Wooden ketch [jigger flat], built 1906 Clare and Ridgeway, Sankey Bridges, 95 gt,
74.5 x 19.5 x 8.5 ft. ON 123983.
4 cyl oil engine (55 hp) added 1926
Traded Point of Ayr Colliery to Bromborough with coal slack.
Caught fire on 5 May 1934 while anchored and sank near Point of Ayr.
Captain Bennet and 2 crew swam ashore and survived.
Santa Rosa as a sailing flat (ketch or jigger) before she was motorised.
(from Warrington Museum)
From Liverpool Echo; Saturday 05 May 1934
CREW'S SWIM TO SAFETY; Ketch ablaze in the Dee;
THRILLING ESCAPE; Vessel Burns All Through Night;
MYSTERY EXPLOSION; SWAM FOR THE SHORE.
The
Santa Rosa, a regular trading vessel between the Point of Air and Bromborough
Pool, was destroyed by fire late last night [5 May 1934] whilst at anchor in the estuary of
the River Dee, off the Point of Ayr. The crew of three had a thrilling
escape, having to swim ashore and then walk about a mile unclad, before taken
aboard another ship.
Captain Bennett told the Echo a thrilling story of the
men's escape from the burning ship. He said: We were all in our night attire
and were preparing to turn in when suddenly there was a loud explosion. We
rushed on deck and were amazed to see one half of the boat in flames.
Seeing that nothing could be done to save the ship and having to
make up my mind quickly, I told my mates to put on their lifebelts and jump
overboard. I dived into the water after them. We swam for the shore and while
doing so took off our scanty clothing, but it seemed ages before we reached
land. Then, absolutely naked, we had to walk about a mile before
we reached the boat Tanlan, which was anchored up the Point or Air.
We were well-nigh all in, and welcomed the hot tea and clothing
which were given on the boat. Later we were taken home by car. It was an
ordeal I never want to experience again. Captain Bennett said he could give no
explanation as to the cause of the explosion. The Santa Rosa, - motor
ketch of 94 tons, burned throughout the night and sank at 7.30 this morning.
The vessel was owned by Messrs. Coppack Brothers, Connah's Quay, and was
waiting to enter the Point Colliery Dock for a load of slack [coal dust].
From Cheshire Observer, Saturday 12 May 1934, additional information:
She carried a crew of three men: Capt. A. Bennett,
Morton; Mr.A. Foulkes, engineer, of Railway-terrace, Connah's quay; and
Harold Ellis, of Connah's Quay.
She caught fire on Saturday
night while lying off the Point of Ayr, and sank on Sunday morning in two
fathoms of water in the Dee Estuary.
Postscript The Santa Rosa was anchored, light, waiting for a berth. Her regular cargo was coal slack from Point of Ayr Colliery to Princes' Patent Candle Works in Bromborough. She was a wooden ketch built by Clare and Ridgeway at Sankey Bridges in 1906 [up the Sankey canal; with her width of 19ft, she would just be able to get out into the Mersey through the lock at Spike Island]. A 4 cyl oil engine of 55hp was added in 1926 and she was owned by Coppack's of Connah's Quay. At 74 x 19 ft, she was a relatively small vessel. The location of sinking was also described as off Llanerch y Mor.
Some "unknown" wrecks are charted near Point of Ayr: see here. One of these might be the remains of the Santa Rosa - (iii) is at the correct depth.