Wreck of the Stanley

The Wreck of the Steam Ship Stanley

The morning of 24th November 1864 dawned with a cold, grey sky and a fresh breeze. Some of the Cullercoats fishing boats were out but as the wind grew stronger they made for the harbour. After mid-day the weather became steadily worse with the wind freshening all the time and the sea getting wilder. By mid afternoon the weather was very bad indeed with the sea extremely rough and a strong ebb tide running. Grey storm clouds were gathering and the sea showed signs of breaking in the channel between the piers. As night approached rain fell heavily and the wind increased to a gale.

At 5.15 p.m. the Steamship "Stanley" hit the Black Middens, holing her bottom and flooding the boiler fires. Boiler gauges blew but no crew were injured. She was carrying 31 passengers and 29 crew as well as 47 cattle and 30 sheep. Local lifeboats, "William Wake", "Tyne", "Providence" and "Northumberland" all put to sea but were unable to get near the stricken ship because of the tremendous seas and all returned to their stations. "Providence" had put out from South Shields but was struck by a tremendous sea which stunned the crew and carried away most of her oars, forcing them to put back to the beach.

The Tynemouth lifeboat, "Constance", had put to sea but had been mistakenly advised that the crews had been rescued and so returned to the Haven. Upon learning that the crew of the "Stanley" were still aboard they launched again.

Coastguards put a rocket over the "Stanley's" bow but the crew, in a state of panic, ignored the master's order to secure the hawser up the mast and secured it to the bow. As there was no tripod at the shore end, it was impossible to lift the lines clear of the waves and rocks and the Coastguards working the apparatus at the shore end were hampered by a huge crowd of spectators.

Four crew men and five women were seen in the ship's starboard lifeboat when one davit snapped, up-ending the boat which was then swamped by a wave. The five women and one crewman were washed away and drowned.

Coastguards rigged up the breeches buoy and able seaman Andrew Campbell was brought safely ashore but none of the women could be persuaded to follow. A male passenger was the next to try but had to be hauled back on board half drowned. Second mate James Kemp tried next and was successfully brought ashore. A man and woman together tried next but they fell off the cradle and were drowned. Fireman James Buchan then tried but the gear got fouled and he was trapped in the water. Several men, at risk to their own lives, waded into the water to their armpits and managed to drag him from the sea. Lawrence Byrne, Chief Officer of the Coastguard at Tynemouth was knocked off his feet by a large wave but was saved by grabbing the cloak of an old man who dashed to his aid as he was being washed out to sea.

At 10.30 p.m., just before the Stanley broke in two, the brig "Ardwell" crashed into her side. Some members of Stanley's crew jumped onto the "Ardwell" and were later rescued by the South Shields lifeboat. After the steamer broke, members of the crew who were lashed in the rigging of the forepart survived because the bow, pointing into the waves, broke their force. Others, left on the stern part were all swept off to their deaths. By around 4-5 o'clock the tide had fallen enough to permit the Cullercoats rocket apparatus to reach the ship and the remaining passengers and crew were landed safely on the morning of the 25th November.

Among those at the scene was a young rifle volunteer called John Morrison. He felt that many lives could have been saved by a better trained and disciplined reserve force. He took his ideas to two prominent townspeople, John and Joseph Spence. On Monday, 5th December 1864 a Public Meeting was held to consider the best means of -

"assisting in the RELIEF of the SUFFERERS of the recent wrecks at Tynemouth"

- and also to consider establishing a Volunteer Corps to assist the Coastguard in working the rocket apparatus in case of wreck. This was the beginning of the Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade!

A Board of Trade Inquiry into the loss of the S.S. Stanley, concluded in December 1864, that the loss was a misadventure caused by the overwhelming sea, the absence of the leading lights and other circumstances beyond the control of the master. The Captain was therefore exonerated and his master's certificate was renewed.

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