Storm 1853: Ellen Glynne, Sirius,..

On Saturday 26th February 1853, a severe storm struck the Liverpool and North Wales area. As well as extensive damage on land, there was huge damage to shipping. Since the wind was northerly and reached force 11, many vessels were driven ashore from their moorings or anchorage. Some were sunk. Lives were at risk. The following account focusses on the River Dee (from the Chester Courant and the North Wales Chronicle).

THE LATE STORM.
  CHESTER. Those parts of Chester which are adjacent to the river were inundated. The tenants of the alms-houses in Crane Street were, we understand, obliged to be removed in boats. At the Sluice House, the water rushed over the cheese stage, filled a garden which is laid out in a hollow behind the house, and rose about a foot in the lower rooms. Crane-street and Paradise Row were impassible, and the Roodee cop was an ineffectual barrier to the advance of the waters. The Roodee was considerably flooded, and the water froze in a very short time. The fields on the side of the river between the city and Saltney were laid under water, and much damage was caused where grain has been sown, or the land been prepared by ploughing. At Saltney a good deal of injury was sustained by the shipping being driven on the beach.
  FLINT. A fearful inundation which caused serious damage to property took place here during the severe storm of last Saturday week. It appears that a tract of land on the banks of the river Dee, which at this point is five miles wide, has been enclosed by means of an embankment, which protects some extensive manufactories, shipbuilding yards, and yards and surrounding houses from the water. The high tide on Saturday was considerably increased by a perfect hurricane from the north, and at about noon it broke through the embankment, and in consequence an immense body of water rushed with irresistible force into the iron works of the Messrs. Ommanney and Co. The men were at work, but fortunately made their escape through the waters without injury, although two were obliged to climb up the roofs. High walls were knocked over, and the water filling a red hot furnace, a large quantity of steam was generated, and being confined an explosion took place, scattering the materials far and wide. After the first rush, the tide extended over some timber yards, and partially into the town, where balks of wood might be seen floating along the streets, and the houses were inundated.
  The quay at the Messrs. Muspratt's alkali works was washed away; three vessels loading there sunk, and one went to pieces. Several vessels lying at the shipping stage, belonging to Messrs. Eyton and Co., of the Flint Collieries, suffered severely - one breaking loose and dashing completely through an adjoining pile stage of Messrs. Ormiston's, which projected into the river. [Peggy (Captain Hewett) and Pink (Captain Nicholas) driven ashore on beach at Connah's Quay]

A sloop, the Ellen Glynne, of Carnarvon, [ON 18945, 37 tons, later 31 tons, owned Thomas, Caernarfon, in MNL until 1868] dragged her anchor for a mile up the river, and then heeled on her beam ends on a rock. She had two hands on board, who remained in the most imminent peril for some hours, until the tide receded, as there was no life-boat to take to their assistance. They had clung, with remarkable perseverance, to the rigging on the upper side, and owing to their long exposure to the fury of both winds and waters, were almost starved [frozen] when they were rescued. This vessel is a wreck, her cabin having been completely gutted, including the ceilings.
  The White, of Amlwch, coal laden, was driven on shore and damaged; The City, Roberts and Caliban, Brown, were sunk. Most of the vessels in Dee Bank and Bagillt have also been partially damaged.
  A large embankment, inclosing a vast tract of marsh land, the property of Lord Vivian, was almost wholly destroyed and, in addition to the damage done to the crops, it is calculated that it will take £1,000 to restore the embankment. No one remembers so severe a storm here, nor any attended with such disastrous results, although providentially no loss of life occurred. The embankment of the Chester and Holyhead Railway, between Rhyl and the Queen's Ferry, was washed away in several parts, doing much damage and limiting the traffic pro tem to a single line. The carriages, on their arrival at Chester were encrusted with a coating of salt caused by the evaporation of seawater, and appeared as if they had been enveloped in a frosty snow storm. Every precaution has, however, been called in requisition by the managers of the line, and a large number of men have since been busily engaged in repairing the mischief and securing the safety of the traffic.
  MOSTYN. The Rev. Dr. Briscoe, Vicar of Whitford, writing to the editor of the Chester Courant, says: "Our coast is a very dangerous one, and wrecks are of frequent occurrence. In my humble opinion it is the duty of the government to encourage the establishment of lifeboats with proper appliances, etc, along our coasts, in the same manner as light-houses are erected. This might easily be done, as light-houses are, by a very trifling toll on all vessels which pass them."
  On Saturday our coast was visited with one of the most violent gales in the memory of the oldest inhabitant. The disasters, both on sea and land, exceeded those of the memorable Hurricane of January 6, 1839. Early in the morning a number of vessels were seen riding at anchor in the "Wild Road," (which is considered the anchorage in the river Dee) with topmast and yards struck - to use the technical expression of sailors. They had the appearance of ships preparing for the evidently fast approaching hurricane. At the advance of the day the gale continued to increase frightfully until about half-past nine or ten a.m. It then blew a perfect hurricane. At this time two vessels, viz. a schooner and a small sloop belonging to the Isle of Man and laden with bricks from Saltney, were seen driving their anchors.

The schooner ( Sirius), an apparently strong vessel, with the signal of distress hoisted, was driven over the highest bank, called Brook Bank, beating heavily under Greenfield, a distance of three miles. The most experienced seamen momentarily expected to see her dashed to pieces, and her crew overwhelmed in a watery grave. Providentially, however, she went ashore under Greenfield, where she still remains. [Schooner Sirius (Captain Wilson, built 1839 Whitehaven, 63t, registered Barrow) which was reported as wrecked at Greenfield and whose cargo of sewing cotton, etc was auctioned at Liverpool on 3 March; she was described as high up on shore, but little damaged and was put back in service. She was advertised for sale in 1856, described: The Schooner SIRIUS; Built at Whitehaven, in 1839, 51 tons per register. Length 53 feet 3 10ths, breadth 14 feet 6-10ths, depth 8 feet 2-10ths. This vessel is in good order, and well founded in ropes, sails and other materials; she caries 90 tons on a light draft of water; is a strong vessel; will take the ground with cargo, and shifts ports without ballast.]
  The sloop[name unknown], drawing less water, hoisted her foresails and was driven over the bank, where the unfortunate Resolution was lost in or about 1836. Along the distance of nearly two miles, she struggled severely to keep herself upright. Her timbers, however, being too weak to withstand the tempest, her stern posts gave way, and the water rushed in. She then became unmanageable. After a few more heavy beatings her bows turned ashore, and she sank with her mast nearly level with the water. She now presented a most awful spectacle to the beholders on shore, who, although they clearly witnessed the struggles of the poor sailors for their lives, were unable to render them any assistance. However, after a while they were beheld one after another climbing up the rigging, and resting all their hope of preservation on the stability of the mast, which fortunately was not destroyed by the storm. They were afterwards exposed to a most cutting north wind during five hours. Mr. Alfred Parry, of Bryn Caesar, went to the crew of a small vessel at Llanerchymor, to consult them as to the practicability of rendering assistance with the boat. They declared that as their boat was but an ordinary one it could not live in such a fearful sea. Mr. Parry then went to consult with John Prys Eyton, Esq of Llanerchymor, as to what was best to be done. On Mr. Parry suggesting that he might go down on horseback, and so perhaps convey some stimulants to the sufferers, Mr. Eyton immediately placed one of his best horses, with abundance of rum, at Mr. Parry's service, and at the same time despatched a cart laden with blankets and other necessaries to the shore. Mr. Parry had now a dangerous task to perform. The tide was ebbing with a rapid current, which almost swept the horse off its legs into the open sea. In many places old gutters filled with loose sand, and several quicksands, successively impeded the attempt and increased the peril. At last Mr. Parry's endeavours were blessed with success. He found the three (this being the whole of the crew) on the weather side, suffering from prostration of strength and death-like cold. Two of them were speechless in consequence, and their captain rambled incoherently in the few words he uttered. In fact, but for the timely aid at this crisis, he could not have survived more than half an hour. During this time the gale continued to be so boisterous and terrible that the crew did not hear Mr. Parry's shouts, although he cried out to them at the loudest pitch of his voice at the distance of only ten yards. He beckoned to them to come down on the lee side, at the same time exhibiting the bottles of spirits. Upon this two of them mustering all their courage and strength, succeeded with unspeakable difficulty in reaching him. The poor captain being in a state of unconsciousness let go his hold, and fell into the vortex caused by the position of the vessel, and was up to his waist in water before Mr. Parry was able to get to him. Afterwards, by the help of a rope wrested from the mast, and still in a peril of being engulfed by the strong current, Mr. Parry brought him ashore more like a corpse than a living man. After a judicious application of proper remedies, he showed signs of restored animation. In the meantime, while Mr. Parry was going to the vessel, the people on shore had prepared every comfort for the poor sufferers, and they are now out of danger from the effects of cold and starvation. Had there been a life-boat in the neighbourhood they might easily have been rescued before the ship went down.
  LIVERPOOL. At Liverpool, Saturday's gale was attended with more disastrous and melancholy results, than ensued from the storms in December last. As the wind blew directly up the river, the waters of the Mersey were unusually agitated and dashed over the pierhead and landing stages. It is said that the Mersey never presented a grander spectacle. The great landing-stage had the most severe trial ever encountered by it - but it nobly withstood the storm. It bent and twisted, and rose and fell to the rising and falling surge, as if it had been made of Indian-rubber. The traffic at the ferries was greatly interfered with, some of the Woodside boats being several times more than an hour between the embarking and landing of their passengers. The flat John which was laden with soda ash and belongs to Chester, was driven from her moorings and drifted to the south end of the Prince's Pier. There she unfortunately came into collision with the Bangor steamer Prince of Wales which had got under weigh. The steamer was very much damaged and was obliged to be hauled into the Prince's Dock. Her crew succeeded in rescuing a man and a boy from the flat. The mate was dragged overboard with the mast and rigging and was unfortunately drowned, although desperate efforts to save his life were made. The only remaining person on board, jumped into the water, and was saved by means of a life-preserver which was thrown to him. The most fearful disaster occurred in the evening to the barque Irene, Captain McDonald. She was in tow of a steamer, waiting in the river to be docked, and when, off the Coburgh Dock, she struck on the Coburgh bank, and was shortly afterwards thrown on her broadside, and sank. So far as can be ascertained, there were twenty persons on board, and of them, we regret to state that only nine were saved. This matter will undergo a thorough investigation before the coroner; as blame has been attributed to some parties, who it is said, might have rendered efficient aid.

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