# m.f.v. Gypsy Queen



## linda558 (Mar 15, 2012)

Hi, I am new user to this site, and am looking for any information on the m.f.v. Gypsy Queen, I have a newspaper cutting(don't know which paper or what date) saying she was built in 1950, owned by the West Hartlepool Steam Navigation Co. Ltd, managed by the Boston Deep Sea Fishing and Ice Co Ltd. She was 85ft long, 52 tons all steel welded craft, carrying a crew of seven, skippered by my grandad Gordon Smith of Florence road, Pakefield. 
She left Lowestoft on Monday 9th January 1955, for the White Bank Grounds, 80 miles north west of Heligoland. On the following thursday a message was sent by Lowestoft trawler Ludham Queen dated 9.55 am which said "at about 8.30 g.m.t. they passed an overturned ship: may be fishing vessel about 90ft long", other observers on board commented that it was an all steel welded vessel. The wreck was laying so low in the water that identification was impossible.
A german trawler the Klaus Mollerdhig later sent
out a message that she was "on the wreck position" adding "there are several ships searching for the ship but nothing found yet".
Other vessels had experienced heavy weather on the fishing grounds and one of these is believed to have heard the Gypsy Queen attempting to call up Humber Radio on Wednesday January 12. She was last seen that same evening lattitude 55N, longtitude 6E.
Humber Radio later received a message from the trawler Ampulla stating that the Grimsby vessel Donalda said she sighted a life boat floating waterlogged with starboard stove in, and registration number LT166 and named Gypsy Queen.
On monday night after a broadcast message to shipping requesting all vessels to keep a look out, a message was received from the Grimsby trawler the Strephon, which stated that a damaged lifeboat, with similar markings had been seen on the night of January 13, she gave its position as about 10 miles from the spot where the upturned fishing vessel was seen.
This is all the information I have, but my mum believes this to be one of the first trawlers built to re-right itself if it rolled over, virtually unsinkable.
Please I am looking for any ideas how I can find information on where it was built, and its history from 1950 to its disappearance, I have contacted LLoyds register and waiting for a 
reply, many thanks


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## gdynia (Nov 3, 2005)

If u do a google search with boats name alot of web pages come up


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## linda558 (Mar 15, 2012)

I keep trying, there does seem to be lots of threads, but they don't lead anywhere, thanks.


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## Leigh Havard (Nov 7, 2011)

*M.F.V. Gypsy Queen*

Hi Linda,
I was married to you aunty Wendy and she often spoke of the events of the Gypsy Queen (GQ). Her recollection was that the GQ did capsize with all hands lost. There was no real indication of the reasons, the possible reasons were either a freak wave turned her over or they were trawling and snagged of a submerged object and pulled her over. Either way the GQ was floating bottom up for a length of time in very poor sea conditions. The understanding was the GQ had drifted into a shipping channel and became a shipping hazard, because of the length of time between the disaster and the shipping hazard event they considered it too long for survivors and instructions were issued to sink the upturned hull. No survivors were recovered to your aunties knowledge. 
Regards
Leigh


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## linda558 (Mar 15, 2012)

Hi Leigh, thank you for your message, I remember you, hope you are keeping well and Colin and Shelley. I am researching for a family tree, so I am grateful for any help. It is great hearing from you. Best wishes Linda,


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## mandy ann (Jul 26, 2014)

*gypsy queen*

hi my grandad frederick last lost his life on the gypsy queen he was the chief enigeneer the ship was lost but my poor nanny who had 4 children wasnt informed until days later by 2 men at her front door the ship was lost in the norwiegen deeps i hear a ship sighted it overturned nobody knew how but weather was bad freak wave was determined as due to sinking such a tragic loss of lives


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## Derek 42 (Jan 21, 2015)

*Gypsy Queen*

Linda,

I have just come across your post about the Gypsy Queen. I have tried to find out more about this vessel on several occasions, as your grandad was my Uncle Gordon, and I remember my father (Clifford) and their brother (Walter) going to Lowestoft for the funeral / memorial service, while I was still at school.

I understood that Gordon was Commodore of the fleet and due to take over command of a brand new "super-trawler", but agreed to take the Gypsy Queen for three voyages while her usual skipper was sick, and that she foundered on the second of these voyages.

Beyond that I know nothing.

I hope you receive this information.

Derek


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## linda558 (Mar 15, 2012)

Hi Derek, thank you very much for your message. It has opened new avenues for researching, also you have helped me with my family tree as I didn't realise there was a younger brother Walter. Many thanks for you help. Linda


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## Darren Smith (Jul 22, 2015)

Hi Linda ,or should I say Cousin, I`ve just signed up on here ,I too have been trying to gain as much info on our Grandads Trawler, but only have the same info as you have so will be keeping a keen eye here for future posts,I only have one poor quality picture from the net and would like to find a much better one.Darren


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## Derek Smith 4942 (May 25, 2018)

Hi Linda. It's been a while since our last contact. I lost my membership of this forum, but have re-registered with a new user name. Did you ever find out anything more about the Gypsy Queen? How is the family tree coming along?

If you think I may be able to help, send me a private message with contact details and we can try. All the best, Derek


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## Darren Smith (Jul 22, 2015)

Hi Derek, I keep googling hoping that somewhere I'll come across more information, but to date I been unable to find any addtional info, just out of curiousity do you have any photos that your father may have had of my Grandad Gordon, would be great to see one, Regards Darren


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## Steven Beamish (Feb 10, 2019)

*Steve Beamish*

Hi, My name is Steven Beamish, my Dad Randel Beamish was lost with all hands on the Gypsy Queen, I was only 6 month old at the time my mother Joyce raised four children on her own, needless to say money was tight, I am looking for any information on the vessel


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## CSmith (Mar 11, 2019)

Hi guys,
Thanks for this information about the Gypsy Queen my great grandad was Clifford Smith who was brothers with Gordon Smith who was in the boating accident so I have added this information about his death to my family tree. If anyone has anymore information about the Smith Family that I can add to my tree feel free to private message me.
Thanks 
Caitlin S


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## MG51 (Jun 26, 2019)

Hi Linda 
My father Charlie Honeywood was the skipper on the Ludham Queen and he found the upturned Gypsy Queen. He was previously skipper of the Gypsy and when he moved to the new Ludham Queen the mate took over as skipper who was lost when 
she capsized.
John


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## alex.oldman.3 (Feb 19, 2021)

Steven Beamish said:


> *Steve Beamish*
> 
> Hi, My name is Steven Beamish, my Dad Randel Beamish was lost with all hands on the Gypsy Queen, I was only 6 month old at the time my mother Joyce raised four children on her own, needless to say money was tight, I am looking for any information on the vessel


Hi Steve. I just happened to come across this post and felt i had to reply. The name Randel Beamish has stuck with me for the last 69 years or so. I used to live in Lowestoft and i can just remember my father and mother visiting somebody's house and they were in mourning over Randel. I'm sure he was a friend of my mother and father, Ann and Leonard (Lenny) Oldman I am more or less sure my father was aboard the Merbreeze at the time. Nickname "Toeshie". We lived in Ashley Downs until i was 8 and then we moved up to the north east of Scotland where i still live. Dad got a berth aboard one of my uncles boats up here. Sadly dad died two years after we moved up at the age of 39. Dont know if there is anything else comes to my mind but i can be contacted at [email protected] Alex


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