Fairy Maid of Padstow, Cornwall on Rocks at Cullercoats

[BushInn1746]

Photographer not known

Noted on the rear
August 1899
Fairy Maid of Padstow, stranded on the Rocks at Cullercoats.
Four Souls on board, Lifeboat launched before 10pm on Monday night.

Crew on board schooner:-
J. Williams, Master.
G. Wiborg, Mate.
J. Chapman, Cook.
J. Olson, Able Seaman
first taken to the Bay Hotel and subsequently the Coastguard conveyed the ship wrecked men to the Tyne Sailors Home at North Shields.

Fairy Maid, small Schooner belonging to Newquay Cornwall, Captain Nicholson. Bound for the Tyne, in ballast.

Vessel built 1876, 90 tons Register and owned by Mr William R. Allen of Watchet, Somerset.

Lloyds List
Schooner Aug 8th, 1899
Fairy Maid of Padstow (light), from Amsterdam for Tyne, stranded 10pm on Cullercoats Rocks
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The RNLI list the Service on 7th August 1899 at 9.20pm
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There is another photograph online (separate collection) taken from higher ground with the sea all around the vessel.

[BushInn1746]

1899
Tynemouth to Lloyd's Aug 22, 11:27 a.m.
Fairy Maid
got off Cullercoats Rocks at 5 a.m., and proceeded to Blyth.
 ----------
A newspaper report claims that Captain Nicholson, was carried to the Bay Hotel.
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Lloyd's Register 1899, says
Port of Survey Falmouth.
Constructed in 1876 by Williams of Newquay.
Owner W. H. Williams.
Port of Registry Padstow, British.
 ---------------
Not possible to explain the different names of the Owners.

[AlanBoyd]

9 August 1899: Northern Guardian (Hartlepool)

WRECK OF A SCHOONER.
The schooner Fair Maid, of Padstow, which stranded in Cullercoats Bay, remained in a dangerous position yesterday. There was a heavy swell from the north-east, and last night the vessel had drifted close to the bottom of the cliffs near the Watch House. Her keel is very much damaged, and there did not not seem any probability of her being floated. The Fairy Maid, which was built in 1876, and is owned by Mr. W.R.Allen of Watchet, Somerset, was bound from Amsterdam to the Tyne, in ballast. She is 90 tons register.

From this information I believe that it's possible to pinpoint the location shown in the photo. The building on the cliff top beyond the foremast with the characteristic structure on the roof is the Watch House. You can see it here on streetview:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/m13s93od4yoSKYpv7?g_st=ic

With that in mind look at this map of Cullercoats Bay, and find the Watch House:

https://maps.nls.uk/view/132279683#zoom=6&lat=5678&lon=6239&layers=BT

Fairy Maid looks to be lying east to west, somewhere in the area to the NNE of the Watch House, probably on the rocks just to the east of the area labelled on the map as Sand. The photographer was located further to the north and looking approximately south. The buildings on the cliff top at the extreme right of the photo would then be those on the cliff top and south of the street labelled on the map as Bank Top. The light-coloured roof beyond Fairy Maid's stern is the roof of the Lifeboat House (which is at beach level) and Victoria Crescent is beyond that.

The postcard below shows the same area viewed from the south. The Lifeboat House can be seen 'on the beach' near the middle of the image with the Watch House above and just to the right (difficult to make out clearly). The light-coloured cliff with light then dark houses above is the area at the right hand side of the image of the Fairy Maid aground.

[AlanBoyd]

This wasn't the end of Fairy Maid's troubles in 1899.

Looking at newspaper reports it seems that Fairy Maid finally left the northeast for Fowey on September 25th, arriving on October 6th. On October 31st we find her windbound in Harwich on a voyage to Dundee with a cargo of china clay. On November 3rd she put into the Tyne to shelter from a strong westerly gale. She finally arrived at Tayport on November 7th. On November 16th she departed 'light for Port Allan' [where is Port Allan?]. Then she suffered another misadventure:

22 November 1899: Dundee Advertiser

THE MISHAP ON THE TAY.
The vessel which was run into by the Dundee trading steamer Bulldog, while in the River Tay off Dundee on Monday night, is the schooner Fairy Maid of Padstow, which was on the passage from Port Allan to Newcastle with a cargo of potatoes. She was berthed in King William Dock yesterday where her damage will be repaired. The schooner's bowsprit was snapped, and the head gear was completely carried away.

She finally arrived back at Fowey on January 10th 1900.

[KGarrad]

This wasn't the end of Fairy Maid's troubles in 1899.

Looking at newspaper reports it seems that Fairy Maid finally left the northeast for Fowey on September 25th, arriving on October 6th. On October 31st we find her windbound in Harwich on a voyage to Dundee with a cargo of china clay. On November 3rd she put into the Tyne to shelter from a strong westerly gale. She finally arrived at Tayport on November 7th. On November 16th she departed 'light for Port Allan' [where is Port Allan?]. Then she suffered another misadventure:

Could it be Port Ellen, Islay?

[AlanBoyd]

Maybe, although that’s a long voyage just for potatoes!

According to Wikipedia, potatoes were introduced to Islay as a staple crop in mid-18th century.

[AlanBoyd]

Edward Fry, 80, tasked with refloating the Fairy Maid.

[KGarrad]

Another try: Port Allen Mid Strip?
Just up the river from Dundee.

doesn't appear to be a port, though!

And try PH2 7TH

and:
Site Name Port Allen, Pier

Classification Harbour (19th Century), Pier (19th Century)

Alternative Name(s) Port Allen Wharf; Pow Of Errol; River Tay

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Errol,_Perth_and_Kinross#Port_Allen
Herdman noted in 1791 that large quantities of grain were shipped from this port.

[BushInn1746]

Hello Alan & KG

Added
Thanks for the replies.

Yes Alan, the Watch House is in the centre of the photo we have.
Added
The pointed roof has a clock in the tower when seen the other side.

The Cullercoats Art Trail shows the Watch House on the front and No.9 in a pdf online ... North Tyneside Council.