YARMOUTH BL9

John Stevenson Collection

(See stranded on Scoby Sands in 1950, below.)

Official No:  117737  Port and Year:   Bristol, 1907 (BL9)                                                                  Fleetwood, 1919 (FD334)                                                                  Ostend, 1949 (O-336)

Description: Steel side trawler; steam screw, coal burning.  Ketch rigged.

Crew:

Built: 1907 by Smith's Dock Co., North Shields.  (Yard no. 357)

Tonnage: 235 grt  67 net (1907); 91 net (1 Jan 1914).  1949: Rebuilt by Chantiers & Armement Seghers, Ostend. 242 grt; 97 net.

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 120.4 / 21.6 / 11.6  1949: 119.7 / 21.6 / 12.4

Engine: T-3Cyl.  68 rhp; by W.V.V. Lidgerwood, Coatbridge, Glasgow.    1949: Re-engined with 450 bhp 8-cyl Uniporn oil engine by Porn & Dunwoody Ltd, London.

Owners:   As  YARMOUTH BL9 Sep 1907: The Western Steam Trawling Co. Ltd., Bristol. Manager: Sydney Morgan Price, Milford.    As FD334 25 Jul 1919: Saxon Steam Trawlers, Orient Buildings, Station Rd., Fleetwood Manager: Joseph H. Taylor.  (Same address.)                 William W. Brierley. (Same address.)   17 Feb 1939: The Clifton Steam Trawlers, Station Rd., Fleetwood.   As O-336 29 Oct 1948: Chantiers & Armement Seghers, Ostend.   1949: Charles & Victor Seghers, Ostend.

Landed at Milford: 24 Sep 1907 - 9 Aug 1914. (RN - 25 Apr 1919.) 5 Dec 1919.

Skippers: J. Rumbold (1907); T. W. Leggett (1914)

Notes:  Aug 1914: Requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted for bomb throwing and minesweeping duties (Admy.No.281). 1 x 3pdr.  1 x 7.5" bomb thrower. Feb 1915: As YARMOUTH II. Took part in the Dardenelles campaign. 1919: Returned to owners and reverted to YARMOUTH. 4 Dec 1950: In snow showers Gorleston and the Great Yarmouth tug Richard Lee Barber went to the help of the stranded Ostend trawler YARMOUTH on Scroby Sands, 3-4 miles off Gt. Yarmouth, but she was eventually abandoned. [The Times, Tuesday 5th December 1950.]  See photograph below. [Information supplied by the Fleetwood Maritime Heritage Trust, and the Bosun's Watch website.]

Accidents and Incidents

From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 25th September 1907:

 

    The steam trawler "Yarmouth", the latest addition to Messrs. Sellick, Morley and Price's fleet, is expected in for this morning's market (Wednesday), with her maiden cargo.  She was built at the famous yard of Smith's Dock Company, Shields, and engined by M. W. Ridgewood, Coatbridge.  The skipper is Mr. J. Rumble [sic - see next story].

 

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From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 1st March 1911:

 

    Trawlers coming in from sea on Monday reported trying experiences at sea in the westerly gales of last week.  The steam trawler "Yarmouth" (Sellick, Morley and Price) appears to have fared the worst, for she met a severe gale 360 miles out in the Atlantic.  A tremendous sea swept over her, washing away her lifeboat and hatches  The bulwarks and cabin windows were smashed in, and the vessel nearly swamped.  The boatswain was thrown violently against the cabin door, and had his right arm fractured.  The skipper is Captain Rumbold.

  

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From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 12th August 1914:

 

NEARLY A DISASTER-TRAWLERS COLLIDE

    On Sunday evening a collision occurred in the Haven between two steam trawlers both belonging to Messrs Sellick, Morley & Price, which might have been attended with loss of life. The steam trawler Weymouth had been lying outside under-going some repairs in the engine room and about seven o'clock in the evening prepared to go to sea. The steam trawler Yarmouth was coming in from sea, and had heaved round for the Docks when the Weymouth struck her almost amidships. Fortunately it was a glancing blow, and the damage to the Yarmouth was not so serious as at first it was thought to be. Both vessels came into Dock and the Weymouth had fared very badly, the stern of the vessel being bent right round, and she will have to undergo extensive repairs. The Yarmouth is on the list for naval mine sweeping, and it is not expected that she will be delayed. The incident was witnessed by a large number of people on the Hamilton Terrace Parade, and caused much excitement.

 

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From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 18th June 1919:

 

    Some excitement was manifested on the Milford Docks during last week when it became known that Messrs. Sellick, Morley and Price were disposing of their fleet of steam trawlers.  For a considerable time negotiations had been proceeding with the Consolidation Company of Grimsby, but these recently fell through.  It is gratifying to know that the greater portion of the fleet has been retained for the port, as will be seen from the following list.  Several local gentlemen having come forward, the competition was very keen.

    The Alnmouth, Weigelia, and Exmouth have been sold to Fleetwood firms, while the Charmouth, Macaw, Tacsonia, Rosa, Xylopia, Essex, Uhdea, Petunia, Lynmouth, Kalmia, Portsmouth, Weymouth, Syringa, Yarmouth and Magnolia have all found local buyers.

    This opens out the question of the need for local trades people and others to invest in the staple industry of this fishing port, as has been done in competing fishing centres.

 

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WEYMOUTH O-366 on Scroby Sands.

Thanks to Allen Tony, www.wrecksite.eu.

 

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