ARFON M223
Official No: 127414 Port Number and Year: 3rd in Milford, 1908
Description: Steel side trawler; steam screw, coal burning. Ketch rigged: foresail, mainsail and mizzen.
Crew: 9 men
Registered at Milford: 1Apr 1908
Built: 1908 by Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co., Goole (Yard no. 113)
Tonnage: 227.42 grt 86.88 net.
Length / breadth / depth (feet): 120.0 / 21.6 / 11.47
Engine: T 3-cyl. 68 hp. 10 kts. Engine: 1908, by W.V.V. Lidgerwood, Coatbridge, Glasgow. Boiler: 1908, by S. B. Richardson, Westgarth & Co., Middlesborough
Owners:
1 Apr 1908: Pater Steam Trawling Co. Ltd., Main St., Pembroke
Manager: George Henry Teesdale, London House, Pembroke St., Pembroke Dock.
Landed at Milford: 30 Mar 1908 - 10 Aug 1914
Skippers:
John Beck, cert 6604, age 32, born Caistor on Sea, residing 23 Warwick Rd., Milford; signed on 10 Mar, 18 Jul 1908; 22 Jan, 15 Jul 1910 (1 Warwick Rd.); 7 Sep 1910; 11 Jan, 1 Jul 1911; 1 Jan, 1 Jul 1913.
J.R.S. King 8265, 29, Gorleston, Pill Rd., Pill, Milford; 13 Nov 1909
J. Beck 6604, 33, Caistor, 13 Warwick Rd., Milford; 9 Dec 1909.
Alfred James Kersey, 7748, 28, Stockton, - ; 26 Jul 1910.
Notes:
Arfon was a district, opposite Anglesey, in the NW Welsh county of Carnarvon.
1 Aug 1914: Requisitioned for war service and converted for minesweeping duties (Admy.No.134). 1 x 6 pdr AA.
30 Apr 1917: Mined by UC-61 (Kapitänleutnant Georg Gerth) off St. Alban's Head. One officer and 9 men lost. Position 50° 29' North, 002° 10' West. [Information kindly supplied by David Wendes.]
Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed:
"Registry closed 29th January, 1919. Vessel lost on Admiralty Service in April 1917. Certificate believed to have been aboard at time of vessel's loss. Advice from Manager received 29-1-19.
A. J. Mullens. Registrar."
Accidents and Incidents
From The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of Friday 3rd April 1908:
FISH NOTES.
Good supplies have arrived at this port during the past few days. Over 300 tons of trawl fish and mackerel being sent away on Monday. About 1,000 kits of hake, beside large quantities of other fish, arrived for Tuesday's market. The mackerel trade has also improved, boats landing catches of nine thousand downward at prices ranging from 12s. 6d. to 15s. per hundred. The "Arfon" landed her maiden voyage this week, this boat is the last of the trio of vessels built for the Pater Steam Trawling Co., the other two being the "Albion" and "Ardent."
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From The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of Friday 18th February 1910:
MILFORD HAVEN
................
A GOOD CATCH.
The steam trawler Arfon, arrived from Morocco on Monday, and landed a catch which realised £439. She was out about three weeks and while crossing the Bay of Biscay on the journey outward her boat was washed away off the stern.
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From The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of Friday 10th June 1910:
MILFORD HAVEN
................
MADMAN ON A STEAM TRAWLER.
The steam trawler Arfon, owned by the Pater Steam Trawling Company, returned to port last Monday morning with the trimmer, Sydney Rowlands, who went mad while at sea. The skipper, Mr. J. W. Beck, reported that when the vessel was at sea, about 250 miles off St. Anne's Head, Rowlands jumped overboard into the sea, and was with difficulty hauled back on board the ship. In a fit of madness he attached those of the crew who had effected his rescue but was overwhelmed by the men, and afterwards calmed down. Rowlands had evinced signs of insanity previously during the trip, and although precautions were taken to prevent him injuring himself he managed to jump overboard on two occasions. Later he was discovered sharpening a knife with which, he said, he intended to injure someone who had grievously offended him. He was landed at Milford, and after being medically examined was certified to be insane, and afterwards conveyed to Carmarthen Asylum. Rowlands, who was known as Richards on the ship, is only 24 years of age, and belongs to Llanelly. He has not long been married.
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From the Irish Times of Tuesday 15th November 1910:
ILLEGAL TRAWLING IN BANTRY BAY
HEAVY FINES
Bantry, Monday.
At the Bantry Petty Sessions today, before Mr. J. Gilhooley, M.P., (presiding), B.R. Purdon R.M., and B. O'Connor, J.P., there were 5 prosecutions at the suit of the Department of Agriculture against English trawlers for illegal trawling in Bantry Bay on the 14th ult., within the prohibited area.
............
The first case was against John Beck, Milford Haven, of the steam trawler Orfin (*), owned by the Pater Steam Trawling Company, Limited, Main Street, Pembroke.
.............
The Chairman said that the defendant would be fined £75, and costs, £5 5s.
Francis Monley Hawkins, Milford Haven, master of the Tees Mouth [sic], owned by the Western Steam Trawling Co., Ltd. Shannon Court, Bristol, was prosecuted for a similar offence. ............... The defendant was fined £25 and £5 5s. costs.
Thomas Salter, Starbuck Road, Milford Haven, skipper of the steam trawler Dinas, owned by Thomas George Hancock, and John Davies Harris, both of Milford Haven, was prosecuted for a like offence. .............. The defendant was fined £75 and £5 5s. costs.
............................
Joseph Huddlestone, Hakin, Milford Haven, master of the steam trawler Persia, owned by George Hoggarth [sic], Douglas Birt, Milford Haven, and Henry Hyde Heltal, of Fitzjones avenue, London, was prosecuted for a similar offence. ......... The defendant was fined £75 and £5 5s. costs.
[* "Orfin" is an error for ARFON.]
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Log book entries:
24.01.1910
160 miles SW ½ S from the Scilly Islands.
Lost small boat and all fittings - caused by shipping a heavy sea.
John Beck (Skipper)
W.J. Hugman (Mate 8683)
March 1911
When coming home from Morocco with a trip of fish, encountered very bad weather in Bay of Biscay. Wind being a strong head wind, we ran short of coal, and had to burn all available wood, fish boards, deck boards (pound), gratings and boards from fore hold to enable us to reach Newlyn. We had between twenty-five and thirty tons of coal passing Cape Finisterre on Wednesday 8th March. Arrived Newlyn Monday evening, March 13th.
John Beck (Skipper)
W.J. Hugman (Mate 8683)
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