The Annie Melling was a steel steam trawler built by Smith’s Dockyard Co. Ltd. of North Shields (Yard No 785) and launched on 8th February 1906. She was registered in Preston (PN61) by her owners Melling Steam Trawling Company Ltd. In April 1915 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty, fitted with a 6 pounder deck gun and converted for use as a minesweeper for the duration of World War 1. She was returned to her owners in December 1918 and returned to her fishing duties. Her dimensions were 117.0′ x 21.5′ x 11.4′ and her tonnage was 221 gross tons, 85 net tons. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine by Shields Engineering Co Ltd delivering 65 registered horse power.
Annie Melling under way
Lloyd’s register 1922
The Annie Melling sank after a collision with the Fleetwood registered steam trawler Clotilde off The Cairns of Coll on 11th August 1922. The crew of ten managed to escape safely in the ship’s boat and were picked up by the Clotilde. The Clotilde and another trawler, the Jacinta, then took the Annie Melling in tow but she was filling fast. As they approached Ardnamuchan she was cast off and foundered but not before her skipper risked his life by going back on board the rapidly sinking trawler to save his cat.
Fleetwood Chronicle August 25th 1922
The wreck of the Annie Melling lies in position 56°42.662’N, 06°16.682’W (WGS84) in a general seabed depth of 55 metres and rises a maximum of 4 metres. The wreck lies oriented 100°/280° and is almost intact with a fifteen degree list to port with bow pointing east on a shingle seabed. The hull is showing signs of deterioration and is very thin in places with the boiler and engine still prominent as is the bow section which shows signs of collision damage.
