ILFRACOMBE LT148

From an unknown local newspaper of c. 28th October 1937:

 

    Another pair of locally owned trawlers put to sea on Tuesday night's tide.  They were the s.t. Rattray and the s.t, Charmouth, recently purchased by the Don Fishing Company from Fleetwood and Aberdeen, and reconditioned and adapted for the Spanish "Pareja" method of fishing. 

    This enterprising firm has purchased four more of this class of trawlers from Lowestoft, viz., s.t Aberdeen, s.t. Xania, s.t. Ilfracombe and the s.t Scarborough, two of which have arrived in Milford Docks to be fitted out.

    This makes five pairs of boats under the management of Yolland and Llewellyn.

 

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From the West Wales Guardian, Friday 28th September, 1945:

With a storm which is said to have reached a wind force of 120 miles an hour raging, and tremendous waves tossing them about like corks, about ten fishing trawlers lay anchored in Kilronan Bay on the treacherous Galway coast of Ireland by the bleak Arran Isles last Friday, they had put in to seek shelter from one of the worst gales ever experienced in the long history of the fishermen, and were waiting for the storm to reach its climax and gradually blow itself out before proceeding to the fishing grounds. Among the ships which had put in the previous day were the Milford trawlers "Ilfracombe" and her sister ship the "Scarborough" owned by the Don Fishing Company, two more of the company's ships, the "Tanagar" and the "Crosby" and the Pair Fishing Company sister ships, the "Trumpeter" and the "Shama".

As it grew dark on Friday the wind grew even fiercer and the waves were breaking with tremendous force against the little ships. The storm had just about reached its peak and it was pitch dark, when almost at the same time two of the trawlers, the "Ilfracombe" and the "Trumpeter" were lifted by the giant waves and flung against the rocks which form a great reef in the bay. The first ship was left firmly on the rocks but the "Trumpeter" seemed to be aground not so solidly and the jagged rocks had not got a grip on her. The other trawlers made gallant bids in the face of the full fury of the weather to do what they could for the unfortunate vessels.

The "Scarborough" and the "Crosby" stood by the "Ilfracombe" but were unable to get her off, but the "Tanagar" went to the aid of the "Trumpeter" and began manoeuvring to get her off the reef. Meanwhile the Arran lifeboat had put out, and while the women were kneeling in prayer on the spray-swept beach, the crews of both trawlers were taken off by the lifeboat, the "Ilfracombe" crew by means of the breeches buoy.

The "Trumpeter" crew went on board the sister ship "Shama", while the "Tanagar" crew had boarded the "Trumpeter". She was pulled off the reef little the worse and was sailed out of the bay. She was taken to Berehaven and there awaits her crew who will take her on to the fishing grounds to complete the trip.

The "Ilfracombe" became a total wreck and had to be completely abandoned. Her crew left Galway on Wednesday to return overland to Milford.

[Crew of the "Ilfracombe":]

Skipper. A.E.Setterfield. 53,Edward St., Milford Haven.

Mate. R.Kemp. 65,Stratford Rd., Milford Haven.

R. Whitland. Meyrick St., Pembroke Dock.

J. Mitchell. Priory Rd., Milford Haven.

W.H. Phillios. Groesgoch.

S. R. Gwilliam,  Haverfordwest.

P. Kinsella. Milford Haven.

O'Shea. Hakin.

A.Hall. Haverfordwest.

J. Dalton. Haverfordwest.

W.J.Mathias. Haverfordwest.

J.Fernandez. (Spanish Fishing Master).

 

[Crew of the "Trumpeter":]

Skipper.  Tom Blake. 43, Hakinville.

Mate.   G.Flicker, Liddaston.

F.Harries, 15, Albion St., Milford Haven.

S.T. Mansell, Swansea.

A. Breen, Swansea.

T. Hally, 22, Hill St., Hakin.

T. Buttles, Prendergast, Haverfordwest.

J. Marshall, 33, Starbuck Rd., Milford Haven.

J. Mannings, 2,Water St., Neyland.

F.D. Phillips, 48, Dewsland St., Milford Haven.

Jose Vieiara, Greville Rd., Milford Haven.

Fishing Master. Louis Urtiago, North Road, Milford Haven.

The Skipper of the trawler "Tanagar" which accomplished the clever rescue of the "Trumpeter" was Skipper D. Davies, 15, Dew Street, Haverfordwest.

 

 

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