This is an index to wrecks discussed on other pages. It is not comprehensive - just a list of some additional wrecks that I have found in my researches.
Wrecks further offshore - so suitable for investigation by divers - are discussed in my books: Wrecks of Liverpool Bay and Wrecks of Liverpool Bay Vol II. Here is a sketch map of the location of some of those wrecks (Coniston, Peru, Blanche, Leeds[Unknown SS], Hebe[Unknown FV], Unknown ballast, Murielle).
Introduction: The Ribble estuary, giving access to the port of
Preston, had training walls and was dredged to allow ships to reach Preston
Dock (built 1892) until 1981 when the docks were closed.
From 1994, the channel between the training walls had a
wreck drying 6.6 metres charted, near the 13 mile marker. This
obstruction was clear by about 2010 and the best route in and out of the
Ribble was again between the training walls.
The origin of this obstruction was the wreck on 6 June 1994 of a
ferro-concrete leisure yacht Gean (11.3m
long). It was thought to have broken up soon after grounding.
More details
of rescue of 3 crew by Lytham inshore lifeboat.
Currently (2020) a
wreck is charted in 2m in the entrance channel, this is the SS
Hebe sunk
11-12-1911 (see also here).
Another reported loss [Birmingham Daily Post - Tuesday 12
September 1978]: 26ft sloop Jain from Isle of Man to Fleetwood with a
man and a woman from London aboard, lost circa 11 September 1978, body
of a woman and yacht gear washed up on Blackpool beach.
Wreckage was retrieved by a trawler from the wreck (charted
depth 1.4m, close inshore - see below) of a mast, sail with sail number, and
harnesses that were identified as having come from the yacht Jain.
For another charted wreck (depth 1.4m) (possibly Crusader and
or Jain) first reported in
2012, close inshore see here.
Another vessel reported as lost in this vicinity is the Irene
Chambers, a 9m long fishing vessel sunk 3-10-1995, charted (as
position approximate: PA) in more than 5m and north of the Hebe. This
PA is that of the rescue of the 3 survivors and her wreckage is reported to have drifted
inshore.
Corry 1817 Off Lytham, 11-15 lost.
Lord Hill 1819
Off Ribble mouth, 29 lost.
Crusader 1839 Crusader Bank, St. Annes, 0 lost.
(also Favourite and Ann Paley; many lost)
Chamberlain 1850 Off
Southport, 3 lost.
PSS Prince Arthur 1850
Southport shore, 2 lost.
Lytham
lifeboat 1852 capsize, 8 lost.
Railway King 1854 Off Blackpool, 0 lost.
Isabella 1854 Off Ribble, 0 lost.
Ann E Hooper 1862 Off Ribble, 4
lost, image.
Brazil 1862 Off Ribble, 0 lost
Rubin 1863 Off Ribble, 0
lost, image
Lytham Lighthouse 1863
Lytham shore, collapsed, 0 lost, image
Henrietta
1864 Ribble banks, 0 lost
Conway 1867 off Southport, 0 lost
SS Coniston 1868 Off
Southport, 6 lost.
Nazarene 1872
Off Southport, 18 lost.
Mary Tatham 1875 off Lytham, 0 lost.
Fanny
1885 10 miles off Blackpool, 1 lost.
No 1 Bucket Dredger 1897 Off Ribble, 1
lost. [also see
here; possibly refloated]
SS Peru 1899 Off St
Annes, 0 lost
SS Hebe 1911 Off Ribble, 0 lost
SS Enterprise
1913 Ribble mouth, 0 lost
SS Zealandia 1917 Off Ribble, 2 lost.
Schooner
Herbert Black 1919 Off Marshfield, 0 lost.
FV Endymion
1933 Ribble
Tug Perseverance 1936 Ribble, 0 lost, image
MV Druid 1962 Ribble, 3 lost, images
Whoops! 2019 Lytham
Wrecks of Liverpool Bay Vol II (and
updated info) contains the following:
Prince Arthur 1850, Coniston 1868, Bucket Dredger No. 1 1897, Peru 1899, Patricia
1910, Enterprise 1913, Zealandia 1917, Charles Livingston 1939, Ionic Star 1939.
For wrecks on the shore around Southport; see more details
here:
Mexico 1886; Star of Hope 1883; Chrysopolis 1918; Zelandia of 1917;
Charles Livingston 1939; Ionic Star 1939; Happy Harry 1950;
Endymion 1933.
