# Information on a Shipwreck



## stevie1262 (May 24, 2008)

Hi All.

Late last Summer Divers found a shipwreck off Fast Castle, West of St Abbs Head, and we are now trying to establish what this wreck is. Unfortunately the wreck was 'looted' and it is now difficult to get anything with a number to help ID this. 

It looks like it may be a Wooden Hulled Steam Trawler (partially metal sheathed), and looks to be very early, initial investigation threw up the name 'Dove' which was built in 1877 by Edwards Brothers North Shields, registered in Hull H1103 and lost in a Hurricane in 1883.

From what we have seen when we dived it recently It was very well fitted out and the dimensions of the wreck closely match that of the Dove at 118' x 20.7' x 10.9'. and 168 Grt. Several bottles were found and these look to be very old and were mostly English in origin, but we also recovered a Dutch earthanware Gin Bottle. A firebrick recovered was marked Co Durham, although that probably means nothing the engine was built by NE Marine of Sunderland.

What we are looking for is any info/pictures/plans on the Dove and any info on similar vessels. if we could find a plan of a similar vessel it may help ID what is still there. There is confusion with locals thinking it may have been a Danish Whaler called Dove which sank in 1911, but it seems a bit small for this and we dont know where this Dove went down.

We plan to try and put together a display in Eyemouth Museum to show how many Fishing vessels were lost off this Coast and possibly recover some of the items taken to be used in the Display. Any info appreciated

Stevie Adams
South Queensferry SAC


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## stevie1262 (May 24, 2008)

hmmm so much for the records

seems Dove was a Fishing Smack H1003 built 1876 Newhaven and lost off the dogger bank in the Great Storm of 06-March 1883.

So unless there was a 2nd Dove its back to the drawing board,,,or lloyds registers...any info appreciated H1103 was the 'Fear Not',


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## aavh (Apr 6, 2006)

This is the history as I know it of the Dove built by Edwards Bros North Shields.
Do not know which records you were looking at but Edwards Bros only built 139 boats and operated from 1893 to 1899 when they became part of Smiths Dock Ltd.

*Dove: (*FD 179) (1897 – 1928)
O.N. 108535: 144g 44n 106.0 x 20.7 x 10.9 feet
41 hp T.3-cyl by NE Engineering, Co Ltd Sunderland

22.09.1897: Launched by Edwards Bros North Shields (Yd. No 557) for Kelsall Brothers & Beeching Ltd Fleetwood as *“Dove”* FD 179. 12.1897: Completed. 01.12.1897: Registered at Fleetwood FD 179. 1899: Transferred to Hull (J A E Kelsall manager). 12.05.1899: Fleetwood registry closed. 1899: Registered at Hull H 279. 1911: Lengthened to 118 ft (168g 68n). 11.1914: Requisitioned and converted to minesweeper (Ad No 390). 02.1915: Renamed *“DOVE II”*. 1919: Returned to Owners, reverted to *“Dove”* H 279 (John Slater manager). 1935: Scrapped.

Hope this helps
regards

Andy


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## stevie1262 (May 24, 2008)

Yeah clears things up a bit,,,this info came from RCAHMS- Canmore Site and from Bob Bairds Book Shipwrecks of the Forth, so we arent any further foward but we can discount the Dove and correct the records.
This looks to be an Old Boat as woodenhulled with a small twin cylinder engine, maybe a converted smack...if we can track down the missing stuff we may get a number...would be nice to put a name to it.

No obvious damage, as seen on War casualties looks like it foundered, and the bunkers were full of Coal, so looks like outbound rather than inbound.

Thanks for your help, certainly clarifies things a bit


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