Additional information courtesy of David Slinger, Robin Youngman and Mike Thompson

Technical

Official Number: 301628
Yard Number: 1453
Completed: 1960
Gross Tonnage: 452.79
Net Tonnage: 149.98
Length: 139.4 ft
Breadth: 28.2 ft
Depth: 13.35 ft
Built: Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby
Engine: 8-cyl 1000bhp oil engine by Mirrlees, Bickerton & Day Ltd, Stockport

History

Cost to build £182,000 (WFA Grant £37,500).
19.9.1959: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.1453) for Robin’s Trawlers Ltd (64/64), Hull as DAYSPRING.
29.02.1960: Registered at Hull (H183).
29.2.1960: William John Robins designated manager.
1.3.1960: Completed.
03.03.1960: Sailed on first trip to Faroe grounds.
11.3.1960: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to the White Fish Authority, London to secure sums due on an account current with interest as agreed.(A).
1960: Landings from Faroe/Iceland/North Sea – 283 days 10611 kits £47,806 gross.
20.5.1961: Robin’s Trawlers Ltd bought by Basil Arthur Parkes, Hessle (Saint Andrew’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd managing agents).
23.6.1961: Last landing at Hull (Sk. D. Cornack) Iceland – 16 days 1120 kits £5,277 gross.
1961: Landings at Hull from Faroe/Iceland – 157 days 6620 kits £30,338 gross.
26.6.1961: Sailed Hull for fishing grounds (Sk. Ronald Slapp). To land at Fleetwood.
11.7.1961: First landing at Fleetwood, 230 kits. Fishing out of Fleetwood.
15.8.1961: Sold to Parbel-Smith Ltd (64/64), Aberdeen (Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Group, Fleetwood).
18.8.1961: Basil Arthur Parkes, Hessle designated manager.
28.11.1961: Sailed Fleetwood for fishing grounds (Sk. Ronald Slapp) in fine clear weather. At 9.00 am. off the Isle of Man in collision with London registered motor tanker AUSPICITY (402grt/1944) on passage Greenock for Liverpool with part cargo vegetable oil; both vessels damaged. AUSPICITY, listing, put into Ramsey with port side rails and shell plates midships set in and holed. DAYSPRING returned to Fleetwood leaking in forepeak.
29.11.1961: After landing ice, placed on slip for survey and repair. Stem twisted, several shell plates set in and holed on starboard bow. Repairs effected and returned to service.
17.2.1962: Aberdeen crew left Aberdeen for Fleetwood to take over vessel. To sail for Icelandic grounds and land in Aberdeen.
29.3.1962: Reported that vessel was refused membership of the Aberdeen Fishing Vessel Owners’ Association. Required to seek permission to land at Aberdeen every time she returned from a distant water trip. After an unfortunate trip losing gear and having to return with a poor catch, sailed for Icelandic grounds to land at Grimsby.
3.4.1962: Registered at Hull as ADMIRAL NELSON (H183) (MoT Minute RSS8/1/02487 dated 3.2.1962).
25.4.1962: Transferred to fish out of Grimsby (Boston Deep Sa Fisheries Ltd, Grimsby managing agents).
26.4.1962: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to the White Fish Authority, London for the sum of £99,344 with interest as agreed (B).
27.7.1962: Mortgage (A) discharged.
9.3.1963: Registered at Hull as PRINCESS ROYAL (H183) (BoT Minute RSS8/1/02743 dated 27.2.1963).
By 6.1966: Being operated in the name of White Fish Authority, London (Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd, Grimsby managing agents).
18.6.1968: Last trip from Grimsby. Sailed for Iceland (Sk. Raymond William Evans).
2.7.1968: Landed 835 kits (709 kits shelf) £2,753 gross. Laid up and offered for sale.
26.8.1968: Mortgage (B) discharged.
29.8.1968: Sold to Irvin & Johnson Ltd, Cape Town, South Africa.
18.10.1968: Hull registry closed.
10.1968: Registered at Cape Town.
1983: Vessel stripped of reusable parts and non-ferrous metals.
09.05.1983: Hulk scuttled off Robben Island, Cape Town.
5.1983: Cape Town registry closed.

Note: The AUSPICITY was an Everard tanker, ex CHANT war built, straight framed and built in weldments in small workshops, brought to the shipyard and assembled; she was pretty strong as befits a ship that was expected to beach and discharge.

Click to enlarge images

M.T. Dayspring H183
Picture from the Internet

M.V. Auspicity
Picture from the Internet

M.T. Admiral Nelson H183
Picture courtesy of The David Slinger Collection

M.T. Princess Royal H183
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
07/12/2016: Page re-published due to site problems.
28/03/2019: Updated information.
18/11/2019: Updated Information.

Additional information courtesy of Barry Banham and Douglas Paterson Fishing Boat Heritage

In Boston (Fleetwood) ownership. Did not sail from the port.

Technical

Official Number: 166711
Yard Number: 1332
Completed: 1948
Gross Tonnage: 133
Net Tonnage: 42
Length: 96.8 ft
Breadth: 21.1 ft
Depth: 9.5 ft
Engine: 6-cyl 350bhp oil engine by Crossley Bros Ltd, Openshaw. Manchester

History

2.10.1947: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.1332) for Frederick E Catchpole, Lowestoft, as SUNLIT WATERS.
7.2.1948: Registered at Lowestoft (LT377).
3.3.1948: Completed.
29.5.1951: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Basil A. Parkes, manager).
1952: Re-engined with 6-cyl 440bhp oil engine by Crossley Bros Ltd, Openshaw. Manchester.
8.5.1952: Registered at Lowestoft as BOSTON SWIFT(LT377).
3.9.1954: Sold to Mercury Fisheries Ltd, Halifax, NS (Paul Stockhamer, London, manager). Lowestoft registry closed.
21.9.1954: Lowestoft registry closed.
9.1954: Registered at Halifax, NS (‘H’11).
By end 1956: Owned by Minister of Trade & Industry, Halifax, NS.
3.1957: Sold to George Murray & Craig Stores (Aberdeen) Ltd, Aberdeen. Halifax registry closed.
6.3.1957: Registered at Aberdeen (A143).
30.4.1957: Registered at Aberdeen as SWIFTBURN (A143).
24.4.1958: Sold to Star Drift Fishing Co Ltd, Lowestoft (Frederick E Catchpole, manager).
24.4.1958: Aberdeen registry closed.
26.4.1958: Registered at Lowestoft (LT367).
16.10.1958: Registered at Lowestoft as DAUNTLESS STAR (LT367).
21.10.1959: At Lowestoft (Sk George Draper) landed 1891/2 crans of herring caught 40 miles NxE of Haisborough Light. Prunier Trophy winner.
1965: Company and ships taken over by Boston Group, Hull.
10.1966: On charter to Triton Salvage & Towage Co Ltd for oil industry related work in North Sea.
12.2.1969: Sold to John R, Francis & Alexander Reid, Gardenstown and Frank West, Fraserburgh. Used as a herring carrier working with purse seiner BDELLIUM (FR185); not a success and laid up.
19.6.1971: Sold to J R Hashim, Frostenden, Suffolk.
4.12.19073: Sold to Warbler Fishing Co Ltd, Lowestoft.
4.8.1975: Sold to R. J. Brooks, Ipswich. Lowestoft fishing registry closed.
1977: Sailed Lowestoft for United Arab Emirates. In use as a water carrier for offshore installations.
21.12.1999: Part Four Lowestoft registry closed.
2008: Vessel removed from Lloyd’s Register of Shipping “Continued existence in doubt”.

Click to enlarge images

M.T. Sunlit Waters LT377

M.T. Dauntless Star LT367

M.T. Dauntless Star LT367
Picture courtesy of James Cullen

Changelog
17/11/2016: Page re-published due to site problems.

Additional information courtesy of Barry Banham

Technical

Official Number: 166709
Yard Number: 1331
Completed: 1948
Gross Tonnage: 133
Net Tonnage: 42
Length: 96.8 ft
Breadth: 21.1 ft
Depth: 9.5 ft
Engine: 6-cyl 350bhp oil engine by Crossley Bros Ltd, Openshaw. Manchester (built1942)

History

16.9.1947: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.1331) for Star Drift Fishing Co Ltd, Lowestoft as DAUNTLESS STAR.
07.01.1948: Registered at Lowestoft (LT371).
2.2.1948: Completed (Frederick E. Catchpole, manager).
4.2.1948: Arrived Lowestoft from builders.
9.11.1949: Prunier Trophy winner. At Lowestoft (Sk. Arthur Keable) landed 2671/4 crans of herring grossed £905.
30.8.1951: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Basil A. Parkes, manager).
1951: Sold to Booth Fisheries Canadian Co Ltd, Winnipeg, Man (Hector Melhuish, manager). Re-engined with 6-cyl 375bhp Crossley (built 1942).
28.02.1952: Registered at Halifax, NS (‘H’ 43).
9.5.1951: Lowestoft registry cancelled.
1954: Registered at Halifax as as RED DIAMOND IV (‘H’43).
1960: Converted to cargo (refrigerated). Halifax registry closed. Registered at Panama.
1985: Vessel removed from Lloyd’s Register of Shipping “Continued existence in doubt”.

Click to enlarge images

M.T. Dauntless Star LT371
Picture courtesy of Ashley Gardiner

M.D/T. Dauntless Star LT367
Picture from the Internet

M.T. Red Diamond IV ‘H’43
Picture courtesy of Roger Griffiths

Changelog
17/11/2016: Page re-published due to site problems.
15/10/2018: Picture added.

Additional information courtesy of David Slinger

Technical

Official Number: 302385
From 1993: RSS No.A18916
Yard Number: 399
Completed: 1960
Gross Tonnage: 137
Net Tonnage: 47
Length: 93.6 ft
breadth: 22.4 ft
Depth: 10.6 ft
Engine: 6-cyl 360bhp oil engine by Ruston & Hornsby Ltd, Lincoln.

History

1960: Launched by James & Stone Ltd, Brightlingsea (Yd.No.399) for Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd, Fleetwood as BOSTON COMET.
11.1960: Completed. Registered at Lowestoft (LT183). Basil Arthur Parkes, North Ferriby appointed manager. Fishing out of Lowestoft. 1966: Sold to St. Christopher Steam Fishing Co Ltd, London. Basil Arthur Parkes appointed manager. Fishing out of Fleetwood.
10.1970: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd, Hull. W. H. Kerr, Milford appointed manager. Fishing out of Milford Haven.
08.04.1972: Sailed Milford for Lowestoft and to fish out of that port.
1974: Transferred to Fleetwood on offshore platform standby/rescue duties.
1976: Employed on offshore platform standby/rescue duties. Fishing registry closed. Boston Putford Offshore Safety Ltd, managers.
07.1986: Sold along with BOSTON ARGOSY (ex LT364), BOSTON CORSAIR (ex LT148), BOSTON HORNET (ex LT173), BOSTON WHIRLWIND (ex LT454) in an en bloc deal to Cmaine (Shipping) Ltd, Stonehouse Plymouth (Anglo Spanish principals). All former trawlers. To be refitted in Spain for a return to fishing under the British register, reverting to their former PLNs.
10.1986: Sold to Presslake Ltd, Stonehouse, Plymouth (Joe O’Connor, J. L. J. Couceiro & others). Cmaine (Shipping) Ltd appointed managers.
1987: On completion of refit registered at Lowestoft as BOSTON COMET (LT183).
By 1993: Sold to Great Coast Ltd, Compton Barton, Paignton (Anglo Spanish principals). Grand Sole Fisheries, Paignton appointed managers. Fishing out of Vigo.
25.09.1993: Fishing off St. Kilda (Sk. Anthony Robin St. Clair, Anlaby, Hull); Spanish fishing master and fourteen crew. Boarded by Scottish Fishery Cruiser NORNA for inspection. Arrested on log book offences and retaining undersized fish. Escorted to Stornoway.
04.10.1993: At Stornoway Sheriff Court, Sk. St. Clair pleaded guilty but stated as the skipper he had no responsibility for the fishing or recording the catch, this being undertaken by the Spanish fishing master and his fishermen. Sheriff Ian Cameron could not accept that the accused was “ … just a puppet or figure head. “ and imposed fines of £13,000 for the skipper and £33,200 for the owners. An illegal net was ordered to be forfeit and the ship detained until the fines were paid.
05.07.1994: Registered at Lowestoft as MY FRIEND (LT183).
2000: Refitted with 469bhp oil engine by ??
2000: Remeasured 173g 51n.
2001: Sold to Susa Fishing Ltd, Brixham (Anglo Spanish principals). Grand Sole Fisheries, Paignton appointed managers.
2001: Sold to Ledbeam Ltd. Compton Martin, Paignton (Anglo Spanish principals). Grand Sole Fisheries, Paignton appointed managers.
02.10.2003: Believed decommissioned.

Click to enlarge images

M.T. Boston Comet LT183
Picture courtesy of David Slinger

M.T. Boston Comet LT183

Changelog
08/11/2016: Page re-published due to site problems.
17/09/2017: Removed FMHT watermark.

Technical

Official Number: 364903
Yard Number: 584
Completed: 1975
Gross Tonnage: 387
Length: 124 ft
Built: Goole Shipbuilding and Repairing Ltd, Goole

History

1975: Launched by Goole Shipbuilding and Repairing Ltd, Goole, (Yd. No. 584) for Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd, Grimsby, as BOSTON HALIFAX. Registered at Grimsby (GY321).
1975: Fished the West Coast grounds from Fleetwood. Fitted for pair trawling. Returned to Grimsby and fished the Arctic grounds from there.
1978: Transferred to Lowestoft.
1985: Registered as LO339.
1986: Sold to Danish owners as DROT.
1990: Returned to UK ownership (George Craig & Sons Ltd, Aberdeen) and renamed GRAMPIAN DEE and converted to a safety vessel.
2007: Sold ?
2009: As FENDERCARE INDEPENDENCE LO336, Fendercare Marine Ltd, Norwich under Sierra Leone flag.

Click to enlarge images

M.T. Boston Halifax GY321
Picture courtesy of The Frank Pook Collection

M.T. Boston Halifax LO339
Picture courtesy of The Frank Pook Collection

M.T. Boston Halifax LO339
Picture courtesy of The Frank Pook Collection

M.V. Grampian Dee
Picture from the Internet

M.T. Drot E130
Picture courtesy of The Frank Pook Collection

M.V. Fendercare Independence
Picture courtesy of The Fred Baker Collection

Changelog
25/10/2016: Page re-published due to site problems.
15/05/2017: Added image and removed FMHT watermarks.
31/12/2018: Added two images.

Technical

Official Number: 301515
Yard Number: 447
IMO: 5049207
Completed: 1959
Gross Tonnage: 361
Length: 89′ 4″ ft
Breadth: 22 ft
Depth: 10′ 6” ft
Built: Richards Ironworks Ltd
Owner: Boston Deep Sea Fisheries

History

1959: Completed by Richards Ironworks Ltd (Yard Number 447) for Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd, as BOSTON CORSAIR. Registered at Lowestoft (LT148).
1962: Employed as ORSV.
1986: Sold to Spanish owners and reverted to commercial fishing. She was sold in an en bloc deal to Parafleet Ltd, Plymouth (Cmaine (Shipping) Ltd, Stonehouse, Plymouth, managers) (Joseph O’Connor, J.L.J. Couceiro & Others) along with the following vessels.

BOSTON ARGOSY
BOSTON COMET
BOSTON HORNET
BOSTON WHIRLWIND.

November 1986: They left Lowestoft for Plymouth for La Corunna. The vessels were refitted in Spain and reverted to their original UK PRNs ie LT364, LT183, LT148, LT173 & LT453 respectively.
1994: Reported to have sunk in port.

Click to enlarge images

M.T. Boston Corsair LT148
Picture courtesy of Robert Durrant

M.T. Boston Corsair LT148
Picture courtesy of Harry Bullough

Changelog
23/10/2016: Page re-published due to site problems.

Technical

Official Number: 189036
Yard Number: 260
Completed: 1956
Gross Tonnage: 238
Net Tonnage: 81
Length: 111 ft
Breadth: 24 ft
Depth: 11 ft
Built: John Lewis and Sons Ltd, Aberdeen
Engine: Engine Number 330
Owner: Boston Deep Sea Fisheries

History

1956: Built as ACADIA SNOWBIRD in Aberdeen for Boston Deep Sea Fisheries.
Boston Deep Sea Fisheries sent her to their Canadian subsidiary, Acadia Fisheries in Nova Scotia where she operated from Mulgrave, NS for a few years before being brought back to the UK.
1968: She arrived initially at Fleetwood as ACADIA SNOWBIRD but was quickly renamed BOSTON HARRIER and registered at Lowestoft (LT76).
She worked for some time from Fleetwood on the Irish Sea sole fishery before being transferred to Lowestoft.
1972: Sold to Putford Fisheries of Lowestoft and renamed EASTLEIGH.
1976: Scrapped.

Click to enlarge images

M.T .Boston Harrier LT76
Picture courtesy of The Phil Rogers Collection

M.T. Boston Harrier LT76
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection

M.T. Boston Harrier LT76
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection

Changelog
23/10/2016: Page re-published due to site problems.
12/03/2021: Added an image.