Wilfrid - Hartlepool - 1898

Hartlepool Northern Dail Mail, Monday, March 28th, 1898:
THE SECOND DISASTER. Before the crew of the Baltic had been got ashore another schooner was observed out at sea, evidently making for West Hartlepool. It was now dark, but the vessel came on in the same course as her predecessor, got too far to leeward, and stranded within a ship's length of the Baltic. She turned out to be the three-masted Norwegian schooner Wilfred, from Svelsig. The tide had now ebbed a good deal, and the crew did not appear to be in any immediate danger. The Stranton rocket machine, however, fired a shot, but the line was unfortunately lost. The Seaton Carew rocket machine, under the charge of Captain Robinson and Mr. Darch, was then brought up, and a line thrown on board. The crew did not appear very familiar with the working of the apparatus, but once it was started all the eight hands were got off without a hitch, the last of them being brought to shore about ten o'clock.
Notwithstanding the lateness of the hour the Town Wall was lined with spectators, who cheered each of the men as they arrived.
The captain stated that they had been struggling with the storm for five days, and they all appeared much exhausted. One lad in particular seemed to almost knocked up. It was reported that one of the crew had an arm broken, but this is incorrect. They too, were taken in charge by Mr. Larson, who found them lodgings in the town.
All the life-saving arrangements were in charge of Mr. Williams, chief boatman.
During the afternoon the barque Dagmar, also from Drammen, arrived in the port, and at one time it looked as if she, too, was going to get too far to leeward. However, she managed to get into the port in safety.
SMART RESCUE BY SEATON MEN. A Seaton Carew correspondent writes: The members of the Seaton Carew Rocket-Saving Apparatus Company received word after eight o'clock that a three-masted schooner had gone ashore. Captain Robinson at the first attempt placed the line over the ship amidst great cheering. The hawser was soon fastened on board the ship, and the crew of eight men were landed on the railway wall. From the time of the rocket being fired and the last man being landed only eighteen minutes elapsed.

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