Maritime record MWX1995 - Unidentified 1832 Sloop

1832 wreck of an English sloop which foundered in West Bay, after springing a leak during a gale. She was en route from Teignmouth to Portsmouth, with a cargo of fruit.

`Captain and two men were lost, Portland islanders saving one man. The vessel had become embayed off Lynch and sprang a leak. (1) Crew: 4 Crew Lost: 3 Date of Loss Qualifier: A (2) Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index: DCC 27 12 1832(Thu)(R) (3)

The building date for this vessel is an estimate based on an average age at wrecking of twenty years. This average is derived from those vessels wrecked on the Dorset coast whose age at wrecking is known.

'The sloop CORKRUMP, of Dartmouth, sunk off Portland on the 17th instant, having sprung a leak in a heavy gale of wind. The crew took to the boat, but unfortunately, on reaching the landwash, the boat was upset. The master and two boys were drowned, one man was saved.' (4)

'SHIPWRECK – During the very heavy gale of wind on Monday last, a small vessel was perceived in the West Bay at Weymouth , in a most perilous situation, and which shortly afterwards went down: only one of the crew was saved, and that by the active and earnest exertions of Mr Williams, of Lynch, who saw from the shore some men struggling in the sea. The man, who was with great difficulty and hazard to the persons attempting his safety, ultimately dragged on shore, was very much bruised. Mr Williams generously afforded him temporary accommodation in his house, and humanely raised a subscription to defray his expenses home again to Totnes. It appears that the vessel, a coasting sloop, was from Teignmouth, bound for Portsmouth with a cargo of fruit: she became embayed off Lynch, and during the violence of the gale, sprung a leak. The captain and crew, consisting of three hands, took to a boat, hoping to save themselves by running on shore, but unfortunately could not weather the storm: the Captain and two of the three met a watery grave, and but for the prompt assistance, the fourth would have shared a similar fate. The name of the Captain was Smith, a native of Totnes, and a man of extraordinary nerve and intrepidity, he having been the sole means, on different occasions, of saving the lives of no less than fourteen individuals, who but for his humanity and zeal, would have fallen victims to such a death as he has now unhappily met with himself. We hear with regret that he has left a widow and family to lament their irreparable loss of husband and father.' (5)

Crew: 4 (3)
Crew Lost: 3 (3)
Master: Smith (5)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index:
DCC.27.12.1832(Thu)®

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

<2> 1976, Dorset magazine : the county magazine vol. 50, p19 (Article in serial). SWX4560.

<3> 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.

<4> Sherbourne Mercury, Monday 31-DEC-1832, No. 5,004 XLII p4 (Serial). SWX4820.

<5> Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, Saturday 29-DEC-1832, No. 2,136 XLII p3 (Serial). SDO20651.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 900927 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 4 2024 2:19PM