DORIS BURTON

Shipbuildervessel built by Hall, Russell & Company, Limited (Aberdeen, Scotland, 1864 - 1992)

Date31 March 1914

Object NameFISHING VESSEL

MediumSTEEL

ClassificationsShip

Dimensionslength 115 3/12' x breadth 22 1/12' x depth 12 9/12'
gross tonnage: 197 ton

Object numberABDSHIP002244

Keywords

Aberdeen Built Ships

About MeYard: Hall, Russell & Co.
Yard Number: 549
Official Number: 124315

Fate: Listed missing in Lloyd's Register of Shipping Returns of Wrecks and Losses 1914:
'Voyage: fishing left Aberdeen on 20th November 1914 and not since heard of.'

Propulsion: Steam
Description: Trawler

Owners:
1914: R. H. Davison & Co., Hartlepool

General History:
In 1914 the Hartlepool Trawler DORIS BURTON and her crew of six Scarborough men, was believed to have sunk after hitting a mine in the North sea. The six men were; J.W. Truefitt, skipper, leaving a wife and 4 children, Absalom Cave, 47, Mate, leaving wife and 9 children, Robert Jowsey, 30, unmarried, Wm. Reynolds, wife and 4 children, Thomas Leslie Harwood, 17, Cook, John Christopher Mansfield, 18.

Two reports of this incident, one from the Scarborough Weekly Post, 24 Dec 1914, which reports the loss of the DORIS BURTON, lists her crew, and is believed to "have been sacrificed to German mines", and another report from the Scarborough Pictorial, 16 Dec 1914, which tells of the tragedy and gives a little insight into the people on board. Not recorded as a fishing vessel lost at sea due to war.

(Source: www.wrecksite.eu)
CREW LIST (Listed on CWGC as lost on the 21 November 1914)

CAVE, Absolom (47) Second Hand. Born at Scarborough. Son of John and Dinah Cave. Husband of Lavinia Cave (nee Hodds), 73 Cleveland Road, Hartlepool. 9 children.
COLE, Jacob Grimes (22) Third Hand. Born at Stathes. Husband of Mrs Crooks (formerly Cole), 2 Woodyard Cottages, Walton, Wakefield.
COULSON, T.S. (37) Engineer. Born at South Shields. Husband of Mrs Coulson, Durham Street, Hartlepool.
HARWOOD, Thomas Leslie (16). Cook. Born 14.02.1898, Son of Sarah Jane Watson (formerly Harwood) 1 St. Flat, 22 Lochrin Buildings. Gilmore Place, Edinburgh. First voyage to sea.
HAWTHORN, Hugh (39) Second Engineer. Born at Bangor, Ireland, Son of John and Rose Ann Hawthorn, 22 Warren Terrace, Hartlepool
JOWSEY, Robert (29) Boat Hand. Born at Scarborough, Son of the late James and Eliza Jowsey. Unmarried. Stayed with his sister Eliza at Parkin’s Lane, Scarborough.
MANSEFIELD, John Christopher (16) Deckhand. Born at Scarborough in 1898, Son of John Canney and Laura (nee Vassey), Mansefield.
REYNOLDS, William (39) Trimmer. Born Scarborough, Son of George and Caroline Reynolds. Husband of Elizabeth Reynolds (nee Calpin), 5 The Bolts, Sandside, Scarborough. 4 children.
TRUEFITT, John William (41) Skipper. Son of the late Burton and Mary Jane Truefitt. Husband of Maria Truefitt (nee Jenkinson), 47 Castlegate, Scarborough. 5

Notes:
Engine details: Steam by screw, inverted, surface condensing, triple expansion engine, 12” x 20” x 34” with 24” stroke,
429 i.h.p., 78 r.h.p. by HR.
Boiler: number 1; heating area (ft^2) 1429; diameter 12' 9"; length 10' 9"; furnaces 3 plain welded 3' 2 15/32" in diameter; pressure (p.s.i) 180
Propeller: diameter 8' 4", solid cast iron

Cost & extras: £6,400 less £200 for owner’s supply of winch and acetylene gas.

History: - http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=51908&vessel=DORIS+BURTON
Crew list from CWGC and http://www.scarboroughsmaritimeheritage.org.uk/greatwar/f9-formidable.php
Photo of this vessel: Aberdeen City and Shire Archive HR/421/18/1