ENGLISH SCHOONER, 1864 Vessel stranded and lost in wind conditions ESE force 10.

`On Thursday 24th November, a severe east-north-east gale lashed the north coast...The first casualty happened at 4pm...

`On the same day, at about the same time, the schooner FRIENDSHIP of Colchester, coal laden, returning through stress of weather to the harbour, got out of the Channel and drove onto the Black Middens. The lifeboats NORTHUMBERLAND and PROVIDENCE were manned, and proceeded to her assistance. At the time it was low water and the two lifeboats made every effort to close with the vessel, but as terrific seas swept over the Middens the rocks appeared like black broken teeth. The lifeboats hailed the FRIENDSHIP advising the sailors to lash themselves to the rigging until the tide had risen enough for them to get alongside, then both boats lay off, and waited.

`In the meantime, the RNLI lifeboat CONSTANCE, stationed in Tynemouth Haven, was launched and proceeded to the wreck, but getting too close to the ship was struck by a heavy sea, and driven up against the vessel, stove it in. Four of the crew of the CONSTANCE, thinking the boat was unsafe, jumped onto the wreck of the FRIENDSHIP. A succession of heavy seas thundering in hammered the FRIENDSHIP on her beam ends. Six crew members perished, and four lifeboatmen, who were wearing lifejackets, were thrown over the rocks to the beach. Only two survived, and they were badly injured.' (2)

`At daylight on the morning of Thursday 24th November 1864...the wind was light, it was evident from the heavy seas rolling in from the south-east that there was quite a strong wind offside...It was high water towards noon, and by then the wind and sea was just beginning to make [sic]...the lights of a schooner (which afterwards proved to be the FRIENDSHIP of Colchester, Captain Samuel Stead) were observed entering the narrows. With the wind and sea behind her she came very quickly up the narrows, took a sheer to the north side, ending on the Mussel Scarp Rocks (the western end of the Black Middens). On this being observed the alarm was raised by the people ashore, the rocket apparatus belonging to the coastguards was brought, and in addition to the lifeboat TYNE, which was at this moment landing the crew of the tug EXPERT, the lifeboat PROVIDENCE from South Shields and the NORTHUMBERLAND from North Shields were launched.' (3)

`At about 10 o'clock that night, with the tide at about half-flood, the schooner FRIENDSHIP began to sir, but as she began to lift, a heavy sea, tearing in from the south-east, knocked her over on her beam ends. The cries of the crew could be plainly heard as the seas tore over her, and the crowds on the beach could only stand by in sorrow as they witnessed the scene.' (3)

At the Inquest, reported in the Shields Gazette of 26.11.1864, one of the bodies was recognised as Samuel Shead, master, by James Shead, master mariner, of Colchester, and crew complement confirmed as 5 hands; other witnesses recognised 2 other bodies as Daniel Page of Wivenhoe, aged 17 and the mate to be Mitchell. (3)

Two bodies recognised at the inquest as William Clark, seaman on board the FRIENDSHIP, age unknown, of Little Holland; and William Button of Oxford, one of the crew of the FRIENDSHIP, aged 18. (3)

`After a short deliberation the jury returned the following verdict:
"We find that the loss of the FRIENDSHIP was purely accidental..." ' (3)

`...on 7th December in the North and South Shields Gazette:

"To be sold by Auction:

"On the New Quay, North Shields, on Thursday December 8th, 1864, at 11 o'clock forenoon, W G Tate and Sons, Auctioneers.

"The ship's stores, saved from the wreck of the schooner FRIENDSHIP of Colchester, consisting of anchors, chains, warps, rigging, ropes, sails, boat, yellow metal, gudgeons, etc., about 20 bags of oatmeal, and upwards of 20 barrels of Scotch pickled pork.

"R Popplewell and Co., Lloyds' Agent, New Quay, North Shields." ' (4)

Master: Samuel Stead (3), Samuel Shead (3)
Crew: 5 (1)(3)
Crew Lost: 5 (1)(3); 6 (2)
Lives Lost: 8 (including 2 lifeboatmen)
Other ships with the name Friendship wrecked off Tynemouth include HER 13987 and HER 14138

1830 wreck of British craft which stranded on the Black Middens on her arrival at Shields; a wooden sailing vessel. `Shields, 18th Sept. The FRIENDSHIP, Brown, missed stays in entering this harbour 16th instant, struck upon the Black Middings, and is totally wrecked; crew and materials saved.'

Master: Brown

Vessel stranded and lost in wind conditions S x W force 6.
The 17th Annual Meeting, held in the Brigade House on Tuesday, 23rd August, 1881, is reported in the Shields Gazette. Here is a portion of the Secretary's report.

"...On 7th February, the guns have the alarm [sic], at a few minutes before 6 o'clock, in the evening. A schooner, which proved to be the FAITHFUL, was ashore on the Black Midden rocks. A large number of the Brigade speedily mustered, and a rocket was fired, and a line sent on board, which was made fast by the crew, but the lifeboat TOM PERRY coming alongside, the crew got into her and were brought ashore."

Built: 1830
Where Built: Sunderland
Master: J Colthorpe
Crew: 7
Owner: E Peck & Co., Ipswich
Construction: 3 masts

1782 wreck of English privateer which stranded on the Mussel Scarp on entering Shields harbour. Originally French, she was a wooden sailing vessel`For sale to the highest bidder, at the Half-Moon Tavern, Carr's, North Shields, on Monday the 28th of January, 1782, at noon, the hull of the ENTERPRIZE, Capt. William Dennes (late a private ship of war) with her copper sheathing, as she now lies on the Muscle Scarp, with her foremast, bowsprit, and mizzenmast standing.

`After which will be sold her stores, in separate lots, consisting of 3 anchors, from 28 to 31cwt each; 3 cables, from 16 and a half to 17 inches; a quantity of standing and running rigging; some junk; 24 9lb guns, 8 6lb ditto, all bored out of the solid, with carriages, tackles, breechings, etc, some swivels and cohorns; 13 whole barrels, and 2 half ditto, of gunpowder; a quantity of 9 and 6lb cartridges filled; 70 muskets, several bayonets, and boarding pikes, cutlasses and tomahawks; 50 sails, great and small; one chest of colours of most nations; a medicine chest, and box of surgeon's instruments; some tierces and barrels of beef and pork; a quantity of carpenter's stores; an armourer's forge, anvil, etc; upwards of 120 old butts, puncheons, and hogsheads; a sheer mast; some top-masts and top-gallant masts, lower yards, top-sail and top-gallant ditto, and sundry other spars; several steering sailbooms and yards; a large iron hearth, with cook's coppers, etc; sundry ship-chandlery and other stores.

`Inventories, with the terms of sale, will be delivered; and the stores may be viewed some days before the sale, by applying at the Half-Moon, as above mentioned.'

`We are sorry to inform our readers, that on a survey on Tuesday, by several master builders, the ENTERPRIZE privateer of London, lately drove on shore in entering this port, was found so much damaged, that she was condemned, and her hull and stores are advertised to be sold. She was a French prize, and a remarkable swift sailing vessel.'

Built: France
Construction: copper-sheathed; three masts
Armament: 24 x 9pdr; 8 x 6 pdr; swivels; cohorns
Master: William Dennes

The tow line from a tug was cast off in wind conditions ENE force 6 and rain before the ship had time to set any sail. On crossing the Bar, she was driven on the rocks at 8pm and became a total loss. Estimated financial loss on the vessel was 800 [sterling].
Built: 1847
Crew: 5
Owner: Palmer, Boston

SCOTTISH CRAFT, 15th March, 1850, EDWARD of Glasgow, wrecked on Black Middens.

1819 incident in which a Scottish cargo vessel grounded first on the Sparrowhawk, then on the Black Middens, on entering Shields from Pictou with timber. This wooden sailing vessel was afterwards recovered. `The ECONOMY...ran on shore on the Bar in entering Shields on Monday morning, and it was feared would be wrecked. Crew saved by the life boat. Part of the materials expected to be saved.'


Master: Frazer

In February 1865, there was almost a repeat performance of the STANLEY disaster. On Friday 3rd February at about 10am, during a very severe gale, the steamer EARL PERCY of Newcastle, bound in from Rotterdam, when entering the harbour, was driven ashore on the Black Middens close to the remains of the wrecked STANLEY. This was a similar case on all points to the ill-fated STANLEY, but attended fortunately with no loss of life. The lifeboats TYNE, PROVIDENCE and NORTHUMBERLAND were manned and proceeded down.

The PROVIDENCE being first alongside the wreck, rescued all on board, 18 in all, and brought them back to the coble landing. The EARL PERCY, like the STANLEY, broke in two, and but for the services of the lifeboats all would have perished. The rescued were: Benjamin Taylor, master; R N Walker, mate; John Clark, 2nd mate; John James, seaman; James Kendall, seaman; W Nandle, seaman; W Neller, seaman; John Dodds, seaman; W Moler, seaman; W Eastland, seaman; Robert Herron, engineer; W Robson, 2nd engineer; Thomas Gares, fireman; W Nelson, fireman; R Adams, fireman; A Scott, fireman; John Ramssay, pilot; and N Peterson, passenger.

Master: Benjamin Taylor
Crew: 16
Passengers: 1 + pilot

1819 wreck of English brig which stranded and bilged on the Black Middens following a collision, on entering Shields from Dover; a wooden sailing vessel`The DOLPHIN, Reed, from Dover, in turning into Shields on Sunday, was run foul of by a brig, which carried her mainmast away, and caused her to get upon the Black Midden and bilged. Crew saved; part of the materials expected to be saved.'

[NB: This source indicates the date of loss as 19-DEC-1819.]

`...on the 18th inst. the brig DOLPHIN, of Newcastle, in entering the said harbour [Shields], was run foul of by the ship TYNEMOUTH, when her masts were carried away, and she was driven upon the rocks.'

Master: Reed

1814 wreck of English cargo vessel which stranded on the Black Middens after grounding on Tynemouth Bar, on entering Shields harbour. En route from St. Petersburg to London, she was a wooden sailing vessel. `The CORNWALLIS, Stowle, from Petersburg to London, run on shore upon the Black Middons [sic], near Shields, on Sunday, and it is uncertain whether she can be got off. Cargo will be saved.' (1)

`The CORNWALLIS, of this port, with a cargo from the Baltic, in attempting to enter Shields harbour on Sunday last, struck on the Bar, and afterwards got on the Black Middings.' (3)

`The CORNWALLIS, of Newcastle, Stowle, from Petersburg, with iron, deals, etc., bound to London, got upon the Herd Sand in attempting to come into the harbour, and afterwards drifted across the water, and is now a total wreck on the rocks.' (4)

`The HALLIDAY...and the CORNWALLIS, Edw. Stowle, of London, bound to London, both from St. Petersburg, with iron, timber, deals, etc., are wrecked at Shields. The cargoes partly saved.' (5)

Master: Edward Stowle