South Shields, Herd Sand, Fowlis

HER Number:
14257

District:
S Tyneside

Site Name:
South Shields, Herd Sand, Fowlis

Place:
South Shields

Map Sheet:
NZ36NE

Class:
Maritime Craft

Site Type: Broad:
Sailing Vessel

Site Type: Specific:
Schooner

General Period:
Early Modern

Specific Period:
C19

Form of Evidence:
Wreckage

Description:
A schooner wrecked on the Herd Sand in February 1861. She had been en route from Inverness. A strong gale blew the ship onto the Herd Sand, she then drifted onto the stones by the South Pier. Four lifeboats were unable to get alongside her. Eventually the lifeboat TYNE managed to fire a rocket line to the FOWLIS and the captain and mate were saved. Then the line broke. Four crewmen remained on board. One managed to swim to the lifeboat. The lifeboats battled on for three hours to rescue the remaining three men. Two were swept to their deaths. The third was washed towards the shore and was saved. The SARAH ANN was wrecked on the same day. Around 50 ships were wrecked that day between South Shields and Whitby. Built: 1832 Master: George Frazer Crew: 6 Crew Lost: 2

Easting:
37

Northing:
67

Grid Reference:
NZ3767

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
Dick Keys and Ken Smith, 1998, Black Diamonds by Sea - North-East Sailing Colliers 1780-1880, p 28; National Monuments Record (996842); United Kingdom shipwreck index [pre publication typescript]; Richard and Bridget Larn 1997 Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 3. The east coast of England : Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, County Durham, Northumberland Section 6, County Durham (CF); Boswell Whitaker 1979 Preservation of life from shipwreck, volume 1 : Skuetender lifeboat Page(s)96-7