Maritime record MWX2489 - Franziska

Vessel foundered and lost following collision with the barque HONOR of Norway in wind conditions E force 2. (1)

Items recovered from the wreck of the Franziska, located 4 miles south of Portland Bill: 1 x porthole (3); 1 x brown bottle and 1 x compass bowl (4); 1 x ebony sextant/octant (3). The Franziska was an iron steam-driven collier and collided with the Honour off Portland. (3)

net tonnage

Position 50 28.30 N 2 27.40 W taken from (2)

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.

Wreck Site and Archaeological Remains:

An ebony sextant/octant recovered from this wreck. (Droit A/849) (3)
A brown bottle and a compass bowl recovered from this wreck off Portland Bill. (Droit A/1361)(3)
A porthole recovered from this wreck 4 miles off Portland Bill. (Droit A/2829)(3)

A small brass porthole recovered from a wreck thought possibly to be the FRANZISKA, 3 miles south of the Bill of Portland, in position 50 28.30N 002 27.40W - the position given by source (5). (Droit 201/05) (4)

FRANZISKA 58 [sic, for 50] 28.30N 002 27.40W. She lies just south of the most turbulent area of the Portland Race, at a depth of 55m. The hull is largely intact, standing 4m high. Most of her decking has disappeared, exposing her 2-cylinder compound engine. (2)

A possible sugar bowl, damaged and lacking a lid, recovered from a wreck named as the FRANCISKA, said to be located 6 miles south of the Bill of Portland. (Droit 126/08) (7)

Charted as FRANSICKA [sic] without qualification, in position 50 28.179N 002 27.622W (WGS 84), in 55m general depth. (8)(9)

This position seen to be located approximately 2.6 nautical miles south of the tip of the Bill of Portland. (9)

23-JUL-1984: Examined in 50 28.09N 002 27.33W (OSGB). Least echosounder depth 47m in general depth 52m. Scour depth 56m. DCS3 height 10m, length about 50m, beam about 7m. Lying 010/190 degrees, upright and intact, bows to the south. (8)(9)

08-SEP-1995: Identified as SS FRANCISKA by her bell. Upright in 58m, 3m high. (8)(9)

28-FEB-2009: Located in 50 28.179N 002 27.622W (WGS 84). Least multibeam depth 48.07m in general depth 55.9m. No scour. Length 59m, width 12m, height 7.85m. Moderate magnetic anomaly, intact. (8)(9)

Wreck Event and Documentary Evidence:

Primary Sources:

'COLLISION OFF PORLAND [sic] BILL.
'A collision occurred of Portland Bill las tnight between the German steamer FRANZISKA, of Kiel, and the Norwegian barque UNA, of Arendal. The barque proceeded on her way, but the FRANZISKa sank. The crew were saved, and landed at Weymouth.' (9)

'WRECKS AND CASUALTIES.

'Lloyd's agent at Weymouth telegraphs, Feb. 26: "FRANZISKA, German steamer, from Cardiff for Flushing, coal laden, collided last night with the Norwegian barque HONOR, of Arendal, about 12 miles NNE of Portland. The barque proceeded. The FRANZISKA was taken in tow by the MINNIE (s) of Middlesbrough, but sank about 15 miles off Portland Bill. All hands saved and landed at Weymouth. The HONOR put into Dartmouth, much damaged.' (10)

'Lloyd's agent at Weymouth, telegraphs that the FRANZISKA, German steamer, of Kiel, from Cardiff for Flushing, coal laden, came into collision on Sunday, about 11.30pm, with the Norwegian barque HONOR, of Arendal, from Antwerp for Brazil, about 19 miles south of Portland. The FRANZISKA was taken in tow at 5.30am yesterday by the MINNIE, st., of Middlesbrough, but sank about 15 miles off Portland Bill. All hands saved and landed at Weymouth. The HONOR put into Dartmouth with jibboom smashed and bows stove in above water line.' (13)

Secondary Sources:

Vessel foundered and lost following collision with the barque HONOR of Norway in wind conditions E force 2. (1)(2)

This iron steam-driven collier of 669 net tons was en route to Vlissingen with Welsh coal loaded at Cardiff. On 24-FEB-1889 she collided violently with the barque HONOUR. The FRANZISKA quickly filled with water. (2)

FRANZISKA, 860 tons, built of iron (11) for Sartori & Berger (12), 1882; lost in collision 5 miles NW of the southern tip of the Bill of Portland, 24 February 1889. (11)

Built: 1882 (14)
Builder: Sartori and Bergen (14); Howaldt (11)
Where Built: Kiel (14)(11)
Propulsion: screw-driven, 2 cylinder compound engine (1)(14)
Master: J Haye (1)
Crew: 16 (1)
Owner: Sartori and Berger (12)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

<1> 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.

<2> Hinchcliffe, J and V, 1999, Dive Dorset: a diver guide (3rd Edition), Wreck 123, p102 (Monograph). SWX1.

<3> Le Pard, G, 1995-2003, Dorset Coast Forum Maritime Archaeological Database, Shipwreck 813 (Digital archive). SWX8707.

<4> Receiver of Wreck, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck A/1361, A/1361 (Unpublished document). SWX425.

<5> Receiver of Wreck, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck A/0849, A/0849 (Unpublished document). SWX345.

<6> Receiver of Wreck, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck A/2829, A/2829 (Unpublished document). SWX556.

<7> Receiver of Wreck, Receiver of Wreck Droit, 126/08 (Unpublished document). SWX6384.

<8> United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, Wreck report, 18605 (Monograph). SDO20514.

<9> SeaZone Hydrospatial, Digital marine geographic information derived from SeaZone Hydrospatial, 07-NOV-2014 (Digital archive). SDO20540.

<10> Morning Post, 26-FEB-1889, No.36,410 p3 (Serial). SDO20132.

<11> Miramar Ship Index www.miramarshipindex.org.nz, accessed on 07-NOV-2014 (Digital archive). SDO20161.

<12> The Times, 26-FEB-1889, No.32,632 p11 (Serial). SWX3285.

<13> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1589476 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<14> Board of Trade, 1889, Parliamentary papers 1889, Board of Trade Casualty Returns, 141 (Monograph). SWX4739.

Record last edited

Apr 2 2024 11:57AM