Chris Posted 4 December , 2003 Share Posted 4 December , 2003 Hi all. Have spent a considerable time over the last few days trawling through the Absent Voters List for Grimsby, trying to fill in gaps in my Grimsby Chums database, and keep coming across numerous references to men serving in HMS Pekin. Does anyone know what this ship was and where it served. Certainly a large number of her crew were from Grimsby, so was the boat based at Grimsby? Any info on HMS Pekin would be interested to know about. regards CHRIS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 4 December , 2003 Share Posted 4 December , 2003 HMS Pekin The name of the auxiliary patrol shore base at Grimsby 1907-19. One trawler No.24 carried this name as tender at the base. Each shore base had to have a 'real' ship attached so that the provisions of the Naval Discipline Act applied. This explains the large number of men attached to HMS Pekin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted 5 December , 2003 Author Share Posted 5 December , 2003 Thank you Terry, that does indeed make alot of sense. I was looking at the AVL wondering how a ship could have several 'skippers', but as this was the name for the base that would explain it. It also explains why many of the men list service as R.N.R Pekin, your explanation now making it clear that they would by Royal Naval Reserves based at Grimsby (Pekin). Thank you once again for the help. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 5 December , 2003 Share Posted 5 December , 2003 Chris Until 1959 the Naval Discipline Act only applied to men who were ship's crews. Therefore, to get over this problem, each shore base (and there were thousands including some in very inland locations) had a real ship to which all men were allocated thus making them 'ships crews'. Sometimes the ship was a stationary hulk (HMS Victory et al) or depot ship rather than a sea going vessel. However, sometimes they were no more than a small tender! So a boat with a capacity of half a dozen people had an official crew of hundreds! Many trawlers and similar vessels were also used as in this case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhclark Posted 19 June , 2007 Share Posted 19 June , 2007 I have a record card of a trawlerman of Grimsby (George Stanley Watcham) who served in the Royal Naval Reserve during WW1 with HMS Pekin on mine clearing. The card shws the payment of a war gratuity of 18 pounds for service with HMS Pekin with, in brackets afterwards, the word "Nightfall", which I think indicates the actual vessel on which he served. I know that there was a Hull trawler H317 named Nightfall. Can anyone tell me whether this vessel, or another one named "Nightfall", was attached to the parent base HMS Pekin at Grimsby? Thank you. Noel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Anderson Posted 19 June , 2007 Share Posted 19 June , 2007 Noel, Just checked Colledge's "Ships of the Royal Navy Vol II" and the only 'Nightfall@ he lists is as follows, NIGHTFALL Admiralty non standard wooden Drifter 94 gross tons Built by Richards of Lowestoft Launched 04/07/1918 Sold 1921 Hope this helps, Donny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhclark Posted 20 June , 2007 Share Posted 20 June , 2007 Donny, many thanks. I'm sure that this must be the vessel. Wooden hull sounds more suitable for minesweeping! Noel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 20 June , 2007 Share Posted 20 June , 2007 Lots of info here on drifters see http://www.gwpda.org/naval/atrawler/16.htm If you go to http://www.gwpda.org/naval/atrawler/35.htm halfway down page 35 you will see details of 'Non-Standard Drifters' including the 'Nightfall' which was built by S. Richards, type 'wood,' dimensions 86' x 19' x 9' 8" Plans of an 86' wood drifter can be seen on this page here http://www.gwpda.org/naval/atrawler/86wd.htm Best of luck with your researches Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence Munson Posted 30 June , 2007 Share Posted 30 June , 2007 HMS Pekin The name of the auxiliary patrol shore base at Grimsby 1907-19. One trawler No.24 carried this name as tender at the base. Each shore base had to have a 'real' ship attached so that the provisions of the Naval Discipline Act applied. This explains the large number of men attached to HMS Pekin Hello - I’ve been following this thread and the one on Stornaway about Auxillary Patrol Base’s my main interest is the identity of the Grimsby Trawler No.24 before it was designated HMS Pekin to satisfy the “Real Ship” attachment required by the Naval Discipline Act, as in Terry’s Dec’03 post quoted above. I believe it could be S.T. Lapwing which had the Port No. GY 24 in a list of more than a thousand trawlers registered at Grimsby in 1929. Also in the N.E.Lincs. Archives Lapwing’s crew lists for 1911 have two Captains listed - where as fishing trawlers would normally have a Skipper in command. Can anyone confirm the vessel’s ID? I would also like to know how the duties of parent ships and depot ships differ. Any info. on these queries would be appreciated. Cheers Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spithead Posted 1 July , 2007 Share Posted 1 July , 2007 Hello - I’ve been following this thread and the one on Stornaway about Auxillary Patrol Base’s my main interest is the identity of the Grimsby Trawler No.24 before it was designated HMS Pekin to satisfy the “Real Ship” attachment required by the Naval Discipline Act, as in Terry’s Dec’03 post quoted above. I believe it could be S.T. Lapwing which had the Port No. GY 24 in a list of more than a thousand trawlers registered at Grimsby in 1929. Also in the N.E.Lincs. Archives Lapwing’s crew lists for 1911 have two Captains listed - where as fishing trawlers would normally have a Skipper in command. Can anyone confirm the vessel’s ID? I would also like to know how the duties of parent ships and depot ships differ. Any info. on these queries would be appreciated. Cheers Terry Hello Terry As trawlers and drifters retained their fishing numbers when requisitioned I would not have thought that there was any connection between Peken and Lapwing except for their home port of Grimsby. Lapwing's No.24 was her Port Reg. No. and Peken's No. 24 was her Adm. Pendant number. PEKEN Built 1907/8 228 tons Port Reg. GY.354 Adm Pendant No. 24 Official No. 127823 LAPWING 11 Built 1904 217 tons Port Reg. GY.24 Adm. Pendant No. 39 Official No.118929 Hope this helps Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence Munson Posted 1 July , 2007 Share Posted 1 July , 2007 Hello John - thanks for your reply, I didn't appreciate the No.24 was the pendant number and I didn't consider S.T. Peken GY 354 because of the different spelling, (I've the same photo in my collection!) assuming the spelling in all the previous posts were correct ie. Pekin. I hoped some detail might come if Grimsby's base is described in B. Warlow’s book on Shore Establishments. Cheers Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historydavid Posted 1 July , 2007 Share Posted 1 July , 2007 Terry, per Warlow's Shore Establishments: PEKIN (1907) Grimsby, A/P Base 09.1914 v LEANDER - PO 17.12.1919 - men to books PEMBROKE VII 1) Tlr No 24 PEKIN PO 28.02.19 2) Tlr JOHN DUNKIN (1915) 28.02.19 - (sold 1921) 3) Tlr FESTING GRINDALL (1917) - PO 27.11.19 Best wishes David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence Munson Posted 1 July , 2007 Share Posted 1 July , 2007 David - Thanks once again as ever your contribution is appreciated. Cheers Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 1 July , 2007 Share Posted 1 July , 2007 assuming the spelling in all the previous posts were correct ie. Pekin. According to Colledge Ships of the Royal Navy Vol2 the correct spelling was Peken, but she appeared in most WWI lists as Pekin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence Munson Posted 2 July , 2007 Share Posted 2 July , 2007 According to Colledge Ships of the Royal Navy Vol2 the correct spelling was Peken, but she appeared in most WWI lists as Pekin. per ardua. - Thanks, this clears things up nicely! Cheers Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calvin Posted 17 August , 2007 Share Posted 17 August , 2007 hello, i know the pekin was the depot ship for grimsby during ww1 but was it a ship or just the name of the land base in grimsby for the r.n.p.s., thankyou, regards, john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calvin Posted 17 August , 2007 Share Posted 17 August , 2007 hello, thanks for that, i have just read it, so the trawler in the photo was the pekin but that was to satisfy the regulations about having a real ship, was the trawler pekin used at sea or just as a port vessel, thankyou, regards, john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spithead Posted 17 August , 2007 Share Posted 17 August , 2007 hello, thanks for that, i have just read it, so the trawler in the photo was the pekin but that was to satisfy the regulations about having a real ship, was the trawler pekin used at sea or just as a port vessel, thankyou, regards, john John, she was requisitioned in August 1914 and converted to a minesweeper, so saw service other than just a port vessel. Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calvin Posted 17 August , 2007 Share Posted 17 August , 2007 thanks again spithead, thats much appriciated, regards, john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAClayton Posted 28 July , 2008 Share Posted 28 July , 2008 Would be interested in hearing from John Baxter again.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 10 May , 2020 Share Posted 10 May , 2020 Hello, I am researching my grandfather Harold Webb navy records. I managed to access the national archives which gives details of his training. He was based in Grimsby, started on the Pekin 28/11/1916 and rose through the ranks. He was then on the Halcyon and the Ganges ( I think this may have been a training base or ship) and promoted to skipper. The last detail has him on the Attentive, discharged in 1919. He was a trawlerman all his life, so I am assuming that these vessels were trawlers commandeered by the navy to be used as minesweepers or patrol boats. If anyone has more information or photos or where I can access more information would be great. I am also trying to find a photo of my grandfather in his navy uniform, had no luck so far. kind regards Viv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 10 May , 2020 Share Posted 10 May , 2020 (edited) Viv, Welcome to the GWF. Your grandfather did well to progress from Deck Hand, through Second Hand to Skipper. HMS PEKIN, HMS HALCYON and HMS GANGES were bases for trawlers and drifters of the Auxiliary Patrol at Grimsby, Lowestoft and Harwich respectively. If you could post his record here we can take a more detailed look at his boats. I think his last command was the hired drifter BOY GEORGE. However, there were a few boats of that name (BOY GEORGE, BOY GEORGE II, BOY GEORGE III). Two of them (not BOY GEORGE III) were employed as net vessels on the Dover Barrage, based on HMS ATTENTIVE III. I believe your GF commanded one of those two. The RN did not routinely take photographs of personnel so your best best is in family collections or in 'home town' newspaper articles (Hull/Grimsby/Humber in this case). Edited 10 May , 2020 by horatio2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence Munson Posted 11 May , 2020 Share Posted 11 May , 2020 Viv, Sorry no photos but this is what I have: 1919 Absent Voters List Grimsby and Cleethorpes WEBB, Harold, 256 Durban Road. D.A. 13403, 2nd.Hd. R.N.R.T. HMS Halcyon Also at this address: WEBB, Thomas, 256 Durban Road, Lieut., R.N.R., H.M.S. Wallington Grimsby Crew Lists up to 1914 1911 vessel King Arthur (GY 11); owner J D Marsden; skipper J Small, certificate 5779 : Crew:...H Webb Trimmer Aged 18 Hull, vessel Yulan (GY 348); owner Sir George Doughty MP; skipper J Hind, certificate 4900: Crew:...H Webb Trimmer 18 Hull, 1912 vessel King Arthur; owner J D Marsden; skipper W Downing, certificate 530. Crew:...H Webb Trimmer 18 Hull, vessel Barnsley (GY 125); owner J D Marsden; skipper T Stevens, certificate 6650. Crew:....H Webb Deckhand 18 Hull, (The Barnsley was Lost 1917- Sunk by "U 78" Skipper & Ch. Engr taken prisoner). 1913 vessel Jersey (GY 184); owner J D Marsden; skipper R H George, certificate 1933. Crew:....H Webb Deck Hand 19 Hull;(The Jersey was Lost 1916 - Sunk by "UB 19"). vessel Oxford (GY 223); owner J D Marsden; skipper T Evans, certificate 02142. Crew:.....H Webb Deck Hand 19 Hull; (The Oxford was Lost with all Hands 1914). Service record: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8520904 13 Montague Street (Crossed Through), and 256 Durban Road, Grimsby. DoB 18/11/1893 Parents Thomas and Harriett . Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Bennett Posted 15 February , 2022 Share Posted 15 February , 2022 Hi, I am researching my Grandfather Charles Frederick Bennett (SB2399). He was a bit too young to see active service, but he did serve on the minesweeping boats in the North Sea. I have his service record, it seems to have the names of Eaglet, Pekin, Wallington, I assumed they were ships, but now I realize they were not necessarily so. I would like to know if anyone might be able to tell me what boats he may have been on and where I might find any photos of the boats. He did tell my father stories about bringing back German prisoners of war and learning some German from them. He was discharged 28/12/1919. Any information would be great. Thanks. Sandra Charles Bennetts service record.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 15 February , 2022 Share Posted 15 February , 2022 (edited) Welcome to the GWF, Sandra. Your GF enrolled at Liverpool as a Signal Boy RNR just a couple of months before the armistice. HMS EAGLET was the Liverpool shore base - the only place he served during the war. On 23 Jan 1919 (or maybe 1 Jan 1919) he was drafted to Immingham to serve in the shore base there, HMS WALLINGTON. At the end of January 1919 he was drafted to Grimsby (HMS PEKIN was the base there) to serve in the Admiralty 'Castle Class' Trawler HMS WILLIAM CALDWELL. She seems to have been previously based at WALLINGTON from late Nov 1918 and then moved to Grimsby (HMS PEKIN) but, as so often with RNR records, the dates of movements.are not always clear and consistent. There is a note that from 22 Mar to 1 April 1919 he was employed on post-war mine clearance work based on Grimsby. WILLIAM CALDWELL was shortly thereafter transferred to the US Navy for the same task. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle-class_trawler#First_World_War https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/william-caldwell.html Edited 15 February , 2022 by horatio2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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