# Milford trawlers



## BarryJ

I've been developing my website http://www.milfordtrawlers.org.uk/ for nearly two years, and am now in the process of adding photographs of individual trawlers. 

Thanks to records bequeathed to Milford Library and loaned to me, I've been able to include fairly definitive lists not only of all Milford registrations, but also of trawlers registered in other ports which sailed regularly out of the port for at least a year, and in the majority of cases I've also been able to add information transcribed from log book entries, letters, and newspaper articles (local and national) related to individual trawlers.

I'd be very grateful for any help forum members may be able to offer by way of trawler photographs. I've been fortunate in having permission from the Fleetwood Maritime Heritage Trust and "The Bosun's Watch" website to copy images of ships which spent part of their lives manned by Milford crews, as well as from other individuals who've sent me their own digital photos.

If anyone has a photograph of a trawler, but is uncertain whether she fished out of Milford, they could send me the Official Number, and I could check whether she "qualifies". 

All contributions will be gratefully received!

Barry Johnson


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## Gavin Gait

Hello Barry. Do you have a photo of the David John A169 ( worked on long term lease out of Milford Haven from 1989 till 1996 altho owned by M&S Developments of Lowestoft at the time ). She was built originally for my Family.

Name	DAVID JOHN A169 , scrapped in 1996
Type	TRAWLER
Date	1969
Yard Number: 358
Official Number : 303233 then A10061
Callsign : GOOQ
Engine number 428, Mirlees Blackstone type ERS6MGR Average speed on trial 10.6 knots : 369kw/495hp
Owner	J W Johnstone Aberdeen & David Jack Fraserburgh & W M G Tait, Fraserburgh & George Jack MacDuff (1968-1988) , M & S Development Engineering Services Ltd Lowestoft (1988-1996)
Builder	: John Lewis shipyard Torry Aberdeen
Dimensions 26.51m(87ft) overall 24.31m(79ft9) registered length X 6.55m(21ft6) X 3.65m(12ft)
Tonnage: 110.25 gross tons 38.03 net tons

Built for Davie Jack, skipper, and when he retired passed to his son George in 1973 in partnership with John Johnstone and W M G Tait, Fraserburgh.
Operated out of Aberdeen until 1988 when sold to M & S Development Engineering Services Ltd in
Lowestoft. Worked on long term lease to the Milford Haven Docks Company until 1996 when she returned to Lowestoft to be scrapped at Richards Ironworks. 

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/data/522/1937davidjohnA1691.jpg
thats her about a year old steaming out of Aberdeen. I do have photos of her in Milford Haven but they're not my copyright ( David Linke from the Fishing News and a few from the Milford Museum that you should have ).

Davie Tait (Thumb)


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## BarryJ

Sorry, Davie - the period I cover in detail is 1888 - 1988 (although 1991 marks the effective end of Milford as a fishing port, when the Dock became a marina), so I don't have a photo of her, I'm afraid.

Regards,
Barry


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## Peter4447

Hi Barry

Not sure whether you are aware of this already but E Bay has thousands of postcards up for sale and if you go into the Topigraphical rather than the Shipping section, Milford Haven is often listed and I have seen some very good ones of the harbour and many of these contain some very good shots of fishing vessels. It is well worth the occasional search!

Peter4447(Thumb)


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## scooby do

Hi Barry
your work on the history of Milford trawlers looks great. 
I would like to ask if your photo collection of Milford trawlers includes any crew members. 
The reason i ask is my grandfather, a danish chap by the name of Kofotd sailed out of Milford on steam trawlers around the 1920s. 

Ian


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## Gavin Gait

Hi Barry , I see you list my Grandfathers steam trawler ( Avondee A826 ) in your site so i've uploaded a photo of her from her time at Milford Haven taken by a Coastal Command patrol aircraft in 1943

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/67308/cat/522

Davie(Thumb)


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## BarryJ

Thanks, Peter - I have bought several postcards of Milford trawlers from Ebay, but with several hundred trawlers on the site, that could get a bit expensive! However, I do keep a lookout for photos of trawlers in which i have a special interest.


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## BarryJ

Could you check on the spelling of that name, Ian? "Kofotd" doesn't look right to me, and there's certainly no one of that name mentioned in the newspaper articles I've transcribed.


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## BarryJ

Fantastic, Davie - a beautiful photo, from an unusual angle (the only aerial view of a trawler I've seen). I'll certainly make use of it, and will acknowledge you as the source. As I don't have any newspaper articles relating to her, the photo is especially appreciated.
Many thanks,
Barry


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## Gavin Gait

Barry I have the info on when and which company she was working with ( and as her time as an ESSO boat in RN ) on my Fathers computer i'll put it up tomorrow when I get a chance. I'll include her building details , names , history too(Thumb)


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## Gavin Gait

Ok Barry here's all the info on the Avondee A826

Built in 1918 at Paisley ( Clydeside) by the Fullerton Shipyard to the Royal Navy Strath Class design as an anti-submarine vessel fitted with a hydrophone. Name as built was Thomas Evinson

Remained in the RN until 1921 when she was sold to Harrow Robertson Sea Fishing Company ( Aberdeen ) and renamed Jeannie M Robertson A826. Aquired pre-WW2 by North Star Sea Fishing company ( Aberdeen ) and renamed Avondee A826. Sent to Milford Haven in late 1942 ( from what I can find out ) as an armed trawler with a high angle 12lb'er gun ( NOT the 6lb'er I said earlier ). She was requisitioned in March of 1944 and converted into an ESSO boat ( small fuel tender ) and returned to fishing in October 1944. Her Admirality Number was 3743.

When she left Milford Haven I haven't found out but she was back in Aberdeen by May 1945. My Grandfather ( Davie Jack ) went skipper of her from 1946 or 1947 ( can't pin down the exact date ) until 1959 when the Forward Pride A367 was built to replace her. My Grndfather used to fish down at Iceland all summer and around the Faroes / Shetlands in the Spring and out to the West coast around St Kilda etc in the Autumn and fished in the North sea all winter.

She was scrapped at Inverkeithing in 1960.

Davie (Thumb)


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## BarryJ

Thanks very much for those details, Davie. I'll be able to make use of the information when I begin adding further details to the individual trawler pages.

Much appreciated!
Barry


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## BarryJ

*DAVID JOHN A169 (for Davie)*

Davie -

I've just been through my collection of newspaper cuttings, and came across this photograph, which I hope is of good enough quality.

Best wishes,
Barry


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## Gavin Gait

I have a print of that one Barry ( its the David Linke from the Fishing News I mentioned ) and she was looking pretty "tired" by that time. Thanks for looking it out tho (Thumb)


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## BarryJ

Sorry about that, Davie - the photo was in a cutting, probably from the "Fishing News" of 3rd April 1992, accompanied by an article naming her as the DAVID JOHN, which had just been leased by Lowestoft owner Neville Scuphan, and backed by Milford Haven Port Authority. The photo caption says "DAVID JOHN on her first shakedown trip with her Milford skipper and crew", and the background certainly appears to be Milford, with the stern of the BRISCA M16 just visible. However, the fishing number could be A168, on closer examination. How on earth could the wrong trawler have been named here?

Barry


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## gil mayes

Davie, AVONDEE was broken up by Shipbreaking Industries Ltd at their Rosyth yard. She arrived from Aberdeen off Charlestown on 9 May 1960 in company with the STRATHDEE. Both had to wait for a berth and she was not delivered until 13 May, however because of the Charlestown workload she was transferred to Rosyth and demolition commenced 16.May 1960. She was bought by BISCO for £2300 (this is in doubt as the STRATHDEE made £2350). Her Contract Number was 71E.
Gil.


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## Gavin Gait

Thanks for the correction Gil (Thumb)


Barry the David John was definately A169 and it is her in your photo you uploaded(Thumb)


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## BarryJ

Glad to have been of some use, Davie.

She does seem to be in a hell of a mess, poor old girl. Her stem seems to have had a bit of smack!

Barry


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## Gavin Gait

That was us Barry. Early 1980's the rules on how much you got to catch changed to how many men you had onboard and how long the boat was. We carried 9 men and cut 14" off the bow and ended up with a lot more quota as a result. Not nice to look at i'll admit but worth it at the time (Jester) 

Trawler with a "boxers nose" lol

Davie (Thumb)


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## E.Martin

Any known Photo of Milford Trawler Robert Bowen.


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## BarryJ

I was hoping you'd get a positive reply, too!

BarryJ


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## billblow

Barry
Perhaps an odd question but how come with the exception of your posting and the previous one above that you commented on the next posting is by Davie Tait in June 2007?
At the very least I remember you coming on with updates to your Milford site or am I missing something.
Bill


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## BarryJ

Bill - I saw the request for a photo of ROBERT BOWEN on that old thread, and just answered it! I think I'll probably carry on doing so, and not starting a new thread when I update the website.

I haven't updated it today, because there are only a couple of minor corrections/additions at the moment, but I'll probably update in April.

Regards,
Barry


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## davetodd

BarryJ said:


> Bill - I saw the request for a photo of ROBERT BOWEN on that old thread, and just answered it! I think I'll probably carry on doing so, and not starting a new thread when I update the website.
> 
> I haven't updated it today, because there are only a couple of minor corrections/additions at the moment, but I'll probably update in April.
> 
> Regards,
> Barry


Understood Barry, please keep up with your excellent work.
Best Regards
Dave


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## Alan Duggan

Hello Barry, i visit your site on a regular basis. Great site, keep up the good work Barry.

Alan


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## BarryJ

Dave and Alan -

Thanks very much for the kind words. I only wish I could fill all the gaps in the lists of owners, add all the missing photographs, and record the cir***stances of those losses for which I don't have any details.

If it wasn't for the help so many people have given me, there would be many more gaps and errors!

All the best,
Barry


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## BarryJ

I've just updated the Milford Trawlers website, with some corrections and additions, including a photo of MANOR M238 (ex FD174).

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Latest update to Milford trawlers*

I've uploaded new information as well as corrections to the website, mainly focused on news items related to trawlers fishing out of Milford, but registered in other ports, with names beginning A to H.

I'm grateful for the photographs of PROVIDER R19 and TRIUMPH YH568 supplied by Barry Banham, and for the wealth of corrections and new information provided by Gil Mayes and his collaborators Maurice Voss, David Slinger and George Westwood.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Latest update*

The latest update of the website gives additions and corrections, mainly to trawlers registered in ports other than Milford, but who fished out of the port on a regular basis, mostly for a year or longer.

Please notify me of any errors or omissions, to be made good at the next update.

BarryJ


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## bill dial

BarryJ said:


> The latest update of the website gives additions and corrections, mainly to trawlers registered in ports other than Milford, but who fished out of the port on a regular basis, mostly for a year or longer.
> 
> Please notify me of any errors or omissions, to be made good at the next update.
> 
> BarryJ


Keep up the good work Barry


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## BarryJ

Thanks, Bill - it's a labour of love!

Barry


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## BarryJ

The latest update to the Milford Trawlers website is now on-line, including news items relating to trawlers registered in ports other than Milford.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Latest update*

The latest update includes several interesting newspaper articles, including another "Message in a bottle" story relating to SYBIL LT77 (the first vessel to enter the newly opened Milford Docks in 1888). This message seems to be hoax to me, though the story was printed in many newspapers. (See the page for HIROSE M47, and the very relevant warning about "messages in bottles", especially harrowing tales, published by "The Times".)

BarryJ


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## dickjburton

*Provider YH999, LT42, R19*

Re "8 Nov 1910: After a collision with the dynamite-laden ketch MYSTERY, the crew abandoned PROVIDER, and were landed in Yarmouth, while the damaged drifter was towed to Lowestoft by a trawler. The PROVIDER's nets, holding 8,000 mackerel, were found and taken aboard by a herring boat. [The Times, Thursday 10th November ]"
Dear Barry
I was interested in this incident recorded in your Milford Trawlers website was this the Times of London ?. When I looked at the Times
archive for this date I couldnt find the report.
AS a matter of interest I have The Yarmouth Independent 18-10-1913 report with picture of the Providers stranding on the North Beach and could let you have a copy.

Kind Regards
Richard Burton


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## BarryJ

*Provider*

Thanks very much, Dick - yes it was "The Times" of London, which I got from "Gales News Vault", which I access via my local library on-line. I'll check it again later this morning, and let you know more details.

I'd very much appreciate a copy of the photo via email, if possible. 
( [email protected] )

I'll get back later.

Barry


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## BarryJ

Today's update of the Milford Trawler website contains new photographs and newspaper reports, as well as corrections and additions provided by helpful correspondents, for which I'm very grateful.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Milford trawlers update*

I've updated the website with a number of better trawler photographs, and do***ents issued to Skipper A.J. Beckett, who was drowned in 1942 when trying to dump the code books as his boom defence vessel CHORLEY (ex CERESIO H447) was sinking.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Milford trawlers update*

I've updated the website, including several new photos, new pages, and additional or corrected information for various ships' pages.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Milford Trawlers update*

In the latest update I've added several new pages for vessels registered in other ports, but which landed at Milford regularly, particularly Brixham smacks, and additions / corrections to other pages.

I'm hoping to have access later this year to digitised Pembrokeshire newspapers from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which should yield substantial information on Milford fishing vessels, thanks to the National Library of Wales.

Fingers crossed!
BarryJ


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## davetodd

BarryJ said:


> In the latest update I've added several new pages for vessels registered in other ports, but which landed at Milford regularly, particularly Brixham smacks, and additions / corrections to other pages.
> 
> I'm hoping to have access later this year to digitised Pembrokeshire newspapers from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which should yield substantial information on Milford fishing vessels, thanks to the National Library of Wales.
> 
> Fingers crossed!
> BarryJ


Barry
I wish you well with the access to the National Library of Wales.(Scribe)
That would be a great help to many people interested in the early reports and information which can be found in newspapers.
A similar exercise is being undertaken into Grimsby newsclippings from local papers by a dedicated volunteer.

Best wishes 
Dave


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## BarryJ

Thanks, Dave - I'll post a message to the Forum when I get access to the newspaper archive. I don't know yet when it will become available, but I'd be very happy to get stuck into it this summer.

All the best,
Barry


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## BarryJ

*Latest update of Milford Trawlers website*

As usual, additions and corrections raise yet more questions, and the ? key is getting shinier.

All contributions with further suggestions, errors and omissions will be gratefully received.

BarryJ

http://www.milfordtrawlers.org.uk/


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## frogman

keep up good work barry m8


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## BarryJ

Thanks, Frogman!

TTFN
BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Milford Trawlers update*

I'm still waiting for the National Library of Wales to complete their digitisation of historical Welsh newspapers, which should be a very useful source for stories relating to the early Milford fishing industry.

In the meantime I've continued to make minor corrections and additions to the website, thanks to information mainly from Gil Mayes and Douglas Paterson.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Milford Trawlers update*

This is a more extensive update than usual. 

As the first vessel to enter the newly completed Milford Docks was the trawler SYBIL LO37 in 1888, I've tried to cover the following 100 years. However, as the year of 1988 loomed up, more and more of the ships fishing out of the port were foreign owned and crewed, and they didn't have the same interest for me.

However, I felt that I should make the effort to cover these vessels, for the sake of completeness, so this update includes 13 new pages of vessels beginning with A to L, as well as minor additions or changes to 12 other vessels. The index of all Milford vessels is also more neatly presented (thanks to my son, who knows more about these things).

The next update is intended to do the same for names beginning M to Z, after which I hope the National Library of Wales will have digitised nineteenth and early twentieth century local newspapers, enabling me to add more news items relating to Milford fishing vessels.

It's keeping me off the streets, anyway.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Milford Trawlers update*

The latest update contains new pages for thirteen vessels, and additional information on six existing ships. I'm indebted to the Trawler Photos website, which I've always acknowledged.

There are are many omissions in the data, as most of the new pages were not Milford vessels in the traditional meaning of the word; most were crewed by Spaniards and many landed their catches in Spain. These alien ships were evidence of the decline of Milford as a fishing port, but I felt they had to be included, sad though they were. Still, I'd be very happy to receive any information to include on their pages, especially relating to their former UK owners, and their ultimate fate.

There are only about five new ships to add to the website now, but next year I hope to be able to include more historical information relating to "real" Milford ships in the earlier years when the port was growing, not declining.

BarryJ


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## gil mayes

Well done Barry.
Gil.


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## Linnea LL590

Great job Barry!!!


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## BarryJ

Thanks very much, Gil and "Linnea LL590"!

I'm currently compiling Milford landings by alphabetical ships' names for 1923, the only year organised by dates by Les Jones. There may be some errors in Les' summary of the landing periods he listed. I'm into April now!

Regards,
Barry


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## BarryJ

*Latest update for Milford Trawlers*

The latest update includes the last four of the 1988 entries of fishing vessels with Milford owners (according to Olsens), and corrections to the dates of consecutive landings for vessels during at least a year, mainly in the 1920s. Quite a few were regular but seasonal (March to October) in the 1920s, especially Brixham, Fleetwood, Lowestoft and Ramsgate vessels, but many of them later became based in Milford all the year round in the 1930s.

In 1923, 235 individual fishing vessels landed at Milford, not including small craft (under 15 grt). Les Jones, who compiled the names of all vessels for every year from 1888 to 1969, who entered Milford Dock (including warships and freighters), alphabetically by names, except for one year - 1923 - when he listed them by dates. I've now put 1923 landings in the same format as all the other years (but only for fishing vessels). If anyone is interested in that list, please email me via the Milford Trawlers website, and I'll send it as an attachment (6 sides of A4).

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

The latest update of the Milford Trawler website has additions and corrections to 26 pages, mostly of Milford registrations from the later years of the 1800s and early years of the 1900s.

If any member can spot errors or omissions (and there are many!), I'd be grateful for details and sources if possible.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Milford Trawlers updated*

There are 37 updated trawler pages on the website, including 8 new photographs. The basis of the information is the Milford register entries from 1902 to 1906. 

I've been greatly helped by Jan Harteveld with information and photographs on those trawlers which transferred to IJmuiden, and by Per Gisle Galåen and Ole Hajem Fisk, of the Norwegian Maritime Museum, on the less known histories of ships not only bought by Norwegian but also other foreign owners.

I intend to complete the update of the remaining ships on the 1902-26 register, but unfortunately the next register (1926-45) was not transferred to the Pembrokeshire Record Office.

I'm sure there are many errors and omissions remaining on these pages, and I'd be very grateful for any corrections.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Another helping hand.*

I should have also acknowledged the help of Göran Olsson, Gothenburg, Sweden.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Milford Trawlers update*

I've been updating and correcting pages of Milford fishing vessels registered in the port, mainly during the first two decades of the last century, and I'll be continuing with further similar updates this month.

At the same time, I've started transcribing newspaper articles concerning Milford vessels and their crews, from "The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser", from 1844 to 1910. This is one of a small group of 23 nineteenth century local newspapers digitised by the National Library of Wales, as a trial for a more extensive coverage of other Welsh newspapers, up to 1910. These newspaper articles are fascinating, usually tragic but sometimes humorous, and invaluable for family historians. The period covered by the "Herald" is longer than that of most of the other papers (the "Swansea Gazette", for example, runs for only 1909-10), and of course the readers of most of these local newspapers were more interested in farming, mining, ironworks and chapels than fishing vessels! 

The website for accessing the current newspapers is at:
http://welshnewspapers.llgc.org.uk/en/home 

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

The latest update on the Milford Trawlers website has added more details and/or corrections of technical details, owners and other information, covering years from the 1800s up to the early 1950s.

It also includes further local newspaper articles up until 1910, covering disasters, tragedies, fearsome accidents and occasionally farcical seamanship (such as three vessels trying to enter the docks at the same time). There are still more to come.

I'd appreciate any corrections and additions, via http://www.milfordtrawlers.org.uk/ 

BarryJ


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## frogman

Keep up the good work Barry m8


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## BarryJ

Thanks, Frogman!

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Milford Trawlers June update*

The latest update has 33 additional information / corrections for those Milford trawlers originally registered in other ports, and 45 additional pages of news items from*"The Pembrokeshire Herald", mainly dated 1900-10. (Some of these are tragic, others entertaining.)

BarryJ


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## edi1939

*milford trawlers*



BarryJ said:


> The latest update has 33 additional information / corrections for those Milford trawlers originally registered in other ports, and 45 additional pages of news items from*"The Pembrokeshire Herald", mainly dated 1900-10. (Some of these are tragic, others entertaining.)
> 
> BarryJ


hi barry do you know the fate of milford trawler welsh monarch she was sailing out of grimsby when i was her on sorry cant remember the exact date in 1960s


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## BarryJ

edi1939 -

I always include all the info I have relating to any Milford trawler straight away - I don't keep any info for myself!

This is what the WELSH MONARCH's page (under her final name) has on her fate:

"In 1980, CEDARLEA left Aberdeen, where she was lying derelict, and headed south, as a replacement for the offshore "pirate" station Radio Caroline. She was, however, abandoned in Ipswich until sold for £5,000 to Greenpeace, who renamed her GREEN PEACE. In 1982, together with another Greenpeace vessel, SIRIUS, she tracked down a fleet of Dutch ships, attempting the largest sea dump ever undertaken in the heart of the rich fishing grounds off the Northwest coast of Spain."

I don't know what happened after that.

All the best,
BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Updated Milford Trawlers website*

Fewer ships to be updated this time, and from the 1980s most of them crewed with Spaniards (apart from a local skipper), owned by Spanish firms, and with Spanish names. Very sad!

Some newspaper articles prior to 1920 are also included.

As usual, bold text indicates new additions or corrections.

BarryJ.


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## BarryJ

*Milford Trawlers update*

On 1st September I uploaded the latest additions and corrections to the website, based on all Milford registrations from ON 398388 (ARKARLANDA) to 712602 (SEMPER ALLEGRO), and others with a few RSS numbers or without ONs (over 15 grt).
I chose to stop at 1988, being a hundred years from the first fishing vessel, the SYBIL LT77, to enter the new dock. The 1980s aren't my favourites, with most of the bigger vessels crewed with foreigners, landing their fish in other ports, and only the smaller inshore boats crewed with just one or two Pembrokeshire men.
Now I'm happy again to go back to the early Milford vessels, by adding more newspaper articles, most of them interesting, some humorous, and many sad, often involved with vessels registered and based in other ports. I'm especially happy to be of help to people who are tracing ancestors who sailed on Milford ships.

BarryJ


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## davetodd

BarryJ said:


> On 1st September I uploaded the latest additions and corrections to the website, based on all Milford registrations from ON 398388 (ARKARLANDA) to 712602 (SEMPER ALLEGRO), and others with a few RSS numbers or without ONs (over 15 grt).
> I chose to stop at 1988, being a hundred years from the first fishing vessel, the SYBIL LT77, to enter the new dock. The 1980s aren't my favourites, with most of the bigger vessels crewed with foreigners, landing their fish in other ports, and only the smaller inshore boats crewed with just one or two Pembrokeshire men.
> Now I'm happy again to go back to the early Milford vessels, by adding more newspaper articles, most of them interesting, some humorous, and many sad, often involved with vessels registered and based in other ports. I'm especially happy to be of help to people
> bestregards Dave
> 
> BarryJ


favourites notwithstanding *arry  think you deserve full maks for completeness and perseveranc(Thumb)e

regards Dave*


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## BarryJ

Thanks, Dave!

Barry


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## BarryJ

*October update*

The update for this month is mainly concerned with Milford registrations in the period 1888-1914, with corrections and additions in bold type on vessels' pages.

There are more transcriptions from local newspapers of the period. One interesting one is the HIT OR MISS, a very appropriate name for her career, especially in the article from "The South Wales Daily Post"of Tuesday 19th July 1898.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Milford Trawlers update*

The November update is on-line, with the majority of vessels from NAIRANA to W.H. PODD, all of which were Milford registrations from 1888 to 1914.

There are also additions outside these years, including photographs, and as well as information supplied by Christer Olausson, Maritime Museum of Gothenburg.

I'd be grateful for any corrections or additions.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Milford Trawler website*

As usual, I've uploaded the latest corrections and additions on the first day of the month, including a few photos.

The National Library of Wales has invited me to participate in the UK Web Archive by archiving the web site. (The UK Web Archive is a partnership between the National Library of Wales, the British Library, JISC, and the Wellcome Library, to preserve website for future users.) 

The NLW Included this background: “We have identified this web site as an important part of Wales' do***entary heritage and would like it to remain available to researchers in the future. The archived copy of your web site will form part of our permanent collections. ………… We will not only take the necessary preservation action to keep your publication accessible as hardware and software changes over time but will also catalogue your publication through the websites of both the National Library of Wales (www.nlw.org.uk) and 
the UK Web Archive (www.webarchive.org.uk), thereby increasing awareness of your publication among researchers.”

So when I lose the number of my mess, the website should carry on for anyone interested in fishing vessels and/or fishing ancestors, or the history of Milford.

BarryJ


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## Douglas Paterson

Congratulations Barry......thats brilliant!
Douglas


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## aavh

Great news Barry It will be there for all in the future

Well Done


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## davetodd

wejjdone bsrryayuor hard work over the past years deserves eecognition (Wave)hiywt trregardsds daveo,s ,rlejt haqnd dpelling mot good yet(egg)


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## BarryJ

Thanks, Douglas - it's good to know that all that work won't just disappear!

Barry


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## BarryJ

Thanks,"aavh" and Dave! (Hope your hand will soon be OK.)

Barry


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## BarryJ

The latest update to the Milford Trawlers website includes additions of items from Welsh newspapers online (1880 - 1919) to 34 trawlers, and further additions and corrections to 22 trawlers. 

I hope that the newspaper articles relating to older vessels will be of especial interest to family historians.

As usual, I'd be grateful for any corrections or omissions. I think I'll probably be adding fewer additions and corrections from now on.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

The latest update of the Milford trawler website contains 31 pages, all of which were vessels under other port numbers but owned at some time by Milford firms, not registered locally. With one exception (CALLIOPSIS KY223), all the listed trawlers landed regularly at Milford.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

The updating has continued with 34 trawlers with initials G-I, registered elsewhere than Milford, while fishing out of Milford regularly and with owners based in the port. 
I'll soon be about half way through in the next month, so later in the year I'll probably start to make smaller additions and corrections. As always, I realise the importance of information from members of this forum.

TTFN
BarryJ


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## BarryJ

The latest update has added corrections and additions to 39 vessels, registered in ports other than Milford, but fishing regularly out of the port for at least a year. (There's one exception - the LUCANIA, which was based in Cardiff, but my grandfather was her skipper, so I broke the rule.)

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

This month's update has more than the usual number of vessels. One of them, MARGUERITE O.154, is a bit of a problem, as the official records seem to have been mixed up with other ships. 
Another interesting one is the PERSIA LO250, Milford owned and landed her catches from 12 Nov 1906 to 5 Jun 1911. Then she became the Dutch JACQUELINE CLASINE, later a minesweeper in Milford from 1 Apr 1942 to 17 Mar 1943; 9 Dec 1943 and 2 Oct 1944. With other Dutch trawlers / minesweepers they would have been under HMS SKIRMISHER, the base (a "stone frigate") in a building in Milford. (In the 1950s I was a Sea Cadet in that building.) She was RN at the Normandy landings, but she was wrecked in 1952, though I don't know the cir***stances. Does anyone know about her end?

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

The September update is still online, and the October update has completed the 
additional information and corrections for Milford vessels registered in other ports, with ZODIAC GY151 at last.

Of course, there's always other additions and corrections to keep me busy, so please let me know where I've got wrong or missed something.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

My current update in November is mainly on trawlers not registered in Milford, but the December next update on Monday is mainly on Milford registers 1881 - 1914, and the rest of those I will hope to complete in January. Those are especially useful for tracing ancestors.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

Sorry about the delay, but I had problems with my FrontPage changes for the January upload, as I needed the expertise of a PC specialist.

The upload is about the remainder of the Milford vessels registered between 1881 and 1914; next I hope to start on more information for 1915 - 1935, though this is difficult, as the Registers of the period have been lost, and neither local newspapers are available online.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Milford Registeries 1915-39*

The current February update covers names A-L, and tomorrow the March update will cover M-W, all of them Milford registered. 

However, there are two new vessels, sold by the Admiralty in 1919: GEORGE BORTHWICK LO179 and GEORGE FRENCH LO197. Both were Co.Antrim owners, but both landed only in Milford throughout in 1920, and then in 1921 they were transferred to Grimsby and later to Aberdeen, renamed as ANNABELLE and ARLETTE. Those pages will be uploaded tomorrow (I hope).

In April I expect to begin with corrected Milford trawlers registered from 1940 to 1988.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

I've uploaded the website, but for some reason I can't scroll down the page for GEORGE BORTHWICK. I hope to find out what the problem.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

A couple of problems arose from the update, but they are sorted out now, together with a new photo of ANNABELLE*A101 (ex-GEORGE BORTHWICK), thanks to Bill Blow.

BarryJ.


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## BarryJ

*Swansea "Castle" trawlers*

I'm having a small but niggling problem of these Castle trawlers, between 1906-07:
CAREW CASTLE 
HARFAT CASTLE 
PICTON CASTLE
POINTZ CASTLE
ROCHE CASTLE

Because these vessels were so shortly owners by Swansea owners, I haven't been able to find their SA port numbers - that's the niggle.

I know it's a long shot, but I'd be grateful if anyone have been or are able to look at the "Register of Fishing Boats, 1903–35" (D/D PRO/RBS/S 3/1), at the West Glamorgan Archives, Swansea, to copy their SA numbers. (They don't haven't the BT145 1904-08, though the National Archives at Kew have it.)

It would cost me the petrol for £20, and the Archives asked for copies at £30, for Swansea, and neither are worth for just five SA numbers!

I've uploaded the latest changes of the Milford Trawlers website, as now there's a just a few changes this month. I'd love to have the SA numbers for June - but I don't expect any of them.

BarryJ


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## frangio

Hi Barry

Saw your thread as you had posted something new and thought you might be interested in the following.

I work at Culzean Country Park in Ayrshire, Scotland and for many years we wondered about a wreck site on the coast here. A couple of years ago we started taking members of the public on Sea Kayaking tours and I researched the wreck to allow us to tell the story.

She is Clyro M245 (Originally Thomas Twiney)

http://www.llangibby.eclipse.co.uk/milfordtrawlers/Technical details/clyro__m245.htm

The boiler is visible at low tides and some deck plates are accessible at this time too. Thought you might be interested. I will try and get some good photographs and post them in my gallery pages.

Best Wishes


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## BarryJ

Thanks, Frangio - that must be a poignant wreck.

I'd be very interested to have her photos as she is today.

Regards,
BarryJ


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## frangio

BarryJ said:


> Thanks, Frangio - that must be a poignant wreck.
> 
> I'd be very interested to have her photos as she is today.
> 
> Regards,
> BarryJ


Hi Barry

Have now downloaded 6 photos into the gallery. Search for Clyro. Have a few more of some small parts that are scattered over the shore which I will download tomorrow.

Decided to take advantage of the low tides as we are at a new moon. This being the west of Scotland just as we got to the low the weather closed in. Typical!

Best Wishes


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## cueball44

BarryJ said:


> I'm having a small but niggling problem of these Castle trawlers, between 1906-07:
> CAREW CASTLE
> HARFAT CASTLE
> PICTON CASTLE
> POINTZ CASTLE
> ROCHE CASTLE
> 
> Because these vessels were so shortly owners by Swansea owners, I haven't been able to find their SA port numbers - that's the niggle.
> 
> I know it's a long shot, but I'd be grateful if anyone have been or are able to look at the "Register of Fishing Boats, 1903–35" (D/D PRO/RBS/S 3/1), at the West Glamorgan Archives, Swansea, to copy their SA numbers. (They don't haven't the BT145 1904-08, though the National Archives at Kew have it.)
> 
> It would cost me the petrol for £20, and the Archives asked for copies at £30, for Swansea, and neither are worth for just five SA numbers!
> 
> I've uploaded the latest changes of the Milford Trawlers website, as now there's a just a few changes this month. I'd love to have the SA numbers for June - but I don't expect any of them.
> 
> BarryJ


I have just had a look at Picton Castle. It gives her number as SA 107. And Carew Castle SA 106.


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## tsell

No doubt you know this site well Barry, but I have found some interesting reading on it, and the link: Trawlers 1888 - 1914
Thanks for your interesting thread also. 

http://www.llangibby.eclipse.co.uk/milfordtrawlers/accidents & incidents/syringa.htm

Taff


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## BarryJ

Thanks, Cueball! At least two port numbers will be complete, and I will update their pages.

Thanks again!
Barry


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## BarryJ

Taff -

I'm glad you're interest with the website, especially with the older trawlers and their crews.

BarryJ


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## cueball44

BarryJ said:


> Thanks, Cueball! At least two port numbers will be complete, and I will update their pages.
> 
> Thanks again!
> Barry


All I did was Google "Wreck Report" for the ships one by one. I then viewed the numbers that were shown. There are numbers for the others, but not the SA ones. Have you tried it yourself ?.


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## BarryJ

Well, I didn't think of looking for the wreck records, Cueball, so I'm very grateful for at least of the two SA numbers.

I'll try those records, whether there are SAs or not.

Thanks again,
BarryJ


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## BarryJ

Cueball -

Sorry - the SA nos. of the CAREW CASTLE and PICTON CASTLE were not the Swansea trawlers in 1906. That's the problem - all five CASTLE trawlers were registered and bought elsewhere in 1906. 

I thought they were the wrong port numbers: CAREW CASTLE was 13th in 1906 and the PICTON CASTLE was 21st in 1906. The two SA numbers should not have been sequential.

You'll see their pages in the Milford Trawlers website: CAREW CASTLE was renamed THORA 1907, and PICTON CASTLE was DINORAH B459 in 1906.

Well, it was a happy dream for a while! 

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

Just a few small bits and pieces about fifteen vessels - they're probably won't be many other pieces of information from now on. (Though it would be very useful if other people set up other websites for fishing vessels!)

BarryJ


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## SCare

I've been updating and correcting pages of Milford fishing vessels registered in the port, mainly during the first two decades of the last century, and I'll be continuing with further similar updates this month.


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## BarryJ

*Milford Trawlers*

Thanks for your help, SCare. 

Where did you find your sources? Les Jones built up a remarkable archive, which have been helping me for many years.

BarryJ


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## gil mayes

I wonder if Scare is going to respond to Barry? I am also very interested in what he says he is doing.
Gil.


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## BarryJ

I've been wondering for some time too, Gil!

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

This morning is the latest upgrade for the Milford trawlers website. Fewer changes now, and will probably become even fewer.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

The latest update has been only a few changes. (One new page, for the RECHABITE SA18, was a bit of cheek on my part - as a fishing smack with a Tenby owner, bought from Swansea, but she was then transferred to Milford owners but not on the fishing registry.)

If there are important new pages or changes, I'll tell the "Ships Nostalgia" fishing vessels forum, otherwise there may be very small changes or additions.

TTFN,
BarryJ


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## BarryJ

Sorry about the RECHABITE page - far too off to the right end. I've tried to correct it but it seems to be "frozen"!

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Thomas Leeds / Strathcathro M70*

A new photo has been kindly supplied by David Slinger, which was made originally by the Studio Janwen photographers in Milford.

She was about to leave for the Nigerian Shipping & Trading Co. in January 1954, but sadly on 25th October 1955 she was stranded and abandoned as a total loss near Ten Mile Beacon, west of Lagos.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*East Coast A935*

I've omitted a number of landings at Milford from 23 Feb 1941 to 22 Mar 1944, with probably landings at Fleetwood over Christmas and New Year from 1941-44.

Thanks from Gil Mayes, as I had missed those landings, and I have also been helped by the Pembrokeshire Archives.

A very interesting page.

BarryJ


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## BarryJ

*Cloughstone*

George Westwood (via Gil Mayes) thanks for the story of the 180 mile tow by the Hull trawlers of CLOUGHSTONE (Sk. George Reeve) who towed the FRASCATI (Sk. George Greening) to Aberdeen. (The story was told in the Aberdeen "The Press and Journal", of Wednesday 9th April 1947.)

30 Dec 1946: As CLOUGHSTONE H374; Lord Line, Hull.
21 Jan 1948: Milford Fisheries, Docks, Milford. Manager: Owen Willie Limbrick.

BarryJ.


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