RESOLUTE AD1

Official No: 118237     Port and Year:  2nd in Ardrossan, 1906 (AD1)

Description: Steel side trawler; steam screw; ketch rigged.

Crew: 9 men

Built: 1906, by Ardrossan Dockyard & Ship Building Co. (Yard No. 208)

Tonnage: 204 grt  54 net

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 117.6  / 21.6  / 11.7

Engine T.3-Cyl; 65 nhp = 10 kts.; made in 1898 by Earle's Shipbuilding Co, Hull, rebuilt 1906 by Allan Anderson & Co, Pollockshaws.

Owners:

 

27 Nov 1906: William Page & Co., Marine House, Milford

Manager: John George Cayley.

 

Landed at Milford: 16 Dec 1906 - 10 Sep 1907

Skippers:

Peter Ebbesen (Cert. 018674?);  (1906)

Hawkins, Thos. James (Cert. 2014); (1907)

Notes: 13 Sep  1907: Foundered 140 miles W by S of St. Ann's Head.  [See story below.]

Accidents and Incidents

 From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 5th December 1906:

 

    The new steam trawler "Resolute", recently built for Messrs. W. Page and Company, arrived on Thursday evening from the builders at Ardrossan, on the Clyde.  The vessel and crew experienced very rough weather on their passage round, but the vessel behaved splendidly.  She is of unusual build, and her lines are regarded as fine.  After being fitted out the ship left for her maiden voyage in charge of that experienced skipper Captain Peter Ebbesen, on Tuesday morning.  She was engined by Allen, Alexander and Company, Glasgow.

 

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From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 1st May 1907:

 

    On Saturday afternoon by the kindness of the owner, Mr. William Page, a party numbering from 250 to 300 were taken on board their new steam trawler "Resolute" in Milford Docks, and conveyed to Pembroke Dock to witness the launch of H.M.S. "Defence", dropping anchor directly opposite No. 1 shed.  The passengers had a splendid view of the Leviathan taking the water.  Other vessels from Milford arrived just too late.  Afterwards, the steam trawler "Resolute" proceeded up river in charge of Mr. Michael Lewis, as far as Lawrenny, to the delight of all aboard. 

    The return journey was not so pleasant, a cold north wind making it somewhat uncomfortable.  The party was landed at the Mackerel Stage about 6 o'clock, having thoroughly enjoyed the outing, with feelings of gratitude to Mr. Page for his kindness.  The trawler then proceeded to sea in command of Skipper Hawkings and his crew.

 

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From The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of Friday 13th September 1907:

 

MILFORD HAVEN

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

TRAWLER COLLIDES WITH KETCH. Early on Tuesday morning the ketch Irene, with a cargo of bricks from Bridgewater to Dublin, was run into by the Milford steam trawler Resolute, owned by Messrs. Page and Co. The Irene made for Milford Docks, where the damage was surveyed by Mr. J. Jones, on behalf of the U.K. Insurance Association, and Mr. J. Rees for the owners of damaged vessel. There will be no need to discharge any of the cargo, and the ketch will now proceed to Dublin, where the damage will be repaired. 

 

 

From the Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 18th September 1907:

    On Saturday afternoon the steam trawler "Gold Finder", (Captain Setterfield) arrived at Milford, having aboard the crew of the steam trawler "Resolute", (Captain Hawkins). From the narrative of the men it appears that whilst fishing 140 miles to the south-west of St. Ann's Head at 2 o'clock on Friday morning last the "Resolute" sprang a leak presumably under the boilers, and the inrush of water became so great that the crew of nine men had to take to the ship's small boat, but stood by until the "Resolute" foundered about eight o'clock.

    Throughout the day the men were afloat in their little craft, but at ten o'clock at night, after being exposed for eighteen hours, they were fortunately picked up by the trawler "Goldfinder" and brought into Milford as stated. It will be remembered as reported last week the "Resolute" was in collision early last Tuesday morning with the ketch "Irene", from Bridgewater. She was on her passage to Dublin with bricks, but no damage is said to have resulted to the steam trawler. She left dock again on Wednesday under the command of Captain Hawkins, who had during the previous trips been ashore on holidays. The vessel was quite a new one and had only been delivered to the port last December from the builders at Ardrossan. She has been very successful at the Market. The owners were Messrs William Page and Company.

 

From The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of Friday 15th November 1907:

DECISION.

LATEST DETAILS.

COURTS IMPORTANT FINDING.

WHY THE RESOLUTE WAS LOST.

            It was about 3.30 p.m. yesterday when the Court were ready to deliver the answers to the questions.

            The Chairman (Dr. Griffith) said the fact that the inquiry had lasted four days showed how painstaking and thorough it had been. He read out the questions which the Court had been asked to answer, and Mr. Price (the clerk) read the answers. The Court was unanimous in giving these as follows :—

            1. There is no evidence before the Court to show the extent of the damages sustained by the Resolute in the collision with the ketch Irene on the 10th of September last off St. Anne's Head; but from the amount of damage caused to the Irene, in which the greenheart covering board, together with the outside planking, was damaged to a depth of three planks, and was estimated by the surveyor to cost £195 to repair, and finally settled for £185, it is probable that the Resolute did sustain considerable damage; and from this cause she foundered on the morning of the 13th of September last, 140 miles W. by S. of St. Anne's Head. In the opinion of the Court no proper measures were taken to ascertain the extent of the damage which it would be reasonable to suppose she had sustained after such a collision. From the evidence of the United Kingdom Insurance Company, of North Shields, with whom she was insured, it is quite clear that instructions were immediately telegraphed to Mr. Jones, of Milford Haven, to hold a survey on the vessel, as they at once recognised their position, and the expenses of delay. This, however, was not carried out by Mr. Jones on the morning of the 11th, because he had also been instructed to hold a survey on the Irene; and he attended the Irene first. Hearing from Mr. Bishop (the agent) that the manager, Mr. Cayley, had told him the Resolute was undamaged, he concluded that the vessel would not be sent to sea until a survey was made. On the contrary, Mr. Cayley hurried the vessel out of dock on the morning of the 11th, so as to prevent a writ being placed upon her by the representatives of the Irene, and thereby detained. Consequently she went to sea in the afternoon of the 11th inst. without being surveyed.

            2. As far as the equipment of the vessel was concerned, there is every reason to believe she was in good and seaworthy condition. But the Court is not satisfied that the hull was, for no reliable survey was held after the vessel collided with the Irene on the 10th of September, at 1.30 a.m.; and she was ordered to sea on the 11th to evade detention, as explained in the answer to No. 1.

            3. The Court is of opinion that the cause of the vessel making so much water shortly after 3 a.m. of the 13th of September last was in consequence of some damage that she had sustained on the 10th of September. No proper efforts were made by the skipper or engineer to ascertain the whereabouts of and stop the leak, and to keep the water under. They were so dumbfounded at the sudden inrush of water; and after attempting to cut the gear away, and failing, they thought only of getting the boat out and saving their lives.

            4. The engineer told the Court that all the pumps were put on, but without avail. No attempt was made to keep the steam up. Futile efforts were made to cut the steel trawl hawser, to free the vessel of the gear (and allow the engines to be put at full speed); but as this was done in a very perfunctory manner it did not succeed. No efforts were made by those on board to save the vessel, and hence the Court is of opinion that she was prematurely abandoned.

            5. The cause of the loss of the vessel was a sudden leak developing in the engine-room on the starboard side, which increased to such an extent that it overcame the pumping power of the engines. The Court is of opinion that had steps been taken in time the vessel would probably have been saved.

            6. The loss of the Resolute was caused by her being sent to sea without being properly surveyed to ascertain her condition, after being in collision with the Irene on the date mentioned. The skipper cannot be blamed for this, neither can the second hand, or the chief and second engineers. But the Court is of opinion that they are to be blamed for not being more resourceful in their efforts to save the vessel. The trawler hawser could have been easily dealt with by putting on a stopper aft, and then taking it off the grove of the bollard, and placing it on top where it could have been quietly cut, and the vessel relieved from the trawl. The main engine pumps could then have had full advantage of the steam, and probably have kept her afloat until they reached the nearest land, which was distant about 55 miles. It was stated by Mr. Caley that the Resolute was on the ground in the dock at 7 p.m. of the 11th of September, when he came down to the vessel; and he suggested that a broken blade of the propeller might have caused the damage. This, however, would be impossible, for at neap tide, according to the tables, the water in the dock is 16 feet.

            The value of the vessel, according to the manager, was £6,500. She was purchased by the owner for £5,120, and a further sum of £180 laid out upon her, in addition for gear, stores, etc. She was insured in the first place for £5,200; then on the 20th February, 1907, she was further insured for £5,500, with the United Kingdom Steam Trawlers' Association, North Shields.

            Mr. Talfourd Strick asked did the Court propose to deal with anyone’s certificate?      

            The Chairman: The Court will not deal with the certificates of any of the officers (subdued applause). «

            Mr. R. D. Gilbertson asked if the skipper and chief engineer were at liberty to leave to join a new ship, and the Chairman replied that they were.

            Mr. Tombs thanked the Court for the very courteous way they heard what he had had to say on behalf of his client.

            This ended the inquiry.

[ « Skipper Thomas James Hawkins, Mate John Robert Sanderson, Ch.Engineer Michael Sheehan, 2nd Engineer Frank Selfe. ]

 

From B.T. and R. Larn (2002):   Shipwreck Index of Ireland 

RESOLUTE        12/09/1907

Co.Cork, Galley Head, 30M S    51.00N 09.00W.

 

....

Foundered /total wreck or loss

 

 

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