DATURA M98

Official No:  99993    Port Number and Year: 10th in Milford, in 1892.

Description: Iron side / beam trawler; single screw; coal burner.  Ketch rigged.

Crew: 9 men (1892)

Registered at Milford: Sep 1892

Built: Sir R. Dixon & Co., Middlesborough, in 1892.  (Yard no. 378)

Tonnage: 140 grt  49 net

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 100.5 / 20.4 / 10.7

Engine: C 2-Cyl.  46 rhp Engine: N & E Marine Engineering, Sunderland.

Owners:   29 Oct 1892: Cornelius Cecil Morley, 'Milford House', Portlaw, Co. Waterford. William Goff Davis-Goff, Glenville, Co. Waterford. Manager: Fred J Sellick.

Landed at Milford:  [«Did she fished out of Hull, Oct - Dec 1892?] 8 Jan 1893 - 22 Jan 1897. 27 Nov 1893: Sailed out of Swansea South Dock. (Western Mail; 28 Nov 1893)

Skippers: «Alexander J. Hughes cert 0574, age 42, born Gravesend, residing 14 Daltry St., Hull; signed on 29 Oct 1892. W. J. Eagle 2743, 24, Hull - ; 8 Nov 1892; 11 Jan, 7 Jul 1893; 8 Jan, 1 Jul 1895. J. Turner 2948, 29, Leeds, - ; 25 Oct 1895; 3 Jan - 18 Nov 1896 Raycroft 1893; Kingston 1893; Scott 1894; Green: 27 Nov 1896 - 22 Jan 1897.

Notes:  Datura are poisonous plants, especially their seeds and flowers. [Wikipedia.] 1 Feb 1897: Stranded and lost off the Barrels in calm conditions, with fog; total loss. [See story below.]

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 6 Apr 1897

 Accidents and Incidents

From the Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 15th November 1893:

 

AN EXTRAORDINARY ACCIDENT.-  Captain W. E. Eagle, of the steam trawler 'Datura', recounted a most extraordinary incident on his arrival in dock on Sunday.  In the afternoon of the preceding day, we were informed, when the trawl was being shot some 30 miles west of the Smalls, one of the deck-hands became entangled in the trawl-warp shackle, which is attached to the net, and was pulled overboard.  As soon as possible the gear was hauled up with great rapidity with the steam winch, and the unfortunate fellow was brought to the surface clinging with a death-like grip to the trawl-warp.  It is calculated that he was carried down to a considerable depth as on being hauled up he was bordering on unconsciousness; animation, however, was restored, and the "Dicky" [sic - "Decky"] appeared little the worse for his sudden and unexpected immersion.  His feelings must have resembled the experience of Edgar Allen Poe's imaginative event in the "Maelstrom".

 

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Log book entries:

 

02.07.1895

Hauled at 12 o'clock a.m.  Had dead body in the trawl, very much decomposed, head and hands missing, had on a pair of sea boots with wooden soles, blue stockings, blue striped drawers, flannel singlet and shirt, pair of black cloth trousers, blue guernsey, black waistcoat and oilskin jacket.  The Smalls light bearing E by N, 25 miles, in 60 fathoms.

    W. Eagle (Skipper)

 

24.12.1895

On 24th December 1895, when lying off the Smalls during a gale from the SE, we sighted a schooner flying signals of distress.  Came down to her and took off crew as their vessel was in danger of foundering, owing to bad leak.  When weather moderated took vessel in tow.  Towed her for 101 hours when she foundered.  She was the "John Williams" of Carnarvon with a cargo of slates from Portmadoc to London.

    J. Turner (Skipper)

 

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From Lloyds Weekly Shipping Index for 7th February 1896, supplied by Carl Smith: 

 

    The Board of Trade has awarded a binocular glass to John Turner skipper, and a bronze medal for gallantry and £2 each to Robert Woodgate, second hand, and Thomas Gardner, bos'n of the steam trawler Datura of Milford in recognition of their services in rescuing the crew of the schooner John Williams of Carnarvon which foundered at sea on 24 December last.

 

[The John Williams was bound Porthmadog to London with slates and went down about 16 miles NW of the Smalls. The presentation was made by Dr. W. S. Griffith, at the Masonic Hall, Milford, on 3rd March 1896.]

 

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From the Western Mail  of Wednesday 3rd February 1897:

SHIPPING DISASTERS

MILFORD TRAWLER FOUNDERS

CREW RESCUED AND LANDED

    The steam trawler Datura, of Milford Haven, struck the rocks off the Smalls at midnight on Monday, during a dense fog, and rapidly began to settle down by the head.  The crew of nine hands took to the boat, and shortly after daylight on Tuesday were picked up near Grassholm Island by the steam trawler Exmouth (Captain Stroud), and brought to Milford.  The Datura was returning from the fishing grounds at the time of foundering.

 

 

From R. &. B. Larn (2000): Shipwreck Index of the British Isles - West Coast and Wales:

 

DATURA                01/02/1897

 

Pembrokeshire, Barrel's Rocks.    51.43N  05.33W

.........

Stranded and lost off the Barrels Rocks in calm conditions with fog.

 

 

 

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