Maritime record MWX1703 - Bournemouth

Remains of English passenger vessel which ran into Portland Bill in dense fog on 27 August 1886. She was an iron-hulled steamer, en route from Bornemouth to Torquay. 232G

Built in 1884 by Ramage and Ferguson, Leith, the BOURNEMOUTH was paddle driven by a 2 cylinder compound engine. She had an Hp of 240 and had one boiler. She was owned by the Bournemouth, Swanage Poole SS.Pkt.Co and her master was Perrin. She carried a crew of 17 and had 180 passengers aboard. (1-3) `...on Friday evening a telegram was received that the BOURNEMOUTH had gone ashore under the higher lighthouse of Portland Bill on the West side, in dense fog. She had been on a day excursion and was on the return voyage. Her boiler room was completely stove in and she later broke her back. The tug QUEEN was sent for and Mr J S Fowler, manager of the company, arrived on site to conduct rescue operations. It had been hoped to transfer all the passengers to the VICTORIA, another excursion vessel but in the fog she failed to see the signals. The boats were therefore landed at Chesil Cove where a large bonfire was built to guide them in. The Coastguard rocket apparatus saved four lives. She lies with the forward section as far back as the paddle boxes high and dry but all hope of saving her abandoned. She was built for £15,000 but is insured for only £7,000. The ladies, of whom there were many were greatly terrified and their agonising screams rent the air... (2)(3) Probably one of the best known shipwrecks of this period was the stranding of the 684 ton paddle steamer BOURNEMOUTH at Portland Bill in the summer of 1886. She had left Bournemouth early on the morning of the 27- AUG-1886, filled with passengers enjoying a days holiday excursion to Torquay. It was foggy along the coast when the steamer returned that evening. At 7pm the BOURNEMOUTH sited land almost immediately ran onto the rocks under Portland's higher lighthouse. Since she was travelling at 16 knots it was violent collision and her fore part was severely damaged. Bournemouth's own boats were launched and aided by boats from the shore all passengers were safely taken off. Since the paddle steamer had only lifeboats for 32 people it was fortunate that there was no swell at the time as she carrying 180 passengers and 14 crew. Work salvaging the machinery continued for several weeks, but the vessel itself was severely damaged and became a total wreck.(4) 27-AUG-1886, BOURNEMOUTH, paddle-steamer was a total loss at Portland Bill without loss of life.(5) On the evening of the 27-AUG the paddle steamer BOURNEMOUTH bringing back 197 passengers from a day trip to Torquay ran ashore in dense fog between the Bill and the high lighthouse. All were saved by the ships and boats and others which came to the scene, some being landed at Chesil, where a boat capsized in the waves and a number of passengers got a wetting, while others were taken around the Bill to be landed at Southwell.(6) Ran aground in thick fog while taking passengers on day excursion to Torquay. Ran onto rocks near Pulpit Rock on W side of Portland Bill. Wreckage is spread from high water line to a depth of 12 metres and consists mainly of flattened plates. (1) Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index: ST 03.09.1886(R) BOT.Wk.Rtn.1886 Appx.C Table 1 p118 Poole Library and Weymouth Library, cuttings and photos. Gross tonnage

Record last edited

Mar 26 2024 3:35PM