GILLYGATE LO231

Official No:  120624    Port Number and Year: 158th in London, 1905 (LO231)

                                                                                   -      in Aberdeen, 1919 (A137)

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

Crew: 9 men (1905).  

Built: 1905, by Smith's Dock Co., North Shields.  (Yard no. 786)

Tonnage: 207 grt  64 net (1905); 81 net (1 Jan 1914).

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 117.5 / 21.6 / 11.5

Engine: T 3-Cyl. 52 rhp.  Engine by McColl & Pollock, Sunderland

Owners:

 

As LO231

26 Oct 1905: Phoenix Trawling Co., 3 Lothbury, City, London EC. 

Manager: George H. D. Birt, Docks, Milford.

 

As AVONGLEN  A137

16 Jun 1925: John A. Harrow, Regent St., Aberdeen. (1925-29)

Managing owner.

North Star Steam Fishing Co., Regent Rd., Aberdeen. (1929-1934.)

Manager: John A. Harrow.

 

Landed at Milford: 13 Nov 1905 - 17 Jan 1915; 18 May 1919 - 21 Aug 1921.

Skippers: John (1905); David J. Davies (1906-08); T. J. Hawkings (1915)

Notes: 

Gillygate is a street in York.

Feb 1915: Requisitioned by the Admiralty (Admy. No. 968). 1x12 pdr.

21 Jun 1918: George E. Picknett, age 26, Deck Hand RNR; drowned. Buried in Taranto Town Cemetery Extension, Italy. (CWGC).

1919: Returned to owners.

Aug 1921 - Jun 1925: Laid up.

19 Sep 1934: Foundered 105 miles NE by N of Buchan Ness.  Sprung a leak, and headed for the trawler BEATHWOOD, which stood by.  Water gained on the pumps, and crew took to the small boat, and were picked up, with no loss of life.

[The Times, Saturday, 22 Sep 1934.]

27 Sep 1934: Register closed.

 Accidents and Incidents

From The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of Friday 12th October 1906:

 

Skippers Who Risk Lives

TRAWLER CUTS IN BETWEEN TWO VESSELS

SAILING SMACK ENTERS AGAINST SIGNALS

OFFENDERS BEFORE MILFORD HAVEN MAGISTRATES

        At the Milford Haven Petty Sessions on Wednesday Capt. J. Ward preferred charges of breaches of the dock regulations against two skippers, David John Davies, master of the steam trawler Gillygate, and Samuel Mummery, master of the smack Vivid.  In the first case the charge was of running the vessel in between two other trawlers at the dock entrance, and was in connection with the charges against two other skippers at the previous court.  The case against Mummery was of later date, and was unlawfully entered Milford Docks by day, during such a time as the blue flag was not hoisted on the pier head on the east side of the dock entrance.

        The case against David John Davies was taken first.  The defendant did not appear, being again at sea, but was represented by Mr. T. Hancock.

        Capt. Jas. Ward said that the particulars of the charge were already partly familiar to the magistrates. It was almost part of the case heard at the last sitting, when two skippers were fined for rushing into dock and coming abreast in the entrance.  He might say on that occasion two trawlers came in abreast, and that the skipper of the Gillygate, which was somewhat astern, deliberately drove his vessel in between the other two.  After that he lost control of his trawler, and could not get into dock without assistance.  The trawler swung round and lay acrossthe dock and Davies could not get her ahead or astern.  One of the other trawlers had to help him.  That was a deliberate attempt to pass other vessels lying first.  It was fortunate that the skippers of the other boats allowed him to pass instead of maintaining their rights by putting on speed.

        The Chairman (Dr. Griffith) observed that that was most extraordinary conduct.

       Capt. Jas. Ward: Yes, and Davies is one of our most experienced skippers.  If it had been an experienced man I could have understood it.  He should like to add that davies was a very decent man, and was very civil about the incident.

        The Chairman said he had been informed on the highest authority that if any serious damage was done to the dock gates the over-whelming consequence could not be estimated.  There would be wholesale damage to property, and perhaps loss of life.  Those two skippers must be made to understand what they were doing, and a fine of £2 was apparently quite ineffective.  Davies would be fined the maximum £5.

        .......................

 

[ £5 in 1906 would be the 2010 equivalent to £419, using the retail price index, or £1,690, using average earnings. ]

 

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From the Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 19th February 1908:

 

    Frederick J. Hancock, Point Street, Hakin, summoned John Stroud, Charles Street, master mariner, for piloting the steam trawler "Essex" out of the port of Milford without holding the necessary certificate.  David J. Davies, of Great North Road, master of the steam trawler "Gillygate"; James Keen, Dewsland Street, master mariner of the steam trawler "Syringa"; and Thomas Leggett, Waterloo Road, master mariner of the steam trawler "St. Clear", were summoned for a like offence.  It was mentioned that the cases had all been settled, and they were struck out.

 

   

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