Shipwreck - Margam Sands

[libbyd]

My great-grandfather died in the wreck of the barque SS Amazon in 1908 off Port Talbot (Margam Sands).  Does anyone have information about where the bodies were buried?
Thanks.
LibbyD

[Morganllan]

Hello Libbyd 

Welcome to Rootschat!

According to the Swansea Docks site, 14 out of the 20 bodies were never recovered:

http://www.swanseadocks.co.uk/Port%20Talbot%20Wrecks%20&%20Groundings.htm

Kind Regards
Morgan

[kiwistar]

Could only find same here is the extract
Sorry couldnt be of more help...maybe knowing what happened will help, as if the bodies were not recovered ?
None of your Family know?

Sally


On 1 September 1908 the Amazon of Greenock, a four master, on a voyage from Port Talbot to Iquique, Chile, with a cargo of coal, was driven eight miles across Swansea Bay when her anchors dragged and her cables parted in severe weather, and she eventually became stranded west of Port Talbot. The crew lashed themselves to the bulwarks and to the masts, but three of the masts were lost, and then the Main mast broke free too with 20 men lashed to it. Only six of these 20 men survived, and that by the bravery of some local men who waded into the water and pulled them ashore. Eventually, after many, many attempts, a line was got aboard by means of the CoastguardRocket Apparatus, and two men who remained on board were saved. In all 20 crew members were drowned including Captain Garrick of Penarth. The wreck subsequently broke up.

[Morganllan]

Have you found Great-Grandfather's death in the BMD index?

http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

Have you found him or any of his family on 1901 census?

[libbyd]

Wow - thanks for the quick response! 
My grandmother used to tell me that he had died at sea and I found out (not that long ago) from the local paper BMD section (Greenock Telegraph) that it had been on the Amazon wreck of 1908.  Most of the older generation in my family are dead now, so I just wondered what had happened to him.  Perhaps there will be a report of the wreck in the local paper, as I'm sure there were other Greenock men on board.  Will check that out next.
Once again, many thanks for the information.
LibbyD

[Morganllan]

Hello LibbyD 

Good luck with your search and please let us know how you get on?

Best Wishes
Morgan

[Mabel Bagshawe]

There are entries for this story coming up on the British Newspaper archive. I can't see the whole stories as I have no sub but the inquest and inquiry seem to have gone through very quickly - inquest in a few days and inquiry by November 1908

[welsh_angel]

I remember the wreck being on Aberavon beach. We used to play on it, to the horror of our parents. There are lots of photographs of the wreck on Google images.

[Sam Swift]

Hi

There are several sailors who died in shipwrecks off Port Talbot / Margam buried at Holy Cross Church, which is also known as the Margam Chapel of Ease.
http://www.st-theodore.org/holy-cross-church/

What was his name ?

There is a photo of the Amazon at (if you haven't already got it) http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/large/item/GTJ03001/

Sam