South Shields, Herd Sand, Henry Cooke

HER Number:
15099

District:
S Tyneside

Site Name:
South Shields, Herd Sand, Henry Cooke

Place:
South Shields

Map Sheet:
NZ36NE

Class:
Maritime Craft

Site Type: Broad:
Transport Vessel

Site Type: Specific:
Cargo Vessel

General Period:
Early Modern

Specific Period:
C19

Form of Evidence:
Wreckage

Description:
Apparently from the Shields Gazette, no date given: "On Tuesday night 8th December as the gale continued, the Life Brigades on both sides of the river, supported by the local lifeboatmen, were on bad weather watch. At about one o'clock on Wednesday morning, the storm raged with terrible violence and the sea was running fearfully high across the Shields Bar, when three signal guns were fired from the Spanish Battery and a like number boomed forth from HMS CASTOR, giving the mournful intelligence that a vessel was in distress at the harbour mouth...A large vessel was seen making for the harbour previous to the firing of the guns, but the Brigadesmen observed that she had got to the south side of the South Pier and must have come ashore. They then exhibited three bright lights from the watch house, and the wagon containing the rocket apparatus was, with great difficulty, run a considerable distance down the pier and made fast. Five rockets were fired, and a line was got on board the vessel, which had struck the sand, only a short distance from the schooner SCYLLA, but it was not used by the crew. The vessel immediately keeled over with her decks to the sea and immediately began to break up. The Brigadesmen shouted to the men to haul on the line, but they evidently had not understood the use of the apparatus because it was not used. The ill-fated vessel broke up in an incredibly short space of time and the whole of the crew perished, notwithstanding that they were within a stone's throw of the shore. It was then found that the vessel was a large timber-laden vessel, and the huge baulk with which she had been loaded were mixed up with the timbers of the wreck. Amongst other things which were picked up were a Bible, a log book, and a nameboard and a lifebuoy, these gave the name of the ship as the HENRY COOKE. It has since been stated that the HENRY COOKE belonged to Mr Swallow of South Shields, and was commanded by Captain Waddell, and was bound from Quebec to Sunderland." Master: Waddell Crew Lost: all Owner: Swallow, South Shields

Easting:
37900

Northing:
67300

Grid Reference:
NZ3790067300

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
National Monuments Record (1366857); Boswell Whitaker 1980 Preservation of life from shipwreck, volume 2 : South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade Page(s)86-7