ship lost at sea

[skingers2]

Back to my scarlet pimpernel again..... found out that he died on a ship called Cordelia which left the port of Shields on 21st September 1878 and was not heard of again. I got the ships details and they were headed for Carthagena and/or Escombrera so Spain. Do we know of any bad storms around that date?
Would there be an inquiry as to what happened? How can I find out if anyone was rescued?
Hope someone can help
Thanks
Ros

[Ringoroses]

I emailed the met office a while ago with a similar historic request  re the loss of my 2x gt grandfather's ship. I got a lovely email back from a lady in their archive department giving me full details. I hope she won't mind me passing on her details. 

Kate Strachan   Assistant Archivist
Met Office National Meteorological Archive   
Great Moor House   Bittern Road   Sowton   Exeter   EX2 7NL   United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1392 360988   Fax: +44 (0)1392 885681
E-mail: kate.strachan (at) metoffice.gov.uk   Website: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk

I've taken the @ out so the poor woman doesn't get inundated with spam!

Hope that helps,

regards,Ann

[skingers2]

Thanks Ann,
I will try an e mail tho' someone has sent me a message via another site saying they'd found a newspaper report that said the ship was on fire!!
Will post if I find anything further.
Thanks again
Ros

[skingers2]

The contact no longer works for the met office but I have now e mailed their archives  metarc@metoffice.gov.uk so I am looking forward to a reply from them.
Thanks again
Ros

[Michael Dixon]

First of all there were more than one Cordelia registered for trade in/out of River Tyne.

The 727 ton Cordelia owned 64/64ths by Robert Stoker of South Shields
( before he sold 21/64ths to Thomas Young, and then another 21/64ths to John Gilbertson, master mariner of South Shields, ) as Ros says, left the Tyne on 22 Sep 1878 with cargo of Coke and Coal for Cartagena. Was seen by pilot boats off Dover and then never seen or heard of again. Carried a 15 man crew.

Source of above info from " Dictionary of Tyne Sailing Ships" by Richard Keys.

Ros , if you are interested in a particular storm ?? it could have hit the ship anywhere from English Channel (off Dover) , across the Bay of Biscay, round the north west and south of Iberian Peninsular, through the Straits of Gibraltar
and towards Cathagena ( near Murcia)

I frequently dabble in this Dictionary of Tyne sailing ships, listing thousands of ships. Maybe this is exaggeration on my part, but it looked as though every ship suffered from stormsat one time , with many damaged or lost.  My casual view of the Mariners is that they were heroic "cowboys"-- becoming rich men or dead men !

Michael -Landlubber first-class, (got my stripes on Blyth-North Blyth chain ferry)

[harrywrag]

hi i have newspaper cutting for the barque cordelia beloninging to mr r. stoker south sheilds ,captain was wilson had cargo of coal and coke bound for corthagena it was observed off dover it was then seen in bay of biscay 6 weeks ago on fire the davits were hanging over the quarter as if the boats had recently been launched and a vessel was also seen leaving the master of the southern cross is of the opinion therefore that the crew were taken off the burning vessel the crew of the cordelia numbered 15 hands  this is from the newcastle courant dated friday dec 6th 1878 it left the tyne 10 weeks ago.  if you wish copy of the article please personal message me and i will send to you hope this is of help

[skingers2]

Thanks Michael,
I always enjoy reading your input. Perhaps you could look up the James Montgomery of Shields for me? This is another of my errant captains ships but I know nothing about it. I agree that they were either mad or deranged ( though having said this my dad was at sea for 25 years so madness must run in the family!
Thanks also to you Harry- I have sent you a pm.

Ros

[Michael Dixon]

Your "Cordelia" gets a mention in thr "Times" of London, Wed 4th Dec 1878.
In the Lloyds "Overdue" notices. 

"Belongs to South Shields, owned by Mr R Stoker of Liverpool, 14 hands, headed for Escombrera, 728t of coke, 170t of coal., from the Tyne towards end of Sept."

MD

[Michael Dixon]

 Couple of Salty Snips on your ship....

Newcastle Courant Fri 8 Dec 1865
"Captain Pie of the James Montgomery of Shields from the Tyne to Adra when recently on the ground off Scoby, had to pay £150 to be assisted into Yarmouth Harbour.

Newcastle Courant 12 Dec 1873
" Dreadful Tradegy on Board a Shield's Barque"

Letter received by "James Montgomery" owner,  H E Adamson, from the captain, Cpn Housagoe, from Leghorn, Italy.

Letter outlines drama of an Italian crewman going berserk and stabbing many other crew members.

Michael