The Mary
28th October 1880 a fierce gale is raging. At 9.00am, The 210 ton Mary is floundering and tries desparately to make for the refuge of
The Mary was the first of nine boats to be wrecked on Scarboroughs south sands during that storm. Although all the ships were destroyed, no lives were lost from those ships
The
November 20th 1993. A small local trawler is caught up in a rising very strong easterly wind. As the conditions deteriorate and the sea becomes very rough, the Scarborough Lifeboat islaunched to escort the fishing vessel into the refuge of
Loss of life at sea is very rare these days thanks to modern equipment and dedicated hard work of the lifeboatmen.
The Black Eyed Susan
28th October 1880. The Black Eyed Susan carrying a cargo of salt is shown running for the shelter of
Eye witness account of the Great Storm 1880
Sunday Evening October 1880
I feel I must write you an account of what has happened this week. We have been visited by the most fearful Hurricane that has been known for twenty five years, and there have been displayed noble deeds of bravery... The first thing I saw when I got to the cliff was a fine brigantine, the Black Eyed Susan of Bideford with a cargo of salt, lying on the sand just by the slipway of the Spa. She had most of her sails set and the crew had just been rescued by the Lifeboat. It turned out when she first struck, the rocket apparatus got a line over her, but the crew were too weak to use it, the Captain having his leg broken and the Mate also damaged. A call was then made for the Lifeboat... . and she was launched amid cheers of the thousands assembled. She ran a fearful chance of being lost but ultimately she rescued the crew of five although three of the oars were dashed out of the boat.
The next wreck which caught my gaze was a large the Mary of S. Sheilds in ballast lying opposite the Grand. She was the first vessel to come ashore and she nearly ran on to the Castle foot through her sails being blown away. Her crew of six was rescued by the Lifeboat which had only just left when the main mast went by the board, carrying with it the foretopmast.
After dinner I happened to be going upstairs when I saw a large brig in the bay trying to beat out on the port tack. I immediately dashed down to the harbour. The wind had by this time moderated and the sun was shining. When I got to the harbour she had stayed and was beating north with every stitch of canvas set on the starboard tack. It was soon evident that she was not working out, and when she had got into the
The next arrival was the brigantine Maria of Yarmouth in ballast: she came near enough for a coble to get a rope ashore. We on the pier immediately began tramping her in, when she fouled the pier and before she could get out of the way the brigantine Gastry of Maryport, with plaster of paris, dashed clean into her; there was a fearful crash of timber and tearing of sails. But they both got in safely, the tug towing in the former which grounded in the harbour and prevented the tug from coming out again. While this was going on a large brig, the Lily, with chalk, was seen driving across the bay towards Cayton. She had only her lower mast standing, and only her foresail set. She managed to haul her wind a little and came ashore near the Black Rock. I never saw such a sad sight with the Union Jack tied to the fore rigging. Everybody gave her up for lost, but the rocket apparatus was dispatched and shot after shot was fired without effect.
While this was going on a screw steam trawler hove in sight. She was going very slowly and it was feared her fires were going out. This proved to be the case, for when she rounded the pier the propeller stopped and her fires began hissing. We tramped her in after considerable difficulty. The next arrival was the yawl Edith, SH16. She had both main and mizzen blown away, and came in under stay sails: she at last was walked in after great difficulty. I then went along the shore to look after the Lily. The seventh rocket had taken effect and they were getting the men ashore, but we were warned not to go as the tide was rising, and themen were working up to their waists. The Captain had his leg broken and another of the crew also damaged. I then went towards the harbour and soon saw a blue light burned and immediately after a black object looming through the dark. She then burned a flare and come ashore close to the French brig. The Lifeboat was run down but they could not get her off the carriage, and when at last they succeeded the Lifeboat drifted ashore and had to be placed on the carriage and run into the sea. This occupied an hour and a half. They soon took the crew off the vessel, which proved to be the J. Prizeman of
In the morning, before breakfast, I went round by the Esplanade. There were two more vessels ashore. One, the brigantine Gastry that got safely into port, was lying opposite the aquarium. She broke every rope, a nine inch cable and a chain, the men, however, jumping ashore as she came out of the harbour. The other was schooner Bosphoprus, in ballast, which was lying close to the Black Rock. I looked for the french brig Jeune Adolphe and the sloop J. Prizeman, but not seeing them at first I thought they had been got off. But what meant all that wreckage strewn all about the shore? On inquiry, I found that they had come into collision during the night and broken each other up. After leaving school in the morning I went down to the harbour: the sea was something fearful, far worse than the day before.
The first vessel that hove into sight was a steam trawler: she was awfully smashed up, both paddle box and bulwarks and stanchions being carried away. She was burned off and put about and stood north. The next was the trawler, Nymph, and although she was burned off she came in. She was followed by several others which all got in safely. At last came a Dutch galliot, the 5 Gebrude, Laden with coal. She struck too soon as she came round the pier and as in the case of the french brig, the tug was not ready, and the cobles did not render any assistance. They waved to her to let go her anchors which she accordingly did, but too late. The tug came out when she had got into broken water, but did not go half the way. The Lifeboat was launched and in a fearful sea rescued two men and a boy who were clinging to the rigging. One of the crew had been washed overboard before she came here. Soon after the yawl, Diligent, SH. 151, had an awfully near shave. She got a warp ashore but as everybody was hauling the rope broke. But the tug managed to get hold of her and bring her into the harbour. She had lost her Skipper, Robson, a well known man. The trawler Alexandra also arrived with the skipper washed overboard. The yawl Decision also with her skipper lost.
All the yawls had lost the nets, and as each boats nets are worth several hundred pounds the loss is immense. On Saturday the trawler Empress arrived with five of the crew of a water-logged brig which she had found off
There are many ships ashore at Cloughton and Burniston with loss of life. One
