It is given that she was the first propeller driven steam trawler in the U.K.
Built in 1877 by David Allan & Co. at Granton, Edinburg, Scotland for James Goudie at Sandwick.
Launched as the PIONEER registered in Leith with fishing No LH854.
Tonnage 29 grt, dim. 17.2 x 4.8 x 1.8m
Powered by one 2-cyl. compound steam engine, manufactured by Oliver & Turnbull, Leith.
Wooden hulled.
Two masts, Rigged with a single foresail and gaff rigged main and mizzen.
1877 Completed.
Mostly she left port on the Sunday evening for the fishing grounds in the North Sea and returned after five to six days. Fish was packed in boxes without any ice, not any ice of cooling was available on board at that time.
While coal was cheap in the U.K. around 1914 most of the British trawlers were steam trawlers.
The PIONEER was sold in 1880 to T.M. Adie & Sons, Lerwick. Her new owner did not keep her long.
She was lost on 02 March 1880 when she grounded between Minn & Duncandett, West Burns, Shetland Islands without loss of lives.
The stamp gives the year 1877 but not a shipsname, the stamp is designed after a drawing in the book “Ship 5,000 Years of Maritime Adventure” by Brian Lavery, which shows a steam trawler exact the same as on the stamp, only the funnel colour is red on the stamp while it is yellow in the book, but the book drawing also gives not a name.
St Maarten 2013 200c sg?, scott?
Source: Internet and http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?171099