FLORA M233

Official No:  109298   Port Number & Year:  10th in Brixham, 1898 (DH450 >BM34)                                                                                8th in Milford, 1911

Description: Wooden sailing smack; beam trawling.  Ketch rigged: foresail, mainsail, mizzen, topsail, jib.

Crew: 3 men, 1 boy

Registered: 27 Feb 1913

Built: 1898; by Sidney John Dewdney, Brixham

Tonnage: 51.11 grt  42.03 net

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 61 (70.2 oa) / 18.1 / 8.9

Engine:

Owners:   As BM34 1898: Henry Rowse, St. Peter's Tce., Brixham.  (Managing owner.)   As M233 27 Feb 1913: James McDonald, 1 Vicary St., Pill, Milford Manager: John Thomas, 'Tredegar House', Great North Rd., Milford

Landed at Milford: 23 Jun 1898 - 9 Jan 1910 (As BM34 )                                  12 Feb 1913 - 5 Nov 1915

Skippers: H. M. Rowse cert - ; age - ; born Torquay; residing - ; signed on 13 Jan 1913 W. H. Harris 1808, 46, Brixham, Warwick Rd., Milford; 2 Feb 1913 Martin Dempsey 10098, - , - , - ; 8 Mar 1913. A. Day 9168, 24, Glasgow, - ; 18 Mar 1913 S. W. Richards 01953, 57, Tenby, 24 Trafalgar Rd., Milford; 11 Jul 1913 Samuel Willard Richards 1953, - , - , - ; 8 Nov 1915.

Notes:  Lost following collision (see below)

Cert. Cancelled & Registry Closed: 8 Mar 1916. (Vessel wrecked on 12 Nov 1915)

Accidents and Incidents

From The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of Friday 10th December 1909:

 

THE GALES.

Milford Haven Fishing Smacks in Collision.

The tremendous gale which prevailed over the latter part of last week caused slates to be removed off the roofs of houses, trees to be uprooted, and numerous other accidents of this kind. Many families stayed up all night because of the danger incurred by the falling slates. There were also many anxious hearts amongst those who had friends or relatives on the sea, which, even in the harbour, was in a turmoil.

...............

The smack “Dove”, owned by Mr. J. Wooton of this port, came in on Saturday with her mast broken just below the rigging. The smack “Flora”, lost her gangway and rail. Members of the crews of these ships state that this has been the worst gale which they have experienced during the last twenty years. No doubt, the enormous gale of 1886 is still fresh in he memory of our oldest readers. It was remarkable for the large numbers of ships ashore in the harbour.

 

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Log book entry:

 

03.04.1913

While on Mounts Bay fishing ground the smack 'Winnie' of Brixham (BM 125) ran into us sustaining damages to channel and carrying away bowsprit and light board, causing damage of £20.

    A. Day (Skipper)

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From The Scotsman of Monday 15th November 1915, p.10:

 

FISHGUARD, Saturday.

    Steamers Norseman, of Aberystwyth, Emlyn, of Cardiff, and smack Flora, of Milford, ashore Goodwick beach.

....................

WRECKS AT FISHGUARD

    The most violent and destructive gale since Fishguard harbour was opened continued throughout Friday night, following fifty hours' continuous rain.  The wind blew like a hurricane, and just before midnight the ketch Thora [sic], of Milford, went on the rocks under Fishguard Cliff, and was totally wrecked.  The hands were rescued by lifeboat.

    ..................

 

 

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

 

FLORA                12/11/1915

 

Pembrokeshire, Fishguard Harbour   52.00.30N  04.06.59W

.........

Foundered and lost following collision with the s.s. CAN'T LOSE, of St.John's, Newfoundland.

 

 

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