Maritime record MWX2369 - Unidentified 1759 English Passenger Vessel

Vessel described as a passage boat. Vessel stranded in mud, 13 of the 19 on board died trying to reach Furzey Island. (1) On Thursday 13 perished as they were coming from Poole Market to Ower. The wind was blowing very hard and about 7 o'clock in the evening, the boat struck mud where they remained for 3 hours, the sea beating over her all the time. At last the boatman got out onto the mud and he told his passengers to follow him to Furzey Island (500 yards from the boat), or they would drown. They got out in great confusion. The mud being so soft they could not get forward, some went 200 yards but others could not make 10 feet, some sunk up to their middle, others up to their shoulders, until they perished with fatigue and cold. None drowned. One survived by going another way to Brownsea Island. He stopped himself sinking into the mud with the help of a butter basket. When he got to land he walked two miles to a house by Brownsea Castle. Here he spoke to some men who went to the assistance of his fellow sufferers, who managed to save five in all. Crew: 1; Crew Lost: 1. Passengers: 18; Passengers Lost: 12. Date of Loss Qualifier: R Lost: Richard Hawkins, steward to John Calcroft John Crockram, grazier and butcher Richard Phippard, farmer Richard Speck, farmer Roger Grant, farmer John Garhenge, farmer Amos Roper, farmer Simon Best, marbler William Fry, mariner Thomas Tary, servant William White, boatman Elizabeth Fry, Elizabeth Taylor Saved: Charles Roe, miller; got to shore himself Robert Beer, hosier; rescued from the mud George Speck, shoemaker; rescued from the mud. Edward Smith, shoemaker; rescued from the mud. Ann Gould; rescued from the mud. Rebecca Dowdall; rescued from the mud. (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> 1903, Notes and queries for Somerset and Dorset 8, p27 (Article in serial). SWX6921.

<2> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1046573 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 15 2024 3:48PM