Auxiliary wooden schooner Four Brothers, built Thompson, Northwich, 1877
93 grt, 52 nrt, 83.8 x 20.4 x 9.3 ft, 25bhp engine, 1 screw, added 1920
Owned Runcorn, then Braunton (registered Barnstaple) from 1918.
By 1923 owned by McBirney, Kilkeel.
Abandoned in gale off North Wales coast by her crew of 4.
Seen derelict off Llandudno, 2 January 1923.
Llandudno lifeboat launched but schooner had already been taken in tow by SS Amy Summerfield.
After waiting for calmer weather, Amy Summerfield towed her for Liverpool with 3 of her own crew aboard working pumps.
Four Brothers capsized and sank near Rhyl Buoy with loss of 2 of the 3 men aboard.
Marked by wreck buoy at 53°21.265N, 3°35.33W until 8-1923. No sign of wreckage in 1970 survey.
Position of reported (1986) obstruction: 53°21.232N, 3°34.427W.

From North Wales Weekly News - Thursday 04 January 1923:
Llandudno Lifeboat Out. SCHOONER IN DISTRESS. A Vain Quest.
Great excitement was created in Llandudno on Tuesday afternoon about 1.45, by the sound of the lifeboat maroon. Twenty minutes after the gun was fired, the boat was on its mission, despite the fact that the tide was out at the time. The lifeboat was launched in response to a message received from the Great Orme Lighthouse to the effect that a schooner was flying signals of distress about seven miles out to sea, north-west of the lighthouse. Although a gale was blowing from the west, the lifeboat proceeded to the vessel, but, to their disappointment, their services were not needed as a quarry steamer had arrived on the scene and was preparing to give the schooner, which was "The Four Brothers" of Barnstaple, a tow to safety. The lifeboat thereupon returned, and a large crowd awaited its arrival at about 5 p.m. Although the wind was blowing from the shore and the tide was far out, the lifeboat was finely handled, and, with full sails, was "tacked" for the shore in splendid fashion. The scene on the sands in the gathering gloom was somewhat eerie. As the lifeboat grounded, the crew lit up their cigarettes, and their glow from the water's edge had the appearance of Will-o'-the-wisps. The lifeboat was then hauled ashore by willing hands. Later in the evening the schooner, with her consort, the quarry boat, anchored in the bay, having run inland for shelter.

Runcorn Weekly News - Friday 12 January 1923 [2 photos]
TOWING TRAGEDY. HOW THE ABANDONED SCHOONER FOUNDERED. Inquest on Garston Sailor. SMART RESCUE SCENES.
  The circumstances under which the abandoned schooner foundered, involving the loss of two lives, were inquired into by the Liverpool City Coroner, Mr. A. G. Inglis, who on Friday conducted the inquest on the body of Adam Ireland, of Garston, who was recovered from the water, but died without regaining consciousness. Mr. Lynskey represented the Transport Workers' Union.
  Samuel Ireland, a waterman, of 8, Shrewsbury road, Garston, said that the deceased was his son, aged 29. He was a marine fireman and home about a quarter past seven on Tuesday, the 2nd January to go aboard the Amy Summerfield, bound for Waterford. At 4 o'clock the next day he was told that he had been drowned at sea and that his body had been brought in to Liverpool.
  Captain George Summerfield, 32, Howden road, Garston, the master of the Amy Summerfield, described the voyage. When off the Great Orme's Head, [voyage Garston to Waterford] about 2.40 in the afternoon, he saw the abandoned schooner, Four Brothers [with sails shredded and bulwarks damaged]. She was a danger to navigation and he took her in tow. The mate (Albert Kirby) and his brother went aboard and reported that there was no-one on the schooner. He took the vessel into Llandudno Bay and anchored for the night, some of his crew going aboard to work the pumps. Next morning the weather had moderated and they commenced the tow to Liverpool. The deceased, W. Kirby and Thomas Kissack, volunteered to go on board to guide the schooner and to pump water out of her. Everything went well until about half past nine in the morning when the schooner took a bad sheer, heeled over, and went down. He stopped the Amy Summerfield and the small boat was put over the side to save the men who had jumped into the water just as the schooner was submerging. Albert Kirby was in the boat and he picked up his brother and got hold of Ireland who was brought aboard the Amy Summerfield. He was unconscious, and they tried artificial respiration for nearly an hour; but it was unavailing. There was no sign of Kissack. They steamed around the place for some time in the hope of finding him, and then returned to Liverpool and landed the body of Ireland at the Canada Dock. From the time that the schooner foundered until Ireland was aboard the steamer was not more than ten minutes. Witness could not account for the sudden sheer, but his opinion was that the schooner had a weak spot, which gave way under the strain of towing and caused an inrush of water.
 In answer to questions by Mr. Lynskey, Captain Summerfield said that men were at the pumps for an hour or so on Tuesday night, and they were trying the pumps constantly during the towing. He thought the schooner was quite right for towing. She was seaworthy, although there was water in her.
 William Kirby, 40, Seddon road, Garston, the one man of the three who was rescued, said that when he went on the schooner with Ireland and Kissack, he did not anticipate any danger. As the vessel sheered over and was submerging, he heard Ireland say. "I can't swim." Kissack was near the rail. As the schooner sank, witness jumped into the water and at the same time saw a loose spar come to the surface. He got hold of that and waited for the boat which he saw coming from the steamer. His brother rescued him and he then saw Ireland in the water, face downwards. His brother got hold of Ireland's head and held it out of the water as they towed him back to the ship.
 Albert S. Kirby, 40, Seddon road, mate of the Amy Sumerfield, said that as soon as he saw the schooner take a sheer, he felt that she was foundering and he put the boat over to save the men. He never saw anything of Kissack except his cap, which was floating on the water. Replying to questions by Mr. Lynskey, that he went aboard the Four Brothers on Tuesday afternoon. There was water in her which he thought might have got in by the engine-room door, which had been left open. He did not sound the depth of the water, but they were pumping on Tuesday evening in Llandudno Bay, and again all the time that the tow was going on.
  Medical evidence was given to the effect that death was due to drowning, and the Coroner found that the deceased had been accidentally drowned.