SHIPWRECKS & GROUNDINGS – Stranded off Hartlepool Old Pier

Accreditation The Redcar and Saltburn-by-the Sea Gazette 15/12/1876

EXCITING SCENES AT HARTLEPOOL
A STEAMER ASHORE

            A tremendous E.S.E. gale broke over the district about midnight on Tuesday (12/12 ), and accompanied by a perfect deluge of rain which continued with more or less violence throughout the whole of the following day (13/12) the sea in the bear was by daybreak reduced to a mass of surging broken water, which extended as far the I could reach seaward, and broke upon the cliffs and over the Piers with a roar like artillery, huge columns of spray been dashed by the concussion of the waves upon the new pier to a height of many yards. Clouds of surf blue over the top end of the town at low-water, from the sea beating upon the rocks near the pier. No vessel arrived during the night, but a little before eight o’clock on Wednesday morning (13/12), the schooner “Ada,” Trouville for Middlesbrough, in ballast, wind bound. She was followed by the “Ovington” (s.s)., from London, also in ballast. Despite the terrific weather, hundreds of people lined the cliffs and other places of vantage to watch them enter. The s.s. “Coral Queen,” belonging to the Navigation Company, was next decried in the offering, but she was laden she kept off until the evening tide; but the s,s, “Charrington,” from London, N ballast arrived in the course of the forenoon, and the captain stated that he fell in with the Gale about three a.m. the schooner “Leone,” alone, with flour, from Yarmouth, arrived about noon, and at 3.30 the s.s. “Active,” from London, N ballast, took the old harbour in safety, all of them having a terrible struggle to get into port, but fortunately they arrived on injured. The “Coral Queen” (s.s), approached about dusk, and was stranded near the old pier, but was afterwards got off.