Schooner (topsail), ON 44724
Wooden, built 1876, Westacott, Barnstaple, 79n/89g tons, 83x21x9ft
Owned R Cowley, Ramsey, IOM until 1880s; Captain Thomas Callow (who
retired 1886)
Owned Captain Robert Marks, Glangors, Llanbedrog from 1890s
Registered Ramsey, then Caernarfon from April 1902-1906.
15 October 1902, in a gale, abandoned by her crew near Pwllheli; lifeboat took
off crew and master's family.
Back in servce until at least 1904, register closed 1906.[so not wrecked in 1902]
Final wreck [1906] report.
From Cambrian News, Friday 17 oct 1902:
TO THE RESCUE. - About six o'clock on Wednesday morning [15 Oct 1902] when the
south-westerly gale was raging, the two-masted schooner "Snaefell," of
Llanbedrog (Captain Marks, master), bound from Llanbedrog to Portmadoc, in
ballast, was seen off Gimblett Rock dragging her anchors and drifting towards
the Abererch beach [east of Pwllheli]. The Pwllheli lifeboat was launched at
eight, with Captain
Willoughby, the coxswain, in command. The lifeboat was alongside in less
than half-an-hour, and brought the Captain's wife and four children and three
members of the crew ashore. Captain Marks declined to leave the ship and was
left alone on board. A few hours later, the wind abated and veered round to
the west, thus reducing to a minimum the danger which the vessel ran.
Captain Marks died two years after the above incident (of pneumonia on 2 April 1904, aged 56) while serving as master of the Snaefell.
He had previously (1893-4) been master of the City of Bangor [79n/99g ton schooner, registered Beaumaris 1857, register closed 1894 when she was sunk in a collision with Milford trawler Triton M93 off Dodman Point].
An oil painting of the Snaefell, off South Stack, Holyhead, by William H
Yorke (Liverpool based marine artist) in 1879 [from Manx Museum]:
Some history of the vessel: A syndicate of Ramsey gentlemen (largest share Robert Cowley) arranged to have built at Barnstaple in 1876 the clipper schooner Snaefell with the intention that Ramsey mariner Thomas Callow (b 1822 near Ramsey) should be her master. Snaefell was, in her time, reckoned as the last word in coasting vessels for speed and handiness, and records for speed and quick dispatch were put up on nearly every voyage. After a successful career and one remarkably free from accident, in the year 1886, Captain Callow retired from the sea, although he continued as a ship-owner.
She was subsequently sold (after 1894) to Robert Marks (b 1848) of Llanbedrog who was her master and owner in 1902.
Final wreck: 31 October 1906. Captain Robert Owen + 4 crew.
Voyage Porthmadog to Middlefart [Denmark] with 176 tons of slates.
Wrecked 4 miles east of Hirtshals Lighthouse, Jutland, Denmark. Crew saved.
Report of wreck: Standing in too
close to shore during the night - Captain blamed.
See
more details.