ST

ST. CLEAR M205

NAIADE O.144

Official No: 121617 Port Number and Year: 5th in Milford, 1907
- in Ostend, 1912 (O.144)

Description: Steel side / beam trawler; steam screw, coal burning. Ketch rigged: foresail, mainsail, mizzen.

Crew: 9 men (1907).

Registered at Milford: 20 Mar 1907

Built: 1907, by Smith's Docks Co., North Shields. (Yard no. 816)

Tonnage: 239.67 grt 89.57 (BoT Survey altered to 73.39 net, 11 Dec 1907.)

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 120.8 / 21.55 / 11.65

Engine: T 3-cyl. 68.5 nhp., 10 kts; engine by W.V.V. Lidgerwood, Coatbridge, Glasgow; boiler by Wallsend Slipway & Engineering Co., Wallsend on Tyne.

Owners:

20 Mar 1907: Milford Haven Steam Trawling Co., 10 Gordon Rd., Cardiff.

Manager: George Sheard, 'Edenhurst House', Dewsland St., Milford.

As NAIADE O.144

16 Mar 1912: Henry P. Aspeslagh, Minque 21, Ostende.

Landed at Milford: As ST.CLEAR: 1 Apr 1907 - 5 Mar 1912
As NAIADE: 13 Sep 1914 - 29 Feb 1916.

Skippers:

James Kilby cert. 1427; age 44, born Hull; residing Dewsland St., Milford; signed on 13 Mar 1907

Thomas W. Leggett 7028, 33, Gorleston; 20 Jun, 22 Jul 1907

C. Masterson 5740, 30, Salisbury; Vicary St., Pill, Milford; 7 Jan 1908

G. Hanlon 6195, 35, Hull; 21 Jan 1908

William Jones 6707, 33, Peterborough; 1 Dewsland St., Milford; 14 Apr, 3 Sep 1908

T. E. Hooper 6628, 32, Hull: 3 Gwili Rd., Hakin; 26 Dec 1908; 8 Jan 1909

Wallace Watson 3677, 43, Hull; 2 Jul 1909

George H. Thomas 7680, 32, Rutland; 5 Gracechurch Tce., Pill, Milford; 27 Sep, 13 Nov 1909; 21 Jan 1910; 17 Jan 1911

F. Hardisty 1891, 40, Barton; 20 Oct 1909

H. Newman 2977, 39, Bristol; 17 Apr 1910

George C. Nichols 05538, 40, Stamford; 'Talbot House' St.David's Rd., Milford; 3 May, 7 Jul 1910; 3 Jan 1911

J. Pratt 6106, 40, Hull; 11 Jan 1911

George I. Bird 4628, 42, Ingham; Starbuck Rd., Milford; 6 Jun, 7 Jul 1911

B. Richards 4775, 34, Tenby; 3 Oct 1911

G. Gibbs 7184, 31, Gorleston; 10 Nov 1911.

Notes:
St.Clears is a small town in Carmarthen, near the border of Pembrokeshire.
Mar 1916: Requisitioned as NAIADE and converted to a minesweeper (Admy. no. 3269); 1 x 6 pdr. AA
1919: Returned to owners.
[ Not recorded in Lloyd's List from 1930. ]

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 16 Mar 1912. Vessel sold to Belgian owner.

Accidents and Incidents

From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 3rd April 1907:

One of the finest, largest, and most up-to-date boats arrived in Milford yesterday after her maiden voyage, which realised £350. The steam trawler "St. Clear" is the property of Messrs. Powers and Sheard, who also own the "St. Vincent" and "St. Bride".

From The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of Friday 5th April 1907:

FISH NOTES

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

A new steam trawler, the St.Clear (Captain Kilby) landed her maiden voyage, and a good one at that, turning out about 200 kits of hake and grossing close on £400. She is a splendid type of boat, being 125 feet in length, fitted with all the latest improvements, and arrangements for refrigerating machinery to be put in when required. The owners are the Milford Haven Steam Trawling Co., Ltd., which already have the St.Bride's and the St. Vincent fishing out of this port.

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From the Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 19th February 1908:

Frederick J. Hancock, Point Street, Hakin, summoned John Stroud, Charles Street, master mariner, for piloting the steam trawler "Essex" out of the port of Milford without holding the necessary certificate. David J. Davies, of Great North Road, master of the steam trawler "Gillygate"; James Keen, Dewsland Street, master mariner of the steam trawler "Syringa"; and Thomas Leggett, Waterloo Road, master mariner of the steam trawler "St. Clear", were summoned for a like offence. It was mentioned that the cases had all been settled, and they were struck out.

___________________________

Log book entries:

Gallows bent and port rail aft indented. Cause - collision with the steam trawler "St Bride" of Milford. This took place 14 miles N of Ballycotton.

Port rail, bulwark broken, and beading bent. Cause - collision with steam trawler "Kalmia"

While on the fishing grounds, the cook going into the galley, ship lurched and fell onto the bulwarks and broke seaman's ribs. proceeded to port at once to see doctor. Port made - Valencia.

From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 16th November 1910:

On Sunday morning the trawler 'St.Clear' put back into harbour with one of the crew, John Evans, second engineer, brought ashore, suffering burns. It appears he was engaged in getting carbide from a case on deck and taking it to the tank for the manufacture of acetylene gas. On taking it out, ... by some means the carbide exploded. Evans received the force of it in the face, the right side of which was badly burnt. He was also temporarily blinded.

He was taken to Doctor Griffiths' surgery, where his injuries were attended to by Doctor Walker, and afterwards, with his head swathed in bandages, he was conveyed home in a cab to Waterston.

From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 15th November 1911:

On Sunday afternoon a gale of great force came on somewhat suddenly, and lasted the whole of the night. Several large vessels put into the harbour for shelter, but no damage or casualty is reported. The steam trawler "St. Clear" had her small boat damaged, and the liner "Rodney" came in with two blades of her propellers broken. The steam trawler "Teesmouth" had her lifeboat carried away.

From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 16th September 1914:

We are pleased to say that the information we were able to give with regard to the arrival of Belgian trawlers at Milford Haven, has been more than fulfilled for the twelve which we stated were likely to come have been considerably augmented. Steam trawlers from Ostend have arrived daily during the past week, and when the last arrives there will be something like twenty-six boats trading out of Milford Haven. Amongst the number are three old Milford trawlers which have come "back home." These are the St. Clears, St. Bride's and Athalia. The whole fleet represents five different firms, and all are under the management of Mr David Pettit, steam trawler owner and manager. The boats are all very fine craft, are thoroughly equipped, and are noted for large catches. At present most of them appear to be on the herring grounds, but ere long will have to go in pursuit of bake. The names of the vessels and firms are:— M. Londres, Ostend: Lucienne Jeanne, Odetta, Nadine; Jules Baels, Ostend: Baron Ruzitte, Koning Albert, Comte Horace Van Den Burgh; J. Vaels Manrica; Ame Belgides, Ostend: Ouse; J. Bamvens, Ostend: Emmanuel, President Stevens, Marielle, Gaby, Jokn, Ibis, Marie Louise, Jacqueline; Aspelagh, Ostend: Narval, Naiade, Neptune, with others due at any time. The arrival of these boats have been a positive God-send, and as they will remain till the war is over the market is in for a good time after all as the absent mine-sweepers have been replaced. This is not all, for there is a report that about a dozen more Grimsby trawlers are due for Messrs Sellick, Morley & Price's management. Mr Price would not confirm the report to our representative, but the fact that one boat, the Crosby, has just arrived points to corroboration of the rumour. There is increased danger in the North Sea and a number of trawlers are now at Fleetwood, and sooner or later Milford is bound to share. The four mission smacks of the R.N.M. to Deep Sea Fishermen from the East Coast have already arrived at Milford Haven for the same reason. They are the Euston (Capt. Sneell), Ashton (Capt. Darrant), T. B. Miller (Capt. Page), and Alice Fisher (Capt. Lake). The Mission steam trawler Joseph and Sarah Miles," has gone to Fleetwood.