Maritime record MWX1909 - Royal Adelaide

Remains of English cargo vessel, 1872

(1) Built: 1864 Builder: Gibbs, Bright and Co. Where Built: Bristol Owner: Merchants Trading Co. Ltd. Owner: W.J. Fernie Jnr (11) Master: William Hunter Crew: 30 Crew Lost: 1 Passengers: 35 Passengers Lost: 5 (2)(3) Official Inquiry: Official number: 51,462 CC No: 12,618 (12) Extract from the inquiry into the loss of the ROYAL ADELAIDE: `Arthur Mazo, a Chesil pilot, stated that he went to the beach at 4am on the day in question, and saw the ROYAL ADELAIDE 2 or 3 miles offshore, with her head to the east, and that he been aboard the vessel at the time, he would have beaten her out of the cove. Wyke rocket apparatus put a line across the ship, but with 3,000 people gathered on the beach, many of whom got in the way, they had to be beaten back. He later saw 14 or 15 men drunk from plundered spirits, some staggering. The bulk of the cargo extended 600 yards from the wreck on either side, cases of spirits being found a mile away. The mate, Mr. Powell, drowned attempting to swim a line ashore, and when the followed. When she broke her back, five passengers drowned when the basket rope broke. (2)(3) ...the ROYAL ADELAIDE carried an extremely refined form of Dutch gin known as Wolffs Aromatic Schnapps...the ship drew near the shore and was eventually hurled onto the pebble beach shortly after dusk in a place near the old shooting butts. Before she broke up all but five of those on board were rescued by breeches buoy...still battered by the surf, the ship soon began to disgorge her contents onto the beach where a crowd of 3000 now waited. She was stuffed full of general cargo - 2600 tons of it - but virtually the first items to be cast upon the beach and spread for almost a mile towards Portland were dozens of gin casks. The crowd went mad. Holes were punched in the casks and men, women and boys drank long and deep...By dawn on the 26th it is said no less than 20 people lay dead on the beach having succumbed to exposure after falling senseless onto the cold, wet pebbles...Here and there in the district a few mementoes looted from the ship can still be seen in local houses. Other relics are on show in the museums of Portland and Weymouth. The design of the ROYAL ADELAIDE is of interest as she was one of two sister-ships (the other was the ROYAL SOVEREIGN) built by William Patterson in 1865. Launch reports noted that the hull was perfectly smooth, almost approaching enamel, due to a special coating. The part that remains of the hull today is being rapidly eroded by being `shot-blasted by millions of Chesil pebbles... (4) After becoming embayed in a severe gale, the ROYAL ADELAIDE, was driven ashore on the night of 25-NOV- 1872. The 1385 ton vessel struck Chesil Beach broadside on and became the scene of a dramatic rescue by local coastguards. Using rocket apparatus to carry a line aboard, they succeeded in saving some sixty people before the cable broke and the last seven on the wreck were swept away and drowned. The ROYAL ADELAIDE broke up very quickly and disgorged her cargo on the beach, where a huge crowd had gathered discovered the bulk of it was spirits.(7) 25-NOV-1872 The ROYAL ADELAIDE, iron sailing ship from London to Sydney was wrecked on Chesil Beach between Wyke and Portland with the loss of seven people, sixty saved.(8) Stranded became a total loss in wind W.S.W 10, Portland Beach, one mile from Chesil, lost through lack of care.(10) Inquiry held at Greenwich before J.H. Patterson Esq. Stipendary Magistrates as Nautical Assessors. The Royal Adelaide was an iron sailing ship, left London on the 14-NOV with a crew of 30, 37 passengers and a general cargo of 2,900 tons bound for Melbourne. She was towed as far as Dover and then proceeded down the Channel in an easterly wind which failed them off Beachy Head. She then beat down the Channel as far as Start Point from which she was beaten back by boisterous weather until the 24th when she was able to pursue her course westward heading up from W to WNW between 18.00 and 20.00 on the 24th, the lights of Cape La Hogue and Barflour were in sight, the ship then being on a port tack. Before midnight the wind had again increased, sail was reduced and she was making no more than 2 knots, At 3.00 am both the Portland and La Hogue lights were last seen. At 8.00 am the ship was kept away to the NE.(12) 07-NOV-1984 Fore-deck winch, chain locker and other wreckage remain about 120 off-shore in about 12m of water. Position to west of Chesil Beach on transit and building at b head, Portland NE Breakwater.(1) A 5 x 15 x 2 tin ingot recovered opposite this wreck on Chesil Beach. (Droit A/584).(9) A child's leather shoe, on permanent loan to Dorchester Museum, and a lump of coal recovered from this wreck, position 50 34.65N 002 28.50W. (Droit A/2289).(9) A lead pump and a stock and die recovered from this wreck and donated to Weymouth Museum many years ago. (D it A/4375) (9) A rusted 19th century sewing machine in poor condition recovered from this wreck, Chesil Beach (Weymouth Museum). (Droit A/4376).(9) Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index: ST 03.06.191; DEE.23.11.1972; SB. June 1975 p358 Position 50 34.65 N 2 28.50 W taken from (16) gross tonnage

Record last edited

Mar 29 2024 4:48PM