From newspaper reports of the storm on 6-7 October 1808 which caused much damage to shipping in
the Dee Estuary (with 5 fatalities):
The brig Pallas (Captain Wilson, 122t, built Workington 1787, reg. Workington)
with salt and earthenware from Liverpool for Cork stranded on the North Wales
Coast (near St. Asaph) and was five feet deep in the sand. The Workington
register shows this as her final state.
The Princess Royal and Bessborough, Parkgate Packets, rode out the gale in capital
style, on Saturday last [7 Oct], owing to their being well found; His Majesty's
yacht Dorset, and the Loftus, Parkgate Packet, which left Parkgate on
Wednesday last, are arrived safe.
CHESTER:
The sloop King George, M'Carthy, master, loaded with coal for Dublin, burst her
cables in Beer House Hole [deep water anchorage close to where Boathouse pub in Parkgate
is located], and was driven on the bank - opposite Parkgate,
where she soon filled, when her people, five in number, took to the rigging, but soon
were extricated by the laudable exertions of some sailors and were brought safe on shore.
The sloop Ardent, Morgan, laden with coals for Dublin, ran on a bank
opposite Flint, and sunk; her crew, consisting of four men
and two boys, and a woman passenger (excepting one of the boys who was washed
overboard) were rescued from their perilous
situation, by the same sailors, and brought on shore; but the other poor boy
soon after expired. Notwithstanding the vessel was not more than a half a mile
from the Flintshire shore, and there is most excellent revenue boat belonging
to the port of Flint, none of the people there attempted to tender any
assistance to the unfortunate sufferers otherwise, in all probability, one or
both of the boys might have been saved.
The Perseverance, Evans, from this port for London, loaded
with cheese, got safe into Hoylake, and arrived at Parkgate Sunday -
The
Apollo, (Captain T Bellin, full-rigged ship, 208t, reg. Liverpool,
built Liverpool 1795) which was in company with the Perseverance, struck upon
Hoyle Bank, but all hands were saved, except the Captain and two boys.
The following vessels are on shore at Parkgate, viz.
Defence, Parr, from
Londonderry, in ballast, for Chester;
Bee, Thompson, with timber for the
Royal Dock Yard, Plymouth, dismasted, with the loss of her rudder;
Princess
Royal, Lewis, from Belfast, with linen cloth for Chester fair, which is all
discharged;
and the Sedulous, Morgan, with coal for Ireland;
the Experiment,
from Belfast, with linens for Chester fair, is up as high as Shotwick, and
now discharging her cargo.
The Duke of Athol, Isle of Man Packet, arrived
at Sunday last [8 Oct], after riding out the gale and striking three or four times
upon Hoyle Bank; she left Liverpool on Friday last [6 Oct], with between and 50
passengers, who are all now well and hearty.