SETTSU LO75
John Stevenson Collection
Official No: 145748 Port and Year: Cardiff, 1924 (CF9)
London, 1931 (LO75)
Description: Steel side trawler; coal fired. Ketch rigged.
Crew: 12 men (1931).
Built: by Smith's Docks Co., South Bank, Middlesborough; in 1924. (Yard no. 795)
Tonnage: 301 grt 113 net
Length / breadth / depth (feet): 130.2 / 24 / 12.9
Engine: T 3-Cyl; 99 rhp; by builders.
Owners:
As CF9
Apr 1924: Neale & West, Hope St., Cardiff.
Managers: Wilfred Neale, Morley H. Neale and Joshua S. Neale. (Same address.)
As LO75
16 Dec 1931: T. J. Jenkerson & Jones, Docks, Milford.
Manager: Tom Jenkerson.
c.1953: Milford Steam Trawling Co., Docks, Milford
Manager: Donald C. Bruton, Cunjic House, Hakin.
Landed at Milford: 3 Jan 1932 - 12 Dec 1939; 28 Feb 1947 - 22 Jul 1955; 28 Feb 1956 - 20 Jun 1958.
Skippers: Norman Brown, Alfred Beckett 1956-58.
Notes:
Settsu was a province of Japan, which today comprises the eastern part of Hyōgo Prefecture and the northern part of Osaka Prefecture. [Wikipedia.]
Jan 1940: Requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to a boom defence vessel. (P.No. Z.140).
6 Jun 1944: HMS SETTSU, Boom Working Trawler, Mulberries. Ch.Sk. J. McClelland, DSM, RD, RNR.
1946: Returned to owners.
Sep 1958: Broken up in Dublin.
Accidents and Incidents
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 24th May 1946:
On Wednesday the reconverted "Hatano" left on her first post-war voyage in charge of her pre-war skipper, Mr. Tom Donovan, D.S.C., North Road. This brings the fleet to six ships, compared with sixteen before 1939.
The firm, which specialised in Castle trawlers, always had a fine maintenance reputation, and their trawlers, to quote a fisherman, were turned out like yachts. At the start of the war, their whole fleet of fourteen trawlers was conscripted. Three were returned for fishing, but eleven performed grand work as minesweepers through the war. Two, the "Nogi" and "Tamura" [ were lost ]. The "Togimo", another Jenkerson trawler, was sunk while fishing off Ireland in February 1940. The "Yezo" is still in service, the "Settsu" is undergoing reconversion at Plymouth, and should return to Milford within the next six weeks. The "Our Bairns" is being refitted for fishing at Milford, but it has not yet been decided whether the "David Ogilvie", lately returned from service, will fish again.
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 9th January 1948:
A sensation has been caused in fishing circles at Milford by the suspension of a well-known skipper and chief engineer on a Castle Class trawler. The suspensions date from January 6th, and the skipper will not be allowed to sail as skipper or mate on local trawlers until September 1st. The engineer concerned, who lives outside Milford, has been suspended until August 1st.
The decision to suspend both men was made by a special meeting of trawler owners after consultation with representatives of the men who agreed to abide by whatever penalty was imposed.
The suspension, it is understood, follows the puncture of a steam pipe leading to the winch, necessitating a return from the fishing grounds, and going into a southern Irish port for repairs.
[ Note by Les Jones: the trawler was the SETTSU, Skipper "Butcher" Davies. The steam pipe had been sabotaged in order to spend some time ashore in Ireland, and it is believed that Skipper Davies did not sail out of Milford in any capacity again. ]
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The Times, Thursday, Feb 08, 1951; pg. 3; Issue 51920; col D
News in Brief
The Milford trawler Our Bairns, badly damaged by a tremendous wave while fishing in west Irish waters on Sunday, came into Milford docks yesterday, escorted by the sister-ship Settsu.
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 18th January 1952:
FISHING "LEAGUE"
"DUKE" AT THE TOP AGAIN
After two years as "runners-up", Skipper Albert Saunders and the "Milford Duke" are once again in top place in the Milford fishing "league". In 1951 Skipper Saunders caught a greater value of fish than any other individual trawler captain in the port.
Second in the league on last year's results is Skipper W. Burgoyne, who has moved up a place, closely followed by Skipper Steve Pembroke, who was sixth in the list of 1949 catches. "Crack" Skipper for 1948 and 1949, Skipper Tom Donovan, D.S.C., is a close fifth in results while consistent Skipper James Jobson again occupies fourth position.
Here are the leading positions, the ships being classed according to size.
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CASTLE CLASS
Capt. Kettle has done it again! In 1949 Skipper Bob Kettle was runner-up in the Castle boats; in 1950 he topped the list and his catches in 1951 gave him a winning lead over steady Skipper George Knight, who took the Lephreto into second place for the second year running. Two captains who have moved up in the "table" are Skippers Gue and Lawrence.
1. Richard Crofts (Bob Kettle), Mr. W. Wilcox.
2. Lephreto (Geo. Knight), Messrs. Jenkerson.
3. Thomas Leeds (Harry Gue), Mr. H. Westonborg.
4. Alexander Scott (J. Lawrence); 5, Their Merit (Jeff Tucker); 6, Settsu (Norman Brown); 7, T. Booth (late Skipper R. W. Limbrick); 8. W. Bunce (W. R. Robertson); 9, Milford King (Albert Beckett) [sic]; 10, Sea Hunter (J. McLelland).
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 8th June 1956:
..........
Last week we reported that the Hon. Hanning Philipps and Mrs Philipps had joined the Board of Directors of the Milford Steam Trawling Co., Ltd.
This week the firm has purchased one of Messrs. Jenkerson's vessels, the Settsu (built 1924) and the Managing Director (Col. D. C. Bruton) stated: "We also intend to buy the Our Bairns."
The Settsu sailed on Thursday morning for her new owners in charge of her regular master, Skipper Norman Brown.
The Our Bairns (built 1917) is due in from sea this week-end when it is expected she will be taken over by the Steam Trawling Co.
Docks Company Buy Trawler
Another announcement which ahs been received with much satisfaction is the news that Milford Docks Company on Wednesday bought the Jenkerson trawler Their Merit.
Mr. J. C. Ward, general manager of the company, stated on Thursday: "The Their Merit has been bought by the Milford Docks Company and will operate from the port under the management of Merchants (Milford Haven) Ltd. Her present skipper, Mr. George Spooner, and most of the same crew will remain with the ship which it is hoped will return to sea on Saturday morning. She will be renamed to include the word 'Merchant'."
The Their Merit was built in 1919 at Port Arthur, Canada. Her purchase by the Docks Company has been welcomed not only because it is a practical sign of the company's declared aim to help the fishing industry in whichever way it can.
Returns to Where She Was Built
Messrs. Jenkerson's oil-fired trawler the David Ogilvie, built in Aberdeen in 1949, has been sold to the same port. Mr. T. K. Jenkerson told the "Guardian", "The David Ogilvie has been sold to the North Star Fishing Co., Aberdeen, and will leave some time next week."
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