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the nowell brothers

A "Proper" Fishing Family

Stephen and Michael Nowell went straight into the fishing industry after leaving school. Both of them worked for W Stevenson & Sons for a few years, the main fishing boat owners and fish auctioneers in Newlyn. Stephen was the first to join as a deckhand, working with his father Frank and then became skipper on the beam trawler "James R H Stevenson" at the age of 21. Michael also started as a deckhand under the tuition and guidance of his father before becoming an engineer and then progressing to skipper.

In 1988, Stephen, Michael and their brother Roger purchased their first beam trawler the Dutch built, 23 metre "Semper Allegro" (Ever Cheerful). Once the business had settled Roger decided trawling was for him, left the partnership and bought his first trawler. Stephen and Michael continued their partnership and purchased their second beam trawler the "Nellie" in 1988.

A merry-go-round of boats in the beam trawler arm of the fleet is not unusual and Stephen and Michael stepped up the pace by selling the "Semper Allegro" and replacing it with another beamer the "Our Diana" from Shoreham. The new acquisition was re-named the "Elizabeth N " after the mother of Stephen and Michael. Next to be sold was the "Nellie" which they replaced with another beam trawler the "Sea Falke" which they re-named the "Karen N" after Stephen's wife. No doubt you can now see where this is heading.

By 2011, Michael's wife Louisa was understandably put out because she didn't have a boat named after her so the brothers bought their third vessel the "Angel Emiel" from Brixham to placate her and obviously re-named it the "Louisa N". You might have thought that was the end of the matter but not a bit of it.

For some reason they decided they would sell Stephen's wife Karen or maybe it was the"Karen N" and replace her or it with the "Sasha Emiel." "Sasha" didn't last long of course and was re-named "Karen N". We can only advise Louisa to watch her back.

If you study the photographs in the background of this article you will see the three beam trawlers belonging to Stephen and Michael Nowell. From left to right they are the "Louisa N" PZ 101, "Karen N" PZ 10 and "Elizabeth N" PZ 100.

For the record, S.J. & M.F. Nowell Fishing Ltd run a very professional, successful, fishing operation and supply our market with year round catches of top quality beam trawl fish.