Description

Admin History:

In 1937 Mr Thomas Boyd, the managing director of Thomas Hamling Trawling Company, and his son, Mr T W Boyd formed their own company with three coal burning steam trawlers, the Arctic Ranger, the Arctic Explorer and the Arctic Pioneer. The company flourished, fishing in the grounds of Bear Island, Iceland and the White sea and in 1938 added the Sprayflower to their fleet renaming her the Arctic Trapper. Another vessel, Capel followed and was re-named the Artic Hunter.

At the outbreak of The Second World War the Arctic Ranger and the Arctic Explorer were sold to the Admiralty who also requestioned the Arctic Pioneer. The latter was sunk by enemy action but her salvage was bought back by the Boyd Line and after being reconditioned at West Hartlepool began sailing again for the Boyd Line in September of 1947.

Mr T W Boyd joined the R.N.V.R. in 1939 and after four years in Coastal Forces, during which time he was awarded the D.S.O., he bacame the first lieutenant of the Hunt Class destroyer H.M.S. Talybont. Later, he took command of the ex American destroyer H.M.S. Broadway. After the War he returned to the Boyd Line and on the death of his father in 1950 took over as head of the company.

During the next few years a number of vessels were bought and sold from the fleet, until by the early 1960s the Boyd Line had become a considerable force in the fishing world. This co-incided with the advent of large stern fishing trawlers capable of travelling greater distances to new fishing grounds and freezing their catches whilst at sea. The Arctic Freebooter was the first Boyd Line vessel built to take advantage of this new technology and she made her maiden voyage in February 1966.

By 1967, the company owned thirteen ships and had expanded their interests, becoming part of a consortium operating the Hull Cold Stores next to the Fish Docks. They also owned the fish processing factory, Seakold, jointly with Boston Deep Sea Fisheries.

Although adversely affected by 200 mile fishing limits and EU membership, the company was still in operation in 2003, fishing in the North Atlantic with two filleter/freezer trawlers. Boyd Line Ltd had, however, been taken over by Eimskip, an Icelandic seafood, international transport and logistics company in 2002 in a £7m deal. This deal left Hull firm, J Marr as the last independent British distant-water trawler owner. Boyd Line continued to supply white fish to food processors and retailers whilst Boyd Line Management Services also acted as fishery consultants.

Description:

This collection consists of ships crew lists for ships belonging to the Boyd Line Ltd.