SS Scheldt (1884), 1090 t, on passage Newport to Bordeaux carrryin coal
Malta, wrecked at Botallack, October 14th 1889
On October 15th 1889, the miners of St Just awoke to find the Cunarder Malta on the rocks, half a mile east of Cape Cornwall, beneath the Wheal Castle Mine. The 2,244-ton Malta had been launched in 1865 by G. & J. Thompson of Glasgow for the Mediterranean service of the early Cunard Line. Brig rigged with a tall funnel, she was 39tft 3 inches in beam, and 303 ft long, excluding her magnificent female figurehead. The engines were two-cylinder compounds by J. Jack & Co of Liverpool. She had left Liverpool on October 14th 1889, bound for Genoa via Falmouth, with 2,000 tons of general cargo and nineteen passengers. Hazy weather thickened off Lundy, but Captain Richard Lavis decided not to reduce speed as the elderly Malta could barely raise nine knots. It was not until nearing Land's End and having failed to sight either Trevose Head or Godrevy light that speed was reduced and the lead prepared. The Malta then idled ahead until a lookout saw breakers on the port quarter, and she slid gently ashore below the black, dripping cliffs o Kenidjack Castle Headland. At first few on board realized that they were shipwreck. No on was quite sure where they were; above the roar of the swell came a rhythmic thudding that was assumed to be a railway engine, but in reality was the sound of the stamps crushing ore at the nearby cliff-top mine of Botallack. Cottagers from St. Just, Pendeen and Botallack were converging on the headland and as the Malta's boat came in two brothers waded out to it. Like most St Just miners, Edward and William Roberts knew the coast intimately working their own boat when work underground was slack, or in the summer evenings. They made several trips piloting the heavily laden ship's boat into a narrow gully, with the seas sweeping around them and guided only by lanterns. Coastguards and other miners helped the shaken passengers up the steep cliff, and soon they were all gathered before cottage fires at St Just. The Malta was only flooded forward so the crew stayed on board but at daybreak Falmouth tugs failed to shift her. By 11am she was pounding so heavily that the crew transferred to Sennen lifeboat and the tugs. Deck gear, stores, and baggage were salvaged, but at dusk one of the Malta's boat capsized, and James Roberts , one of the six Sennen Fishermen manning her, was drowned. The following evening a hard WNW gale got up, and by dawn the Maltas masts and funnel had gone and she had split amidships. Her cargo provided the best display since the Le Landois; bolts of velveteen, calico, muslin, linen sheets, rugs, and carpets, casks of palm oil, kegs of spirits, handkerchiefs, bottles of wine and beer, and rolls of India rubber littered the coast. At a Board of Trade inquiry in November, Captain Lavis, though given an excellent character by Cunard, was found guilty of not navigating with due care and in a proper and seamanlike manner, and his certificate was suspended for three months. Description from Clive Carter, Cornish Shipwrecks: The North Coast (London: Penn Ltd, 1970), p. 21-22.
Petrellen, Barque Vessel, Mount's Bay, 31 Jan. 1885.
The Petrellen was a barque style sailing vessel of 335-tons. On its homeward bound journey to Porsground, Norway, the vessel was driven on to the sand flats at Longrock. None of the crew was drowned. She had put into Mount's Bay for her chief mate to get treatment for an injured foot, and had been anchored there for a fortnight when the weather turned rough. It was while she was trying to get clear on the evening of the February 1st 1885 that she was wrecked. Description from Richard Larn and Clive Carter, Cornish Shipwrecks: The South Coast (Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1971), p.180.
Liner Patroclus aground at Portland, 1907
Salvage operations in September 1907 showing three steamers and a sailing barge, plus boats, alongside or close by.
V. inscription: Wreck of (?) 'Patroclus' at Portland successfully salved. 13/21/9/07. (Ref: DSA ii, 544)
Unidentified steam tender or tug under way under way, late 19C
Unidentified steam tender or tug under way, late 19C ; illegible name on bow, various personnel visible on deck/bridge.
German liner Vaterland and a smaller steamship after internment - probably in April 1917 or soon afterwards - at the Hamburg-Amerika Line terminal in New York; other vessels in background.
Verso inscription: 1917-18 WWI Hamburg Amerika Linnie (sic) German Ships Interned in N York Photo by Mr Stables (illeg.)
The Avebury was a Sunderland Steamer that was heading between Lisbon and Cardiff with a cargo of Iron ore and esparto grass (used for crafting). The Avebury missed Land's End completely in fog and steamed on the rocks less than a quarter of a mile west of Lamorna. Description from Richard Larn and Clive Carter, Cornish Shipwrecks: The South Coast (Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1971), p.198.
'Old Folkestone', view from seaward of harbour with paddle-steamer & various sailing craft.
Steel four-masted barque, launched 1882, at anchor possibly at Gravesend. The Port Jackson became a sail training ship but reverted to cargo in WWI, and was torpedoed 28 April 1917 (Ref: DSA ii, 560).
Faint pencil inscription verso 'with fond love to dear Uncle & Auntie from Glynne'. Albumin print
Balbec, Steamer wrecked at near Land's End, March 28th 1884.
The 848-ton early Cunarder Balbec was wrecked on a the 28th March 1884. She had left Liverpool the previous day on her regular run to Le Havre, loaded with hides, chemicals, and Manchester goods, with a crew of twenty-nine and five saloon passengers. She struck a submerged object of the Longship Rocks, Land's End, and had be beached on Nanjizel Bay. It was the lowest tide for years as she rounded Land's End at noon on the 28th, in calm seas and easterly breeze. Suddenly she gave a slight shudder, but sailed on; a hasty inspection revealed water pouring in through the coal in the port side bunker. The pumps were started but could not cope, so Captain Marsh ran her ashore. No one was drowned, but the Balbec, which had launched on the Clyde in 1853, was a total wreck, the fourth Curnard Steamer lost on the Cornish Coast since 1857. A Trinity House steamer searched for the mysterious obstruction, but found neither reef nor sunken wreck. Description from Richard Larn and Clive Carter, Cornish Shipwrecks: The South Coast (Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1971), p. 231.
Gem, Liverpool Paddle Steamer, Wrecked November 21st 1881.
Gem, was a double ended paddle steamer of Liverpool. The small ship was 400 tons gross and was owned by John Lander of Birkenhead. Gem was on passage from Holyhead for the Brass River, Niger, Africa. She contained 37 tons of coal as ballast. Her Captain was George Gibson and she carried a crew of 14 men. A serious leak was discovered on October 31st 1881 and she was beached at St. Ives on the north coast of Cornwall for examination. Finally, on November 21st 1881 she was moored to a buoy in St. Mary's pool but the cable parted during the night and she drifted ashore to become a total loss. Description from Richard Larn, Cornish Shipwrecks: Isles of Scilly (Newton Abbot: Charles & David, 1971), p.100.
Liverpool iron barque River Lune wrecked near Annet, 1879
"On July 27th 1879, the 1,172 ton grow iron barque River Lune of Liverpool, in ballast from Lorient to Ardrossen in Scotland. The vessel was built in 1868, owned by John Hargrove of Chapel Street, Liverpool. The barque was then to run ashore on rock at Annet, Isles of Scilly. Her crew hastily abandoned ship when the stern went completely underwater, but rebounded later to collect personal belongings and some of the ships fittings. The cause of the wreck was investigated by the Board of Trade. Master, George West, blamed his chronometer for any inaccuracy of navigation , his calculations and log-book entries showing his position as being at least ten or fifteen miles west of the Bishop Light. The wreck was sold for £55 and her figurehead can be seen in the Valhalla collection of ships' figureheads at Tesco, Isles of Scilly. " Description of wreck, from Richard Larn, Cornish Shipwrecks: The Isles of Scilly (Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1971), p.81.
Steamer Earl of Lonsdale, St. Agnes, 8 June 1885
The Earl of Lonsdale, a steamer, was carrying beans and cotton seed from Alexandria to Portishead. . Owned by Thomas G. Dunford of Newcastle. The vessel was 1,543 tons gross and was built in North Shields, North Tyneside in 1872 The Earl of Lonsdale became stranded at 3am on June 8th 1885, as the vessel had been recklessly at full-speed in dense fog, the lookout on her forecastle sighted breakers ahead but no sooner had course been altered to clear them than she struck a submerged rock and remained fast, water pouring into the engine room. Shortly after, the fog lifted and no one was more surprised to see the Troy Town maze and St Agnes Lighthouse close abeam. The captain, Llewellin Davis, had thought his ship to have been west and at least ten miles south of the Bishop Rock when she struck, whereas in fact she had entered the Western Rocks and got into Smith Sound, heading straight for St. Agnes. With her hull pierced in several pieces, salvage was out of the question had to be abandoned as a total loss. Four days later the wreck was sold by Mr J. Hooper for £6 to a London purchaser, whilst 900 tonnes of her bean cargo went to Mr W. Rogers for twenty-two shillings, who in turn sold them to local farmers. Within the month the wreck changed hands, being bought by Vasey and Co of Newcastle, who were able to remove such of the machinery as was worth salvage before the vessel broke in two on 27 August. Description written from Richard Larn, Cornish Shipwrecks: The Isles of Scilly ( Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1971), p. 74-75.
Lifeboat from German liner Schiller, 1875
Lifeboat in foreground with view of St Mary's harbour in background at low tide with various sailing vessels. The German Transatlantic Steam Navigation liner Schiller.
The Schiller, was a passenger steamer of 3,421 tons gross which sank on the May 7th 1875. The Schiller had left New York for Habsburg via Plymouth on April 27th 1875, carrying 250 bags of Australian and New Zealand mail, a valuable general cargo, and £60,000 in American twenty-dollar gold piexes, 300,000 coins in all. The Western Rocks were blanketed in dense fog that night, the worst in living memory, as this German Transatlantic Steam Navitgation liner crept towards the Isles of Scilly. By 8 o'clock that evening, Captain Thomas had reduced speed to four knots and posted double lookout. An hour later, with the Bishop Lighthouse still neither seen nor heard, volunteers from amongst the male passengers were asked as additional lookouts, witht the promise of a bottle of champagne to the first man to see her light or hear the Bishop Rock fog bell. The prize was never collected, for just before ten o'clock the liner struck the Retarriers, having passed inside the lighthouse. Her engines pulled her clear of the rocks, but three huge waves in succession struck her beam-on, and the stricken vessle was flung broadside on to the reef. Rockets and signal-guns were fired- some of the witnesses later gave their number as at least ten- but these were mistaken by the lighthouse-keepers and islanders alike as a vessel signaly her arrival off Scilly, as was the custom. Pandemonium broke out on deck amongst the fear-crazed passengers and the captain was obliged to fire a revolver over their heas to retain some order, but there was little hope for anyone. The Schiller only carried eight boats, two of which were reduced to matchwod when the funnel collapsed across them. Two others jammed in their chocks due to the ship's heavy list, one capsized as soon as it touched the sea and another smashed against the hull in lowering and hung useless from its davits. Only two boats finally got clear and drifted off into the gloom of the night. For 320 men, women and children left aboard that night, it was to be one of mounting horror. Of the Schillers original complement of fifty-nine saloon, seventy-five second class and one hundred and twenty sterage-class passengers, plus one hundred and one crew, a total of 355, only 42 men and one woman survived. Description taken from Richard Larn, Cornish Shipwrecks:Isles of Scilly (Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1971), p. 38-42.
St. Mary's harbour, St. Marys, Isle of Scilly
Surviving bullocks ashore from Castleford, 1887
The Castleford was carrying 3000 tons of general cargo, including deal and wheat, as well as 460 head of cattle, 1 passenger and 18 cattle drovers. On Sunday 8 June 1887 the Castleford was underway in dense fog and at high water. Despite stopping to listen for fog horns or bells, the ship ran onto the Crebawethan rock, remaining fast. The hold and then boiler and engine rooms flooded. 250 cattle were landed at Annet, near St Agnes, and 400 deals were saved. The ship broke in two before the bridge on 9 June and the masts and funnel went over board the following day. When the Castleford was lost amongst the Western Rocks in 1887, £12.11s went to St Agnes for the saving and succour of eighteen cattlemen. Description from Royal Maritime Museum Greenwich Online Archive AND Richard Larn and Clive Carter, Cornish Shipwrecks: Isles of Scilly (Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1971), p.27.
Steamer Ransome sunk near Penzance pier, 1885
Mast and funnels of vessel visible close to pier, with luggers in background, 18 April 1885.
Albumen print. Inscr. on mount, 'S/s "Ransome" - 1885- sunk at Penzance'.
Celebrated Scilly pilot cutter Queen, Scilly, c. 1880
Vessel disused and rotting. Ref: Larn, 24
Russian steamer Aksai wrecked on White Island, Scilly, 1875
The Russian stemaer, Aksai, was lost around White Island on November 2nd 1875. She was on passage from Cardiff to Odessa with coal. Fog blurred the outline of the Scillies, with Captain Boltine taking her along the north side of St Martins, only to strike White Island and remain fast. It was the Lady of the Isles which rescued her captain and crew of thirty nine, leaving the steamer to go pieces where she lay. Description from Richard Larn, Cornish Shipwrecks: Isles of Scilly (Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1971), 146.
White Island, St. Martins, Isles of Scilly
Wooden sailing ship Minnehaha on Peninnis Head, Jan. 1874
The Minnehaha of Liverpool wrecked at Peninnis Head, between the point and Pulpit Rock on January 18th 1874. This was the wooden, 845-ton vessel, was carrying a cargo of guano. Master Jones had reached Falmouth on January 16th 1874 from Peru. It was making route to Dublin the next day to discharge goods the following day. On January 18th 1874, the vessel falsely assumed that a light seen through the murky fog was Wolf Point, but instead the vessel struck the south-east corner of Peninnis, amongst the Jolly Rocks. She went ashore with all sail set, almost on top of the tide, and thumped the rocks so hard that a large hole was made in the port bow, into which the sea poured. Within two minutes she was under water, and those who had not been swept away took to the rigging. Amid this, Captain Jones undressed in the mizzen-top and then, shouting "With God's help I will save your lives," sprang into the sea and was last seen swimming for the shore. Robert Thomas, the first mate, led the nine remaining survivors from the mizzen to the main shrouds, down the forestay and over the jib-boom onto the rocks. Shortly afterwards they met one of the islanders, Israel Pender, in Peninnis lane and told him of the Wreck. Description of wreck, from Richard Larn, Cornish Shipwrecks: The Isles of Scilly (Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1971), p.87.