BENTON CASTLE M122 / LO151
Official No: 107041 Port Number and Year: 7th in Milford, 1896
63rd in London, 1897 (LO151)
14th in Swansea, 1906 (SA21 )
- - Sint Philipsland, 1913 (PS.1)
- - IJmuiden, 1918 (IJM.112)
Description: Steel side / beam / liner trawler; steam screw, coal burning. Ketch rigged: foresail, mainsail, mizzen.
Crew: 9 men (1896).
Registered at Milford: 20 Aug 1896
Built: Edwards Bros., North Shields, in 1896. (Yard no. 519)
Tonnage: 146 grt 38.33 net (1896) 162 grt 57 net
Length / breadth / depth (feet): 105.0 / 20.9 / 11.0
Engine: T 3-Cyl. 49 hp.. Engine: North Eastern Marine Engineering, Sunderland
Owners:
As M122
20 Aug 1896: George H.D. Birt, Priory Lodge, Milford. (Managing owner.)
G. R. Birt, G. Tunley, J. Lloyd; Docks, Milford.
As LO151
10 May 1897: The Castle Steam Trawlers Ltd., 3 Lothbury, City, London.
Manager: George H.D. Birt, Priory Lodge, Milford.
(By April?) 1905: The Castle Steam Trawlers Ltd., Swansea.
Manager: Crawford Heron, Earlsmoor, West Cross, Swansea.
1906: As SA21.
By 1909: James W. Peterson, 1 Granton Sq., Edinburgh.
Managing owner.
As WILHELMINA PS.1
13 Jun 1913: N.V. Zeevisscherij Maatschappij “ St. Philipsland”.
Manager: J.Holster.
1916: Zeevisscherij Maatschappij “Rosa” at IJmuiden
Manager: C.van Wienen Jr.
As WILHELMINA IJM.112
1918: Zeevisscherij Maatschappij “Rosa”, IJmuiden.
Landed at Milford: 10 Aug 1896 - 19 Jul 1904
Skippers:
John Chamberlain, cert. 0988, age 42, born Happisburgh; 10 Sep 1896; 25 Jan 1897.
Stroud, Fowler, Payne, Dove, Fletcher: 1897.
A. Barrett, 5307, 23, Hull, 2 Jan 1898
J.R. Weyman 3574, - , Wakefield; 31 Jan 1898; 1900; 1901; 1902.
Henry Milford, 8298 (1901-03), Blake (1903-04)
Notes:
Benton Castle is 6 miles E. of Milford, Llangwm; the building dates from the late 13th-century.
July 1920: WILHELMINA sank after assumed mine explosion. Crew saved.
[With thanks to Jan Harteveld for his extensive research on the WILHELMINA.]
Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 10 May 1897. Registration transferred to the port of London.
Accidents and Incidents
From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 19th September 1900:
The steam trawler "Benton Castle" landed its mate at Milford on Saturday, suffering from a compound fracture of the thumb, sustained in getting the anchor on the rail.
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From The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of Friday 8th November 1901:
MILFORD HAVEN.
NARROW ESCAPE OF A TRAWLER.— Vessels arriving in Milford Haven on Wednesday reported a dense fog in the Irish Channel, which had prevailed since Tuesday afternoon making navigation well-nigh impossible. The steam trawler Benton Castle, of the port of London, belonging to the Castle Steam Trawling Company, struck against a dangerous reef of rocks a mile and a half off St. Ann's Head. The trawler, which steamed at a moderate speed through a fog that made it difficult to see a length ahead escaped with little damage beyond some of the plates being bent.
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From The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of Friday 17th July 1903:
MILFORD HAVEN.
...................
LOCAL SKIPPER HEAVILY FINED IN CORNWALL.
At Bodmin Petty-sessions on Monday, Henry Milford, of 4, Warwick-road, Milford Haven, master of the steam trawler Benton Castle, was summoned for that on the 8th of May he did unlawfully use the said steam trawler for steam trawling between Tintagel Head and Trevose Head, within the limits of the Cornwall Fishery District. A penalty of £10 and costs, £16 6s 8d altogether, was inflicted.
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From The Cambrian, Friday 7th April 1905:
THEFT FROM A SWANSEA TRAWLER.
At Swansea on Wednesday, John Brankenist, cook, steam trawler Benton Castle, was charged with stealing provisions, coffee, syrup, rice, etc., value 4s. 4½d., from the trawler. Defendant pleaded guilty. He said he had a wife and six children, and hoped the magistrates would deal with him as leniently as possible. He had never been in court before. Crawford Heron, manager, said defendant up to now had borne an excellent character. Defendant was fined 20s. or 14 days.
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