In FB11 we mentioned that the fishing boat KATIE ANN was based in the Le Port Museum in Douarnenez, France. Fishing boat researcher Barry Banham from Great Yarmouth, Michael Hunt from the Maritime Museum at Ramsgate, and John Turner from the Port of Lowestoft Research Society have supplied us with the following information.

KATIE ANN was built as the THYME, LT1222 by S Richards & Co, Lowestoft in 1921 for a syndicate of owners, Messrs A Mitchell, W Painter and S Richards & Co. She was launched on the 11th March and completed sea trials in the 6th April. Dimensions are 61.' x 17.9' x 17.8'.

In 1938 she became THYME, R4 and although a ketch rigged smack, she was equipped, either from the outset or very early on, with a Deutz two cylinder 2 stroke, 50 bhp engine. This engine was replaced in January/February 1938 by a 85 bhp, model D.C.4, four cylinder Gleniffer engine, the conversion being carried out by Bachelor, Inglis & Mills of 6 Military Road, Ramsgate.

Mr Stanley Rowden was the owner of THYME, as well as several steam trawlers. His fleet, and those of most other Ramsgate owners, went to fish from Milford Haven during World War Two, although this didn't prevent a number of boats being lost through enemy action or otherwise during the War years. Mr Peter Moxey was skipper of the THYME in 1940. His son, also Peter, died when he was the engineer on the trawler ENCOURAGE (not a Ramsgate registered vessel) which was lost with all hands in early 1940.

On the 28th February 1956 THYME was sold to W Garner, Swansea and registered SA4 and renamed KATIE ANN. In 1960 she was sold to T Scales, Scarborough and registered SH53, she returned to Swansea and registered SA53 in the 1970s.

She was later taken over by the Swansea Maritime & Industrial Museum for preservation. In 1992 she was loaned for 15 years to Le Port Musee, Douarnenez to be restored to her original sail rig. However in 1995 the museum went into liquidation and passed onto the town council of Douarnenez. The latest we have heard is that the Swansea Museum is looking for someone to take on the project of restoring KATIE ANN.