The SS Sea Fisher departed Waterford city on Saturday 9th December 1916 at 3pm. She and her ten man crew were never heard from again. This blog marks that event with what information is available to me at present.

The Sea Fisher (1883) was built by McIlwaine & McColl shipyard Belfast. Like other ships of the Fisher name, the vessel was operated by James Fisher & Sons Ltd., Barrow-In-Furness. An iron built steamer, she was registered at 297 grt and her dimensions were: 47.2 x 6.6 x 3.4 (m).

Listed as a cargo boat, she was a regular into the port of Waterford and coal was the staple cargo. That December the ship was on charter to Samuel Morris & Co, Waterford coal merchants.

Sea Fisher ashore at Newtown, Waterford 18th April 1912.

On her last fateful trip she departed for Barrow on the NW coast of England with a cargo of pit props. On December 14th the owners communicated that a lifeboat bearing the Sea Fisher name had been picked up by a naval patrol vessel off Arklow on the eastern Irish coast. Although they were fearful of the crew, they dared to still hold out hope. No clue as to what had happened was offered. Perhaps it was weather, but perhaps also the U-boat menace or a mine?

There was a crew of ten according to the online accounts. The captain of the ship was James Biggerstaff who, although English-born, may have resided in Waterford, but Newport is also mentioned. The mate was a Waterford man, Edward Grant of Thomas’ Hill Terrace. Grant had a pilot certificate and as such was able to bring the ship into, and out of harbour without the need for a pilot. He had been with the Fisher company for sixteen years. It is also claimed he was the only Waterford native aboard. Another news article stated that Thomas Wilson was another crewmember from Whitehaven in NW England – close to Barrow. Mr Wilson had previously been sunk in the Mediterranean while serving on a Cunard ship. Finally, I came across a Richard Chase of Cleethorpes (close to Grimbsy) who was listed as a fireman aboard the vessel.

A letter Edward Grants daughter Annie received, which was published in the Waterford Evening News on Dec 16th

At present, I have no further information. Hopefully some family member might be able to add more to this in the future.