BIANCA H907

John Stevenson Collection

Official No:  121093     Port Number and Year:  97th in Hull, 1905 (H845)                                                                                       -    -  Grimsby, 1919 (GY686)                                                                                       -    -  Hull, 1923 (H907)

Description: Steel side trawler; steam screw, coal burning. Wheelhouse aft. Ketch rigged.

Crew: 9 men (1905, 1919, 1923); 10 men (1929); 9 men (1941 - see newspaper report).

Built: Cook Welton & Gemmell, Beverley, 1905.  (Yard no. 91)

Tonnage: 174 grt  55 net (1905);  1 Jan 1914: 68 net.

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 108.5 / 21.6 / 11.5

Engine: T 3-Cyl. 45 hp..  Amos & Smith, Hull

Owners:   As H845 25 Nov 1905: Hellyer's Steam Fishing Co. Ltd.,  Hull. Manager: Charles Hellyer, St. Andrew's Dock, Hull.   As GY686 24 Nov 1919: Charles Dobson, Fish Docks, Grimsby. Managing owner.   May 1920: Dobson Steam Fishing Co. Ltd., Fish Docks, Grimsby Manager: Charles Dobson.   As H907 14 Dec 1923: Kelsall Bros. & Beeching Ltd., 32 Fenchurch St., London EC 3. Manager: Joseph Vivian, "Westbourne", Cardigan Rd., Bridlington. (1923-27)                   Robert Burton, St. Andrew's Dock, Hull.  (1928-30)                   Charles Emerson, St. Andrew's Dock, Hull.  (1931-36)   6 Mar 1936:  Crescent Trawling Ltd., The Docks, Milford. Manager: Norman I. Chamberlin, "Hensol", Johnston.

Landed at Milford:  19 Jul 1936 - 14 Mar 1941

Skippers: James G. King. (1941)

Notes: Sep 1914: Requisitioned by the Admiralty (No. 600) and converted to a minesweeper. 1 x 3 pdr. 1919: Returned to owners. 20 Mar 1941:  Foundered after explosion, probably after picking up a mine in the trawl. Five casualties. [See story below, and following note.] 29 Apr 1941: Hull register closed ;"Lost at sea."

Accidents and Incidents

From an unknown local newspaper of the week beginning 19th July 1936:

 

    Two of the trawlers recently purchased by Messrs. Chamberlain and Company have brought in their maiden catches.  On Monday, the Bianca, Skipper Garf Allen from Hartlepool, arrived and landed just under 50 kit of mixed fish, and on Tuesday the Juliet came in with 60 kit.  The other trawler, Phoebe, is expected any day.

 

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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 28th March 1941: 

 

    Five men were killed by an explosion on a Milford  trawler, in the early hours of Saturday last. The gear had just been hauled when the explosion occurred.

    Those who lost their lives were Skipper James George King, D.S.C., aged 58, of 9, Starbuck Rd.; Mate Cornelius James King, aged 62, of 51, Dewsland St.; Third Hand Trevor Watkins, aged 21, of 7, Brooke Ave.; Bosun Eddie S. Thomas, 1O, Greville Rd., and a Lowestoft Deckhand on his first trip out of Milford.

    The engine room crew (three Lowestoft men) also the Cook, a young man named Brand, of Hakin, escaped injury and were taken on board another Milford trawler, which took the damaged vessel in tow, only to see it sink several hours later. The skipper and mate were brothers, and both served through the first world war.

 

[ According to British Vessels Lost at Sea 1939-45, the BIANCA was torpedoed by an aircraft on Thursday 20th March 1941, in the Irish Sea. ]

 

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