Maritime record MWX1520 - Heroine

English barque, 1852 An emigrant vessel carrying 13 passengers or thereabouts for the Australian gold fields, the vessel had got into difficulties off Beer Head in a tremendous SW gale, struck the rocks and started to leak, drifting back with the wind towards Lyme Regis, where she sank.

Built: 1839 (3); 1844 (1)(4); 1840.(11)(12)(13) Builder: Messrs J and W Campion Where Built: Sunderland (4); Whitby (13) Owner: T Crisp (4); J Smith; previous owner Trail and Co. until 1850 (9)(13) Master: Lerick (4)(10); Bower (3); G. Robson (9) On Board: 38 (1)(4)(5) or 44 (1)(2)(5) Crew: 12 (4) Lives lost: 4 (11) Passengers: 13 (4) Current Number: 1926 (13) Lloyds: A1 (13) Additional construction details: Lower planking: American Elm Keel to waterline: African Oak Topside: English Oak Deck: Yellow pine Deck supports: Iron knees Felted and sheathed in yellow metal, 1849 (9) Date of Loss Qualifier: A An emigrant vessel carrying 13 passengers or thereabouts for the Australian gold fields, the vessel had got into difficulties off Beer Head in a tremendous SW gale, struck the rocks and started to leak, drifting back with the wind towards Lyme Regis. It became necessary to abandon the vessel and the crew and passengers took to the boats rowing to Lyme. A boat from the Revenue cutter FRANCES, which put out to direct them into harbour, overturned in the surf and four of her five crew drowned. The total number of passengers on the HEROINE is in doubt, since one entry states 38 survivors landed, another 44. The passengers were destitute, and all lodged at the Pilot Boat Inn. Meanwhile the HEROINE drifted past the harbour and sank in 13 fathoms, some 3-4 miles off. Divers salvaged the cargo, and were an object of interest to visitors in 1853. In the same storm several other vessels were lost and the coastguards were busy. Value of ship 2,000 [sterling]; value of cargo 20,000 [sterling]. (1)(4)(5) The barque HEROINE of London, outward bound with emigrants for Port Philip, Australia, came ashore in a seamanship and good luck, were able to launch their long boat and another small boat, and the whole complement of 44, including passengers, got ashore safely. They were helped by a boat from the Revenue cruiser FRANCES, which went out to direct them to the harbour entrance. Unfortunately this small craft was upset in the surf and four of the five men drowned. They comprised three of the crew of the FRANCES and the mate of the schooner HONITON PACKET. A fund was raised for the widows and orphans, and the Institution, giving a sum of money to the fund, also awarded its silver medal to the one survivor, William Bridle, master of the cutter PRIMROSE. (2) Survivors name given as William Buckle. (7) The vessel was found by members of Swindon B.S.A.C. in 1991 and partially surveyed. She was then left until the summer of 1994 when she was independently found by another group of divers off Lyme Regis. These two parties got together to survey and excavate the vessel in the spring of 1995. Two heavily encrusted cannonades (dumpy cannon) and a ships pump with a 6 inch cast iron bore and double lignum vitae pistons with leather skirts were raised. The bottom of the piston had broken from its frame and jammed sideways which may have been the cause of the ships foundering. By July 1995 excavation work had begun with airlifts, working outwards from the keel amongst the frames to a depth of 1m. The finds included 28 telescopes (possible cargo), beer bottles complete and broken, matches, rigging blocks, sherds of pottery and an astrolabe. The main feature on the site is the mound of fire bricks which in places are undisturbed showing the packing sequence. All the artefacts found have undergone conservation and have been reported to the Receiver, and arrangements made for a sample to go on display at the new Lyme museum. The tragedy led to the building of a lifeboat station at Lyme Regis and the new R.N.L.I. boathouse shortly to be built will have a plinth constructed from the HEROINEs fire bricks. (3) She had some damage; repairs carried out in 1850. (9) 27-DEC-1852, HEROINE, of London, sunk 3.5 miles bearing from Lyme Cobb in a SSW 12. The vessel was insured for £2,000 and the cargo for £20,000. (10) Four people lost. (11) A fire brick marked Ramsay recovered from this wreck, position 50 40.52N 002 56.13W. (Droit A/3725). (14) gross tonnage Position 50 40.49 N 2 56.04 W taken from (6)

Record last edited

Apr 11 2024 1:28PM