A sheltered harbour was built at Morecambe - which became disused when Heysham was opened in 1904 (as well as a pier 1869-1992).
Morecambe with naval vessels being scrapped:
This is an index to wrecks discussed on other pages. It is not comprehensive - just a list of some interesting wrecks that I have found in my researches.
Introduction: Morecambe Bay is a large area into which several rivers flow: the Crake, Leven, Kent, Lune and Wyre. At low tide there are shifting sandbanks with narrow deeper channels.
Even in Roman times this area was important: Portus Setantiorum
occurs on Ptolemy's Map and one theory is that it was in the Wyre River.
Before the 1800s, shipping was carried in small wooden sailing
vessels (schooners, flats,..) which could "bump" their way up the
channels to reach the head of navigation: Pennybridge (Crake);
Haverthwaite and Greenodd (Leven); Milnthorpre and Arnside (Kent);
Lancaster (Lune) and Poulton-le-Fylde (Wyre). There were also sheltered
anchorages: Piel Island, Poulton-le-Sands (later called Morecambe),
behind Sunderland Point, in the Wyre.
In order to improve marine navigation, sheltered docks were
constructed: Ulverston Ship Canal (1768); Glasson Dock (1787); Barrow
(1867 on); Fleetwood (1877).
A sheltered harbour was built at Morecambe
- which became
disused when Heysham was opened in 1904 (as well as a pier 1869-1992).
Morecambe with naval vessels being scrapped:
As the railway reached the various parts of Morecambe Bay, small wooden boats were largely superseded by Railway trucks. Moreover the railway crossed the Leven and the Kent estuaries on viaducts that limited access to the upper reaches. Railway access meant that passengers could be brought to ferries to the Isle of Man and to Ireland and fish (for example) speedily moved out.
For many years there was a passenger trade from Morecambe to the Isle
of Man and to Ireland. That still survives - using Heysham instead.
For a while, Fleetwood had an in-river RoRo terminal, although that is
now closed. Fleetwood, however, had developed to be the largest trawler
port on the west coast - although now there are few commercial fishing
vessels using it.
The remaining commercial trade is now coasters from Glasson
Dock (using the quays outside the Dock) to the Isle of Man and mixed
trade from Barrow (Ramsden Dock). Offshore wind farm support is also a
major source of employment.
Shipbuilding has been important - wood was available locally and there were iron works at Barrow and near Millom using local iron ore. Barrow remains the location where submarines are built (in the giant "shed").
An affront to the Board of Trade regulations: Barrow paddle tug
Walney (built S. Shields 1904) bringing football supporters from Blackpool back from
a game at Barrow in September 1913..
Brig Mary Ann 1867 Duddon Spit, 5 lost
SS Ariel 1904 Duddon, 0 lost
Schooner Coniston 1917 Duddon, 5
lost, image
SS Anastasi 1946 Duddon, 0 lost, image
HMS Enterprise 1707 Thornton,
Blackpool, all (up to 115) lost.
Trevor 1775 Blackpool,
30 lost (also Charming Mary ashore)
New Liberty 1819
Morecambe Bay, all crew lost
Mary 1831 Rossall Point, 0 lost.
Crusader 1839 Crusader Bank, St. Annes, 0 lost.
(also Favourite and Ann Paley; many lost)
Denison 1852 Fleetwood; 2 lost.
PS Lyra 1861
Morecambe Bay, 0 lost
Barque Pudyona 1862 Lune Deep, 18 saved.
Milford 1863 Morecambe
Bay, 0 lost
Knott End Ferry 1863
capsized Fleetwood, 9 saved, 1 lost
Favourite 1865 Blackpool, 10 lost
Zion Hill 1877 King Scar, 0 lost
SS Urania 1880
Morecambe Bay, 0 lost
Sirene
1892 Blackpool Beach, 0 lost
Abana 1894
Blackpool Beach, 0 lost
Morecambe LV 1894 ashore Morecambe Bay, 0 lost
Matchless 1894 capsized Morecambe Bay,
25 lost, image
HMS
Foudroyant 1897 Backpool Beach, 0 lost
SS Hebe 1897 off Morecambe Bay, 0
lost
Morecambe LV 1903 ashore Morecambe
Bay (refloated), 0 lost
LV no. 70 1903 off Morecambe Bay, 0 lost
Vanadis 1903 Morecambe Bay, 0 lost
FV Spray 1912 Aldingham, 3 lost
SS Vedra 1914
fire, Mort Bank, 35 lost
FV Sunbeam 1916 Morecambe Bay, 0 lost
Leisure trip FV 1918 Piel to Ulverston, 17 lost
SS Marguerite
1919 0.4nm at 17° from Fleetwood no.4 buoy, 0 lost.
SS Glencona
1926, fire, N of Lune Deep, 0 lost
Commandant Bultinck 1929
Rossall, 3 lost, image
SS Lough Fisher 1935;
Jean Marcel 1968 off Walney, 0 lost
Stella Marie 1941 King Scar, 0
lost, image
SS Saltaro 1956 Walney
Channel, 0 lost
Riverdance 2008 Blackpool,
0 lost.
FV
Globetrotter 2020 Off Rossall Point, 1 lost.
Unknown wreck: Obstruction (charted as Foul at 53 55.507N, 3
16.041W) from survey in
2008. Lies 070/250, 5m x 3m, 0.4m above seabed, rounded, probably
remains of a boiler. Possibly from SS Urania 1880.
More
Updates to Wrecks of Liverpool Bay Vol
II PSS Leeds 1852 (off Blackpool)
Updates to Wrecks of Liverpool Bay Vol
II SS Murielle 1941 (off Blackpool)
Updates to Wrecks of Liverpool Bay Vol
II SS Peru 1899 (off Blackpool)
Updates to Wrecks of Liverpool Bay Vol
II SS Blanche 1901 (off Blackpool)
Updates to Wrecks of Liverpool Bay Vol
II SS Montreal 1918 (off Blackpool)
Updates to Wrecks of Liverpool Bay Vol
II U1024 1945 (off Morecambe Bay)
Some additional wrecks (quoted in
Wrecks of Liverpool Bay Vol II) - as listed by wrecksite.eu
SS Lyra 1922
(also here) Lune Deep
SS Glencona
1926 (also here) Lune Deep
For wrecks from St Annes to Southport, including the Ribble see here.