at the ice factory, and on the motion of the Hon. Herbert Allsopp, seconded by Captain Enoch Davies, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to her Ladyship. Afterwards Mrs Kingsford, wife of Rear-Admiral T. Kingsford, unveiled the tablet in the fish market. She enumerated the advantages which Neyland possessed, and these, together with the energy of the chairman of the directors (Sir Charles Philipps), would, she believed, ensure the success of the undertaking.

    Colonel Meyrick proposed, and Mr H. E. K. Philipps seconded a vote of thanks to Mrs Kingsford, both expressing regret that Rear-Admiral and Mrs Kingsford would shortly be leaving Pembroke Dock.

    In the evening there was a torchlight procession through the streets and a banquet at the South Wales Hotel.

 

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From The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of Friday 3rd September 1909:

 

NEYLAND.

Fishing Industry.- Since Monday, August 23rd, the following boats have come into Neyland and disposed of their catches at the market — the Bush £190, Urania £159, Siluria £117, Slebech £149, Caldy £106, Apley £150, Hero £163, Angle £126, and the Neyland £122. The catches have included several kits of herring, and it is expected that the trawlers will at any time run across the shoal. 

 

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From The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of Friday 30th December 1910:

 

NEYLAND TRAWLER'S EXPERIENCE

Beri-Beri on Russian Barque

Our Neyland correspondent writes: — When 230 miles west of St. Anne's Head on Friday evening, the 9th December, the steam trawler ‘Apley’ of Neyland was attracted by a sailing ship which afterwards proved to be the Russian barque ‘Dorothea’ from the Seychelle Islands, in the Indian Ocean, with a cargo of guano bound for London. The appeal for help was at once responded to by the ‘Apley’'s master (Captain Wm. Davies, of Hazelbeach, Neyland), and a sad story was unfolded by those on the barque who were nearly all affected by the terrible disease of beri-beri, or sleeping sickness, and which had already caused the death of two of the crew. The two mates on board were prostrate and the other members of the crew were practically helpless and unable to navigate their vessel into port. The ‘Apley’ quickly got a line out to the distressed vessel and proceeded to tow the ‘Dorothea’ into Queenstown where she arrived on Saturday night and where the Port Medical Officer boarded the vessel and attended to the stricken crew. Meantime the ship was quarantined, no one being allowed to board or leave the disease-laden vessel. The ‘Dorothea’ could get no vegetables at the loading port in the Indian Ocean — rice, millet and flour were practically all they had to offer. The inhabitants of the Islands are Chinese, Japs and Arabs. After being out two days, two of the crew became ill and one died. One by one all became stricken. About 150 miles from the coast of Ireland the gale brought down the main-mast, main top gallant head-yards and gear by the run and carried away their mizzen and fore-braces and smashed the starboard lifeboat.

It was fortunate for them that they fell in with the ‘Apley’ as in a very short time even the crippled working of the ship would have ceased altogether. The ‘Apley’ has earned a salvage award for her services. Seven of the crew were removed to the Intercepting Hospital at Queenstown, and the Captain and 5 men left on board have not yet recovered from the effects of beri-beri. In an extra account of the further experiences of the ‘Apley’, our correspondent says:- In the early hours of Friday morning week the s.t. ‘Apley’ was placed on the gridiron at Neyland for the purpose of repair. She had just returned home after having rendered valuable salvage services to the Russian barque ‘Dorothea’. The sudden gale which sprung up on Friday threatened serious danger and it was decided that it would be dangerous to move the vessel and all efforts were made to secure her. She had no steam and was powerless to help herself. At the height of the storm, however, the seven moorings with which she was made fast, parted and the vessel was in danger of grounding in such a position that she would have broken up.

Assistance was requested from H.M. Dockyard but owing to the tremendous weather it was not considered safe to send the ‘Alligator’ over. The tug ‘Firefly’ was ordered to the assistance of the ‘Apley’, but the high seas and fierce winds made short work of the tug and before she could render any assistance she became disabled and was with difficulty brought back to safe mooring. The ‘Apley’ had by this time broken clear of everything and was driving broad side to the wind right on to the rocks at Pembroke Dock. A scratch crew was formed and sent on board the s.t. ‘Angle’, steam was got up in record time and the ‘Angle’ proceeded, in spite of the weather, after the ‘Apley’. It was necessary if the ‘Apley’ was to be saved that risks should be taken and, although some slight damage was done to both the ‘Angle’ and the ‘Apley’ by collision, a connection was made between the two vessels and the ‘Apley’ placed in a safe position and anchored.

The position of the ‘Apley’ was most serious, and but for the timely assistance rendered by the ‘Angle’ would have been dashed up on the rocks between Hobbs Point and Pembroke Ferry and would no doubt have become a constructive total loss.

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From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 8th July 1914:

 

LOCAL TRAWLER'S SALVAGE SERVICES.

TANK STEAMER IN DISTRESS.

    In Dublin on Friday Mr Justice Boyd delivered judgment in a series of claims made by the owners of the steam trawlers Apley (Neyland Steam Trawling Co.), Isaak Walton, Nogi and Solva, Hancock and Harries, Milford Haven, against the owners of the Dutch tank steamer Rotterdam for salvage services rendered to the vessel during several days in February last when she lost her rudder and stern post and was helpless in bad weather about 70 miles off the south-west coast of Ireland. The value of the vessel was roughly estimated at between £30 000 and £40,000. The value of the trawlers was about £600 each.

    Mr Justice Boyd, in delivering judgment, said the assessor and he had very carefully considered the evidence. They were of opinion that the trawler Apley had rendered services which entitled her to £600, that was £350 more than the sum which the owners of the Rotterdam had lodged in court. With regard to the Isaak Walton, £350 had been lodged as compensation. The court thought that she was entitled to £700. In the case of the Nogi, they thought that, instead of £200 lodged in court, the compensation ought to be £300, and that was the sum fixed by the court. As to the Solva the court had come to the conclusion that she did very little service. £200 had been lodged in court as a reward for her services, and the court believed that the sum was sufficient for the owners of that vessel for what she had done. Therefore the action by the owners of the Solva would be dismissed.

    The hearing of the case lasted several days.

 

 

John Stevenson Collection

 

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