Maritime record MWX1688 - Waitara

1883 wreck of New Zealand full-rigged cargo vessel which foundered off the Bill of Portland following a collision with the HURUNUI, en route from London and Gravesend to Wellington. Carrying passengers and a cargo or shipboard provision of Codd bottles and crockery, she was an iron-built sailing vessel. All of the steerage passengers, 4 of the saloon passengers and 14 of the crew drowned, and 4 of the saloon passangers, 12 of the crew and a stowaway were rescued by HURUNUI.

Built: 1863 Builder: J Reid and Co. Where Built: Port Glasgow Owner: New Zealand Shipping Co. Ltd. Master: K Webster Crew: 25 Passengers: 17 Lives Lost: 27 (1)(3) Date of Loss Qualifier: A `One of two iron built ships belonging to the same company, the WAITARA left Gravesend in company with the HURUNUI and remained in company down Channel despite rain storms and misty conditions. When on opposite tacks, when the WAITARA on the port tack should have kept well clear of her sister vessel, she failed to do so, causing the HURUNUI to strike her heavily on the starboard side twice. The WAITARA sank in less than two minutes. The 2nd officer, who was on watch, 12 passengers and a stowaway, all drowned, the vessel sinking before a single boat could be lowered. Those that were saved were able to scramble over the bow of the HURUNUI to safety, which also lowered her boats and picked up other survivors from the crew. (1)(4)

Additional sources:

gross tonnage

Wreck Site and Archaeological Remains:

A porthole has been reported from this wreck. (Droit A/872) (5)

A Codd bottle recovered from this wreck. (Droit A/1360) (5)

Assorted bottles and crockery recovered from this wreck. (Droit A/2351) (5)

2 Codd bottles, a medicine bottle, a round-bottomed bottle and a brass gate valve recovered from this wreck. (Droit A/3740) (5)

Eight bottles recovered from the wreck of the WAITARA, 32 miles from Portland. (Droit 280/02) (9)

A stoneware bottle embossed "Joseph Bourne & Co." "Patentees" "Denby Pottery" "near Derby" recovered from the WAITARA at 60m depth in position 50 14N 001 54W. (Droit 110/04) (6)

2 Codd bottles, 9.5" high; a clear glass bottle, marked "J Fuller", and a clear glass bottle marked "Lamont's Patent", recovered from the WAITARA, approximately 30 miles SW of St. Catherine's Point. (Droit 157/04) (6)

A brass capstan top recovered from the WAITARA, 28 miles SW of the Needles. (Droit 175/04) (6)

2 green glass bottles embossed "Codd's patent 4, makers Codd & Rylands, Barnsley"; a plain green glass pickle jar; and a green glass Hamilton bottle recovered from the WAITARA. (Droit 190/04) (6)

9 glass bottles; 3 stoneware bottles; and a green plate recovered from the WAITARA, charted south of Poole. (Droit 212/04) (6)

A small glass bottle stopper; a green glass Codd bottle; a Lamont [Glasgow] mineral bottle; and a Lamont [London] mineral bottle recovered from the WAITARA, 28 miles SW of the Needles. (Droit 218/04) (6)

A Codd bottle with a marble inside and a bottle with "Lamont" on the side have been recovered from this wreck. (Droit 080/05) (7)

A green glass bottle approximately 9" tall, bearing the logo "John Lamont, Maker, Glasgow", and a white pot insulator, found near a wreck, approximately 33 miles SW of the Isle of Wight, and thought possibly to be from the WAITARA. (Droit 196/05) (7)

Wreck Event and Documentary Evidence:

'One of two iron-built ships belonging to the same company, the WAITARA left Gravesend in company with the HURUNUI and remained in company down Channel, despite rainstorms and misty conditions. When on opposite tacks, when the WAITARA on the port tack should have kept well clear of her sister vessel, she failed to do so, causing the HURUNUI to strike her heavily on the starboard side twice. The WAITARA sank in less than two minutes. The 2nd officer, who was on watch, 12 passengers and a stowaway, all drowned, the vessel sinking before a single boat could be lowered. Those that were saved were able to scramble over the bow of the HURUNUI to safety, which also lowered her boats and picked up other survivors from the crew.' (1)(4)

'Disastrous Collision in the Channel:
A collision, resulting in the loss of many lives, took place in the Channel on Friday night, the vessels being the ship WAITARA of Lyttleton, New Zealand, 833 tons, built at Port Glasgow in 1863, and the ship HURUNUI of London, 1,012 tons, built at Jarrow-on-Tyne in 1875. Both vessels were owned by the New Zealand Shipping Company of Christchurch, Fifeshire. A passenger had frequently sighted the ill fated WAITARA. She had left Gravesend the same time as ourselves, and was also bound for New Zealand ports - she for Wellington, and the HURUNUI for Port Chalmers. He says - on Friday evening we were off Portland at about 10.15. Soon after we had retired for the night, I was awakened by a sudden shock, and at the same time the captain burst into the cabin ordering everyone on deck. A large vessel was at our bows, and its white posts stood out plainly in the dark night. It had just ceased raining, but the moon was quite hidden in the mist. On ascertaining the ship we were in was, for a few minutes at least safe, I rushed below to wrap up in case we might have to use the boats. I was not down a minute. When I returned the other ship had already disappeared. The lifeboat was already launched and sent off in charge of our second mate, and another boat in charge of the third officer. Rockets were sent up and blue lights and the flare-ups burnt to call attention to other vessels.
Captain Webster, commander of the WAITARA, which sank, says that at the time of the collision his vessel was 20 miles south-east of Portland Bill, proceeding down Channel on the port tack. The night of Friday, although not very bright, was moderately clear. At about ten minutes past ten he was called below, where he had been for about an hour inspecting the charts and resting, having been on duty since the previous Wednesday morning, the vessel at the time being in charge of the Chief Officer, Middleton. On gaining the deck the captain perceived the HURUNUI bearing down on the WAITARA. He at once ordered the helm to be out down so that the vessel's course might be changed, and the collision, which appeared inevitable averted, but before the ship could answer her helm the HURUNUI struck her amidships. At this time Captain Webster was on the poop, and immediately the collision occurred the water poured in in a flood. The HURUNUI rebounded from the force of the collision, and again struck the WAITARA, which even then was rapidly filling. Captain Webster then became entangled in the headgear of the HURUNUI and was thus dragged aboard that vessel. Previous to this, and immediately after the first collision, Mr Middleton attempted to lower the port lifeboat, but there was not sufficient time and those attempting to launch it were all swept into the sea, and within four minutes of the first impact the WAITARA went down, leaving a mass of floating wreckage to which several persons clung. Captain Webster, as soon as he could extricate himself from his dangerous position, was lowered with some of the crew of the HURUNUI in a boat, and began searching for any possible survivors. The rowed several times over the spot where the WAITARA foundered, and picked up six or seven persons, including Mrs Cheek and Mr Middleton, the latter being in a very exhausted and numbed condition, as the water was excessively cold. Mrs Cheek had on a lifebuoy, given her by someone on board the WAITARA. A second boat was also lowered from the HURUNUI, but though it cruised about for some time did not succeed in saving any additional lives. Immediately after the collision both vessels sent up rockets and burnt flare - ups and blue lights, but these signals were unanswered, although Captain Webster had seen a steamer pass close by only just before the disaster, so close that the working of the screw was audible on the WAITARA. All lights on board the WAITARA had been extinguished at ten o'clock, and the steerage passengers were below, but many saloon passengers were on deck, thus accounting for the fact that all steerage passengers were lost whilst four of the eight saloon passengers were saved. Those who were rescued were taken on board the HURUNUI and brought back to London, except Captain Webster, who left her at the Isle of Wight. The Central News has been furnished by the New Zealand Shipping Company with a full list of the passengers and crew on board the ill-fated ship WAITARA.
Saloon Passengers Drowned - Mr Martin Cheek, Mr A. Noble, Miss M.A. Haylor, Miss A. Haylor.
Steerage Passengers Drowned - Charles Hill, Prudence Hill, Leonard Collinson, Louisa Oliphant, John Wilkes, Isobella Wilkes, John Wilkes ans Peter Bentley.
Names of Crew Drowned - E. Saunders, second officer; G.F. Cotterell, apprentice; E.W. Stock, chief Steward; C. Cooper, cook; W.J. Leateront, second cook; J. Bowyer, sailmaker; A. Christian, W. Burke, G Olgilvie, G. Smith, J.W. Hodgson, J. Hay - all A.B's; E.J. Bingham and A. Ormiston, both O.S..
The following saloon passengers were saved:- Mr Henry G. Russell, Mr Lockwood Dale, Mrs Martin Cheek, and Mr W.B. Noble.
No steerage passengers were saved.
The following members of crew were rescued:- R. Webster, master; H.T. Middleton, chief officer, C. Hyde, boatswain; H. Worsley, apprentice; A.C. Cutten, second steward; H.Self, carpenter; W. Sutherland, A. Paterson, W. Davis and H. Williams A.B.'s; G.B. Arnold, O.S.; and Morgan a stowaway. (8)

Built: 1863 (1)(4)
Builder: J Reid and Co. (1)(4)
Where Built: Port Glasgow (1)(4)
Construction: 3 masts (6)
Owner: New Zealand Shipping Co. Ltd. (1)(4)
Master: K Webster (1)(4)
Crew: 25 (1)(4) (8)
Passengers: 17 (1)(4) 16 plus a stowaway(8)
Lives Lost: 27 (1)(4); 14 in text cited in (1)(4) 26 (8)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

Additional sources:
SB.October 1974; LR.1883-4, No.30(W)

<1> Larn, Richard, 1992, United Kingdom shipwreck index, Extracted 23 November 1992 (Index). SWX5030.

<2> Farr, Grahame, 1971, Wreck and rescue on the Dorset coast, 42 (Monograph). SWX1056.

<3> Parliamentary papers Vol 71, p 135 (Monograph). SWX5117.

<4> Larn, R, and Larn, B, 1995, Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 1 : Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset Section 6, Dorset (AJ) Vol 1 (Monograph). SWX4541.

<5> Receiver of Wreck, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck A/2520 (Unpublished document). SWX527.

<5> 2001, Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Receiver of Wreck Amnesty (Index). SWX4542.

<6> Receiver of Wreck, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck A/2351 (Unpublished document). SWX505.

<7> Receiver of Wreck, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck A/1360 (Unpublished document). SWX424.

<8> Receiver of Wreck, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck A/0872 (Unpublished document). SWX362.

<9> Receiver of Wreck, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck 280/02 (Unpublished document). SWX120.

<10> Le Pard, G, 1995-2003, Dorset Coast Forum Maritime Archaeological Database, Shipwreck 8 (Digital archive). SWX8707.

<11> National Record of the Historic Environment, 901166 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 14 2023 3:35PM