MY DAD’S TRAWLER · HULL FISHING FAMILIES

Viola

From fishing to wartime service

Built

1906

Builder

Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley

Also known as

Dias

The story so far

Built in Beverley in 1906, Viola began as a steam trawler and later served on armed patrol during the First World War. Her subsequent career included Norwegian ownership and the name Dias. One vessel’s changing roles connect Hull’s fishing past with a much wider maritime story.

Your family connection

Are there family papers, a photograph or a remembered name connected with Viola or the old steam-trawler fleets? Tell us what you know, even if the date is approximate.

Vessel sources & research

• National Historic Ships: Viola (Dias)
• Wessex Archaeology: historic vessel Viola H868 (PDF)

Researched October 2026. This is a growing vessel record. Crew-list coverage and dates are explained above; a name’s absence is not evidence that someone never served. Corrections and documents are welcome at info@hessleroad.com.