VOLTA M14

Official No:    108434  Port Number and Year: 1st in Milford, 1899.

                                                                                  -  in Havana, 1906.

Description:  Iron side / beam trawler; steam screw; coal burner. Ketch rigged: mainsail and mizzen. 

Crew: 9 men (1899, 1904).

Registered at Milford: 20 Mar 1899

Built: Cochrane & Cooper, Selby, 1898.  (Yard no. 246)

Tonnage: 168.05 gross 62.29 net 

Length / breadth / depth (feet):  102.2 / 20.6 / 11.0

Engine: T-3Cyl.,  45 rhp., 10.0 kts; by Amos & Smith, Hull

Owners:

 

20 Mar 1899: Peter L. Hancock, Hakin, Milford.

Bernard Henry Galvin, 14 Jubilee Tce., Milford.

Manager: John Henry Bishop, The Docks, Milford.

 

May 1901: William Angus Boyle, 'The Rhyl', Bridgend.

Manager: Arthur J. Boyle, 11 Grove Rd., Bridgend.

 

9 Dec 1903:  Henry Stiles, The Brewery, Bridgend

Manager: Arthur J. Boyle, 11 Grove Rd., Bridgend.

 

As VENUS

8 Dec 1906: L. Lopaz, Havana, Cuba.

 

1910: Vilar Senra & Co., Muelle No.2, Havana, Cuba. 

 

As RAPHAEL DONIPHAN

1932: R. Doniphan, Havana. [Same owner in 1945.]

 

Landed at Milford: 5 Apr 1899 - 12 Nov 1906

Skippers:

B. H. Galvin cert 1617, age 35, born Bradford; residing 14 Jubilee Tce., Milford; signed on 11 Mar, 5 Jul 1899

G. Smart 2005, 40, Hull; 19 Sep 1899

Harry Dodd 2584, 38, Grimsby; Rock Tce., Hakin; 10 Oct 1899; 2 Jan 1900

Joseph Huddlestone 5377, 28, Nottingham; 6 Feb, 8 Jul 1900

Robert Hastings 5529, 34, London; 27 Aug 1900

G. T. Cobley 2021, 32, Hull; 12 Sep 1900

James Kilby 1427, 38, Hull; residing 11 Great North Rd., Milford; 30 Oct 1900

W. Postle 3612, 40, Norfolk; 14 Dec 1900

Arthur Barrett 5307, 25, Hull; Robert St., Milford; 21 Jan 1901; 10 May, 3 Jul 1906

George C. Nichols 5538, 39, Stamford; 11 Mar 1901

Arthur Abbey 3215, 36, Oundle; Trafalgar Tce., Swansea; 2 Jun, 10 Jul 1901; 13 Jan, 16 Jul 1902; 13 Jan, 3 Jul 1903

William Thomas Smith 5908, 26, Bristol; 29 Jan 1904

H. Newman 2982, 32, Bristol; 25 Feb 1904; 25 Jan 1905

George C. Payne 5944, 31, Gorleston; 27 Delhi St., St. Thomas, Swansea; 1 Apr, 10 Jul 1905; 11 Jan 1906.

Notes:

12 Jul 1901: Mr Peter LI. Hancock, Hakin, in Pembroke Dock Bankruptcy Court. [See article below.]

1955: Sold for breaking up.

[Lofthouse T., Mayes G., Newton D., & Thompson M. (2012): Cochrane Shipbuilders

Vol.1: 1884 - 1914.]

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 5 Dec 1906.  Vessel sold to Cuban owners

 Accidents and Incidents:

Log book entries:

 

09.11.1900

Off Milford Docks

Lost 30 fathom of chain cable and the second working anchor.  Caught wreck or something unknown on bottom.  Could not get it and was compelled to cut away.

    J. Kilby (Skipper)

 

24.11.1900

We are working off New Quay, Cardigan Bay, opening and closing the light from SE to S of us, working up and down ENE by WSW along the land from 31 miles to 51 miles off, in 10, 11 and 12 fathoms of water.

    At 1 a.m. this morning my Bosun took charge of the watch with instructions from me similar to above.  At 3 a.m. I am called.  The Bosun wants to know if he should get our vessel right round again with her head inshore (round to NW) as he had to alter for what he took for a sailing vessel, but which proved to be a steamer. Now the tide has taken charge of our boat, so I go on the bridge myself and commence to bring us round again. 

    I had not been on the bridge long when up came the steam boat at tremendous speed and managed to stop dead, right across our bows, and if I had not stopped our engines I should have collided with him.  He neither had masthead and stern lights up, which I drew his attention to.  He accused me of being in the limits.  I said I did not think we were, but if we were it was him that had led us there.  We had a cast of lead there and had 17 fathoms of water under us.

    J. Kilby (Skipper)

    C. E. Hall (Bosun)

 

28.11.1900

Off Milford Haven

A. Bond, age 31, born Hull, residing Milford.

Rupture of body through overstraining in hauling in stern fender.

    J. Kilby (Skipper)

    C. E. Hall (Bosun)

 

26.04.1901

Off Lundy island

Harry Clark, age 21, Bosun; British, born London, residing Robert Street, Milford.

After heaving up gear was holding on to net and was hurled overboard and his right leg was broken at the ankle.

    G. C. Nicholas (Skipper)

 

15.12.1904

We were leaving Milford Haven Docks when the steam drifter "Girl Kathleen" ran into our stern, doing £30 worth of damage.

    H. Newman (Skipper)

 

22.4.1905

Whilst laying in Newlyn Harbour, our boat took ground before the Berthing Master came alongside to give us berth.  Laying off the Quay 20 feet, as the tide fell our boat listed to port and the stem caught the stern of the steam drifter "Margery" doing slight damage to wood and deck.

    G. Payne (Skipper)

   _____________________

 

From The Pembroke Herald and General Advertiser on Friday 26th July 1901:

 

Pembroke Dock Bankruptcy Court.

ADJOURNED EXAMINATION OF MR. PETER HANCOCK

THE COST OF STEAM TRAWLING.

            Pressure on our space compelled us last week to hold over a report of the adjourned examination of Mr Peter LI. Hancock, Hakin, which was held on the 12th July, in Pembroke Dock Bankruptcy Court before the Registrar, Mr. S. H. Owen. The examination was conducted by the Official Receiver.

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

    The debtor was closely questioned as to this transaction. He stated that his wife bought about £100 worth of furniture, and that she had about £130 or £14-0 when he married her. The trawler "Nellie" was a loss throughout and sank at Plymouth. From June to December, 1900, he drew £300 for wages from the bank and about £60 for other disbursements. He drew £2 a week for himself. He had a partnership with Mr Bernard Henry Galvin in the "Volta," but there were no liabilities in regard to it. Mr Galvin claimed £9 for arrears of wages in connection with the "Maud," but only £6 were due for two weeks during which Mr Galvin was engaged as skipper. He stated afterwards that he had paid that £6, and that he did not know why there should be any liability. The "Goldfinder" cost him £5,150, but he did not know where the bill of sale was now.

            Was that not an unreasonable price, seeing she was out of repair and you had to expend £200 on her ? —No, the boat was worth then nearly £6,000. She was worth £5,300, because the "Volta" cost me that and she was exactly the same size and I was offered terms by the mortgagee, who turned out to be a traitor.

    Who was he ? — North Ellis, of Grimsby and in fact, I must say, owing to him I was caused all this trouble.

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

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From The Cardiff Times of Saturday 13th January 1906:

Accounts Mixed Up.

COLLIERY AGENT'S TRANSACTIONS

    The total debts of William Angus Boyle, of Brook-street, Riverside, Cardiff, and lately residing at The Rhyl, Bridgend, colliery agent, were scheduled at £3,313, of which £2,431 were expected to rank; but his total assets were only £129, and there was a deficiency of £2,302. His public examination look place at Cardiff Bankruptcy Court on Tuesday. He told the Official Receiver that he started business about ten years ago with a capital of £50. In June, 1896, he said that he purchased coke ovens at Tondu, and subsequently sold them to the Cribbwr Coke Company for £2,000 £1,000 to be paid in cash and £1,000 in fully-paid up shares of £1 each. The cash was not paid, but the debtor purchased goods from the company to cover the amount, and increased his holding by 317 shares to cover the amount. In May, 1901, bankrupt said that he purchased the steam trawler Volta, and after incurring a loss of £543 6s. 6d. on the working he was obliged in June, 1904, to dispose of the vessel at a further loss of £400. ...................

 

 

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