Most reported shipwrecks are of larger vessels trading to foreign ports
with larger crew numbers. There were also many small vessels with a crew of 2-4
trading locally - the "white van men" of those days. Here is a record of such
vessels - bringing slates or limestone from North Wales and returning with a mixture of goods,
often also taking a few passengers as well. The trader from Newry in
Ireland was bringing pigs and a larger number of passengers to Liverpool.
In the first case; the captain was, however, doubly unfortunate.
On Thursday 26 April 1792, the Mary of Caernarvon, Master Robert Roberts,
laden with slates, sprung a leak and sank off the West Hoyle Bank, near
Liverpool. Two of the crew and four passengers were lost - the master only was
saved - he got onto the mast-head, where he remained until Saturday morning,
when the vessel broke up. He then got on a piece of the wreck and was drifted
up Chester River [Dee Estuary] where he was taken up about 5pm.
Robert Roberts is the unfortunate man who lost another vessel, and
was much hurt by gunpowder - in December last year at Liverpool. He is now
deprived of all of his property.
Liverpool, December 1791, between 2am and 3am, The sloop Maria of Caernarvon, master Robert Roberts, laden with groceries, spirits, a few casks of gunpowder and sundry other articles, for the use of shopkeepers there [at Caernarvon], lying at anchor opposite the Bath [bath-house on Liverpool waterfront], unfortunately took fire, which communicated to one of the casks of gunpowder and blew off the quarter deck. The crew, consisting of the Master, an old man, and a boy, were providentially rescued by the humane exertions of Capt. Heyes, and the people of the St. Patrick Packet, who had put back from Hoylake, and had cast anchor near the sloop. The Master, Robert Roberts, has his face very much scorched; the old man, we hear, has a leg broke; the boy not very materially injured. They were all immediately taken to the infirmary.
The sloop Betty and Mary, Captain Alexander Lace, laden with pigs for Liverpool, left Newry on Tuesday. The vessel grounded upon the North Bank [Rock Channel into Liverpool] on Wednesday afternoon [16 March 1791] and was left high and dry, yet without any apprehension of danger by the crew or passengers - but as the tide of flood began, the wind rose high, and about 10 o'clock, the vessel began to lift and thumped very hard. In about three quarters of an hour, she went to pieces and the whole of the people on board, forty seven in number, were lost.
On Thursday morning [2 May 1793] the sloop Lovely Peggy, Captain Robert Owens, with a cargo of limestone from Red Wharf Bay for Liverpool, suddenly sank near the NW Buoy [north of the Hoyle Bank, at the entrance to the Rock Channel]. It was supposed that she started [caused to spring loose] a plank. The crew, consisting of the master and two men with 3 passengers (2 men and 1 woman) were all lost.
The body of Captain Robert Owens, of the Lovely Peggy which traded mainly between Beaumaris and Liverpool, was reported, on 7th June 1793, as cast ashore on the west side of Walney Island, with money in his pockets and a gold watch. All aboard were said to have perished when the vessel sank.