Doris: Schooner wooden, 82 gt, from Barrow with cargo 100 tons iron ore.
Collision with SS Carroll (1244 gt, outbound to Baltimore) and sank
Captain Edmondson and crew saved
From Liverpool Daily Post: Friday 05 October 1866
A Schooner Sunk in the River.
- About four o'clock yesterday afternoon
[4 Oct 1866], a collision took place, near the Great Landing-stage, between
the steamer Carroll, bound for Baltimore, and the schooner Doris, Captain
Edmondson, from Barrow, with cargo of nearly 100 tons of iron ore on board.
The steamer was going down the river, and the schooner was sailing at the time
of the accident. The schooner received considerable damage, and was at once
taken in tow by the tug Relief, but before she could reach the George's Basin,
she sank close to the end of the Landing-stage. The crew saved themselves by
their small boat as the vessel went down. The steamer, which appeared to have
sustained no damage, proceeded on her voyage.
From: Cheshire Observer, Saturday 03 November 1866
NARROW ESCAPE OF A DIVER
For several days past, attempts have
been made to remove the wreck of the Doris, which sunk in the Mersey about a
month ago, after collision with the steamship Carroll, between the north and
south landing stages, and immediately opposite the George's Basin. On Monday
morning, the attempts were renewed, when Mr. Ellis Jevons, the diver, went down
to ascertain the exact position of the wreck and to prepare a quantity of
powder for blasting. Having been under the water for some time, he was hauled
up for the purpose of reporting to and instructing his attendants, who with
the engine and diving apparatus were in a boat moored over the sunken wreck.
As soon almost as Mr. Jevons reached the surface, he caught hold of the
gunwale of the boat for the purpose of supporting himself while his attendants
took off the mouth-piece to speak to him.
At this moment the New Ferry steamer Sylph left the Landing-stage for New Ferry, and on passing the diver's boat struck the diver on the helmet with the paddle wheel, smashing the front of the helmet and deranging the diving apparatus so as to cause the diver to sink, the water having got inside the diving dress and displaced the air. Fortunately, the life-line, which is usually made fast round the waist, remained unbroken, and the unfortunate diver was hauled to the surface as quickly as possible. When taken into the boat, it was found that he was quite exhausted. The dress was at once cut open, and the poor fellow liberated from what, well nigh, proved to be his coffin; for had not the life-line remained entire, he would have never risen again, his helmet being made of massive thick copper, and two huge pieces of lead hung round his neck, his clogs also being soled with lead about three inches in thickness, weighing in all nearly two cwt. When relieved of his burden, he was at once removed to the Northern Hospital, where he received all necessary attention; his arm was found to be broken and his head slightly injured, in addition to several slight injuries about the body; but we are glad to state that during the evening he was pronounced out of danger, and is likely to recover.
Mr. Jevons has been engaged diving in and about the port for many years past, and it was owing to his daring and perseverance that the enormous wealth was recovered from the sunken wreck of the ill-fated Royal Charter, lost in Moelfre Bay, for which service, Mr. Jevons and his colleagues received a reward of £1000.
Postscript Mr Ellis Jevons was aged 42 when this incident occurred.
[excerpt from Liverpool Mercury - Tuesday 15 June 1886]:
As last Saturday evening closed in on the Welsh coast, the steamer
Hyaena, with the Marine Biology Committee aboard, passed Moelfra Bay, in
the island of Anglesey. Nearly 30 years ago, the steamer Royal Charter
went ashore in this place, and the fearful loss of life sent a thrill of
terror over all the land. The first diver who went down after the wreck
- and who recovered the ship's safe - was a man named Ellis Jevons, who
was then a great diver, but now is a poor old sailor on the Hyaena.
Captain Hill of the Hyaena, was at the wreck as well and so the Bay of
Moelfra has always a melancholy interest for them.