Leaves Young Family

Wm. Pearson, deck hand, was 30 years of age and leaves a widow and young family - a girl aged seven, a boy aged four, and a six months old baby. He had sailed in local trawlers, chiefly in the employ of Messrs R. Hastie and Sons, throughout his career at sea.

Robert Allan Robinson, cook on board the Evelina was 47 years of age. He served as a corporal in the anti aircraft section during the last war. Invalided out of the army he went to sea for a while, and then took a shore job as manager of Tomlinson's sale rooms in Howard Street, North Shields. When the latter firm closed down in 1926, Mr Robinson got employment as cook on board a trawler. He has acted in that capacity on board various local trawlers since. He was the Evelina's cook when she was taken over by the Admiralty and remained by the vessel. He leaves a widow, two daughters, aged 20 and 17, and two sons, aged 15 and 13 years respectively.

David Sutherland, who was chief engineer on board the Evelina, was 58 years of age. He leaves a widow and two sons and one daughter, all grown up. Sutherland had been sailing out of North Shields in the trawlers all his life, and was with the firm of Messrs R. Hastie and Sons for a great number of years.

Extract from The Shields News 19 December 1939

North Shields Men in Overdue Missing Minesweeping Trawler

Carried Crew of Nine

Previously Locally Owned and Managed

The Admiralty has announced that the trawler Evelina, which was engaged in mine-sweeping in the North Sea is missing and overdue. The majority, if not the whole of the men who formed her crew, belong to North Shields.

Before being taken over by the Admiralty for mine-sweeping purposes, the Evelina was owned by Mr. J. W. Tomlinson, a retired local trawler skipper, and his son Mr M. W. Tomlinson junior, also a trawler skipper, and was managed by Messrs R. Irvin and Sons, Ltd., of North Shields.

She fished out of the port for many years, before the outbreak of war. The following is a list of the crew:

J. W. Cowling (skipper), 24 Alma Place, North Shields. W. Pearson, 137 Stephenson Street, North Shields. R Robinson, 20 Widdrington Terrace, North Shields. J Tripp junr., 16 Lilburn Street, Chirton. M. Curtis, 6 Heaton Terrace, North Shields. D. Sutherland (engineer), 66 Wallsend Road, North Shields. R. J. Bailey, Dockwray Square, North Shields. R. N. Brunton. G. A. Reed.

Skipper Leaves Widow

John William Cowling, skipper of the Evelina, was 31 years of age. He leaves a widow and one little girl aged 6 years who is an evacuee at Chatton near Wooler. After serving in North Shields trawlers for some years, Mr Cowling went into deep sea vessels and made many voyages abroad. He gave up deep sea voyaging a month or two before war broke out and rejoined the local trawler fleet. He became skipper of the Evelina when she was taken over by the Admiralty three weeks ago.

Mrs Cowling is leaving North Shields today to visit her child at Chatton. She had intended bringing the child home for Christmas, but she has now decided to accept an invitation which she received from Miss Howcroft with whom the child is billeted, and spend a week herself at Chatton.

Second Hand Married

Matthew Michael Curtis, the second hand of the Evelina, was 30 years of age, and leaves a widow and one little girl aged two years. He was a native of Southbank, but came to North Shields with his parents when quite young. He had spent practically the whole of his life in the trawlers since leaving school, and had ben employed by both Messrs R. Hastie and Sons and Messrs R. Irvin and Sons. Some time ago he entered the employ of Tyne Improvement Commissioners and served on board one of the dredgers. He left the Commissioners' employ only a fortnight ago to become mate of the Evelina.