SHIPWRECKS – Violent Gale

Accreditation The Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea Gazette 19/10/1877

VIOLENT GALE

            The first of four storms of which we have been warned from New York swept over the British Islands with unusual violence on Sunday night (14/10) and Monday (15/10). The weather in Redcar and the neighbourhood on Sunday was exceptionally fine. The temperature was high, and from midday there was a bright, clear sky and a hot sun, reminding one rather of midsummer than the close of autumn. There was a beautiful sunset, and as the night closed in the moon and stars shone out with great brilliancy. Towards midnight, there were signs of an approaching storm, and before one o’clock. The wind had risen to a gale, accompanied with occasional showers of rain. Pass the night, advanced the wind increased, and for several hours in bloom with terrific violence. During Monday the storm was intermittent in character, until night, when it settled into heavy rain, with fierce gusts of wind at frequent intervals. The damage caused in this district was less than might have been anticipated, being confined principally to the blowing down of a and corn stacks, and injury to standing crops. Elsewhere, its effects were more destructive than a reasonable doubt that it resulted in serious loss of life and property at sea: we shall not, however, know the full details of the loss and injury for some days.

WRECK OF A STOCKTON COASTER
IN TEES BAY

            An old coaster, the Stockton Packet (of Stockton) lies stranded near the mouth of the Tees. While being towed out to sea from Bolckow, Vaughan, and Co.’s wharf, Middlesbrough, the vessel was made to run on the North Gare rocks, shortly after being to from the shore. The Packet was coal laden for London, and it is expected that she will become a total wreck.

WRECK OF A SCHOONER AT STAITHES

            At four o’clock on Monday morning (15/10), during a heavy gale of wind from the S.E., the schooner Victor, of Folkestone (Edward Tribe, master), came on the rocks at Staithes Nab, about 9 miles east of Saltburn five by-the-Sea. The crew were saved in their own boat, which was very badly stove. Previously, the ship having been struck by a heavy sea on Friday night last (12/10) off Flamborough Head, being afterwards brought to anchor in Filey Bay until Saturday evening (13/10), at about half past six o’clock, when they weighed anchor and bore up for the North. When a little to the south of Staithes, they were caught in a heavy squall, and the jib sheet going the ship came into the wind. The helm was put hard up, and the main sheet was paid out, but she still came up, and immediately after wards struck on the rocks. The crew then launched their boat, and by very great exertion got on board the fishing smack Blue Jacket (John Richard Verrill, master), which was riding at anchor in Staithes Bay, and afterwards the crew were landed at Port Mulgrave, where they were taken to the Black Lion Hotel. The Victor, a vessel of 120 tons burden, was bound from Hartlepool, which port she left on Friday last (12/10), coal laden, for Dimchurch Beach, Folkestone. The crew have lost their effects. The vessel is uninsured.