Reading the cutting, posted by Mike, I noticed the reference to Torbay. It was interesting to note the reference to some of the ship owners being from Birmingham. Just over a year before the date of the cutting a severe storm hit Torbay and parts of the English Channel. The following link details the disaster which claimed very many lives and loss of fishing smacks.
I have seen some outbuilding in the town which used some of the salvaged ships timbers, some I had here.
On the night of January 10 – 11th 1866, a southeast gale blew up, and the storm is widely remembered in Brixham to this day. Much of the towns fishing fleet, as well as other ships sheltering in...
www.southdevonplayers.com
I wonder how the Birmingham owners fared? Were they insured and were they able to get new or replacement vessels?
The industry did soon pick up I believe.
Whilst fishing is still very much a 'You sails by permission' occupation it does have modern day methods of help i.e. shipping and weather forecasting plus motorised craft which are able to manouvre more easily from trouble than the sailed craft of yesteryear.
Pre WW2 it was said that over 400 fishing smacks were registered in Brixham. It is still a very busy port as is Plymouth and Newlyn.
View attachment 137741 One six or so Brixham smack survivors'