Sir George Frederick Sleight, 1st Baronet (26 March 1853 – 19 March 1921) was an English fishing trawler owner. Sleight claimed that he started his career as a cockle-gatherer on the seashore at Grimsby. He went on to build a fishing empire that boasted the largest fleet of trawling smacks in the world. He was later a pioneer of steam trawlers and also acquired the largest fleet of those in the world. During the First World War almost all his vessels (50–60 of them) were commandeered for

mine sweeping Minesweeping is the practice of the removal of explosive naval mines, usually by a specially designed ship called a minesweeper using various measures to either capture or detonate the mines, but sometimes also with an aircraft made for that ...

and patrol duties and over thirty were sunk. Having previously been

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...

in the

1918 New Year Honours The 1918 New Year Honours were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of the British Empire. The appointments were published in ''The London Gazette'' and ''The Times'' in Ja ...

, Sleight was created a baronet in the

1920 Birthday Honours The 1920 Birthday Honours were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of the British Empire. The appointments were made to celebrate the official birthday of The King, and were p ...

. He died aged 68 and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son, Ernest.

Footnotes

References

*Obituary, '' The Times'', 21 March 1921 *Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990. * 1853 births 1921 deaths People from Grimsby Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom Knights Bachelor British fishers English businesspeople Businesspeople awarded knighthoods {{UK-baronet-stub