From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 29th May 1907:

 

    The arrival in Milford Docks of the new steam trawler "Vinca", recently built to the order of Messrs. Sellick, Morley and Price, occasioned unusual excitement, and when the skipper of her, Mr. Matthew Kingston, brought his new charge into the Dock, there was an unprecedented crowd lining the quay wall, and from that time until Monday afternoon, some hundreds of people must have visited this fine vessel.

    The trawler is by far and away the largest and most elegantly fitted fishing vessel that has ever entered the Docks, and is the largest sailing out of any western port.  Her dimensions are as follows:  length between perpendiculars 140 ft; breadth 23 ft; moulded depth 13 ft; horse power 85; bunker capacity 230 tons.  Moreover, an ice-making plant (Linde Refrigerating Company, London) has been installed, capable of making 32 cwt of ice per day.  The vessel carries 30 tons of fresh water for ice making and cold air, the latest and best system.

    The different apartments are fitted up on a handsome scale, the comfort of the crew having been carefully studied.  The Skipper's stateroom contains a bath (hot and cold), and desk with chart drawers at the back.  It is papered with white raised paper, with mahogany panelling.  There is a raised forecastle head with the crew's quarters underneath to accommodate ten men. 

    With the advent of this vessel, a new era may be said to have commenced, as with the refrigeration plant very long voyages will be undertaken.

    She was built by the Goole Shipbuildng and Repairing Company, and she was engined by Mr. Lidgerwood, Coatbridge.

 

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From the Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 25th March 1908:

 

    On Saturday, Skipper Mat Kingston steered his mammoth trawler "Vinca" (Sellick, Morley and Price) once more into the home port, after an absence of some months, during which time she had been working off the coast of far-off Morocco, and has landed her catches on the Spanish and Portuguese markets. 

    Her home cargo on this occasion was but a small one.  The vessel will leave again this week for the south.

 

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From The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of Friday 23rd April 1909:

 

FISH TRADE AND TRAFFIC.

        It is pleasing to note that the mackerel market has improved and supplies last week were the best of the season.  ............... The new patent slip has been in frequent use during the week and the dispatch with which trawlers are cradled for painting etc., means a tremendous saving of time. Great interest was taken while the steam trawler "Vinca", the largest trawler in the port, belonging to Messrs. Sellick, Morley and Price, was being hauled up. 

 

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From the Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 10th November 1909:

 

    The mammoth steam trawler "Vinca" (under Sellick, Morley and Price's management) has been laid up alongside the the patent slipway for a period extending over six months.

    The "Vinca" is the largest trawler in the Western Fisheries, and was primarily intended for the Moroccan and Mediterranean trade, landing chiefly at the Spanish and Portuguese ports.  The venture, apparently through various causes, has not turned out satisfactorily, with the result that the vessel has been idle all this time.

    Now, however, it transpires that an old Milford skipper, Captain Edgar Garnham, who of recent years has been working out of the rival port of Swansea, has acquired a large interest in her.  Captain Garnham is regarded as the premier skipper of that port, and it will be remembered that last year he made the record trip which realised £980.  He is one of the keenest and most successful skippers on the West Coast, and believes he can make the "Vinca" an equally successful craft to other large trawlers.

    Whilst everyone will be glad to hear of her success, the pity of it is that Milford will get but little if anything more of her, for the vessel will trade to Swansea.  There have been rumours of other local boats contemplating a change of port.  We sincerely hope that this is not true, and on the other hand we might have had two new ships during the past fortnight, and on Monday another steam trawler, "The Roman", owned by Messrs. Neale of Cardiff, landed her maiden voyage. She is a sister ship of the "Saxon" and "Norman", of the same firm.

 

From The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of Friday 12th November 1909:

 

MILFORD HAVEN

A New Venture.— On Thursday morning the s.t. Vinca left port under the command of Mr. J. Garnham, who has purchased shares in her. She is bound to the Moroccan Coast, and if successful will trade into those ports for the space of about three months. General satisfaction was felt by all connected with the fish trade, at her departure, and it is to be hoped that the venture will prove successful.

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From The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of Friday 18th February 1910:

 

MILFORD HAVEN

MYSTERIOUS FISH.

On Tuesday the Mammoth steam trawler "Vinca" landed a trip from Morocco, which realised £510. Her voyage extended over a period of about three weeks. Amongst her catch was a peculiar species of fish. It had a head like a fox, a body like a snake, and was of a slimy description. Its name does not appear to be known.

 

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Log book entries:

 

15.03.1910

25 miles NE of St. Vincent

Damaged bulwarks, rails and sheer strake plate.  Cause: run into by steam trawler "Chire"

    Edgar Garnham (Skipper)

    J. E. Garnham (Second Hand 8202)

 

20.08.1910

British Consulate, Lisbon

I hereby certify that I have sanctioned the discharge of:
        J. E. Garnham

        H. Pope

        E. Garnham

        M. Callon

        W, Berryman

        H. Jones

        H. Thomas, and

        J. Johnson

on the grounds of mutual consent.  The balance of their wages will be settled on their arrival in the United Kingdom, and their effects were delivered to them, all of them being satisfied with this arrangement.

    Lisbon, 20th August, 1910

    H. E. Jones, British Vice Consul

 

[ The VINCA had been sold to Portuguese owners. ]

 

   

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