Jackdaw

The iron steam trawler Jackdaw was launched from the yard of Cook, Welton and Gemmell Ltd., Hull (Yard No 148) on 16th October 1895. She measured 101.5′ x 20.8′ x 11.0′ and her tonnage was 150 gross tons, 64 net tons. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine by C D Holmes and Co Ltd., Hull delivering 45 nominal horse power. Ordered by Pickering and Haldane Steam Fishing Company Ltd she was registered in Hull H300 but was purchased by John Duncan and Sons Ltd., Liverpool shortly after her launch. On 1st April 1898 she sank in the River Mersey but was successfully refloated and returned to service. She operated out of Liverpool until 22nd November 1915 when she was purchased by Andrew Lewis of Aberdeen and registered in this port.

However, her career for her Aberdeen owner was to be brief. Only two weeks later, on 2nd December presumably on the first fishing trip for her new owner, she was caught in a storm off Shetland. She was under the command of skipper Thomas Christie who had a crew of eight men aboard. Christie decided to run for shelter at Mid Yell but, unfortunately, they ran aground at Burra Ness in heavy rain and poor visibility. She quickly began to take on water and settle down. Battered by huge swell and with the vessel rolling heavily it was too dangerous for the crew to attempt to launch their boat. They lashed themselves to the mast and superstructure and prayed for the storm to pass and the sea to calm. For fifteen hours they endured the driving rain and freezing cold. One crew man, Percy Gray, who had rushed on deck only wearing in his sleeping apparel, sadly died from exposure through the night but the others survived to be taken off by a local small boat which reached the scene shortly after first light. The Jackdaw became a total wreck.

We have very little detail of the wreckage remaining of the Jackdaw but it is reported in approximate position 60° 38.167’N, 000° 58.853’W off Burra Ness on an sunken reef named The Groin.