Maritime record MDO20324 - Unidentified 1706 cargo vessel

1706 or earlier wreck of cargo vessel which foundered off the Bill of Portland with her cargo of tin which appears to have derived from the Stannaries of Devon or Cornwall, intended for the Mint in London. Constructed of wood, she was a sailing vessel. Status: Casualty

Reference: Reference Book VIII, p238

Aug. 1. Same to the [Principal] Officers of the Mint of the petition of John Chilos et al., inhabitants of the Island of Portland, shewing that a ship was staved near said island and no person coming to land alive they went off in their fishing boats and discovered several blocks of tin and with great hazard got up 150 of them and put same into a warehouse at Portland uner the custody of Mr. Seward and Mr. Bower, "they alleging that it is her Majesty's tin": therefore praying one third part [thereof] for their trouble which they say is customary" and that the tin may not be shipped off till there be direction for paying them. (1)

Reference: Declared Accounts: Tin Affair, Pipe Roll 2148

Freight:
George Bradbery, for freight of tin from Portland to the Mint, being tin cast away and fished up there £17 14s 0d...

Incidents:
Thomas Seward, Deputy Vice-Admiral at Dorchester for fishing up tin at Portland £278 0s 0d. (2)

The description as "Her Majesty's tin" and the destination of the tin of the use of the Mint strongly suggests that the tin came from one of the stannary towns of Devon or Cornwall. London is likely to have been the original destination since the tin is likely to have been destined for the Mint in any case. (3)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Reporting date of loss

<1> 1952, 'Warrant Book: August 1706, 1-15', Calendar of Treasury Books: 1705-1706, Volume 20, 729-743 (Monograph). SDO20630.

<2> 1952, 'Declared Accounts 1707: Tin Affair', Calendar of Treasury Books: 1708, Volume 22, CCCVII-CCCXI (Monograph). SDO20631.

<3> Burnett, D, 1982, Dorset Shipwrecks. (Monograph). SWX9361.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1481041 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 30 2024 7:03AM