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Stanley
Names and owners
Year |
Name |
Owner |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 1859 | Stanley | J. Jack |
Fate
Wrecked at Tynemouth on November 24th, 1864.
Related items :
Model of SS Stanley
Donated by Hartlepool Museum ServiceBlack & white photo of a model of the Stanley.
More detail »SS Stanley
Created by London Illustrated News
Donated by Maureen AndersonDated 1864
An image depicted in the London Illustrated News of the Stanley when she broke in two on Tynemouth Rocks in 1864.
More detail »Stanley Victims - Headstone [1]
Created by Chris Lambert
Donated by Maureen AndersonDated 1864
Headstone in Preston Cemetery, Tynemouth dedicated to the passengers and crew who lost their lives in the Stanley disaster.
More detail »Stanley Victims - Headstone [2]
Created by Chris Lambert
Donated by Maureen AndersonDated 1864
Headstone in Preston Cemetery, Tynemouth dedicated to the passengers and crew who lost their lives in the Stanley disaster.
More detail »Wreck of the SS Stanley
Completed April 1859; Official No. 27448; Code Letters PRHT; iron screw steamer; 552g; 193.9 x 26.9 x 14.5; four bulkheads; engine J Jack, Liverpool.
Owners: Aberdeen SS Co (J Jack) Liverpool; 1861 Aberdeen SS Co (J Stomont) Aberdeen; 1862 Aberdeen SS Co (B Moir & Co) Aberdeen; 1863 Aberdeen SS Co (A Eddie & Co) Aberdeen.
Masters: 1861-63 Willaim Cargill; 1863-64 Thomas Howling (C.N. 25315 London 1862).
1864 - 24th November - In the late afternoon, Friendship ran ashore on the West end of the Battery Rocks. The Coastguards deployed the rocket apparatus but, seeing no one on board, assumed that the crew had been taken off by South Shields Lifeboat. At 5.15 p.m., the Stanley ran in and hit the Black Middens at 5.30. She was 552 tons, built in Hartlepool in 1858, carried 30 passengers, 26 crew, 48 head of cattle and 30 sheep. 3 men were brought ashore in the breeches buoy before the gear failed and 6 people died in an attempt to launch the ship’s boat. At 10.30 p.m., Friendship broke up. At 1.00 a.m., the Stanley broke in two. Early in the following morning, the Cullercoats rocket gear was used to rescue the 9 passengers and the 20 crew left on board. 24 people were lost from Stanley, 6 from Friendship and 2 from Constance.
The Coastguard and lifeboat were preparing to rescue the crew of the Friendship when the Stanley struck. Tynemouth lifeboat Constance had put off, but had mistakenly been advised from the pier that the crews had been rescued and she put back into the Haven. Learning that the crew of Stanley were still aboard, they launched again. A rocket was put over the Stanley’s bow, but the crew, who were in a state of panic, ignored the master s order to secure the hawser up the mast and secured it on the bow. There was no tripod at the shore end to give height to the lines and lift them clear of the waves and rocks and the huge crowd got in the way of the Coastguards working the apparatus. Four male crewmen and five females were in the starboard ship s lifeboat when one davit snapped, upending the boat, which was then swamped by a wave. The five women and one man were washed away and drowned, one man, at least, being recovered on board. When the four Coastguards had got the breeches buoy rigged, Andrew Campbell, an able seaman, was the first man brought ashore, but no woman could be persuaded to follow. A male passenger was next to try, but he had to be hauled back on board, half drowned. The second mate, James Kemp, tried next and was successfully brought ashore. A man and woman together followed, but fell off the cradle, exhausted, and were drowned. Fireman James Buchan then tried, but the gear got fouled and he was trapped in the water. Several men, including George Bruce, a draper, of Tynemouth, James Fry, a joiner, William Ferguson and Thomas Cockburn, a plumber, also of Tynemouth, at imminent risk of their own lives, waded into the rough sea and rescued him. Lawrence Byrne, Chief Officer of Coastguard at Tynemouth, was knocked off his feet by a large wave, but was saved by an old man who managed to grab his cloak as he was being washed out into the sea.
The rocket apparatus, which had been recovered, was taken to the Spanish Battery and repaired and was then brought back down to the rocks but, the tide having risen, the distance to the ship was too great for the gear to be used. It was then taken to North Shields, where twenty pounds in gold was offered to any steamboat which would go out with it in order to attempt a rescue from the sea, but none would.
Stanley had reached the bar at 5.15 p.m. and struck the Black Middens. Her bottom was holed and the flooding put out the boiler fires. Boiler gauge glasses blew, but no crew were injured. The lifeboats William Wake, Tyne, Providence and Northumberland all put out, but could not get near because of the tremendous seas and they all returned to their stations. Providence” had put out from South Shields, but was struck by a tremendous sea which stunned the crew and carried away most of her oars, compelling her to put back to the beach. Tynemouth R.N.L.I. lifeboat Constance, of a much lighter and more modern design than the other boats, put out from the Haven, being completely swamped by the huge seas four times on her way round Spanish Battery to the scene of the wreck. All of her oars were broken off at the rowlocks when a massive sea swept over Stanley’s bow and dropped onto the lifeboat just as the bowman was about to throw a line aboard the Stanley. Only 2 spare oars were left. Her crew were : James Gilbert, coxswain, William Moffitt, second coxswain, Alexander Rowler, David Rowler, Thomas Blackburn, Joseph Bell, John Saffy, Alexander McCall, Richard Keeler, John Henzell, Thomas Davidson, Edward Robson and James Grant. Edward Robson was employed on a boat used to tend the divers working on the pier and was not normally a member of the lifeboat crew, as was James Gilbert. He, Edward Robson, had volunteered to go out in the lifeboat when it was realised that the boat was short handed. The helpless lifeboat crashed into the Friendship and James Blackburn, Joseph Bell, James Grant and Edward Robson were thrown from the lifeboat, which broke away after a few minutes as the Friendship settled lower in the water. The lifeboat was later taken in tow by William Wake. Their fellow crewmen hung onto one of the four until they were compelled to let him go for their own safety. The lifeboat crew pleaded with their fellow crewmen and the Friendship’s crew, whom they were astonished to see still on the Friendship, having believed that they were already rescued, to jump into the Constance, but none did. James Blackburn later stated that, when they were thrown onto the Friendship, the crew advised them that the schooner was breaking up and they all started to pray. They were still on their knees when the vessel broke up and they were thrown into the water.
The six crew of Friendship, James Grant and Edward Robson, the last minute volunteer, were all drowned. Robson left a wife and 5 children. Grant’s body was found on the beach under Collingwood’s Monument by Luke Fiddler. After being in the water for one and a half hours, James Blackburn was spotted by Luke Fiddler, James Ritchie, Ralph Hewison and Christopher Waddell, who, at great personal risk, waded out up to their armpits to rescue him. James Blackburn lived at Back Street, Tynemouth. Joseph Bell struggled ashore, exhausted, and crawled to Cuthbert’s Cottage, where he punched out a window to attract attention.
Friendship was lying with her head to the Eastward and Constance was driven into her starboard fore rigging. Constance struck with a great crash and four of her crew were thrown onto the Friendship. She was stuck there for 2 minutes and Gilbert implored his men to jump back aboard. The next wave carried Constance off, within six or eight feet of the foundation stone of the Low Lights Dock, laid on 23rd June 1864. William Wake took her in tow to the Low Lights. 31 of the crew of Stanley were landed by rocket apparatus between 3 and 4 o’clock in the morning of 25th November
At around 10 o’clock, Friendship lifted off the rocks on the rising tide, drifted into deeper water, broke up and sank. At 10.30 p.m., just before Stanley parted, the brig Ardwell crashed into her side. Several of Stanley’s crew jumped onto Ardwell, from where they and the brig s crew were rescued by South Shields lifeboat. During the night, Ardwell was refloated from the Black Middens and beached at South Shields. After Stanley broke into two, the remaining crew lashed in the rigging of the forepart survived because the bow, pointing into the waves, broke their force, but those left on the stern part were all washed off to their deaths. By around five o’clock in the morning, the tide had fallen back far enough to permit the Cullercoats rocket apparatus to reach the ship and the remaining crew were brought ashore within an hour.
The bodies of the female passengers were almost naked when they came ashore. They were taken to the mortuaries, where the women of Cullercoats cleaned them up and decently clothed them. They then manufactured the linen shrouds.
The names of the casualties of the Stanley disaster were: Passengers lost: Miss Jessie Roberts, 20, Miss Ann Frith, 22 (emigrant), Mrs.Clark, Mr.James McPherson, 20, Miss Jane Davidson, 21, Eliza Graham, 21, Mr.John Addison, 33, Ann Pratt, 54, Miss Jane Fergusson, 22, Miss Jamieson (emigrant), Miss Middleton (going to Jersey), Mr.Birnie, Mr.Skene, Mr.Ward, Mr.Manson, Miss Gordon, Mrs,Harper (of London), Miss Duncan, Mr.Firth (emigrant), Mr.Grant and J.Hutchinson.
Crew lost: Donald Falconer, Chief Engineer (married), James Gordon, fireman (married), James Wallace, seaman (married), John Sandlands, 16, of London, Margaret Duncan, stewardess.
Passengers saved: Mrs.MacDonald, Mr.Grant, Mr.Adam, Mr.Durno, Mr.Waters, Sergeant McConachie, J Cummings, Mrs.Mitchell and Mr.Donald Manson.
Crew saved: Captain T.Howling, John Main, James Kemp, James Smith, Henry Catt, Alexander Anderson, George Spring, Andrew Jamieson, Richard Cox, Robert Christie, Alexander Read, James Kinnaird, James Murray,Peter Gibboney, John McCondock, John Murray, Alex McPherson, David Ettersbank, James Buchan, James Booth, William Booth, William Beattie, John King, Hugh Dunn, George Smart and A.Smith.
The crew of Friendship, who were all lost, were Captain Samuel Shead, Alfred Mitchell, the mate, William Clark and William Button, seamen, and Daniel Page, cabin boy. All were buried in Preston Cemetery, where a memorial obelisk, carrying the names of many of the casualties of the disaster who are buried there, was erected. The communal grave is looked after to this day.
On board was Captain Howling, 1st Mate John Main, second mate, bosun, 8 seamen, 2 boys, cattleman, carpenter, cook, donkey-engineman, 3 stewards, 1 stewardess, 2 engineers, 4 firemen and 2 trimmers. These are not named in the first
account.
Later account gives loss of lives of: James Wallis, AB; Donald Falconer, chief engineer; James Gordon, fireman; John Langlands, boy; Margaret Duncan, stewardess; 21 passengers. Rescued: A. Adams, 2nd class; Sgt George Cummings, 93rd regiment, William Dunn or Duguid; Mr Grant, Alex McCormick, Mrs MacDonald, Mrs Matthewson or Pierce; John Walters, Donald Wanson.
26th Nov report says that most of Stanley crew returned to Aberdeen on steamer Pharos. 15 men sent to recover something from wreck. Witnesses at inquest included: Capt Thomas Howling. Bodies laid out from wreck for identification: Daniel Page - 17 – from Friendship, Samuel Shead, 31, captain of Friendship, Mitchell, mate of Friendship, man about 16 and another about 19 - possibly Friendship crew; woman about 40 - Stanley passenger; Margaret Gordon about 18 Stanley passenger; Jane Robertson, 23, Stanley passenger; Margaret Duncan, 18 Stanley passenger; Ann Middleton, 24, Stanley passenger; unidentified woman Stanley passenger, Elizabeth Jamieson about 19 - Stanley passenger; Margaret Duncan Stanley stewardess - funerals held at Preston Cemetery. 30th November - further funerals and some bodies sent to Aberdeen.
A beautiful Silver Medal, designed by Mr.Wyon, was awarded by the National Lifeboat Institution to Mr.Lawrence Byrne, Chief Officer of Coastguard at Tynemouth “in testimony of his gallant and persevering services in aiding to rescue, at the imminent peril of his own life, by means of the rocket apparatus, several persons from the steamship Stanley of Aberdeen, which was wrecked during a very heavy gale of wind off Tynemouth Point on the night of 24th November, 1864”.
Stanley was owned by the Aberdeen Steam Navigation Company. She was built in Hartlepool in 1859 by Pile, Spence & Company and had a sister ship called Gambia. On leaving Aberdeen, Stanley was drawing 9 feet for’ard and 13 feet aft. She was 193 feet long, 27 feet breadth and 14 feet depth. She was carrying 48 cattle and 30 sheep on deck and Captain Howling later stated that it was his concern for the cattle which had decided him to make for shelter in the Tyne. Had he not had the cattle on deck, he would have continued the passage. 24 people from the Stanley, 6 from the Friendship and 2 lifeboatmen from Constance died.
Thursday 1st December - Mrs.MacDonald and Mrs.Mitchell, both rescued from the Stanley, stayed at the cottage of Coastguard Conaty, on Spanish Battery, for a few days after their rescue. Mrs.Mitchell then travelled to London to meet her husband, a seaman. When she got to his ship, she was told that he had been washed overboard and drowned on passage. (Coastguard John Conaty was believed to have broken his back while carrying a rocket box at the wreck of Stanley and is reported to have died as a result of his injuries two years later. The source of the latter information is unknown)
Friday 2nd December - A public notice was published by the Tynemouth Relief Committee, offering two pounds for the recovery of any bodies from the Stanley wreck on November 24th, if the bodies were brought to the Dead House within one week from December 1st. It was signed by Joseph Spence, P.J.Messent, Secretaries.
Saturday 3rd December - Notice - Borough of Tynemouth.
A Public Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Borough of Tynemouth will be held in the TOWN HALL, Saville Street, on MONDAY, 5th Instant, at half past Seven o clock in the evening, to take into consideration the best means of assisting in the RELIEF of the SUFFERERS by the recent wrecks at Tynemouth, and also to consider the propriety of establishing a VOLUNTEER CORPS, for assisting the Coast Guard in working the Rocket Apparatus in case of wreck. GEORGE JOBLING, Mayor, Borough of Tynemouth, 3rd December, 1864.
Friday 9th December - On Spanish Battery - Mr. Pye to auction the wreck of the Stanley. Prospective bidders to be taken out by boat beforehand to inspect the wreck.
Giving evidence to the official inquiry into the wreck of Stanley, James Gilbert said that Constance had first put off at 6 o clock, but returned to station when they were wrongly advised that the crews of Stanley and Friendship had been taken off. They put off again at 6.45 p.m. The lifeboat passed under Stanley’s bowsprit, then a huge sea came right over the steamer s bow, swamped the lifeboat, smashed all of the working oars and washed away 3 of the 5 spare oars.
It may be thought surprising that the oars of the lifeboat were smashed so simply by a wave, but there are two reasons for this. The first is that, like every other detail of a lifeboat, great thought had gone into the design of the oars. A great danger to the crews was imposed when a lifeboat was broadside on in heavy seas, especially in shallow water, which is where most of their hazardous work was done. Apart from the obvious danger of simply being capsized by the waves, there was also a danger of the oars on the shore side of the lifeboat catching on the seabed when the boat was being tipped over by a wave and, at the same time, being pushed towards the shore by the wave. If the oars had been too strong, they would have acted as levers and made it certain that the lifeboat would capsize. Thus, the oars were designed to snap when the load was considered too great. The second reason is, of course, the frightening power of the sea. This has been demonstrated all too often at Tynemouth, with huge cranes being washed off both piers, the pier itself being destroyed and the terrible destruction of ships on the beaches and rocks. The bravery of men who were, and are, prepared to go out to sea at any time in lifeboats to rescue seafarers in danger, knowing just what the sea is capable of, is beyond belief to me. This was especially true of those men like James Gilbert and his crew, who used to go out without a second s hesitation, in comparatively small rowing boats, into ferocious seas which had usually just brought large ships to grief. The next time that you are on the Sea Front in a North Easterly or South Easterly gale, just look to the East, imagine what it must have been like for them out in such a sea, often in the dark, and give thanks that we are blessed with such courage in our community.
Friendship was built in Denmark in 1829 and was carrying coals when she grounded before Stanley. John Foster Spence, Alexander S. Stevenson and two others paid for the funeral of James Grant and Edward Robson, the two lifeboatmen, who were buried on November 27th, 1864.
24th November - On the same day as the Stanley disaster, the passenger steamer Dalhousie, Captain Glenny, which plied between Dundee and London and which had just sailed from Newcastle, was wrecked entering the Tay, with the loss of all 24 aboard. On the same night as the Stanley disaster, the steamer William Hutt foundered with only one survivor. Also on the same day, the schooner Light of the Harem drove ashore at Yarmouth. Her crew were rescued and she was later towed off. Her master was Captain Argent and she had been carrying coals from Seaham for London. She was later wrecked behind the North Pier on 8th February 1870.
November - The salvage boats William Wake, “Boutlands” and “James Mather” salvaged goods from the Stanley for auction.
1864 - November and December - BOARD OF TRADE INQUIRY INTO THE LOSS OF THE Stanley
John Main was the Chief Mate who had experience of entering the Tyne. This was a factor in Captain Howling s decision to run into the Tyne for shelter. Captain Howling had worked for the Aberdeen Steam Shipping Company for 21 years, 18 years as master. He had been master of the Stanley for 2 years. She had a crew of 29 hands, about 30 passengers, including 14 females and two boys, 47 head of cattle and 30 sheep on deck. The court decided that the loss of the Stanley was a misadventure, caused by the overwhelming sea, the absence of the leading lights and other circumstances beyond the control of the master. The harbour lights were extinguished at half-ebb of the tide and re-lit as soon as the flood had made in the harbour. There were no buoys to indicate the recently deepened main channel. This was the subject of great controversy. Captain Howling was, therefore, exonerated and his master's certificate was renewed. The wreck of the Stanley was sold at auction on 9th December 1864, for £560, to Messrs. John Rodgers, iron shipbuilders of St. Peters, Newcastle. The engines were also recovered and sold.
The Low Lights Dock, the foundation stone of which so nearly brought even greater disaster to Constance, was never built because of financial difficulties and a fear that the dock would conduct seas into the harbour. Following the wreck of Stanley, the Blyth and Tyne Railway, who were a major financial investor in the project, decided that the dock could not, in their opinion, be safely constructed on the site where the foundation stone had been laid. The site of the foundation stone can still be seen on the extreme southerly tip of the Black Middens at low tide.
On the Sunday following the wreck, 20,000 persons travelled from Newcastle to Tynemouth to view the wreck.
More detail »Wreck of the Stanley by J. Gilbert
Taken from the original account of the wreck written by Mr.James Gilbert, the coxswain of the Tynemouth Lifeboat Constance in 1864.
On the forecastle the Mariner stood,
And poured forth his sorrowful tale,
While his tears fell unseen in the flood,
And his sighs passed unheard in the gale.
Assian
The morning of the 24th November 1864 dawned on the Northumberland coast with a cold grey sky and a fresh breeze from the N.N.E. with every appearance of increasing wind as the day advanced, but up to about 9.30 a.m. some of the Cullercoats fishing cobles were out and made for the harbour. At that time, the wind gradually increased to a breeze, the sky becoming more and more overcast with a deep leaden hue. The sea at that time was nothing worth noticing. About 11 a.m. it had got round to E.N.E. and was still freshening with the sea making along the coast. Here and there a ship to the eastward could be seen making its way south keeping a good offing. The sky to the eye of a close watcher at that time was beginning to look anything but pleasant.
After mid-day, things changed for the worst, but still there was nothing to cause alarm to the man who knew nothing of the sea or its dangers, but the wind was still freshening and the sea was beginning to run cross as the tide began to ebb, with still larger leaden clouds gathering to the eastward. At about 1.30 p.m., the sea first showed signs of breaking in the channel between the piers. Still the wind was on the increase and inclined to get to the southward of east, but up to this time nothing of any moment had taken place. The sea seemed now to be getting still stronger and running still crosser. The wind at this time had increased nothing for the last hour but was shifting to the south eastwards with a gloomy appearance.
Few ships were to be seen about. At 2.00 p.m., a small trading schooner in tow of a tug entered. It had a coble towing astern and taking a run on a heavy sea turned bottom up, broke her tow rope and drove to sea. Fortunately, the Pilot was on board the schooner and saved their lives.
The weather at this time had made no change or improvement. It was now about 2.15 p.m. A Commissioners’ hopper in tow of a tug approached the harbour. The sea and strong ebb tide carried them towards the north beside the rubble. With the sea running high it was evident to all that there was little chance of escape for the hopper. For, as she neared the staging, she was struck by a succession of heavy seas. The tow rope parted and the hopper dashed among the piles and, after doing a great amount of damage, came onto the rocks behind the North Pier. While all this was going on, the tug had a narrow escape but at last entered the harbour. In the meantime, all was confusion on the North Pier. The lives of the two men in the hopper were at stake; rope lifebuoys were quickly at work and every workman under the Commissioners vied to be the first. The hopper by this time was driven within about 14 feet of the wall, the sea making a clean sweep over them, not one moment was to be lost. Fortunately, the life-buoys were carried over the men and the desperate effort each man made to save himself was something wonderful for they escaped with a few bruises, truly thankful for their deliverance. Everything belonging to the hopper was saved and the craft carried away to the rocks under the castle foot. An order at once being given to secure the broken staging, every man was told off, some leading piles, others getting chairs, wedges etc., all ready for the work at the Pier end.
All this time, night was fast closing in and everything had the appearance of what a sailor calls a wild night; large drops of rain fell at times bearing you in mind of a wind feeder. The sea and the wind had both increased to a fresh gale or a double reeft topsail when again the alarm was given. A small schooner struck on the west side of the Spanish Battery rocks and stopped. At this time, 4.00 p.m., the tide was about half spent, the wind E.S.E. and the sea high. The rocket gear was taken down but never used as it was supposed the Shields Life Boats had saved the crew. Darkness now began to gather over us so that by the time the Pier was regained, it became so dark it was impossible to tell one man from another. No change of wind or sea, whilst the grey clouds passed over with showers of rain, time at about 5.15 p.m. Some 40 or 50 men were at work at that time and the sea was one white wreath from the Pier end right into Freestone Point under the Spanish Battery.
In less time than I can describe, a large bright light was seen a little S.E. of the staging. That was quickly made out to be that of a steamer entering the Tyne but it appeared to be too far north. With the ebb tide and high sea running on his Port quarter, every man watched in silence till the vessel was in that long streak of broken water, from which she never recovered herself to get south into a better channel, and in about 5 minutes she struck the S.E. point of the Spanish Battery Rocks.
As soon as possible, two rockets were fired from the ill-fated ship, about 15 men seen running for the Life-Boat; and with a quickness seldom witnessed, the boat was out of the house, and having a long way to drag her, there was no time lost before every man was in his place. The greater part of them ran over the bank instead of stopping to launch the Boat. The ebb was still bending out and, with a desperate effort and the help of a few men, we got afloat and had just made a fair start when the voice of a man shouted on the Pier to come back as all the crew were saved. For a moment our progress was stopped, then after a pause it was thought most prudent to land and dispatch one of the crew and get a true statement in the time we got the Boat on the carriage and were ready for launching again.
By this time, we had lost about one hour. The man came back saying a few had been saved and some lost, and that the rocket gear had got foul of the rocks, and all communication cut off, but that she was a passenger ship from Aberdeen. The ebb tide was finished and a young flood was bending in so that we were quite satisfied of our danger, but that thought was quickly dismissed and off we went with the assistance of a few helpers. By this time two of the cattle were running about the Haven. We had good fortune to get well out to the eastward before we had any heavy water. I should say for about 8 or 10 minutes all went well with every prospect of being successful. The Boat then began to meet the sea more quickly and the sea began to tell heavier as we worked south but everything was going well, no man was heard to speak but all was attention. By this time we were drawing slowly but surely outside of the Steamer’s port quarter and shipping some heavy seas. The darkness, at this time with heavy showers of rain, almost hid the ship from view, but on we went, every men sticking to his oar like a rock, not one shifted from his seat. The rain ceased for a few minutes and we got a look at the ship and our own position. We could then observe the huge waves breaking over the vessel s after end with terrific force, being end on to the incoming waves. Now being all clear of the rocks and the Steamer, we backed astern keeping the boat bowing the sea, which was now breaking continuously over the boat and the men, until we found we were abreast of the other vessel, a Schooner that proved to be the Friendship which had grounded just before 4 p.m. and was settling down as the flood made.
We then shouted to the Steamer and received an answer. The order was then given to pull and as we had to cross the Schooner’s bows it was a most dangerous game, but there was no help for it, if any shelter was to be got it was under the starboard or inner bow. All was going well, the Boat making good way and close under the bows. A heavy sea then swept along the port side and fell on the Boat and men and buried them beneath, cutting all the starboard oars at the gunwale with the outer ends swept away. As soon as the crew found themselves clear of the sea they made a grasp for the spare oars. Three of them were gone, two only remained. We were then drifting astern when a second heavy sea struck the Boat and lifted her into the fore rigging of the Friendship. With a crash, away went the port oars. The Boat, being almost perpendicular at this moment, stood in the balance, with her after compartment completely buried so that the steer oar struck the bottom and broke in three pieces.
As the sea left us, the Boat fell and then we knew that one of our crew was lost, for two others held on to the man until compelled to let go for their own preservation. But behold our surprise at seeing five men in a group abreast of the main mast. We implored them to jump into the Boat as their last and only chance but no man spoke or even moved. It was now time to look to our own position for it was a most risky one, nothing but a sheet of white water and the darkness, with heavy showers of rain. Ours was anything but an enviable one. The Schooner, with the flood, was fast settling down and our Boat was level with the ship. The two spare oars were shipped on the starboard or lee side of the Boat, all being ready and still calling on the crew of the Friendship to come into the Boat but without any response. A heavy sea struck the Boat and she canted the right way. If ever men s energies were fully tested it was now, for there was nothing but one white sheet of foam all round to windward and under our lee, the foundation stone of Tynemouth Dock and the Black Middens. Having two men with boathook in hand, the two oars double banked and going at from 40 to 45 degrees of an angle through the sea, our progress was slow. Only shipping two heavy seas and striking the foundation stone with the Boat hook, we slowly bore away before the sea and the tide. For the first time we called the names of the crew and think what dismay covered every face when we found four wanting.
Now there was little time to be lost, every nerve was strained to reach the shore. The Shields Life Boats were the first we spoke to, asking them to lend us oars, but they had none to spare. This was just below the Commissioners’ Jetties, we struck across for the sand end and met the salvage boat William Wake. They got our line and gave us a click to the shore for which our Chairman rewarded them with five Pounds.
We were now surrounded by the crowd and asked a thousand questions but without our Boat and gear, which we handed over to the charge of the customs, we made our way back to Tynemouth, avoiding all who were likely to stop us or ask us a question until we knew the fate of our men. We had got as far as the road leading to the Battery when we were met by one of the Life Boat Committee, to whom I told in a few hasty words what had happened. We then made our way through the crowds to the bank. Our duty lay on the shore and our labour was not long lost. We soon found Grant and carried him to the Life Boat House. Robson was found a little nearer Shields and was taken there by this time. Blackburn and Bell, who had stopped on board the Schooner until she broke up, washed ashore and were conveyed to their homes and, under the care of the Doctors, soon recovered.
About 10.30 p.m., the Steamer had just parted in the way of the engine room and the fore part, with the main mast and fore mast still standing, turned round with head to the eastward, the after end, with the missen-mast standing, lying where she had struck. Nothing more could be done as the tide was fast flowing and every person had to leave the rocks.
My next duty was to make my report to our indefatigable Secretary, Mr.Messent, whom I found had just left the banks for a short time and retired to his own house, and, as everyone was waiting for the next ebb, there was no sleep thought of. I then gave him a brief account of our unfortunate night s work up to that time, which affected him very much. Tired as we all were, there was no thought of rest.
I then made once more for the Battery Banks and met the Boat's crew with many others all wanting to know the story of the night. It was now past mid-night and, passing through the various groups, many strange stories were going on. One was that the Coast Guard had taken the only working set of rocket apparatus to the Low Lights and, not being able to get a tug, had left it there, and on making enquiries, I found it was true, nothing was left but the foul gear on the Steamer or rocks. The prospect was very serious, then about high water, as I wandered about and through the crowds, I found part of our Tynemouth men and they soon informed me what was going on. They had despatched a trusty man with a horse and cart to Cullercoats for their rockets and this was very quietly done and the whole thing was not to be mentioned. In due time, the cart arrived and was at once taken down to the Haven out of sight, and with the coxswain of the Percy and several fishermen to lend a helping hand as soon as the tide ebbed out, the gear was carried round the rocks, and many a hard fall there was in the darkness and bad rocks.
Now at this time, no one on the banks knew anything of the work that was going on below, nor was it the intention of the men to do so as some sharp words had passed about leaving the rocket gear at Shields. As the tide receded, out went the gear. Morning was fast advancing, the tide fast falling, not the slightest sign of any preparation on the bank top. Here and there Gentlemen I knew well were exchanging words about the careless and indifferent manner things were carried out inside the Battery. At the same time, the men of Tynemouth and Cullercoats were quite prepared when the time arrived and that was not until the tide had made out, but all was now ready. We now began to think that to use the rocket without informing the Officer would be a great injustice and most likely to bring an enquiry and damage him in the Service for life. We at once resolved to inform him that all was prepared for a start and we at once put our resolve into execution for which he thanked us. He then turned his men out and, followed by a large crowd from the Banks, the rocks were once more alive. The Officer, now being present, assumed the command. The rocket, pointed to the after end of the ill fated ship, was at once despatched. It fell over the wreck but there was no response. Sharp went three more in the same fatal course, all was as silent as the grave, no response from the wreck, things looked very gloomy. The rocket was hauled back. Her again some sharp words fell from some of the Gentlemen onlookers and at last it was determined to alter the rocket stand and fire the last and only rocket over the fore part of the Steamer. This was quickly done by a fisherman from Cullercoats, called Chisholm, and away went the rocket over the unfortunate ship. All was attention and you could see the direction it fell by the fire.
There arose a faint cheer from the wreck which was responded to by the crowds on the rocks. In a very short time the whips were off and made fast. The men on shore very quickly hauled the hawser off, on went the cradle and to the satisfaction of all, the first lady was landed, placed in the care of a few carefully picked married men, and carried to the Battery. The next was a Lady and afterwards the men followed quickly. The morning was dawning and everyone could see all round at last. The last man out of the 32 was landed then went forth a ringing cheer. The only thing left was the body of a lady lashed on deck. Then some of our men wanted to go off and bring the body on shore, but the Officer had given the order to cut the hawser. The order was carried out and the hawser twirled through the air like a snake. It was all over.
The blood red sun rose above the horizon, what a sad, sickening sight met the eye. Few would believe the destruction of life and property on one small spot. In a few short hours the passengers and crew were well cared for by the Gentlemen of Tynemouth and everything done that could be done for their comfort. By this time, the flood tide was making, and the sea was still high, nothing could be observed of the Friendship but a few pieces of old rotten wreck amongst the rocks as all traces of ever being a ship had disappeared.
Our sad night and morning s work had almost finished but due to the crew of the Life-Boat there was still one sad duty to perform and it was the first of the ill fated ship. At the bottom of the Boat-ways lay the body of a beautiful young girl, wrapped closely around with a large shawl and well prepared for a cold night, but alas the storm fiend had done its work. The boat house was still open and there stood the boatless carriage; everyone looked on. In deep silence and sorrow we lifted her gently up and laid her as gently down in that deserted house, now the house of Death, and with one sad look closed the doors on part of that sad scene of that eventful night.
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