MICHAEL GRIFFITH LO529

 

As FD249, 1945-53

John Stevenson Collection

Official No:  145118     Port and Year:  London, 1921  (LO529) 

                                                                   Fleetwood, 1945 (FD245)            

Description: Castle Class steel side trawler; coal fired. Ketch rigged.

Crew:  10 men (1921).

Built: by Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Selby; in 1918.  (Yard no. 402)

Tonnage:  290 grt  127 net

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 125.5 / 23.5 / 12.7                                                         

Engine: T 3-Cyl; 86 rhp; by Amos & Smith, Hull

Owners:

 

As MICHAEL GRIFFITH LO529

22 Sep 1921: The Secretary of the Admiralty, Whitehall, London SW1.

Managing owner.

 

11 Dec 1923:  Henry Leetham & Sons, Ltd., Hull.

Manager: Raymond D.T. Birt, Docks, Milford.

 

1926: Phoenix Trawling Co. Ltd., Clifford Chambers, York.

Manager: Raymond D.T. Birt, Docks, Milford.

 

1930: James Richie, 'Glenbrae', Hakin, & William T. Davies, 'Wernlwyd', Hakin, Milford.

Managing owner: William T. Davies.  [Same address.]

 

As FD 249

1945:  Clifton Steam Trawlers, Fleetwood. 

 

Landed at Milford: 16 Aug 1921 - 27 Aug 1939

Skippers: Alex Smith (1938)

Notes: 

Michael Griffiths (sic), age 23, born Waterford; O.S., HMS VICTORY, at Trafalgar.

5 Apr 1919: Delivered to the Admiralty (No. 3781)

30 Aug 1939: Requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to a minesweeper (P.No.FY.567).

Jan 1944: Converted to a boom defence vessel.

Jan 1945: Returned to owners.

31 Jan 1953:  Lost with all hands in heavy weather NW by W of Barra Head.  [Information supplied by the Fleetwood Maritime Trust and the Bosun's Watch website.] 

Six vessels were lost on the same night, one of which was the ferry PRINCESS VICTORIA, with 133 lost; 1,835 people were drowned in the Netherlands and 307 on the east coast of the UK. 

The 'MICHAEL GRIFFITHS' [sic] lifeboat was washed up near the lighthouse on Inishtrahull Island, Co. Donegal, on 7th February.  [The Times, 9th February 1953.]

 

 

Accidents and Incidents

From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 19th May 1922:

   

    An unfortunate accident befell Mr Walter Mathias, Beach Cottage, Pill, who is chief engineer on the steam trawler "Michael Griffith", last week.  The

vessel had gone to sea last week (Wednesday), but returned on Saturday evening and reported that Mr. Mathias had been badly injured by engine room machinery.  Doctor Rice was immediately called, and after attending to his injuries, ordered his removal to the County Hospital, Haverfordwest, where he now lies.

 

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

From The Times, Monday, 29th March 1937:

CASUALTY REPORTS

From Lloyds.

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

WILLIAM HUMPHRIES — Valentia Wireless Station, March 27th.  Following message received from trawler William Humphries (before reported) at 8 a.m.:— William Humphries now in tow of trawler Michael Griffith, proceeding Milford Haven.

 

 

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