TEESMOUTH

TEESMOUTH BL6

Official No: 117731 Port and Year: Bristol, 1906. (BL6)
Archangel, 1913.

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

Crew: 10 men

Built: 1906 by Dundee Shopbuilding Co., Dundee (Yard no. 171)

Tonnage: 191 grt 54 net.

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 115.0 / 21.4 / 11.4

Engine: T-3Cyl. 67 nhp Engine by W.V.V. Lidgerwood, Glasgow; boiler by Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Co., Jarrow on Tyne

Owners:

As BL6

22 Dec 1906: The Western Steam Trawling Co. Ltd., Shannon Court, Bristol.

Manager: Sidney M. Price, Milford.

As YUGH

Apr 1913: C. J. Spahde, Archangel, Russia.

Landed at Milford: 11 Jan 1907 - 22 Jan 1913

Skippers: F.M. Hawkins (1910)

Notes:
Yugh is the Russian for "Support".
20 Dec 1915: Crushed in ice; Mudiuga area, White Sea.

Accidents and Incidents

From The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of Friday 27th September 1907:

Murderous attack on skipper.

SEAMAN WITH IRON BAR.

At the Milford Haven Petty Sessions on Wednesday, before Dr. Griffith and other magistrates, Thomas Darcey, a boatswain, was charged with assaulting the skipper of the fishing boat Teesmouth. Mr. W. J. Jones, solicitor, Haverfordwest, prosecuted.

Mr. W. J. Jones said he appeared to prosecute in that case. The assault was of a very serious character, and was the more serious because it was committed upon the skipper of a steam trawler, on the bridge in charge of the vessel whilst proceeding out of the dock towards the fishing grounds. The prisoner, who was a boatswain on board the trawler, used abusive language towards the skipper, and then threw lumps of coal at him. He then challenged him to come off the bridge and fight him, and when the skipper refused he cut down a heavy iron pin with his knife, and went on to the bridge, and struck the skipper twice over the legs with it. He was then put off the vessel. That was a very serious offence, and it was specially provided for under Section 307 of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1894. A seaman who struck the skipper or the second in command was liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve weeks. He asked the magistrates to deal with that case in such a manner as would act as an example.

Henry James said he was the skipper of the steam trawler Teesmouth. On the 18th he was proceeding to sea. He ordered the crew to be on board at one o'clock. They all turned up with the exception of the prisoner, who was the boatswain, and the second engineer. When the prisoner came on board he cursed and swore, and used "fishermen's talk". He said that the skipper could get someone else on board to do his work, he was going home. The prisoner then went down the forecastle to pack his clothes. When he came on deck again the trawler was under weigh. He wanted to fight witness, and threw some big lumps of coal at him, which, however, struck the wheelhouse. Then he went aft and deliberately cut a large bolt loose with his knife. With this he made his way on to the bridge, and struck witness across the legs with it. Witness was lame for some days after. They then put the man ashore. Prisoner was the worse for drink, and he had to be fetched out of a public house on board.

William Miner said he was the mate on the Teesmouth. On the afternoon of September 18th he was on the bridge with the skipper. He saw the prisoner come on board using very bad language. The man wanted to fight the skipper. He said he would not go to sea, and went to pack his clothes. On his return to the deck they had got outside. He wanted to get on the bridge, but the skipper would not let him. He threw a lump of coal, which hit the wheelhouse. He then secured an iron bolt, and came and struck the skipper across the legs with it.

The Chairman: How many of a crew had you ?— Nine.

Couldn't any of you secure the man before he struck the skipper?—We secured him afterwards.

Defendant: Didn't you see the skipper kick me in the face with his foot when I tried to go on the bridge the first time ?—He put his foot out to stop you coming up, but it did not reach your face.

William Thomas said he was the chief engineer on the Teesmouth on the voyage in question. When the prisoner came on deck the witness came up from below to have a blow. He saw the prisoner throw the coal, and strike the skipper with an iron bolt.

The prisoner elected to give evidence on his own behalf. When he went on board the skipper told him he could pack up his things and go home again, so he went down below and put his clothes together. When he got on deck she was at sea. He went to go up to the bridge to speak to the skipper, and he kicked him in the face [ ... text garbled ... the skipper with the ...... ] with his boot. Prisoner did not mean to hit the skipper with the iron.

The Chairman said the prisoner bad committed a very serious offence. He had struck his skipper with a very formidable weapon, and might have been up there charged with manslaughter or murder. The skipper was in charge of the trawler, and order must be kept on board. The prisoner would have to go to goal for one month with hard labour, and the Bench hoped it would be a lesson to him.

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From the Irish Times of Tuesday 15th November 1910:

ILLEGAL TRAWLING IN BANTRY BAY

HEAVY FINES

Bantry, Monday.

At the Bantry Petty Sessions today, before Mr. J. Gilhooley, M.P., (presiding), B.R. Purdon R.M., and B. O'Connor, J.P., there were 5 prosecutions at the suit of the Department of Agriculture against English trawlers for illegal trawling in Bantry Bay on the 14th ult., within the prohibited area.

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

The first case was against John Beck, Milford Haven, of the steam trawler Orfin (*), owned by the Pater Steam Trawling Company, Limited, Main Street, Pembroke.

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

The Chairman said that the defendant would be fined £75, and costs, £5 5s.

Francis Monley Hawkins, Milford Haven, master of the Tees Mouth [sic], owned by the Western Steam Trawling Co., Ltd. Shannon Court, Bristol, was prosecuted for a similar offence. ............... The defendant was fined £25 and £5 5s. costs.

Thomas Salter, Starbuck Road, Milford Haven, skipper of the steam trawler Dinas, owned by Thomas George Hancock, and John Davies Harris, both of Milford Haven, was prosecuted for a like offence. .............. The defendant was fined £75 and £5 5s. costs.

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

Joseph Huddlestone, Hakin, Milford Haven, master of the steam trawler Persia, owned by George Hoggarth [sic], Douglas Birt, Milford Haven, and Henry Hyde Heltal, of Fitzjones avenue, London, was prosecuted for a similar offence. ......... The defendant was fined £75 and £5 5s. costs.

[* "Orfin" is an error for ARFON M223.]

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From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 11th September 1912:

The crisis in the Milford fish trade is the one topic of conversation in the town and port. The exodus has already commenced, and grave concern is being expressed as to what will be the end of it all. Of the intentions of Messrs. Sellick, Morley and Price, our readers are fully cognisant, yet there is hope that developments may take place which will be the means of preventing the loss of the entire fleet to Milford. Much of course depends upon the results of the trading to Fleetwood by the six trawlers which have been transferred.

The boats which have left for sea during the last few days, and which will run for the next three months to Fleetwood, are the steam trawlers "Teesmouth", "Tacsonia", "Sidmouth", "Uhdea", "Essex" and "Syringa". Messrs. F. B. Rees and A. Rainbow, manager and salesman, have also left, together with Mr. W. Lewis as shoreman. The firm have taken offices at Fleetwood, and all arrangements have been completed for the transfer of the business.

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From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 9th January 1913:

During the past week the trawlers "Tacsonia" and "Teesmouth", Messrs. Sellick, Morley and Price, and attached to the fleet working at Fleetwood, returned to the port for the purpose of overhauling and repairs. A serious mishap befell the former vessel as she was entering the Docks. She ran into the dock wall with such force as to knock her bow right round. She is now on the patent slip, where several plates have had to be put in. The "Teesmouth" has put to sea again for a trip.

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From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 18th April 1913:

Messrs. Sellick, Morley and Price, the largest firm of trawlers in the port, have this week sold their steam trawler Teesmouth to a Russian firm. The vessel has for some time been fishing out of Fleetwood.