Pilot Vessel No 1 Good Intent Formby
Barque Adelaide West Hoyle
Schooner Duke of Wellington West Hoyle
Colchester off Ribble
Malvina Southport
Schooner Kate Point of Ayr
Sloop Elizabeth Wild Road, Dee
On 28 and 29th November 1833, a storm caused much damage to shipping in
the Liverpool region.
From Chester Chronicle - Friday 06 December 1833:
DISASTROUS EFFECTS OF THE LATE STORMS. The storm on Thursday and
Friday last will long be remembered, not from its extreme violence, but from
the disastrous effects which it has produced, especially along the
western coasts.
Overview from Lloyd's List - Tuesday 03 December 1833:
Resolution, Mostyn to Caernarvon, lost near Little Ormes Head 27th, crew saved.
Gronant, 30th Nov. The Kate, from Liverpool to Ipswich, was driven
upon a Sand near the Point of Ayr, yesterday. Crew saved by the Life
boat.
The Elizabeth, from Mostyn to Barmouth, was driven on shore
in Wild Roads yesterday; the Master and Mate saved.
Liverpool 29th. A very heavy Gale from NW last night and to-day.
30th.
The Colchester, Dorison, from Tatmagouche [sic Tatamagouche, N. S.], on shore near Formby, has gone
to pieces. Crew saved.
The Adelaide, Harrison, for Charleston, in putting back this morning went on shore
in West Hoyle, and it is feared will be wrecked. Crew saved.
The Eleanor, for Londonderry, is on shore at the Dingle.
The Duke of Wellington, bound Wexford, is totally lost.
The Venture, for Park Gate, sunk at Hoylake yesterday. Crew drowned.
The Rose in June, for Carnarvon,
the Heart of Oak, for Amlwch, and
the Trefrows, for Conway, are on shore in the [Hoy] Lake.
The Charles, for Ostend is on shore at Formby. Crew saved.
1st Dec. The Malvina, Cholwick, from Cork to Liverpool,
sunk near Southport 29th ultimo. Crew drowned; the principal part of
the cargo saved.
George Canning, for New Orleans, and the George Wilkinson,
for Charleston, in putting back, struck on Hoyle Bank: the former will
have to discharge.
The Norris Castle, for Wexford, has put back leaky,
and with loss of sails.
The Adelaide, Harrison, for Charleston, on shore at
West Hoyle, is full of water.
[excerpts from Liverpool Mercantile Gazette and Myers's Weekly Advertiser - Monday 02
December 1833]:
The following vessels wrecked at the mouth of the Dee, 29th Nov. The
schooner Kate, of Ipswich, John Moor, crew saved. The sloop Elizabeth,
of Barmouth, 5 of the crew drowned. The sloop Resolution of Amlwch,
captain saved.
....
The following communication has been received this morning from Hoylake:
.... The Venture for Parkgate, sunk yesterday, and all
hands lost; the Rose in June, for Carnarvon; the Heart of Oak, for
Amlwich, and the Trefrows, for Conway, with general cargoes; also two
flats coal laden, are on shore in the lake [Hoylake].
Wooden sloop Pilot Vessel No 1, Good Intent, of Liverpool. Built Rathbone, Blezard & Hazeldone, Liverpool, 1800, 47 x 16.6 x 9 ft, 42 tons. Driven ashore at Formby, 29 November 1833, with only 9 of the 22 aboard rescued. Vessel not put back in service.
Lancaster Gazette - Saturday 07 December 1833: The boat had on board a number of the pilots who had taken the vessels out during the week. She was driven, by the violence of the storm, towards the Lancashire shore; but, owing to the thickness of the weather, the crew could not tell their true situation. In the course of Thursday night, during a lurch of the boat, the punt was washed off the deck and thrown into the belly of the sail, which, being thus rent, was blown to rags by the wind. The vessel then became unmanageable, and drove towards the shore. Several of the unfortunate crew lashed themselves to the rigging, while the remainder tried to keep their hold on deck, or sought shelter below. At length she was driven on Formby beach when only nine men and boys, out of a crew of 22, were saved; the remainder, thirteen in number, having been drowned either before or after the boat struck.
Liverpool Mercury - Friday 13 December 1833: LIVERPOOL, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1833. Loss of the Pilot-boat. - We mentioned in our last, the loss of the pilot-boat Good Intent, with 13 out of a crew of 22 pilots who were on board. An Inquest was held at Formby last week on four of the bodies which had been washed ashore. It appeared, by the evidence given before the coroner's jury, that immediately on the vessel striking, which was between eight and nine o'clock, the inhabitants on shore perceived seven of the unfortunate men climbing up the rigging, to which they appeared to cling, and about twelve others contrived to get the punt (a small boat attached to the vessel) along-side, into which they jumped, but they were no sooner in it than it swamped, and eight of the number perished; four with great difficulty succeeded in swimming ashore, and at the edge of the water they were dragged out, more dead than alive, by the villagers. Shortly after the punt sinking, two of the unfortunate men who had been clinging to the rigging dropped from exhaustion into the water, and were never seen again; one of them, named Bates, who had stationed himself at the top of the rigging, was seen to jump overboard into a raging sea, and it is considered by some of the survivors that he did so in a fit of delirium. At this period (about two o'clock) six were seen, apparently alive, still holding fast to the rigging, in which situation, with the heavy seas continually washing over them, the wretched sufferers had remained since half-past eight o'clock in the morning, no one daring to brave the tempestuous billows to succour them; and when the storm began to subside, although nearly a hundred spectators stood gazing at the wreck and the sufferings of the crew, none seemed inclined to proceed to their rescue. At length Mr. Richard Sumner, a surgeon of Formby, stripped himself and, with a bottle of rum tied round his neck, plunged into the water, and swam towards the wreck, which with great difficulty he reached. On boarding the wreck, Mr. Sumner found one man lifeless enshrouded in the rigging (Underwood), and the rest (excepting Lancaster) almost dead, and foaming at the mouth. With the assistance of Lancaster, a stout man, who appeared quite fresh, he administered rum, from the effects of which they partially revived, but remained quite senseless. He then got the punt righted, and, by its aid, succeeded in bringing the sufferers to shore. During the whole time Mr. Sumner was exerting himself, the listless spectators did not appear anxious to lend the least assistance, and even when the rum was required, he had to pay 6d. to a person to fetch it from a neighbouring public-house. On being brought to shore, the seamen gradually recovered; but they had previously been in such a torpid state of insensibility that they were not aware by what means they had been got ashore. At the inquest there were none of the survivors examined, in consequence of the precarious state of their health from the effects of cold, and other injuries sustained in the wreck. The jury returned a verdict of Accidental Death.
Wooden barque Adelaide, Captain Harrison, 325 tons, voyage Liverpool to Charleston, sailed 25th November 1833 but driven back by storm and wrecked on West Hoyle Bank 30th November 1833. Crew saved by lifeboat.
Liverpool Mercury - Friday 06 December 1833: Adelaide, Harrison, which, sailed 25th Nov. for Charleston, is on shore on West Hoyle, The crew, sails, and provisions have all been saved, but the cargo is washed out.
Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser - Friday 13 December 1833: The whole of the SAILS, LONG-BOAT, CORDAGE, PROVISIONS, SPARS, and other STORES, Saved from the wreck of the Ship Adelaide, 325 tons register, wrecked upon West Hoyle.
Wooden schooner Duke of Wellington of Liverpool, built Wicklow 1827, 79 tons, Captain J Esmond. Voyage Liverpool to Wexford, wreckage came ashore on N Wirral coast. Crew of 5 lost.
Liverpool Mercury - Friday 06 December 1833: The following communication was received from Hoylake this morning - Part of the deck of a vessel, apparently about 100 tons and two handspikes marked "Duke of Wellington" have been washed on shore.
Carlisle Journal - Saturday 07 December 1833: Another vessel, the Duke of Wellington, Captain Esmond, which sailed from this port on Thursday for Wexford, must have gone down, part of her wreck having been cast ashore at the Rock Battery. Her crew, five hands, were all drowned.
Wooden sailing vessel Colchester of Tatamagouche, Captain Davidson.
Tatamagouche, Colchester county, Nova Scotia, had a significant shipbuilding industry. James Campbell, from 1831 until 1841, was one of the shipbuilders of Tatamagouche. He died in 1855. His shipyard was near where Bonyman's factory now stands. One of his ships, Colchester, was at the time (1833) the largest ship to be built in the county, and attracted much attention, many coming from Truro and other places to see her launched.
Carlisle Journal - Saturday 07 December 1833 The only vessel ascertained to be on shore [off the Ribble] is the Colchester, from Tatmagouch[sic] for this port, which has gone to pieces in the Ribble banks - crew saved.
Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser - Tuesday 31 December 1833: BRITISH AMERICA: Colchester, Davidson, from Tat[a]magouche, N S, with 459 ps hardwood, 433 ps fir timber, 242 deals, 7625 hd staves, abt 15 fms lathwood, Cannon and Miller (Totally wrecked, 29th Nov. last, on the banks near Formby.)
Wooden sailing vessel Malvina, Captain Cholwick.
Gore's Liverpool General Advertiser - Thursday 05 December 1833:
Southport 29 Nov. The Malvina, Cholwick, from Cork for Liverpool, is sunk on one
of the outer banks; crew drowned. Several hundred casks of butter have
been washed on shore from the wreck.
Southport. 2 Dec. About 2700 firkins butter have been saved
from the Malvina.
Dublin Morning Register - Monday 16 December 1833:
Yesterday, a public sale took place of 2500 casks of Cork butter,
saved ex Malvina, from Cork; it went off well, as the butter was not
much injured. 1250 firkins seconds pickled sold from 57s to 61s; 150
firkins pickled 3rds at 47s to 49s; the remainder consisted of dry
3rd, 4th, and 5th qualities, which sold follows: 54s to 56s for 3rds,
47s to 49s for 4ths, and 37s to 39s for 5ths.
Wooden schooner Kate of Ipswich, master John Moor, wrecked
near Point of Ayr, Dee.
Point of Ayr lifeboat records quote crew of schooner Kate saved 29 Nov 1833.
Newspapers quote either 5 of crew of sloop Elizabeth of
Barmouth drowned, or master and mate saved. [ashore in Wild Road].
Chester Chronicle - Friday 06 December 1833:
The following vessels were wrecked at the mouth of Dee on Friday evening. The
schooner Kate, of Ipswich, John Moor; crew saved. The sloop Elizabeth,
of Barmouth; five of crew were drowned.
Hoylake: washed ashore: a boat, with "Kate, of Ipswich,"
painted on the stern outside, and " John Moor" inside.