J Rix's ship MV Magrix (subsequently MV Ashleigh),
on which Alex's brother Leslie was Master at the time.

Magrix ship registry listings

MV Magrix with list after loading limestone tipped from waggons at Whitby in 1959.

In 1958 Rix Shipping Ltd began carrying agricultural limestone from Whitby to North Eastern Scottish ports. Magrix was the first ship to load in Whitby and with no dockside cranes, the only way to load was by tipping stone into the hold directly from waggons. First Mate was in a spot of bother as he hadn't properly supervised loading. The ship had to be turned round in harbour at high tide (despite the list), so that it could be loaded from the other side - to balance out the list. Tricky manoeuvre!

Sinking of MV Acclivity and rescue of crew by MV Magrix, 20th January 1952

The weather was calm, the sea flat and the Acclivity, a small motor tanker, was pursuing her voyage from Thames Haven to Newburgh, Fife with a cargo described by the owners, F.T. Everard and Sons Ltd, as ‘linseed oil’, though the official wreck report confusingly states both ‘linseed oil’ and ‘petroleum in bulk’ as the cargo.

Disaster struck in the dark just after midnight off the Farne Islands, Northumberland. Beneath the surface, out of sight of the crew on watch, the ship had hit a submerged object and was badly damaged. Starting to take in water, the ship’s master sent out a ‘Mayday’ distress call, which was received by the coastguard at Cullercoates at 1206 GMT.

The Magrix was in the area and made straight for the now drifting and helpless Acclivity. At 0105 GMT Magrix radioed, ‘Have taken crew of motor tanker Acclivity on board. Am standing by ship, which is sinking in position Longstone bearing N ½ W, approximately 7 miles, Inner Farne Light, NW by N ½ N’.

Both ships and crews waited for assistance to salvage the sinking ship. In response, the tug Hendon set off from Tyne docks at 0610 GMT. The weather at the time was reported as fine with a light westerly breeze, clear visibility and a moderate sea.

Realising assistance might not arrive in time, the two ships’ masters agreed to try and tow the Acclivity to shore. Cullercoates coastguard received a radio message from the Magrix at 0712 GMT, ‘Have picked up motor tanker Acclivity and trying to tow her to Tyne, but don’t think she will last long’.

This proved to be the case as the ship had become too heavy after taking in more and more water and at 0859 GMT the coastgard received another message from the Magrix, ‘Had Acclivity in tow for about one hour, but tow rope broke and ship sank approximately five miles east by south of Dunstanburgh Castle, We dropped a can buoy two cables SSE of wreck’.

The Magrix put into Amble later in the morning and safely landed the crew of nine.

At the time Alex's brother (my father) Leslie Grimes was first mate on the Magrix and the ship was owned by a then new Rix company, J.R. Rix and Sons Ltd, being their first motor ship when the company started trading in 1947.