The first significant storm of autumn 1770 was in early November.
On 7 November 1770, the Pilot Boat number 4, Two Brothers
(built 1766, named after owners William and John Bibby), Master William
Bibby, attended the ship Mars (leaving Liverpool for Jamaica with many
passengers) but in a strong eastery wind, losing her stays [failing to
turn] was driven upon the Hoyle Bank, where she struck. Most of the
people aboard immediately took to her punt [small boat used to transfer
pilots to and from ships], but she, sinking in the breakers, and it
being ebb-tide, was driven on the bank again. When she was relieved,
eleven men got into her to fetch the people on shore from the
pilot-boat. The tide was against them and eight men died at the oar
from fatigue. The Pilot Boat was beaten to pieces and all the persons
on board perished (among whom was the joint owner of the ship, John
Bibby), except two pilots and a clerk.
The son, of one of the pilots, being quite spent with rowing; his father
laid his son's head upon his knee and he expired instantly at his feet.
Pilot Boat number 4, master William Bibby, was replaced in
1771 by the Happy Return, 33 grt, 48x14x7 ft.
Report from Dublin of a violent storm on 7 November 1770 with big
losses:
Endeavour of Whitehaven, Mackmerry, lost with all hands
Harlequin of Whitehaven, Johnson, lost with all hands
Primrose of Workington, Steel, lost with all hands
Brig of Maryport, Messenger, lost, crew saved except the master and one hand
Brig of Maryport, Briscoe, lost, all hands saved
Brig of Maryport, Musgrave, lost, all hands saved
Brig, Simpson; Good Intent, Thompson; Sloop, Jackson; Pretty Jenny, Perkins all
supposed to have foundered at sea.
Second storm: On 6 December 1770, a storm from the Southwest struck and continued with violence, with the wind veering Northwest over the next days. Shipping near Liverpool was heavily disrupted with many vessels driven ashore and lost.
Wreck of Liverpool-Dublin Packet Foxhunter with 27 passengers and crew lost on 6-7 Dec 1770.
Other vessels reported as lost:
The Liverpool Pilot service was formally set up in 1766 - with
sailing boats (carrying numbers) cruising off the port to load and unload
pilots. One of their worst years for losses was in 1770: 15 pilots are listed
as lost at sea.
Three pilot vessels were reported in newspapers as missing in the autumn
storms. Records show that the Pilot Boat no.1, Nelly, built 1766
was missing with 5 hands aboard on 7 November [a new pilot boat no.1
was employed in 1772]; Pilot Boat no.4, Two Brothers, was also lost on that date on the
Hoyle Bank (see above). Pilot Boat no.10, Prudence, built 1767,
Master Hugh Lloyd, was wrecked off Conway on 4 Dec 1770 [with Hugh Lloyd
reported as lost at sea].
In early December, at Liverpool, a sloop from Scotland with
sugar was driven among the flats and small craft, bilged and sunk. The
high tide overtopped the quayside and disrupted baulks and planks of
timber that were stacked there.
The Hillhouse of Bristol, master William Penny, from
Cork to Liverpool was driven ashore at Hoylake with the whole crew
feared lost. Some of her cargo of butter and tallow came ashore at
Formby and Hoylake. A subsequent court case arose about the salvage of
3 hogsheads of tallow from the vessel (she had loaded 20 hogsheads on
board) which were recovered at Hoylake. This case confirms that there
were no survivors of the wreck. [Hilhouse/Hillhouse was the name of a
Bristol family engaged in privateering and then in ship-building from
1772].
The Whale, master Ashburn, from
Liverpool to Carlisle was driven ashore at Formby Point with crew saved but
cargo lost.
Several coasters, to Preston, Lancaster and Carlisle were lost.
Six vessels were reported as lost at Holyhead.