RUBISLAW
Shipbuildervessel built by
Hall, Russell & Company, Limited
(Aberdeen, Scotland, 1864 - 1992)
Date1903
Object NameFISHING VESSEL
MediumSTEEL
ClassificationsShip
Dimensionslength 115' 5" x breadth 21' 6" x depth 12'
Gross Tonnage: 192 ton
Gross Tonnage: 192 ton
Object numberABDSHIP002055
Keywords
Yard Number: 377
Official Number: 118177
Subsequent Names: HODD (1912); BRIM (1920); ARORA, A320 (1922).
Fate: ARORA left Aberdeen 23 January 1941 and not heard of since. Lost, apparently by enemy action, in North Sea.
Propulsion: Steam
Description: Trawler
Owners:.
06/10/1903: Aberdeen registry opened by William Forbes, fishing number A907.
1909-10: Owners William Forbes, Leith, continued to land at Aberdeen.
1912: Owners Damptrawler Hödd, Aalesund, Norway.
1914: H. A. Wigh, Aalesund, Norway.
1918: Ansnaes & Sonner, Christiansund, Norway.
01/05/1920: Offered for sale by G. Johannesson, 71 Menzies Road, Torry at an upset price of £11,000. Now measured at 192 g.r.t., 74 n.r.t.
1920: Owners Adam Brothers Ltd., Aberdeen. Registered at Aberdeen, A320.
1922: Owners Andrew Robertson, Aberdeen. Renamed ARORA.
General History:
19/09/1903: Launched. Named by Mrs Brown, wife of one of the vessel’s managers
10/06/1909: Skipper fined £70 for fishing inside 3-mile limit off Unst on the 4th.
22/10/1910: Towed the rudderless steam liner REDWING into Aberdeen.
1912: Renamed HODD.
13/06/1912: In collision with S.S. St. MAGNUS off Bell Rock Lighthouse.
1918: Renamed BRIM.
1920: New owners Adam Brothers were coal merchants but the vessel continued to land fish at Aberdeen between 1920 and 1923 and wasn’t used in the coal trade,
1922: Owners Andrew Robertson, Aberdeen. Renamed ARORA.
16/12/1922: Went ashore on beach behind the North Pier while returning to Aberdeen after compass adjustment. Refloated on the next tide.
1927: Found sinking while berthed at Albert Quay. Pumped out by Fire Brigade.
26/05/1928: In collision with cargo vessel ELIDIR off Buchan Ness. Stem and plates damaged and continued to Aberdeen.
29/03/1930: Carried the Lerwick Life Saving Apparatus Company to S.T. BEN DORAN, ashore on the Vee Skerries, but could not reach it.
05/05/1933: Rescued crew of S.T. FLORENCE DOMBY (A.264) off Longstone Light.
10/01/1934: Towed the disabled RATTRAY, sweep round propeller, to Aberdeen.
27/02/1940: Beat off an attack by two German aircraft.
23/01/1941: Left Aberdeen and not heard of again. Reports of its lifeboat being found bullet riddled on Orkney.
21/09/1903:
LAUNCH OF A TRAWLER AT ABERDEEN.
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On Saturday Messrs Hall, Russell and Co., Limited, launched from their yard a steam traw-ler built to the order of the Rubislaw Steam Trawling Company, Limited, Aberdeen. The dimensions of the vessel are - Length, 122 feet; breadth, 21 feet 6 inches; depth 13 feet 4 inches; and about 200 tons gross register. She is constructed to Class 100, A1, in Lloyd's Register, and has been designed for fishing in Iceland waters, having specially arranged coal bunkers for long voyages, and also a new feature for Aberdeen boats, viz, a hood or turtle back over the fore end, and stockless anchors. She will be fitted with the latest gear, and will be one of the most complete trawlers fishing from Aberdeen. Steel boiler and triple expansion engines of 350 I.H.P. will be supplied by the builders. As she left the ways she was named "Rubislaw." Mrs Brown, wife of one of the managers of the company, gracefully performed the ceremony of christening as the vessel left the ways. Amongst the others present were - Mr
(Aberdeen Press & Journal)
15/06/1912:
ABERDEEN STEAMERS IN COLLISION
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A Lloyd's telegram from Granton on Thurs-day night stated that the steam trawler Rubis-law arrived at Granton extensively damaged above the bow, having collided off May Island with the steamer St Magnus bound from Shet-land to Leith. The Rubislaw, which will dock for repairs, is owned by Mr W. Forbes, and is registered at Aberdeen.
The St Magnus, which arrived at Leith with her port side damaged above the water-line, a number of her plates being bent, belongs to the North of Scot-land and Orkney and Shetlands Steam Naviga-tion Company, Aberdeen, and has only this year been added to that company's fleet of coasting passenger and cargo steamers. A few weeks ago she took up the service between Leith, Aberdeen, and northern islands.
She left Aberdeen on Wednesday for the north, and was on her way to Leith to Shet-land when the collision occurred.
(Aberdeen Press & Journal)
01/05/1920:
FOR SALE
STEAM TRAWLER "BRIM"
(formerly "RUBISLAW")
Built 1903, Hall Russell, and Co., Ltd, Aberdeen.
Length 115.5 Keel. Beam 21.6. Depth 12.0.
Gross Tonnage, 192. Nett Register, 74 100/65.
Fitted with Triple Expansion Engines.
Cylinders, 12 by 20 by 33. 22 in. Stroke. Boiler
Pressure, 120 lbs. Horse Power, 69.
Boilers, 3 Furnaced, Corrugated, in splendid order.
Surveyed by Lloyd's, Nov., 1919. Chipped from Stem to Stern, Electrically Lighted throughout, Search-lights on foremast, Wireless Installation on board.
Double Lined Cabin. 2 Small Boats and Davits, etc.
Upset Price, £11,000.
The Vessel is presently fishing from Iceland, and will be inspectable at Aberdeen after 1st May.
For further particulars apply Messrs WALKER and FOOTE, Consulting Engineers. Commercial Quay, Aberdeen.
Vessel will be Sold only by Private Bargain, and Offers must be lodged with Mr G. JOHANNESSON, 71 Menzies Road, Aberdeen, by 8th May.
(Aberdeen Daily Journal)
24/02/1941:
HEROIC SKIPPER
MISSING
A THRILLING fight at sea in which an Aberdeen skipper and his chief engineer, armed with a machine-gun, beat off an attack on their trawler by two German planes and sent one of the raiders limping home is recalled by the news that Mr A Craig, 4 Tullos Circle, Aberdeen, is missing at sea.
Mr Craig was acting skipper on the Arora when, with three other Aberdeen trawlers, it was attacked off Aberdeen a year ago with bombs and machine-gun fire.
Standing on the deck of the Arora with bullets from the two attacking bombers raining down, Mr Craig and Mr James Cowie, the chief engineer, fought the attacking Heinkels for twenty minutes.
WOUNDED IN ARM
In all the Germans attacked five times. During the last attack Mr Craig got a full burst into one of the planes, and it made off with smoke trailing from it.
Mr Craig was called to London to give a report on the fight to the admiralty, and while there the Duke of Kent congratulated him.
During the fight Mr Craig re-ceived an arm injury when a German bullet struck him a glancing blow.
During the attacks four bombs were dropped at the Arora, but only one, an incendiary, struck the trawler. It caused no damage.
(Aberdeen Press & Journal)
Crew of the Arora at the time of loss:
CRAIG, Alexander Downie (36), Second Hand.
Son of William and Margaret Wood Craig.
Husband of Robertha Margret Craig, of Aberdeen.
CRAIG, Robert Downie (22), Deckhand.
Son of David Duncan Craig and Jessie Wisely Craig,
FALCONER, Andrew (37), Trimmer, FV Arora.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Falconer, of Aberdeen.
Husband of Elizabeth Gavin Falconer, of Stonehaven, Kincardineshire,
FINDLAY, George (41), Second Engineer.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. G. Findlay, of Lossiemouth, Morayshire.
Husband of Annabella Findlay, of Buckie, Banffshire.
MCLEAN, William George (64), Chief Engineer.
ROBERTSON, George (21), Deckhand.
Son of George and Gladys Florence May Robertson, of Aberdeen,
SINCLAIR, George (51), Cook.
Son of George and Ann Sinclair.
Husband of Margaret F. Sinclair, of Aberdeen,
SMITH, George Wallace (37), Skipper.
Son of Joseph and Maggie Jane Smith.
Husband of Elsie Slater Murray Smith, of Buckie, Banffshire,
SUTHERLAND, Alexander (37), Fisherman.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. S. Sutherland, of Findochty, Banffshire.
Husband of Edith Sutherland, of Portknockie, Banffshire,
Notes:
Hall, Russell Order Book: - Owner William Anderson 124 Union Grove, Aberdeen for the Rubislaw Steam Fishing Co. Ltd.
Dimensions 115’ 0” (120’ scored out) x 21’ 6” (21’ 6” scored out) x 12’ 10 (13’ 0” scored out)
Engines 12” (12½” scored out) x 21” (20” scored out) x 33” (34” scored out) x 24” stroke (22” scored out). Duplex steam pump. Trawl winch 7½ x 12 with helical gear and steel barrels, all as specified.
Engine details: Steam by screw, inverted, surface condensing, triple expansion, 12” x 20” x 33” with 22” stroke. 449 i.h.p., 76 r.h.p. by HR.
Boiler: number 1 S.B.; heating area (ft^2) 1266; diameter 12' 0"; length 10' 3"; furnaces 3 x 2’ 10½” annular corrugated.; pressure (p.s.i.) 180;
Propeller: 8’ 0” diameter, solid, cast iron.
Cost & extras: £5,675. Whaleback, if fitted, to cost £50 additional (was fitted).
History (CS) - http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=1903&builder=&ref=51736&vessel=RUBISLAW
History (gt) - http://www.grantontrawlers.com/Trawlers/Rubislaw%20A%20907.htm
The Aberdeen Colliers, Peter Myres 1987, p.34
1 February 1911
1911
1906
1907
November 1908
