Maritime record MWX2144 - Unidentified 1733

`Letters from Weymouth in Dorsetshire give an account of a very melancholy accident that happened a few miles off that place last week; viz. about 13 or 14 gentlemen and ladies having been at Mr Welds seat...at Lawthorp Hall [Lulworth Castle], and it being a fine day, had cause to go in a vessel on the sea, which accordingly they did; after they had got a little way out, a sudden squall arose, which laid the vessel all on one side close to the water, the mast lying in (its supposed the moving of the ballast occasioned it) and in this situation they were some short time, when a gentleman, who was reckoned the best swimmer, stripped and went in, in order to get to shore for help; but before he had swum far, his strength failed him, and he turned back to get into the vessel; but being just spent as he came up to her, caught hold of the mast to save himself, by which means he pulled the vessel over, and all, except one gentleman, were drowned. Passengers: 13 or 14. Passengers Lost: 12 or 13. Date of Loss Qualifier: A (1)

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.

<1> 1733, Newcastle Courant, p2 (Serial). SWX6236.

<2> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1375343 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 15 2024 12:24PM