Cevic

This story involves a Fleetwood trawler running aground on the rocks at Granch, Isle of Man. But it’s a story with a difference which must have caused a lot of “pub talk” when it happened.

Luckily no one was hurt – but the trawler Cevic was a total wreck. And part of her rusted hull can be seen at low tide near Port Lewaigne.

It all happened in June 1927 when the ship went to shelter in Ramsey Bay. The skipper (Dick Collinson) and 3 officers decided to go ashore at Ramsey. They were rowed ashore in the ship’s lifeboat.

The little craft was then returned to the Cevic and moored under the stern of the trawler. But later it began to fill with water and a crewman climbed in and started to bail out. Then fate took over and the lifeboat drifted away.

Cevic’s crew – with their officers ashore – decided to take action to save their shipmate. They got up steam and gave chase in the Cevic. But they got too close inshore and ran aground south of Ramsey. Meanwhile the small boat and its occupant had been carried ashore!

A report at the time stated that the Cevic put into IOM for shelter when the weather became “boisterous”.

As the little boat drifted away the 6 remaining crewmen decided to rescue their shipmate. But a strong North East wind got up and they abandoned their attempts. The Cevic was brought to anchor but the anchor would not hold.

Driven onto a bank the Cevic began to bump severely and it was feared she would break her back.

The crew put up a flare and the Ramsey lifeboat was launched. But they experienced considerable difficulties getting alongside the Cevic – on several occasions narrowing escaping being smashed to pieces through being driven against the trawler in the mountainous seas.

The 6 crew were eventually rescued and Cevic drifted onto rocks and became a total wreck.

Carrying out the gallant rescue was the Ramsey Lifeboat, Matthew Simpson – a sailing – pulling boat.

It was her first service since arriving at the RNLI station in February. And a short report of this rescue service is recorded in a new book – Ramsey Lifeboats 1829 – 1991 by W.N.Seybold.

Aboard the Cevic for her last voyage were:

Skipper Dick Collinson, mate J Bywater, bosun E Salthouse, deckhands J Kitchin and J Harrison, apprentices T Whiteside and W Holden, cook P Corrigan, Chief Engineer J Hobbs, second engineer J Dicks and fireman J Simms.

TAIL END

Does anyone recall a wartime film being made by Fleetwood fishermen? Our stories about the loss of the trawler Hondo off Scotland in 1943 have prompted an enquiry by Mrs Sally Norton.

Her father Charles Gregory had been Chief Engineer aboard the Hondo – right up to her last voyage.

With several other crew members he left the ship to help make a film about life of trawlermen. “Dad had a lot of mates aboard the Hondo and was devastated when she was lost with all hands,” explained Mrs Norton.

She added she was only 11 at the time but remembers appearing in the film. “Mother and I were filmed waving dad off and collecting wages from the Boston office in Dock Street.

“Dad and others had to go to London for some scenes. “I can remember the film being shown at the Regent Cinema and at school. I’d love to see it again and wondered if anyone else remembers it.”

Her father – a trawlerman all his life – lived in Cambridge Road, Fleetwood. He died in 1971.

This Trawler Tale is from the collection of Fleetwood man Mr Harold Colley.