THOMAS BURNHAM

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

Owner Admiralty

Date9 September 1918

Object NameADMIRALTY TRAWLER

MediumSTEEL

ClassificationsShip

Dimensionslength 115 3/12' x breadth 22 1/12' x depth 13'
Gross Tonnage: 203 ton

Object numberABDSHIP002352

Keywords

Aberdeen Built Ships

About MeYard: Hall, Russell & Co.
Yard Number: 642.
Official Number: 143889.
Subsequent Names: FLORIBELLE (1922); COPIEUX (1933); NELLIE MELLING (1949); GIRDLENESS (1955)

Fate: Demolished by G. & W. Brunton Ltd., Grangemouth, 25 September 1957.

Propulsion: Steam
Description: Strath Class admiralty trawler, screw, steel, armament 1 x 12 pdr. gun.

Owners:
28/09/1918: Commissioned into the Royal Navy as a minesweeper. Admiralty no. 4415.
24/08/1920: Registered at London for commercial sale. LO446.
11/1921: Owners Consolidated Fishing & Ice Co. Ltd., Grimsby.
07/12/1921: Registered at Grimsby GY 1325. Renamed FLORIBELLE, 13 February 1922.
09/1927: Owners retitled Consolidated Fisheries Ltd., Grimsby.
25/07/1928: Owners Archibald Glen Brown, Granton.
26/07/1928: Registered at Granton GN80.
1932: Owners Alexander W. Gardner, North Shields.
21/04/1933: Renamed COPIEUX. Registered at North Shields NS157.
28/02/1938: Owners George Cormack, Aberdeen. Registered at Aberdeen A465.
27/11/1939: Requisitioned by Admiralty, for use as a minesweeper.
03/02/1940: Returned to owners.
1941: Owners Peter & J. Johnstone, Aberdeen.
12/10/1942: Owners Milford Steam Trawling Co. Ltd., Milford Haven. Registered at Milford Haven M183.
06/1945: Owners River Ness Fishing Co. Ltd., Aberdeen.
04/10/1945: Registered at Aberdeen A599.
13/05/1949: Owners Mellings Ltd., Fleetwood.
18/05/1949: Renamed NELLIE MELLING. Registered at Fleetwood FD25.
03/1955: Owners Alexander Hay & John Main, Aberdeen.
26/05/1955: Renamed GIRDLENESS. Registered at Aberdeen A17.
08/1957: Sold to BISCO for breaking up.

General History:
14/05/1935: Towed the damaged trawler LOLIST, LT427 to the Tyne.
03/08/1939: Stern caught under the quay while berthed at the Fish Market. Pulled clear.
01/02/1954: While fishing off the Isle of Man, a body was recovered in the nets. Believed to be a member of the crew of a B29 Washington bomber missing in the area. Skipper ordered the body returned to the sea.
04/07/1957: ran aground at Cantick Head, Orkney. Refloated after jettisoning bunkers. Hansard October 1957: The trawler "Girdleness" left Aberdeen at noon on 3 July, 1957, for the fishing grounds north of latitude 61°N. The ship stranded in fog near Cantick Head, Hoy Island, Orkneys, at about 4 a.m. on 4th July; she refloated under her own power on 7 July with the crew still on board.
07/07/1957: Returned to Aberdeen and declared a constructive total loss.
11/09/1957: Arrived at Grangemouth under tow from Aberdeen for demolition.

Notes:
Named for Thomas Burnham (30), born. Fareham, Hampshire. Able Seaman on HMS ROYAL SOVEREIGN at the battle of Trafalgar.

Engine details: Steam by screw, inverted, surface condensing, triple expansion engine, 12” x 20” x 34” with 23” stroke, 435 i.h.p., 57 r.h.p. by James Abernethy, Ferryhill Foundry, Aberdeen, but in HR/2/3/1 and LR as by Hall, Russell.

Boiler: number 1 S.B. by Hall Russell; heating area (ft^2) 1347; diameter 12' 6"; length 10'; furnaces 3 plain welded 2' 11" dia.; pressure (p.s.i.) 180;
Propellor: diameter 8' 4" solid cast iron

History (CS) - http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=52001&vessel=THOMAS+BURNHAM
History (FT) - S.T. Nellie Melling FD25 | The Bosun's Watch (fleetwood-trawlers.info)
History (GT) - Floribelle GN 80 (grantontrawlers.com)
History (LL) - COPIEUX M183 (eclipse.co.uk)
WW I Service (NH) http://www.naval-history.net/WW1NavyBritishShips-Dittmar3.htm#T