As FD 358

© Reproduced with acknowledgement to  Fred Baker & FMHT

                         Invercauld GN 47                     

Built 1916   Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby  as "Sapphire"   (Steel)  
     
Yard No 676  
     
Owner at New Kingston Steam Trawling Co Ltd,  Hull    (Build cost including fishing gear  £10,166.15s.6d)  
     
ID no 139320  
     
Launch Date 28.10.1916,  Building of vessel and machinery delayed by wartime shortage of components.  
     
Completed 04.1917 towed to Hull for machinery fitting  
   
Gross Tons 262  
     
Nett Tons 104  
     
Engine 89 hp  T.3-cyl by Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull  
     
Length 121.8ft  
     
Breadth 22.6ft  
     
Depth 12.2ft  
 

 

  
Owners    
10.09.1917 Registered at Hull H 580.  
29.09.1917 Steam raised and engine turned.  
04.10.1917 Completed trials and accepted.  
09.10.1917 Sailed Hull for North Sea fishing grounds.  
10.10.1917 Arthur Taylor appointed manager.  
05.12.1917 Requisitioned and converted to minesweeper (Ad.No.3077) renamed "SAPLER" based at Falmouth.  
26.02.1919 At Falmouth for refit and restoration by Cox & Co (Engineers) Ltd at Admiralty expense (£1,085).  
31.03.1919 Returned to Owners reverted to "Sapphire". Taken off hire and returned to owner. Work began on fitting out for return to fishing.  
04.1919 Work completed (included – fish room fitted with new boards, all running gear overhauled and new blocks and wires). All work at Admiralty expense.  
05.04.1919 Sailed Hull for North Sea fishing grounds.  
04.07.1919 Deposit paid by Lawrence Golding Fenner, Twickenham to W. A. Massey & Sons Ltd, Hull shipbrokers (£2,250).  
11.07.1919 Owned by Lawrence G. Fenner, Twickenham London (Joseph A. Taylor, manager) en bloc with sister ship "Garnet" H 495.  
28.07.1919 Balance paid £20,250 giving total for pair £45,000 gross £44,700 net (£150 to shipbroker).  
01.08.1919 Sailed Hull for Icelandic grounds under new owners.  
28.11.1919 Hull registry closed.  
29.11.1919 Registered at Fleetwood FD 358.  
24.04.1920 Owned by Garnet Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood    (Joseph A. Taylor, Fleetwood manager).  
1922 J. Nierinck appointed manager.  
28.01.1925 Owned by New Docks Steam Trawling Co (Fleetwood) Ltd, Fleetwood.  
03.1925 Owned by Perihelion Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby.     
03.03.1925 Fleetwood registry closed.  
04.03.1925 Herbert George Crampin appointed manager.  
05.03.1925 Registered at Grimsby GY 254.   
16.08.1928 Transferred to fish from Aberdeen.  
12.1928 Owned by Dublin Trawling, Ice & Cold Storage Co Ltd, Dublin Ireland  (P. Fannon manager).  
17.12.1928 Grimsby registry closed.  
01.1929 Registered at Dublin D 18.  
06.10.1931 Laid off Rockabill Light for 15 hours with boiler blow down pump trouble. Repaired and proceeded.  
01.1935 Owned by A. M. Morrice,  Aberdeen.    
01.1935 Dublin registry closed.  
09.01.1935 Registered at Aberdeen A.744.  
16.05.1935 Renamed "MARGARET MORRICE".  
1936 Owned by David Dryburgh, Granton Edinburgh (Planet Fishing Co Ltd managers).     
07.01.1936 Aberdeen registry closed.  
01.1936 Renamed "INVERCAULD".  
01.1936 Registered at Granton GN 47.  
1940 Owned by Carnie & Gibb, Newhaven Edinburgh  (W. Carnie Jnr, manager).  
16.07.1940 Requisitioned  and converted to Boom Defence Vessel (P.No.FY.1938) (Hire rate £76.8.4d/month).  
01.01.1941 Based at Belfast with M/S Group 144 (Temporary Skipper J. W. Carter RNR).  
1941 Owned by J. Bennett (Wholesale ) Ltd, Grimsby (W. A. Bennett, manager).  
1942 Based at Belfast with M/S Group 140 (Temporary Lieut. J. H. McVea RNVR).  
11.1945 Returned to Owners.  
1947 Owned by Planet Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Edinburgh  
1950

Operating from Aberdeen (George Robb & Sons Ltd, Aberdeen managers).

  
02.10.1950 Sailed Aberdeen for Icelandic grounds Skipper Albert S. H. Robb and twelve crewmen. 16.10.1950: While fishing experienced boiler trouble, intended to put into Vestmannaeyjar but damage got progressively worse and decided to make for Reykjavik.  
18.10.1950 At 02.10 a.m. Skagi Light was abeam and shortly after vessel struck the rocks. Icelandic patrol boat responded to the distress call and took off entire crew. At 07.00 a.m. heavy seas were breaking over the vessel and there was no hope of salvage. 13.5.1951: At Board Of Trade Formal Investigation (No. S.418), the Court found that the casualty was due to the default of her skipper, Albert Robb in respect that he left the vessel in charge of two uncertificated members of the crew whilst navigating close to a dangerous coast. Bearing in mind Skipper Robb’s many years of good service at sea his ticket was suspended for six months.