As reported by the Lifeboat supervisor (Mr John Dawson) to the Marine
Surveyor at Liverpool(Mr Graham H Hills). At that date the Point of Ayr
lifeboat (station at Gronant) was still funded by the Liverpool Dock Board
with a professional crew.
The numbers quoted "per chart" refer to a Liverpool Dock
Board scheme which gave numbers to squares in Liverpool Bay - so
lifeboats could be directed (by telegraph) to the appropriate area by giving the
number.
Most reports are from the Flintshire Observer newspaper.
THE POINT OF AYR LIFEBOAT. Gronant, near Rhyl, Jan. 26th, 1868.
Soon after one a.m. this morning, the master of the lifeboat perceived a
great fire on the West Hoyle Bank, from the light of which he could see that
there was a large ship there also, when he immediately fired the lifeboat gun,
which brought the crew and horses to the station in a very short time and at
1:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, the lifeboat was launched in a heavy sea, with a
strong north-west gale. Having proceeded to the West Hoyle Bank, near No. 136
per chart, they found the barque Mersey, of Liverpool, J. W Tucker, master,
bound with a valuable general cargo from Liverpool to Arica and Isley, Peru,
South America, in great distress, and the crew burning their beds and oil,
etc., on board the vessel to cause attraction to their distressing case, as
the night was very dark and stormy. The master of the barque informed them
that he had lost four of his crew by attempting to leave in their own
boats. The steward had got into the gig boat, and the three others into the
pinnace boat, and owing to the tremendous sea which was on the Hoyle Bank,
both boats were swamped, and the four poor fellows met with a watery grave.
The vessel struck on the bank at 11 p.m. last night, and 1 a.m. this morning
they made a bonfire on board as stated above. They had a Liverpool pilot (John
Jones, No. 6) in charge of the vessel. The lifeboat arrived with the barque at
3 a.m., and succeeded in saving all on board, including eleven of the crew,
one passenger - Mr. Alfred Nicol - and the pilot, in all thirteen men, and
returned to her station at 4:30 a.m., and housed the lifeboat at 7 a.m. The
crew lost all their clothes, excepting what they had on them. The barque left
Liverpool on Thursday last, and was putting back into that port from stress of
weather.
The ill-fated vessel sailed for
Arica several days ago, but, in consequence of some insubordination on the
part of the crew, Captain Tucker was compelled to put back on the 19th January, and
ship with some fresh hands. The Mersey was a very fine new barque, and was
built in October, 1865, by Messrs. Miller and Co., of Liverpool, especially
for the West Coast trade . She was owned by Messrs. W. and J. Tyrer, of that
port, was 493 tons register, and classed as A1 at Lloyd's for 20 years.
She was an iron barque, 161 ft long [ON 29971, 495 gt, 161.1 x 25.7 x
17.5 ft]. At
low water the vessel lies high and dry, in an upright position, but fills at
high water.
Another report stated that the bottom of the vessel is broken and
the deck raised 3 ft at the mainmast.
She is embedded 7 ft in the sand and is still sinking.
She is listed in Lloyds Register in subsequent years - so
must have been refloated and put back in service.
Postscript: A sale was advertized (in March 1868) at
Manchester House in Holywell of clothing material and items of clothing
intended for export to Arica, from the wreck of the Mersey, which was
described as wrecked at Point of Ayr.
ANOTHER SHIPWRECK ON THE WEST HOYLE BANK; THE CREW
RESCUED BY THE POINT OF AYR LIFEBOAT.
On Saturday morning [1st February 1868] the captain and crew
of the schooner Mary and Grace, of and for Bangor, from Dublin,
were providentially rescued by the Point of Ayr lifeboat. The schooner
had been anchored in Red Wharf Bay, but her anchor cables parted and she
was driven by the storm-force winds, eventually onto the West Hoyle
Bank. The lifeboat was launched at 8:45am and, while themselves in a
state of much danger from the huge waves and strong winds, the crew of
the lifeboat were enabled to save the four of their comrades on the
schooner. The lifeboat crew described conditions as the worst they had
ever been out in. Because of the severe weather, they had to land at
Hoylake rather than near their lifeboat station.
Captain J. M.
Cawkitt, of the Wreck Association, Underwriters' rooms, writes as
follows: -
As an eye-witness this day at Hoylake, in company with the inspecting commander and chief officer of coastguard, of the bravery displayed by the crew of the Point of Ayr lifeboat, going off from thence during the height of the gale to the schooner Mary and Grace, of and for Bangor, from Dublin, in ballast, aground on the West Hoyle Bank. I may say that the sea at the time was very high and the wind blowing a hurricane. We could not but admire the real pluck of these men in the lifeboat, and were pleased to find that their efforts were crowned with success by saving the master and crew, and landing them at Hoylake.
POINT OF AIR LIFEBOAT. Gronant, Rhyl, March 6th, 1868.
- At 9:40 a.m., we perceived signals at the telegraph directing the
lifeboat to a vessel in distress on the West Hoyle Bank, near No. 128 per
chart, which was immediately sent off, (with a heavy sea on), and found her to
be the schooner Isabella Stuart, of Arran, Scotland, bound from Arran to
Liverpool, with a cargo of oats. The lifeboat succeeded in saving the crew,
which consisted of four men, landed them safely at Mostyn, and returned to
their station at three pm.
This schooner (b 1863, owned Ardrossan, 61tons) continues to be listed until
1906, so was refloated.
POINT OF AIR LIFEBOAT. Gronant, Rhyl, April 8th, 1868.
- At 8:30 a.m., we perceived signals at
the telegraph, directing the lifeboat to a vessel in distress near No. 140 per
chart, which was immediately sent off in a heavy sea, and found her to be the
flat James, of Liverpool, Thomas Davies, master, bound from Llandulas to
Woodend, with a cargo of limestone. The lifeboat succeeded in saving the crew,
which consisted of three men, and landed them safely at the Lifeboat
Station, at 10:30, a.m.
There are 3 small sailing vessels called James, and registered
at Liverpool, listed in 1868. However all 3 continue to be listed for the next few
years - so this wreck may have been refloated. The most likely candidate is
ON 21057, 67t, owned Raynes, Lupton & Co [who operated the Llandulas
quarry], built 1858, register closed 1911.
POINT OF AYR LIFEBOAT. Gronant, Rhyl, April 27, 1868.
-At 6:30 p.m.,
we perceived signals at the Telegraph directing the lifeboat to a vessel in
distress near No. 142 per chart, which was immediately sent off and launched
in a heavy sea, and found her to be the flat Colonel Campell, of Liverpool,
bound from Llandulas to Woodend with a cargo of limestone. She had lost her
mainsail, and was driven over the Middle Patch, but fortunately succeeded in
getting up the river Dee, the lifeboat accompanying her over the Chester Bar,
and, finding they could render no further service, returned to their station at
8:00 p.m.
During the severe storm of 22-23 August, the Point of Ayr lifeboat searched for survivors of wrecks: details.
On Friday 6 November, the brig Lusitania (Captain
Purchase, snow of 207 tons net, 95 ft long, built Dysart 1860, owned J.
Mitchell, Glasgow) was towed out of Liverpool (destination Gibraltar)
when the hawser broke as they passd Little Burbo Bank, and they
subsequently went ashore on the West Hoyle Bank. The crew took to their
long-boat, and, after 6 hours in a rough and freezing sea, landed at New
Brighton at 2am on Saturday morning. The New Brighton Hotel refused to
give them refreshment or lodging - but the master of the New Brighton
lifeboat, Mr. Evans, took them into his house.
The Point of Ayr lifeboat attended the wreck on the next
morning [7 November] on the West Hoyle Bank, and found it abandoned. It
was reported as full of water, sanded in to a depth of 7 feet and with
bows stove in. The Lusitania appears in Lloyds registers in later years
- so must have been refloated.
A brigantine, with a signal of distress flying, and with loss of
sails, was reported on Thursday night [10 December 1868] anchored near
Rhyl. A steamtug proceeded to render assistance and also the Point of
Ayr Lifeboat. The brigantine proved to be the Hero of Falmouth,
Captain Thomas Morrison, from Runcorn to Ghent with a cargo of rock
salt, 68 tons register, and 5 crew aboard. The lifeboat escorted the
vessel into the River Dee.
The Hero resumed her voyage, but was leaky and had to be abandoned by her crew
2 miles off Puffin Island on 12th December. The crew landed safely in
their boat at Llaneilian on the 13th.