Ross Tiger

Last updated

Tiger in buff crop.jpg
History
Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
NameRoss Tiger
Owner Ross Trawlers Ltd
Port of registryGrimsby, Lincolnshire
Builder Cochrane & Sons, Selby
Laid down1956, completed and in service February 1957
Identification IMO number:  5300699
StatusRetired 1992 for preservation as a museum ship in Grimsby's Alexandra Dock as part of the Fishing Heritage Centre
General characteristics
TypeTrawler
Tonnage355 tons
Length127'6
Beam26'6

Ross Tiger is a traditional side-winder fishing trawler that was converted into a museum ship in 1992. [1] She is currently berthed in Alexandra Dock at her home port of Grimsby, close to the site of the former PS Lincoln Castle. She forms the star attraction of North East Lincolnshire County Council's National Fishing Heritage Centre since restored and opened to the public in 1992. [2] [3] As Grimsby's last traditional sidewinder 'conventional trawler', she represents a now virtually extinct breed of vessels that once made up the largest fishing fleet in the world. [4]

Contents

She is a member of the National Register of Historic Vessels with certificate number 621.

History

A view of the fishdeck and bridge of Ross Tiger, taken from atop of the whaleback. Winch to brige.jpg
A view of the fishdeck and bridge of Ross Tiger, taken from atop of the whaleback.

Ross Tiger, GY398, is North East Lincolnshire's memorial to the history of the Port of Grimsby. The town today has thriving industry and is, according to ABP,'Chief vehicle-handling centre of the North, handling almost 400,000 vehicles annually' with ships up to 6000 dwt [5] However, Grimsby will always be associated with its terrific history. With Victorian docks once the envy of the nation, Grimsby was famed for its great fishing fleet. Fishing from the port of Grimsby goes back as far as Grim, the Danish fisherman who founded the town, and her trawlers were a permanent feature of one of the busiest waterways in the British Isles – the River Humber. [6] During World War II, Grimsby became the largest base for minesweepers in Britain, with the trawlers and motor minesweepers clearing 34,858 mines from the North Sea lanes. [7] The brave men of the Royal Naval Patrol Service used peacetime fishing vessels to venture into known mine infested waters to sink mines and hunt submarines. When the trawlers returned to their fishing roles the fishing fleet grew along with the national demand for fish, with Grimsby rising to the title of the largest fishing port in the world. [8] Ross Tiger (GY 398) was built to supply that demand.

Grimsby was witness to the evolution of the fishing trawler. It saw the change from the early timber sailing vessels to the introduction of steam which revolutionised the fishing fleet. Steam allowed for powerful vessels to push ever further north and it was soon found that new steel steam trawler design had to evolve further to cope with the extreme environments the ships were required to encounter; the traditional 'bridge aft side' design of trawler was lost to ships with a hardy sleek steel wheelhouse amidships, the ships developed sleek hulls with the addition of a 'whaleback' forward in an attempt to provide shelter to the fishdeck, steam engines were replaced by modern powerful marine diesel technology and at the final stage of this evolution of the side winder trawler is Ross Tiger. Being built in the 1950s she was constructed the decade prior to Grimsby's introduction to the modern 'stern trawlers' and welded ship construction that changed the profile of the trawler forever. She is also old enough to retain the traditional character, brass and woodwork that is similar to the heritage and atmosphere of trawlers long before her time, but was lost by the 1960s.

Ross Tiger was the first of twelve new trawlers for one of Grimsby's most prolific trawler owners. She entered service fresh from the yards of Cochrane and Sons, Selby, Yorkshire to become part of the 'middle water' fleet for Ross Trawlers Ltd. The trawlers of the town took their crews away in what is recognised as 'the most dangerous job in the United Kingdom' [9] and scoured the ocean floors for deep sea fish, with a particular focus on cod and haddock. Haddock, regarded as a cleaner fish by Grimbarians, was preferred locally although the rail links from the town allowed for Grimsby fish to supply the nation, particularly with links to the south and the great Billingsgate Fish Market of London. The Cod Wars spelt the end of the life of many Grimsby trawlers, though some were saved from the breakers' yard to become standby vessels used for offshore oil rigs. The Ross Tiger was among those fortunate few, changing hands in 1985. However, the aging vessels were soon to be redundant and Ross Tiger was looking at the breakers' yard or yet another change of hands. Once again, Ross Tiger proved lucky. She was purchased by a museum trust to become the star attraction of her home town's Fishing Heritage Centre, and restored to her fishing day glory. [1] An article in the Grimsby Telegraph on 14 July 1992 quoted the local council as they made it clear that Ross Tiger "will remain as a fitting monument to the people who sailed out of what was once known as the world's premier fishing port".[ citation needed ] Guided tours of the vessel show visitors the unique spaces aboard and demonstrate how various pieces of equipment aboard this traditional design of trawler were used.

Despite conversion to a standby vessel, much of the original fabric of the ship is retained. This includes the ship's original Ruston and Hornsby diesel engines, wood paneling, cabins, galley, mess and wheelhouse with period instruments. The plush skipper's berth, just abaft the bridge, is also surprisingly well preserved, including the original lampshades.

Ross Tiger has recently undergone substantial maintenance work to her exterior above the waterline. The ship is still in sound condition, but unless she is able to secure funding for her future and the required maintenance work that will soon be needed to be carried out on her hull, including transport to an area of the docks that will permit this, the ship will be at risk of further deterioration. The recent scrapping the historic PS Lincoln Castle is still fresh in the memories of those who care for the tremendously significant and industrious history of the region.

The Classes and their Grounds

Fisherman, Lou Torrington, shelving haddocks in the fishroom of the Cat Class trawler Ross Leopard, sistership to Ross Tiger Fish room of Ross Leopard.jpg
Fisherman, Lou Torrington, shelving haddocks in the fishroom of the Cat Class trawler Ross Leopard, sistership to Ross Tiger
The bridge interior of Ross Tiger Aa RossTiger trawler bridge.jpg
The bridge interior of Ross Tiger
Ross Tiger seen at dusk in Grimsby's Alexandra dock. Docked at Dusk 3.11.10.jpg
Ross Tiger seen at dusk in Grimsby's Alexandra dock.

Ross Tiger was the first of twelve new trawlers for the 'middle water' fleet of Ross Trawlers Ltd, complementing the larger 'deep water' fleet of the firm, with Cochrane and Sons also constructing a new smaller class of 'near water' vessels. Ross Tiger and her sisters were to be known as the 'Cat Class' or the 'Cat Boats', each being named after a type of cat, although Ross Jackal and Ross Zebra also belonged to the group. This inclusion of a dog and a horse in the Cat Class was probably[ according to whom? ] the result of a local school being involved in the naming of the ships. This was in keeping with the companies' involvement with the youth of the town and extended as far as giving guided school tours of the trawlers between trips whilst moored in Grimsby docks, with meals provided in the company canteen. Those children would soon be in search for work - a fact that the company knew well - and in the largest fishing port in the world [10] that was likely to have been work at the docks. A fond memory of Ross Trawlers may well have been enough to ensure that those lads signed onto a Ross Group ship instead of one of the many rival firms in the town.[ citation needed ]

As a middle water trawler she would work the North Sea, Faroe Islands and the Norwegian coast, although is capable of making trips further north. The larger 'deep water' vessels would commonly take on the hazardous Arctic oceans including Bear Island and Greenland. Ross Revenge, better known as the radio ship Radio Caroline belonged to the deep water fleet of Ross Trawlers and is still in existence today, preserved in her radio ship form. The smaller vessels of the Ross fleet, designed for waters closer to home, were known as the 'Bird Class' or 'Bird Boats' and were named after birds, for example, Ross Falcon and Ross Mallard. As Ross Tiger was the first of her kind, subsequent Cat Class vessels saw minor alterations to the design. This included slightly extending the bridge top to allow for larger side-light screens and the addition of bobbin derricks to the bridge verandah to assist in working the trawl. Most of the class built after 1958 featured a flat transom, although Ross Jackal of 1960 was given the original rounded transom as seen on Ross Tiger. Despite these few alterations the vessels of the class were, in most respects, identical sisters. Today,[ when? ] what was once[ when? ] the largest fishing port in the world[ citation needed ] has only a handful of small fishing craft and no deep water fleet. The recent controversial loss of the PS Lincoln Castle gave cause for concern that the town was losing touch with its once Great status, with the Grimsby Telegraph quoting NE Lincs Council as stating 'it would not be right to burden council taxpayers with the bill' to keep the steamer in the town. [11] Fishing the way that Ross Tiger did, the handling of the heavy trawl equipment of a sidewinder, the open decks and low rails and the long hours in the elements gutting fish by hand on deck is thankfully far from the ways of the modern deep sea trawlers of today. The only reminder in Grimsby of what people in this part of the world did for so long, on this traditional design of trawler, is the uniquely surviving Ross Tiger.[ citation needed ]

Statistics

Hauntings

The museum, including Ross Tiger, is said[ by whom? ] to be the home of various spirits. This has manifested itself in unexplained cold spots, smells, such as tobacco smoke, and footsteps with no obvious source. It is believed[ by whom? ] that the spirits may be associated with the previous use of the land that the museum occupies - a former timber yard - though some believe that the hauntings of the Ross Tiger are more likely to be due to former crew members or a particular ex-member of the museum staff that enjoys making his presence known. Investigators from television's Most Haunted have visited the ship. [13]

Previous Skippers

Include but may not be limited to:

Ross Tiger skipper Alf Hodson (left), with Mate L Torrington, seen at Hull Fair. Mr Hodson went on to become a well-respected
former trawler guide of Ross Tiger during preservation of the vessel as a museum at Grimsby's National Fishing Heritage Centre. Skipper Alf Hodson of the Ross Tiger with Mate Lou Torrington.jpg
Ross Tiger skipper Alf Hodson (left), with Mate L Torrington, seen at Hull Fair. Mr Hodson went on to become a well-respected former trawler guide of Ross Tiger during preservation of the vessel as a museum at Grimsby's National Fishing Heritage Centre.
Flag flown by trawlers of the Ross fleet, usually also painted onto the funnel of the ship Ross Flag.jpg
Flag flown by trawlers of the Ross fleet, usually also painted onto the funnel of the ship

The 'Cat Boats'

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fishing</span> Activity of trying to catch fish

Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques include hand-gathering, spearing, netting, angling, shooting and trapping, as well as more destructive and often illegal techniques such as electrocution, blasting and poisoning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grimsby</span> Town in Lincolnshire, England

Grimsby or Great Grimsby is a port town and the administrative centre of North East Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire, England. Grimsby adjoins the town of Cleethorpes directly to the south-east forming a conurbation. Grimsby is 45 mi (72 km) north-east of Lincoln, 33 mi (53 km) south-south-east of Hull, 28 mi (45 km) south-east of Scunthorpe, 50 mi (80 km) east of Doncaster and 80 mi (130 km) south-east of Leeds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fishing trawler</span> Commercial vessel designed to operate fishing trawls

A fishing trawler is a commercial fishing vessel designed to operate fishing trawls. Trawling is a method of fishing that involves actively dragging or pulling a trawl through the water behind one or more trawlers. Trawls are fishing nets that are pulled along the bottom of the sea or in midwater at a specified depth. A trawler may also operate two or more trawl nets simultaneously.

Arctic Corsair Museum ship in Kingston upon Hull, England

The Arctic Corsair(H320) is a deep-sea trawler, built in 1960, that was converted to a museum ship in 1999. She is temporarily berthed at Alexandra Dock in Kingston upon Hull, England, pending completion of a new permanent location in the city's Museums Quarter. Exhibits and guides aboard the boat tell the story of Hull's deep-sea fishing industry.

SS <i>Explorer</i>

SS Explorer is one of the last surviving sea-going steam trawlers and is registered to Leith, the port of Edinburgh. She has been placed on the National Historic Ships Register and the SS Explorer Preservation Society is currently restoring her in the Edinburgh Dock, Leith.

PS <i>Lincoln Castle</i>

PS Lincoln Castle was a coal-fired side-wheel paddle steamer, which ferried passengers across the Humber from the 1941 until 1978. She was the last coal-fired paddle steamer still in regular services in the UK. Later, she served as a pub at Hessle, and then as a restaurant under permanent dock at Alexandra Dock, Grimsby. In September 2010, the Hull Daily Mail reported that she was in an advanced state of demolition, despite the efforts of local people to buy the historic vessel and restore her. On 31 March 2011, the Lincoln Castle Preservation Society were reported to have purchased the broken up parts of the ship for restoration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre</span> Maritime museum in Grimsby, England

The Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre is a heritage attraction at Alexandra Dock, Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England, opened in 1991. The attraction is an Arts Council England Accredited Museum and holds a number of awards, including the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame, the Sandford Award for Heritage Education and the VisitEngland Quality Rose Marque. The centre was famed for its multi-sensory interpretation and lifelike manequins when it opened, winning the Attraction of the Year from the English Tourism Board and the Blue Peter Children's Museum of the Year award in 1993. It depicts the 1950s heyday of Great Grimsby's world famous fishing fleet, using displays consisting of preserved trawler interiors and carefully crafted recreations. The centre is also home to three historic fishing vessels. Perseverance is a sail trawler built in Boston Lincolnshire and is displayed in the main atrium of the museum. Ross Tiger is a 1957 side-trawler that is moored in the Alexandra Dock outside of the attraction. The G.I.C. or Esther is a large Grimsby sail trawler, built in 1888 at Alexandra Dock, close to the attraction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fishing vessel</span> Boat or ship used to catch fish on a body of water

A fishing vessel is a boat or ship used to catch fish in the sea, or on a lake or river. Many different kinds of vessels are used in commercial, artisanal and recreational fishing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ross Group</span> British food company

The Ross Group was a British food company founded in Grimsby, England in 1920.

Rinovia Steam Fishing Company Ltd. was a large fishing company operating from Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England. It specialized in deep-water fishing in the Icelandic grounds, and was responsible for handling Icelandic vessels landing their catch in Grimsby. It was also closely associated with the Icelandic consulate in Grimsby. Its trawlers bore a logo consisting of the fluttering flag of Iceland on their grey funnel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Factory ship</span> Large oceangoing fish processing vessel

A factory ship, also known as a fish processing vessel, is a large ocean-going vessel with extensive on-board facilities for processing and freezing caught fish or whales. Modern factory ships are automated and enlarged versions of the earlier whalers and their use for fishing has grown dramatically. Some factory ships are equipped to serve as a mother ship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of fishing</span> Aspect of history

Fishing is a prehistoric practice dating back at least 40,000 years. Since the 16th century, fishing vessels have been able to cross oceans in pursuit of fish, and since the 19th century it has been possible to use larger vessels and in some cases process the fish on board. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping.

<i>Viola</i> (trawler)

The Viola is a steam trawler built in 1906 at Hull. She is the oldest surviving steam trawler in the world. During her long career, she was known as HMTViola, Kapduen, and Dias. She is currently beached at Grytviken in South Georgia, though there are currently plans afoot to return her to Hull.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aberdeen Harbour</span> Port on the north east coast of Scotland

Aberdeen Harbour, rebranded as the Port of Aberdeen in 2022, is a sea port located in the city of Aberdeen on the east coast of Scotland. The port was first established in 1136 and has been continually redeveloped over the centuries to provide a base for significant fishing and ship building industries. Since the 1970s it has provided support to the offshore oil and gas industry operating in the North Sea and it is the main commercial port in the north east of Scotland.

<i>Mincarlo</i> (trawler)

Mincarlo is the last surviving sidewinder fishing trawler of the Lowestoft fishing fleet. She is also the last surviving fishing vessel built in Lowestoft, with an engine made in the town.

ST <i>Koraaga</i> (1914)

Koraaga was a Castle class steel-hulled trawler built in 1914 by Smith's Dock Company, South Bank, Middlesbrough. She was requisitioned as an auxiliary minesweeper operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in October 1917 for minesweeping duties during World War I, but she was never commissioned. Koraaga returned to be operated commercially as a fishing trawler until she wrecked when she struck a reef off Bass Point whilst carrying returning to Sydney. She was refloated on the tide after having becoming stranded and drifted till she was finally lost 5 miles east of Black Head, Gerringong on 10 September 1931.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port of Grimsby</span> Port in United Kingdom

The Port of Grimsby is located on the south bank of the Humber Estuary at Grimsby in North East Lincolnshire. Sea trade out of Grimsby dates to at least the medieval period. The Grimsby Haven Company began dock development in the late 1700s, and the port was further developed from the 1840s onwards by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (MSLR) and its successors. The port has had three main dock systems:

<i>Excelsior</i> (smack)

Excelsior is an authentically restored fishing smack of the Lowestoft fishing fleet and a member of the National Historic Fleet. She was built by John Chambers of Lowestoft in 1921 and worked until 1936 before being converted into a motor coaster.</ref> In 2021 Excelsior will celebrate her 100th birthday. During her time as a motor coaster she was known as Svinør and worked mainly in Norwegian waters before returning to Lowestoft in 1972.

HMT <i>Richard Bacon</i> British Castle-class naval trawler

HMT Richard Bacon (FY3587) was a British Castle class naval trawler completed in 1918. She served through both world wars under two different names and also had a lengthy career as a civilian fishing trawler. For a short while, she functioned as a support vessel for a famous transatlantic flight by a group of Italian bombers. She was scrapped in 1954 after her boiler failed during a storm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yorkshire coast fishery</span> History of sea fishing in Yorkshire, England

The Yorkshire coast fishery has long been part of the Yorkshire economy for centuries. The 114-mile (183 km) Yorkshire Coast, from the River Tees to the River Humber, has many ports both small and large where the fishing trade thrives. The historic ports at Hull and Whitby are important locations for the landing and processing of fish and shellfish. Scarborough and Bridlington are also sites of commercial fishing.

References

  1. 1 2 "Tide turns for fishing museum". BBC News. BBC. 28 October 2003. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  2. North East Lincolnshire Council: Fishing Heritage Centre - Ross Tiger Archived 12 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Tale of a Tiger". Archived from the original on 24 September 2008. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  4. "Grimsby gains from Iceland's woes". 23 March 2009.
  5. "Port of Grimsby". Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  6. "Home - ABP Humber". Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  7. "BBC2 tv show Coast records memories of Grimsby's wartime minesweepers. | This is Grimsby". Archived from the original on 3 June 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  8. "Lincolnshire Information Guide for visitors and Holidays". Archived from the original on 19 April 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  9. "Britain's Most Dangerous Jobs - Career Advice - CareerBuilder.co.uk". Archived from the original on 11 April 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  10. Days out: "Gone fishing in Grimsby" [ dead link ] The Independent , 8 September 2002
  11. "Act now to save Lincoln Castle". Grimsby Telegraph. Local World. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 19 June 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
  12. "Tale of a Tiger 7". Archived from the original on 24 September 2008. Retrieved 14 June 2010.
  13. "Ghostly vigil for fishing centre". 18 June 2005.
  14. "Grimsby Trawler Skippers". Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  15. "www.tallshipjaguar.com". Archived from the original on 1 February 2011. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
  16. "North East Lincolnshire Council". Archived from the original on 12 October 2010.

Coordinates: 53°34′10″N0°05′00″W / 53.569456°N 0.083316°W / 53.569456; -0.083316