Maritime record MDO47922 - Fame 1631 Dutch armed cargo vessel

1631 wreck of a Dutch armed cargo vessel, which was driven onto a sandbank near the port of Poole, and subsequently capsized and foundered. She was a wooden sailing vessel, en route from Hoorn to the West Indies. The wreck was plundered by locals, who took tackle, gear, victuals and other items from the wreckage. There is no information about whether she was carrying any cargo at the time of loss. This wreck has been suggested to be the identity of the Protected Wreck site known as the SWASH CHANNEL WRECK (see 1408546). Status: Casualty

Wreck event and documentary evidence: The FAME of Hoorn was owned by Hercules Garretson and Cornelius Vene and their company. The ship’s master was Jacob Johnson Botemaker, and the vessel had a crew of approximately 45. The vessel was on a voyage from Hoorn to the West Indies in February 1631 when it anchored near Poole. The ship dragged its anchor in a storm, and was driven on to a sandbank, capsized, and was overwhelmed by the sea. The master and crew abandoned ship and all made it to land. The wreck was plundered, and tackle, gear, victuals, and other items were taken by locals. The wreck is believed to have occurred in a channel located before Studland. The Admiralty Court stated the need to mark the position of the wreck with buoys, indicating that it was a danger to shipping. (1)(2) The loss of the FAME is contained within the records of the High Court of Admiralty: ‘1: In primo that in the months of January and February last past, the foresaid Hercules Garretson and Cornelius Vene; and Company aforesaid were, and at this present are the true & lawful, owners, and proprietors of the said ship called the Fame, and of all, and singular the tackle, furniture, apparel, provision, munitions and victual thereunto belonging… ‘2: Item that in all, some, or one of the for months aforesaid the foresaid Hercules Garretson, Cornelius Vene, and Company did set forth, and employ the said ship the Fame in a voyage by her to be made from the port of Hoorn aforesaid to the West Indies, and thence back to the said port of Hoorn… ‘3: Item that in all some or one of the months aforesaid the foresaid ship the Fame did set sail, a[nd] depart, from Hoorn aforesaid to the West [Indies] aforesaid, And that the said ship the Fame in [the] progress, and pursuit, of her said voyage, in the m[onth] of February last past, did come to an anchor [near?] Poole in England… ‘4: Item that whilst the said ship the Fame d[id?] ride, and was at an anchor near Poole as af[oresaid?] the anchor of the said ship the Fame by [te] tempest, and stress of weather did come h[ome?] and that thereby, and by occasion of the tempes[t] and stress of weather aforesaid the foresaid sh[ip] the Fame did overset and was overwhel[med] in the sea and in some danger of perishing… ‘5: Item that after the said ship the Fame wa[s] overwhelmed as aforesaid, divers, and sundry [] persons, dwelling and inhabiting, in and ne[ar?] Poole aforesaid did seize & take, and carry a[way?] from the said ship the Fame; divers of he[r?] provisions of victual, tackle, furniture and o[ther?] necessaries thereunto belonging…. ‘6: That the master, and all the Company of th[e] said ship being forty five in number or thereabouts did land, and come ashore in [……..] out of the said ship the Fame and were and are[] preserved alive…’ [Source: High Court Admiralty 24/87, No 171, ff 1-2v] In addition, in the records for the Admiralty Court at Poole, held on 24 June 1631, there is the following statement: [Margin]: ‘Mr Newland to place a couple of buoys on the wreck (wracke) by the first of August sub pena 200 li [under the penalty of a £200 fine] ‘Item we present that Mr Newland doth undertake for the Fleming to clear the harbour of the wreck of the Fame of Hoorn (Horne) cast away before Studland, we do therefore enjoin him to place a couple of buoys on that wreck by the first of August next on pain of forfeiting of two hundred pounds. [Margin]: ‘the pains and amerciaments affirmed per [by] John Cartridg & William Nurreys ‘Memorandum that the pains & amerciaments above-written were affirmed by the oaths of John Cartridg & William Nurreys two of the jury aforesaid the day & year first above written. [Dorset History Centre DC/PL/CLA 24, f 60.] The following statement is contained within the records of the Admiralty Court for 21 May 1632: [Margin]: ‘The channel to be cleared of the wreck, and 2 buoys placed thereon ‘Item we present that Mr Robert Newland the younger of the Isle of Wight hath not cleared the channel of the Flemish wreck /\and not placing two buoys thereon/\, and therefore he is enjoined il [sic, for it?], vizd to clear the channel thereof and to place two buoys thereon by 25th of July next on pain of forfeiting 200 li:’. [Dorset History Centre DC/PL/CLA 24, f 61.] (1) Master: Jacob Johnson Botemaker (1) Crew: c. 45 (1) Crew lost: 0 (1) Departure: Hoorn (1) Destination: West Indies (1) Owners: Hercules Garretson and Cornelius Vene and company (1) Date of loss qualifier: Approximate date of loss

Record last edited

Mar 28 2024 12:29PM