Creek Fisher

Official Number 93418

Launch report from the Belfast News-Letter, Saturday, 22nd February, 1890;

" SHIPBUILDING AT CARRICKFERGUS - A new steel barquentine named the Creek Fisher, built to the order of Messrs.James Fisher & Sons, of Barrow, by Messrs.Rodgers & Co., left the Carrickfergus Shipyard yesterday, and is at present berthed in the new harbour, where the first cargo, iron ore, is being put on board by Messrs.Alexander & Co., for conveyance to Barrow. The vessel has a very handsome appearance, and is one of a fleet built by Messrs.Rodgers for the same owners. The vessels are engaged principally in the River Plate trade, for which they are especially adapted. In addition to a large number of contracts, Messrs.Rodgers & Co., who, it may be remembered, were the builders of the celebrated yacht Olga, have on hand the building of a ten-ton cutter yacht for a well-known Northern yachtsman. Rapid progress is being made with the craft, and it is expected she will be ready to compete at various regattas and matches early in the coming season."

The Creek Fisher was one of twelve three-masted schooners built by Paul Rodgers at Carrickfergus for Barrow shipowners James Fisher & Son. She was the third of six schooners built of steel and was succeeded by the Shoal Fisher, Pool Fisher and Ford Fisher. The Creek Fisher was owned by Fishers until 1917 when she was sold to a Belfast owner and her registry was transferred from Barrow to Belfast. She disappeared from Lloyd's Register in 1924.
 

Name	Year Built	Gross Tons	Length (feet)	Breadth (feet)	Depth (feet)	Masts	Figurehead	Stern	Lloyd's Classn.
Creek Fisher	1890	144				3			100A1

Sources :

1. Michael McCaughan "Paul Rodgers, an Ulster Shipbuilder" Maritime Wales (1983) pp46-63.
2. In "West Coast Shipping" by Mike Stammers (ISBN 0 85263 361 0) there is an excellent  photo of the Creek Fisher ashore at Blundellsands in 1916 (acknowledged to the Mersey Docks & Harbour Board).
3. "North Western Sail" by Alan Lockett (1978), ISBN 0 86157 002 2, page 43 (with very good photograph of the vessel ashore on Walney Island in Nov.1910).