The Full Story
Miranda was acquired by the Board of Trade in April 1970 as a result of the recommendations of the Holland Martin Committee of Enquiry into the safety at sea of British distant water trawlers.
She was built in Sweden in 1942 as a four masted topsail schooner named Albatross and sailed as such with distinction, as a round the world sail training ship and oceanographical survey vessel. In 1967 she was sold and converted to a cargo vessel and renamed Donna under the Panamanian flag. In 1969 she was again sold and became Dorothea.
In 1970 the Board of Trade converted her to play a trawler support role and she sailed for her first winter operation in the November of that year. Ellerman's Wilson line of Hull were given the task of managing and manning the vessel but her masters were appointed by H.M. Coastguard.
So ended an era. Miranda was a strange vessel; her sea-keeping qualities were superb despite her desperate lack of power. Her appearance was, to say the least, unusual, but with almost no exception those who served in her developed an affection for her which few other ships engendered.
Equally she was able to acquire an unparalleled place in the heart of the working trawlerman, some of whom survived appaling injuries because of the early care received in Miranda’s sick bay.
Equally she was able to acquire an unparalleled place in the heart of the working trawlerman, some of whom survived appaling injuries because of the early care received in Miranda’s sick bay.
Countless fishing voyages were made safer and more successful because of Miranda’s services.
But perhaps the accolade for much of this should rest on those who served in the ship; the devoted doctors and meteorologists, the skilled technicians, radio officers and engineers and the seamen who themselves took great risks in serving their fellow men. Not least in this chain of support were those coastguard officers at Gorleston and the Post Office radio officers at Portishead who provided the constant link that day and night responded so quickly and cheerfully to the ship’s radioed requirements and so ably assisted the support commanders in their administration.
Narrative for this page was thanks to Commander David Roberts (sadly now deceased) and his article "Farewell Miranda" published in April 1981 'Coastguard' Magazine.
But perhaps the accolade for much of this should rest on those who served in the ship; the devoted doctors and meteorologists, the skilled technicians, radio officers and engineers and the seamen who themselves took great risks in serving their fellow men. Not least in this chain of support were those coastguard officers at Gorleston and the Post Office radio officers at Portishead who provided the constant link that day and night responded so quickly and cheerfully to the ship’s radioed requirements and so ably assisted the support commanders in their administration.
Narrative for this page was thanks to Commander David Roberts (sadly now deceased) and his article "Farewell Miranda" published in April 1981 'Coastguard' Magazine.