Maritime record MWX2154 - Montanes

Year Built: 1878. Builder: Gowan and Wilson. Where Built: Berwick. Engine HP: 119. Boilers: 2. Propulsion: Screw driven, 2 cylinder compound engine. Owner: La Betica Soc. Anon. de Nav. Vap. Owner: Migual Saenza Co Seville. Master: M Zarragoza. Crew: 23. Construction: P.deck 110ft.; f.castle 31ft.; 1 x deck. Date of Loss Qualifier: A
Stranded in heavy fog and became stuck amongst the rocks whilst carrying a cargo of 3,000 tons which included silver ore, manganese, oranges, canary seed, cork, wine etc. Her captain had attempted to reach Portland in fog where he intended to take on bunker coal, but struck St Albans Head instead. The wreck was seen by the Coastguards close to the headland and a shore boat went out and took off the crew landing them at Swanage. The coxswain of the Poole lifeboat CITY MASONIC CLUB, having heard about the wreck decided to launch but a message was then received that it would be a wasted trip, and the Coastguard from Sandbanks intercepted them and stopped them proceeding. (1)
Lost under St Albans Head in a SSE2.(4)
Four deadeyes were recovered from this site, position 50 34.56N 002 03.35W.(Droit A/675).(3)
Two lead ingots recovered from this wreck, position 50 34.56N 002 03.35W.(Droit A/1025).(3)
A porthole recovered from this wreck off St Albans Head, position given 50 34.56N 002 03.35W.(Droit A/1030).(3)

LR.1904-5 No.1112(M) Weymouth Library photo.L910.4.MO1 and negative No.36-3; GPCS. Photo. Frontis piece
The story of the wrecking of the Montanes is one of confusion and mistaken messages, but happily with no serious consequences. Bound from Seville with a very mixed cargo of Silver and Manganese ores, wine and oranges the Montanes was making for Portland to take on fuel. In dense fog her lookout failed to see the Shambles Lightship to the South of Portland Bill, so she continued sailing north eastwards until she ran onto the rocks directly under St Aldhelm’s Head. Her captain sent up flares which were seen by the coastguard who contacted the Swanage lifeboat, but the message was not clearly relayed and the boat wasn’t launched. Instead the message was passed onto Poole which immediately launched their lifeboat. Meanwhile two of the coastguards had launched their own boat and taken off the crew of the Montanes, landing the men safely in Chapman’s Pool. Realising that the Poole lifeboat was on its way a message was sent ordering its return. The crew of the Poole lifeboat were much praised for the quick and efficient way in which they had launched their lifeboat and got it underway. (10)

gross tonnage

position 50 34.56N 2 03.35W taken from (10)

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

<2> 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.

<3> 2001, Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Receiver of Wreck Amnesty (Index). SWX4542.

<4> Board of Trade, Parliamentary papers 1908, Board of Trade Casualty Returns 1906., p125 (593) (Monograph). SWX6309.

<5> Le Pard, G, 1995-2003, Dorset Coast Forum Maritime Archaeological Database, Shipwreck 21 (Digital archive). SWX8707.

<6> Le Pard, G, 1995-2003, Dorset Coast Forum Maritime Archaeological Database (Digital archive). SWX8707.

<7> Receiver of Wreck, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck A/1030 (Unpublished document). SWX381.

<8> Receiver of Wreck, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck A/1025 (Unpublished document). SWX379.

<9> Receiver of Wreck, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck A/0675 (Unpublished document). SWX308.

<10> Hinchcliffe, J and V, 1999, Dive Dorset: a diver guide (3rd Edition), 212 p154 (Monograph). SWX1.

<11> National Record of the Historic Environment, 892047 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 19 2024 3:14PM