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BERENGA GY366
SPRINGLEIGH M192
LYDSTEP M192
As LYDSTEP
Roger Worsley Archive
Official No: 139782 Port Number and Year: 25th in Aberdeen, 1916 (A706)
5th in Fleetwood, 1922 (FD403)
3rd in Granton, 1924 (GN24)
21st in Grimsby, 1925 (GY366)
14th in Milford, 1951 (M192)
Description: Steel side trawler; steam screw, coal burning. Pair fishing. Ketch rigged: mizzen sail.
Crew: 10 men (1919); 9 men (1924); 12 men (1951).
Registered in Milford: 17 Oct 1951
Built: by Cochrane & Sons, Selby, 18 Jun 1917. (Yard no. 725)
Tonnage: 226.52 gross 86.77 net
Length / breadth / depth (feet): 121.2 / 22.25 / 12.3
Engine: T 3-Cyl. 80 rhp. 11.0 kts. Engine by R. W. Lewis & Sons, Aberdeen; boiler by Riley Bros., Southbank on Tees.
Owners:
11 Aug 1916: Richard W. Lewis & Sons, Normal Buildings, Point Law, Aberdeen.
Managing owner. (By 1918: Inchgarth, Pitfodels, Aberdeenshire.)
17 Oct 1916: As FEUGH A706
22 Nov 1919: The British Trawling Co. Ltd., 201 Derby Rd., Bootle.
Manager: Charles W. Pickering. (Same address.) (1920: Derby Chambers, Wyre Dock, Fleetwood.)
9 Feb 1920: The Derby Steam Trawling Co. Ltd., 201 Derby Rd., Bootle.
(Same manager.)
20 Feb 1922: Godby Steam Fishing Co. Ltd., Derby Chambers, Wyre Dock, Fleetwood.
Manager: Jules Nierinck. (Same address.)
24 Feb 1922: As FD403.
Sep 1924: Thomas D. Lees, 32 Gosford Place, Bonnington, Edinburgh.
Manager: Robert Bell (Jnr.), 2 Links Place, Leith.
13 Oct 1924: As GN24
Nov 1924: Crampin Steam Fishing Co. Ltd., Fish Dock Rd., Grimsby.
Manager: Herbert G. Crampin.
25 Nov 1925: As GY366
7 Nov 1927: Trawlers (White Sea & Grimsby) Ltd., Auckland Rd., Fish Docks, Grimsby.
30 Dec 1927: As BERENGA GY366
Manager: Harold Bacon, Corby House, Willowgate, Grimsby.
(3 Feb 1930: James N. Bacon, Westland Corner, 36 Bargate, Grimsby.)
(14 Mar 1941: Charles George Martin.)
18 Jan 1942: Trawlers Grimsby Ltd., Grimsby.
Manager: C. G. Martin.
19 Dec 1945: United Trawlers, The Docks, Milford.
Manager: Henry J. Horwood.
3 Oct 1951: As SPRINGLEIGH.
As M192.
17 Oct 1951: Atlantic Trawlers, 3 Howe St., Edinburgh.
Manager: Henry J. Richards. (15 Oct 1951)
19 Feb 1953: John Charles Llewellin (Trawlers) Ltd., The Docks, Milford
Managing owner: John Charles Llewellin.
5 May 1953: South Western Trawlers Ltd., The Docks, Milford Haven.
27 Jul 1953: As LYDSTEP M192
Landed at Milford: As BERENGA: 24 Jun 1946 - 10 Sep 1951
As SPRINGLEIGH: 14 Oct - 19 Dec 1951; 11 Jan - 23 Jul 1953
As LYDSTEP: 8 Aug - 31 Oct 1953; 3 Jan 1954 - 12 Apr 1955
Skippers: W. 'Billy' Burgoyne (1946); Arthur Howie (1951); George Corney (1951).
Notes:
Feugh is a stream and a tributary to the River Dee in Aberdeenshire.
Lydstep is a Pembrokeshire hamlet, near Tenby.
Jun 1917: Requisitioned as FEUGH and converted to a minesweeper (Ad.No.1278). 1 x 6 pdr HA. Based at Peterhead.
12 Mar 1919: Returned to owners.
8 Jun 1923: Driven ashore at Bispham, Blackpool; catch and crew saved. Refloated and returned to service.
26 Jan 1937: V. Smith, a trimmer on the BERENGA, landed with serious injuries to his face and legs, having been washed along the deck in a storm in the North Sea. [The Times, Wednesday 27th January 1937.]
25 Nov 1939: Requisitioned as BERENGA and converted to a minesweeper (P.No. FY.774)
17 Feb 1940: Returned to owners.
19 Apr 1940: Requisitioned and converted for barrage balloon towing.
3 Sep 1945: Returned to owners.
Feb 1951: See newspaper article below.
23 May 1955: To Thos. Ward yard, Castle Pill, for breaking up.
13 Jun 1955: Milford register closed.
[ Mayes G. & Thomas M. (2014): Cochrane Shipbuilders Vol.2: 1915 - 1939. ]
Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 13 Jun 1955. Vessel broken up at Ward's Yard, Castle Pill.
Accidents and Incidents
From The Irish Times of Friday 2nd February 1951, p.1:
Night Rescue of 12 From Doomed Trawler
The timely arrival of a sister vessel, the Berenga, resulted in the rescue of the captain and crew of eleven of the trawler Braesomer [*sic], of Milford Haven, Wales, as she was drifting helplessly towards Ballinskelligs Bay, Co. Kerry, with water pouring into her engine room from a leak.
The incident occurred last Wednesday evening, after the crew had worked at the pumps for hours, in an effort to check the inrush of water from the leak.
Meanwhile SOS calls were sent out. Finally, the engine room became flooded, and preparations were made to abandon ship.
SKIPPER LAST
Then the Berenga hove in sight, and, despite a choppy sea, members of the Braesomer's crew succeeded in launching their small lifeboat.
After most of the crew had been taken aboard the Berenga, Captain Jack L. Ryan, of the Braesomer, was brought to safety with the remaining men.
The Berenga stood by all night. At dawn the Braesomer was still afloat, but she sank at 9 a.m.
The rescued men, who were taken to Berehaven, Co. Cork, highly praised the action of Captain A. Howie and the crew of the Berenga. "They spared no effort in doing their utmost to save us," said Captain Ryan. "Their timely arrival certainly saved all our lives. I hated like anything to lose my ship, of which I have been captain since October, 1940."
It was Captain Howie's third sea rescue.
Among the rescued men were William Scanlon, of 9 Nelson terrace, Cork, and Anthony Myles, of Gortskiddin, Crossmolina, Co. Mayo.
The Braesomer, a deep sea steam trawler of 98 tons, is owned by the United Trawlers Co., Ltd., Milford Haven.
[*The disabled trawler was the BRAES O'MAR M100.]
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 21st September 1951:
Goodleigh Fisheries Ltd. are adding another pair to their fleet. They have purchased from Fleetwood the trawler Jenwil, which was at one time owned by Messrs. Jenkerson and Jones, and are pairing her with the Berenga, bought from United Trawlers. The firm has also purchased the steam trawler Norrard from United Trawlers, to be used as a reserve ship for the pairs so that it can replace without delay any ship among the pairs coming out of commission for repairs or overhaul. The Jenwil and Berenga are expected to sail within a week or two.
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 28th September 1951:
Messrs. J. C. Llewellin (Trawlers) Ltd. have broken new ground in adopting Pembrokeshire names for the two trawlers they recently purchased from Holland, the Nolton and Steynton, which sail next week in charge of Skippers J. Garnham and Tom Smith.
Pembrokeshire names for trawlers are not unique at Milford, but they become so familiar that vessels like the Caldy and Slebech, and the former Thornton, are not connected immediately with the Premier County.
Another pair, the Springleigh and the Lordleigh (Messrs. Goodleigh Fisheries) leave on their maiden voyage this weekend, in charge of Skippers George Corney and Jack Byford.
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 11th November 1954:
The steam trawler "Lydstep" was hauling in the last catch of fish before steaming back to her home port of Milford, when Mr George Gorman Harding, of 32, Starbuck Road, Milford, received severe injuries which later proved fatal. It is believed that at the time he was pulling a trawl aft when a piece of rope on which he was working, attached to the drum at the end of the winch, caught him. He died two days later, only half-an-hour before his wife, son-in-law and daughter had arrived at the hospital in Cork, where he had been conveyed.
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 13th May 1955:
The former pair trawler Crundale arrived at Ward's Yard on Saturday, and her sister ship Lydstep, and the Letterston are expected to follow soon.
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