‘671 Sailing Vessel Creek Fisher Aground, Walney Island' 1910. Edward Sankey

© Sankey Family Photography Collection.

Sailing Vessel Creek Fisher Aground

November 1910

Written by Dr Peter Schofield & Stephe Cove

This photograph is of the steel three-masted schooner Creek Fisher built in 1889 by Rogers of Carrickfergus; the vessel was sold in 1917.  The photograph was taken by Edward Sankey in March 1909 when she ran aground on Walney Island.   The following newspaper article recounts the story;

Soulby’s Ulverston Advertiser and General Intelligencer on Thursday 22 April 1909:

“The three-masted steel schooner, the Creek Fisher, owned by Messrs James Fisher and Sons, of Barrow, which went ashore near the south end of Biggar Bank, Walney, early in the morning of March 25th, was re-floated with the tide about 10.30 o’clock on Monday morning. The operations were witnessed by large number of people.”

The Creek Fisher ran into issues a year later in the Mersey Channel as recalled in this later article:

Belfast Newsletter, Wednesday 2 November 1910:
“The Barrow Schooner
 Creek Fisher, Holyhead to Preston, ran into the Mersey Channel for shelter last on the night of the 31 October, and was driven ashore off Formby Point.  Lifeboats put out from Formby and New Brighton, but their services were not required, as the schooner had been driven inshore so far that the crew were able to walk ashore.  The schooner had her sails blown away, and it is feared she will become at total wreck.”

In 1920 John Fisher acquired a former Dutch-built screw-steamer previously known as the Holland and Otterdal and renamed it Creek Fisher which remained in service until 1939.

Find out more: 

British Newspaper Archives:

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002282/19090422/137/0007

Watson, N., ‘Around the Coast and Across the Seas – The Story of James Fisher and Sons’ 

More about the Creek Fisher:

https://hec.lrfoundation.org.uk/archive-library/documents/lrf-pun-bel56-0161-f