SIR JOHN LISTER LO209
Kindly supplied by Ann Axford
Official No: 139806 Port Number and Year: Aberdeen, 1919 (A149)
Plymouth, 1920 (PH140)
Fleetwood, 1922 (FD406)
La Rochelle, 1924 (LR.3739)
Hull, 1933 (H509)
London, 1937 (LO209)
Granton, 1948 (GN50)
Description: Castle Class steel side trawler, steam screw, coal burning. Ketch rigged
Crew: 9 men (1919).
Built: 1919 by John Duthie, Torry Shipbuilding Co., Aberdeen. (Yard no. 449)
Tonnage: 276 grt 109 net
Length / breadth / depth (feet): 125.6 / 23.6 / 12.7
Engine: T.3-cyl; 87 rhp; by Bellis & Morcom, Birmingham.
Owners:
As PETER KILLEN A149
11 Apr 1919: Andrew Hardie, 'Westfield', Cults, Aberdeen.
Manager: Horace E. Stroud, 164 Market St., Aberdeen.
Mar 1920: Herbert Ford, 94 Colmore Row, Birmingham.
Manager: John Maxwell Jones, 20 Woolster St., Plymouth.
Apr 1920: PH140.
As FD406
Feb 1922: Killen Steam Fishing Co. Ltd., Derby Chambers, Wyre Dock, Fleetwood
Manager: Jules H. Nierinck, 'Desmond House', Queen's Drive, Blackpool.
24 Mar 1922: FD406.
As CRAONNE BEAURIEUX LR3739
Apr 1924: René Maubaillarcq & Cie, La Rochelle. (Association Rochelaise de Pêche à Vapeur).
[See photograph below.]
As SIR JOHN LISTER H509
26 Sep 1933: Hudson Steam Fishing Co. Ltd., St. Andrew's Dock, Hull
Manager: Archibald Hudson, 'St. Catherine's', Swanland Rd., Hessle, E. Yorks.
As LO209
30 Mar 1938: Iago Steam Trawling Co., London & Fleetwood.
Manager: E. D. W. Lawford.
Jan 1946: Pair Fishing Co., Docks, Milford
Manager: Henry J. Richards.
Nov 1947: William Johnston, Newhaven, Edinburgh.
Jan 1948: As ESTHER JOHNSTON GN50
1954: William Johnston & Co (Newhaven) Ltd., Newhaven, Edinburgh
Manager: Adam W. Wood, Leith.
Landed at Milford: 3 Mar 1946 - 2 Nov 1947.
Skippers: J. H. High. Notes:
Peter Killen; age 21, born Co. Louth; O.S., HMS VICTORY; at Trafalgar.
Sir John Lister was knighted by Charles I; he was twice mayor of Hull, and M. P. for the borough ; where he liberally founded and endowed an hospital.
Dec 1918: Launched for the Admiralty as PETER KILLEN (Ad.No.4207), but completed as a fishing vessel.
1 Sep 1939: Requisitioned by the Admiralty as SIR JOHN LISTER and converted to a minesweeper (P.No. FY.622).
May 1945: Surveyed and restored at Port Glasgow.
11 Aug 1945: Returned to owner.
14 Apr 1957: Broken up by Shipbreaking Industries, Charlestown, Fife.
[Information supplied by the Fleetwood Maritime Heritage Trust and the Bosun's Watch website.]
Accidents and Incidents
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 15th February 1946:
As a direct sequel to the dispute between the Skippers and Mates Section of the T.&G.W.U and the owners of pair fishing trawlers over the employment of Spanish Fishing Masters, the Spanish method of pareja-fishing has ceased at Milford.
The "Charmouth" and "Grackle" have already been converted to fish solo, while the "Trumpeter" and "Shama", the other boats belonging to the Pair Fishing Co., will be converted later this month. The Don Trawler Company's "Tanager" and "Grosbeak" are also coming in for alterations pending their return to fishing singly.
It will be remembered that the skippers and mates claimed that demobilised local skippers should be put in as masters instead of the Spanish uncertificated fishermen holding the berths, one on each trawler in addition to a normal skipper. The owners claimed that the Spaniards were indispensable, and that if the Union persisted, they would either move their boats to another port, or convert them to fish singly. There was a deadlock for a few weeks, and as the skippers and mates were adamant, the trawlers are being converted, but will not leave the port.
Taking another step in their new policy of fishing with single boats, the Pair Fishing Company has purchased the Castle boat "John Lister" from the Iago Trawling Company of Fleetwood, with which Capt. E. D. W. Lawford is associated. She will be at Milford early next month, and Skipper Reggie High will be in charge of her.
The "Charmouth" has been taken out on her first solo trip by Skipper Jack Garnham.
.............
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 19th April 1946:
Two more super-castle trawlers will join the fleet when the Iceland fishing season ends. They are the "Maretta" (Iago Steam Trawling Co., Fleetwood), and the "James Barrie" of Hull. Both boats have been purchased by the Pair Fishing Company to join the "Ijuin" and the "Sir Thomas Lister".
The "Maretta", 135 feet long, was built in 1929, and the "James Barrie", launched in 1928, is owned by the Newington Steam Company, Hull, for whom she has fished since her commissioning. Both are coal burners, and their purchase is another proof of the Milford trend towards a bigger class of fishing vessel.
[ The vessel named as SIR THOMAS LISTER is the SIR JOHN LISTER. The JAMES BARRIE H460, built 1928, 338 grt, did not fish out of Milford. ]
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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 28th June 1946:
.... on Saturday, the steam trawler "Sir John Lister", skippered by Mr J. H. High, Steynton Road, picked up a mine in the trawl 50 miles south-west of St. Ann's Head. The skipper noticed that the in-coming trawl was heavy and from the deck he saw a mine bob up between trawl and ship. The mate, Mr B. Maas [?], reversed the winch and Skipper High chopped away the gear.
The skipper's prompt action in leaving the bridge and directing operations from the deck undoubtedly saved the ship and her crew of fourteen. The "Sir John Lister" belongs to the Pair Fishing Company.
It is also reported that another Milford trawler fouled a mine with her trawl, but this one exploded some distance from the ship without doing any damage.
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As CRAONNE BEAURIEUX LR3739 (with the livery of L'Association Rochelaise de Peche à Vapeur.)
Photo d'Alex Henri, La Rochelle
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