Detail from a painting of her by S. Walters: off Cork in 1838 while in the ownership of St.
George Steam Packet Co.
[from Southern Reporter and Cork Commercial Courier - Saturday 31
March 1832]:
Launch of a New Steamer for Cork Station. Monday, the 10th of April
will launched from the building-yard of Messrs. Wilson and Sons,
Trentham-street, a splendid new Steam Packet, belonging to the St.
George Steam Packet Company. This vessel, which is intended to be
called the Victory, and intended for the Cork and Bristol station, is
upwards of 400 tons burthen, and will be fitted with engines of 180
horses power, made by our townsmen, Messrs. Fawcett, Preston, and Co.,
whose names are sufficient to give as a proof their superior excellency.
Of the model of the vessel, we need say no more than that she is built
on the same plan as the St. George, which was launched from the same
yard in November last, and is now plying on the Liverpool and Dublin
station, the envy of all her competitors, but excelled by none.
[From Wexford People, Saturday 01 October 1853}:
WRECK OF THE STEAMSHIP VICTORY. On Wednesday morning [28 Sept 1853], about half-past four
o'clock, the steamer Victory of Waterford, on her voyage from Liverpool to
Waterford, struck on the Barrels' rocks about two miles off Carnsore point;
she took in water so rapidly that she became very soon
entirely unmanageable. The crew and passengers consisted of about forty
souls. - The boats were lowered and all succeeded in landing with the
exception of one of the crew; on stepping out of the boat near the edge of
the shore, he accidentally fell, and whirled by a wave, was in a moment
launched into eternity. The poor fellow's body was not found till about one
o'clock, when it was washed in on the shore. Scarcely had the boats left
the unfortunate vessel when, she was seen to sink in the channel about five
miles distant from the shore. She had a very valuable general cargo on board.
Postscript: The Barrels Rocks are a comparatively small drying area (at LW; covered at HW) of rocks 1.66nm at 213° from Carnsore Point. A more prominent rock (Black Rock) dries 2m at HW and lies quite close by. The Bailees refers to a shallow area NE of Carnsore Point, while the Saltees are substantial islands SW of Carnsore Point.
Information added in other contemporary newspaper reports: She had
discharged
a government contract to take soldiers to Liverpool and was on her return
trip.
Her Master was Captain John Stacey and Chief Engineer
Bowden. The Captain had been mate aboard the Waterwitch which sank in 1833 in a nearby
position - his uncle John Stacey (Sr) was the captain of the Waterwitch [and
is described as having died in her wreck, although contemporary reports
state he got ashore]. The Waterwitch and Victory were sister ships, one
surviving only months, while the other lasted 20 years.
