1894 Silverdale, 25 lost,
1918 Ulverston channel, 17 lost.
Wooden fishing vessel (nobby) Matchless
About 5 tons, 33 ft long, 1 mast, built Woodhouse, Overton 1877
Owner and skipper: Samuel Houghton, age 54.
Leisure trip from Morecambe with 33 passengers on 3 September 1894
Capsized off Silverdale and only Houghton and 8 passengers rescued; 25 lost.
At that date, there were no requirements for boats taking passengers
on leisure trips to meet safety standards. Disasters, such as this one,
led to the introduction of rules: lifebelts, lifelines, second crew member,
maximum passenger number,..
The trip left Morecambe before HW (at 1:30 that day)
and was intended to go inland with the tide and then return on the ebb. A nobby
was a half-decked shallow-draught vessel used for fishing. It had a gaff-rigged
mainsail, topsail and jib.
Sketch from the Lancashire County and Standard Advertiser, 7th
September, 1894, as drawn by an eyewitness to the Matchless tragedy
From Burnley Express - Wednesday 05 September 1894
BEREAVED BURNLEY. TERRIBLE BOATING FATALITY. YACHT CAPSIZED AT
MORECAMBE. TWENTY LIVES LOST. BURNLEY PEOPLE DROWNED. HEARTRENDING
SCENES. NARRATIVES OF SURVIVORS.
In the midst of the enjoyment of the
September holiday, Burnley has been suddenly plunged into mourning.
News came to hand on Monday of a boating disaster at Morecambe. The first
accounts varied to the extent of the disaster. Presently it became
known that some twenty persons were missing and that all, it was to
be feared, had been drowned. Worse than all there followed the dire
intelligence that the majority of passengers of the ill-fated boat were
Burnley people. At once the town became excited, and the excitement
intensified as details multiplied. Every scrap of information was
eagerly read. Many people who had relatives and friends staying at Morecambe
had a terribly anxious time of it. Enquiries were made from all
quarters in the locality and the telephone was in constant use. Brief
accounts of the disaster were published in many shop windows. At street
corners, especially in the neighbourhood where a bereavement was
feared, and in all places where people met together, the sad event was
the one topic of discussion. The hugeness of the disaster was
overwhelming, and the uncertainty which prevailed to who had been
drowned and who had been fortunate enough to escape added to the shock
which seemed to find an expression in almost every countenance. In the
matter of lives lost, it was the biggest calamity which had overtaken
Burnley for many years. No wonder, then, that the town wore a general
air of bereavement, and that expressions of sympathy and condolence
were to be heard on all hands.
HOW THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED.
The details of
the disaster are simple. In common with most seaside places, Morecambe
offers plenty of attraction in the way of sailing. A favourite
practice is to have hour or two's cruise in the bay in one of the many
sailing boats which put off from the Princess Landing Stage. They are
usually well filled, and, owing probably to the presence so many
holiday makers in the town, it happened that the Matchless, a boat
belonging to an experienced fisherman, Samuel Houghton by name, of 45,
Pedder-street, Morecambe, had a full complement when she set off from
the landing stage for a cruise in the direction of Grange-over-Sands.
The sea was calm and a light breeze tempered the brilliant sunshine.
The weather conditions appeared to be favourable for a very pleasurable
sail. The party numbered about 30 in all, and consisted of men, women,
and children. As is usually the case on trip of this kind, the
majority of the passengers were unknown each other, but it
subsequently transpired that in one case at least nine persons had been
staying in one house and all hailed from Burnley. Unhappily, all but
one of this number are placed among the victims. The time passed merrily.
The happy party, unconscious of the watery graves which awaited most
of them, were even singing when the accident happened.
THE FATAL GUST.
When five or six miles from the starting place the yacht was at a
point two miles from Silverdale, a small watering place on the
opposite side of the bay. The tide was on the flow, but there not
being sufficient water to cross the sandbanks, the boat was driving
steadily up Channel. When near to the estuary of the river Wear[sic:
Keer more likely], which
here enters the bay, about six miles from Morecambe, the water has
since been described by one of the survivors as being rather choppy
owing to the rapidly running tidal current meeting the fresh water
from the river, suddenly, without the slightest warning, the boat
heeled completely over. The accounts of what exactly occurred are
somewhat contradictory but the statement of the boatman Houghton, who
is one of the steadiest of the seafaring men in the locality and is
said to be a staunch teetotaller, is probably the most reliable. He
states that at the time of the disaster, about twelve o'clock, he was
going to slacken the main sheet and let the boat go easily up Channel while he
collected the fares. He had not slackened the sail but was on the point of
doing so when a gust of wind heeled her right over without the
slightest warning in about nine feet of water. Of course, the whole
of the passengers were precipitated into the water and the struggle for
life was distressing in the extreme. Some became entangled in the
sails and cordage and had no chance to save themselves. Others at once
got clear of the boat and struck out for their lives. Amongst them was
Mr. James Boothman, cotton spinner, 28 Hull-street, Burnley, who had
gone out accompanied by his sweetheart, Miss Lizzie Walker, daughter of Mr.
Walker, brazier, 50, Queensberry-road, Piccadilly-road, Burnley. He does
not attribute any blame to the boatman, but says that Houghton had just
got the sail loose when the wind caught and capsized the craft.
Fortunately for himself he was able to swim and managed keep afloat a
little while. Then he seized the mast and clung to it until help was at
hand. As will be seen below, Miss Walker escaped in marvellous manner.
THE WORK OF RESCUE.
The occupants of a boat in charge of Edward Gardner, jun.,
which was near, were horrified to witness the almost instantaneous
disappearance of Houghton's yacht. With admirable presence of mind,
Gardner first devoted his attention to preventing panic amongst his
own passengers, and then made his way with all speed to rescue with
his boat. In the midst of the struggling people in the water, friendly
hands were held out on all sides of the craft to grasp those unfortunate
fellow pleasure seekers who were struggling violently for succour. By
the direction of young Gardner, no attempt was at first made to drag them
into the boat, his instructions to the anxious passengers being simply
to keep as many people afloat as possible by holding them at the gunwale until there
was no apparent chance to secure more of the wrecked trippers. By this means,
seven persons - three men, two women, and two children - were rescued. One man was
evidently dead, his head being badly bruised. A second boat, in charge of
Richard Gardner, sen., a veteran boatman, was about a quarter of a mile
distant, but running with the current was speedily on the scene of the
accident. He rescued Houghton alive, and recovered also the body of a female passenger.
After cruising about the spot until it was apparent no further aid could be
rendered, the two boats returned to Morecambe at half-past one, bringing the
first tidings of the disaster and leaving behind them other boats continuing the
search.
More details see here.
Wooden fishing vessel (sail) [called Johnson's boat]
Owned William Johnson, 29.5ft long, 7.5ft beam.
Returning to Ulverston with a party of 16 from fishing at Piel
Capsized and all 17 lost. Sunday 9 June 1918.
Boat washed ashore at Aldingham, wrecked.
From Lancashire Evening Post - Wednesday 12 June 1918
FISHING PARTY DISASTER.
Coroner and Overcrowding of Boat.
The Coroner of Furness held an inquiry at the Ulverston Court
House, last evening, into the fishing boat disaster which occurred in
Morecambe Bay on Sunday morning. Four bodies had been recovered - those
of William Johnson (45), owner of the ill-fated fishing boat, of
Sandhall, Ulverston; Patrick Joseph Mitchell (22), of Bradford, a fitter
employed at Barrow and residing in Princes-street, Ulverston; Richard
Farmer (24), of Eccles, of the same address as Mitchell; and Fenton
Pickhall Stephenson (37), butcher, of Market-street, Ulverston. Quite
crowd of women had gathered at the entrance to the court. On the public
buildings flags were at half-mast high.
The Coroner said before starting the inquiry he thought it
was only right to express, on behalf of the Court and on behalf of the
people of Ulverston, the deepest sympathy with the relatives of the men
who had lost their lives. It was a disaster which had cast gloom over
the whole town and also the district. All the men were well known, most
of them - all excepting three - being Ulverston men. They had the
greatest sympathy with the relatives.
Evidence of identification was given. Mrs. Nelson,
of Princes-street, stated that the deceased Mitchell and Farmer had only
lived in Ulverston since June 1st. John Beardsley, of 10, Sandhall,
Ulverston, said William Johnson lived next door to him, and he knew
him to be an experienced fisherman.
HEAVY SQUALL CAME ON.
Thomas Gardner, fisherman, of Canal Head, Ulverston, said
that about one o'clock on Sunday morning, he had a fishing party of nine
at Priory Point, Ulverston, and he set sail with William Johnson,
deceased, for the purposes of fishing off Piel in Morecambe Bay.
Johnson had a party of 16 in his boat, and they sailed practically
together to the fishing grounds. They remained fishing for four or five
hours, and about 8:30, as the weather began to be worse, they set sail
for home. It was fine weather when they first left Priory Point. He
did not like the weather at the time, and would have returned earlier
could he have done so. They were coming back with the tide, and he was
about half a mile in front of Johnson's boat. He got across the
sandbank - West Hollow Bank [Mort Bank in other reports] - first. He
tried first to get around the bank before going over it, and then his
yacht dropped into deep water. He could see Johnson's boat crossing the
bank higher up, and he watched him all the time to see if he could get
across all right. What[sic] he was going across he saw him run aground,
and give a lurch. Then a heavy squall came on and, after it had cleared
again, he could not see Johnson's boat. He sailed back a bit to see if
he could discern it, but could not, and as the sea was strong, and the
tide was heavy, he was forced to make for home. Johnson's boat would be
about 29ft. 6in. over all, and 7ft. 6in. beam. It was not so good a
boat as his (witness's).
The Coroner:
How many was it supposed to carry? - It would carry a lot.
Were you licensed to take passengers on these trips? - No,
sir. We do not follow carrying passengers. They are registered fishing
boats, and we just took out fishing parties at weekends. Continuing, he
said Johnson's was an old boat, and in "just fair" condition. He and
Johnson were not in partnership. Johnson had his own party. He charged
£1 for the party, but did not take more than eight or nine
passengers. He would not have liked to have had Johnson's party in his
boat.
COULD NOT SEE THE BOAT.
Thomas Robinson, clerk,
22, Hart-street, Ulverston, said he was one of the party in Gardner's
boat. He could see Johnson's boat when they were returning from fishing
but he could not tell when it was in difficulties. A squall came on
just after they crossed the bank, and when that cleared he could not see
anything of Johnson's boat. He said the weather became worse during the
morning.
Peter Butler, Hammerside House [near Canal Foot],
Guide-over-Sands, said he knew William Johnson quite well. He had an
old boat, and it was not fit to carry more than about eight or nine. He
had talked to the deceased about it, and the deceased was trying to get
a new one, but it was war time and that made boats dearer.
William Athersmith, Quebec-street, Ulverston, spoke to the
recovery of the bodies of Stephenson, Mitchell, and Farmer; and James
Benson Edmondson, fisherman, Roosebeck, said he found the body of
Johnson that morning off Foulney Island, near Rampside.
The Coroner said it was a most unfortunate disaster, and it
brought home to them how important it was for these vessels to be
licensed to carry a certain number of people. None of these boats,
which were now simply registered for fishing, should be allowed to be
overloaded or overcrowded. There was no doubt Johnson's boat was
overcrowded, and an overcrowded boat lost its buoyancy and dipped and
dived and got out of control. Unfortunately Wm. Johnson, who was
responsible, had lost his life along with those in his charge.
The jury returned a verdict of Accidentally drowned.