Maritime record MWX1542 - Angelina

French smack, approximately 1 mile west of Lyme, 2 January 1851.

The Master of the vessel was Plessis and the crew of four were all lost. 'At 2am on a Thursday during a tremendous SW gale, the Coastguards of Whitlands, 1.5 miles west of Lyme Regis, saw a vessel in distress near a dangerous reef. They fired a pistol and showed a blue flare, which was answered by cheers from the crew. The Coastguard went for help, but on return found the vessel had gone ashore, become a total wreck and all her crew drowned. Various bits of wreckage washed up, including a tin case marked ANGELINA. The bodies of two men and a boy were picked up dead near the Cobb, as well as other items of wreckage. The inquest was held at Lyme the following Saturday before Mr S Cory, Coroner. It was stated that the dead had been buried in Lyme churchyard, and that all the vessels in the harbour had their flags at half mast. The agent, Mr Frederick la Marke, has been in touch with the owners of the vessel. (1) French smack called either ANGELINE, ANGUINE, ANGELINA or ANGELIQUE was wrecked at Charlton Bay, eight miles west of Lyme Regis, crew drowned.(2) Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index. 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.

Record last edited

Aug 21 2023 12:15PM