A 97 ton trawler, which struck a mine on 21st February 1918. The remains survive to a height of 2m in places, but much is buried in the sand. N 55 03 00 W 01 23 08. In 18 metres of water (Collings). A 91 or 97T (Spokes has two entries for the Reaper) trawler. She was sunk by a mine on 21st February 1918. The wreck lies at a depth of 18m.

On the south side of the reef are some gullies which contain the remains of the Astley, a brig, which sank on 28th October 1880. Only metal fittings remain and these are encrusted into the rock (Collings). A brig which ran aground 28th October 1880 at Browns Bay. She lies in 8m of water. Some of her remains can still be seen south of the reef which runs east from the pool to the wreck of the BUTETOWN.
Built: 1839
Where Built: Blakeney
Master: G Bryson
Crew: 6

A Greek steamship which was driven onto the rocky headland during a blizzard. She was heavily salvaged and all that survives are her bottom plates which can be seen above water at very low tides on the edge of the reef (Collings). Steel, 4,796-ton, 121.92m long, 15.77m beam and 5.41m draught. She was built by Dunedin by C.Conell & Co. Ltd at Glasgow in 1909 and owned at the time of loss by the Zepheros (Zephyros) Steam Ship Co. Ltd. The single steel propeller was powered by a three-cylinder, triple-expansion steam engine. Her machinery was built by Dunmuir & Jackson Ltd at Glasgow. She had one deck, six watertight bulkheads and a superstructure consisting of an 11.3m poop-deck, a 36.6m bridge-deck and a 13.4m forecastle.
On 26 February 1947 the Zepheros was in ballast on passage from Rouen for the Tyne when she was driven ashore at Brown’s Point, under the Cullercoats’ Radio Station, during a south-easterly gale, very heavy seas and driving snow. The vessel was eventually given up as lost and later completely salvaged, leaving just the bottom few pieces of hull.

The Spokes/NMR database records the nationality as Greek and spells the name as Zephyros.

A barque which sank in Cullercoats Harbour in 1864. The reef was named after her.

BARQUE. The City of Bristol was wrecked off the Bears Head in 1870. One report lists her as a large barque (there are stern adornments in the watchtower at Tynemouth), but an illustration of the wrecking shows her as a small steamer. A boiler can be found at low water (Collings). Steamship ran aground at Bears Heads, Longsands on the 9th December 1870. The EAGLE was stranded on The Bar during the same storm. Keys and Smith say she broke her neck after striking a rock on her way into the Tyne.

A 2824 ton steamship built by Greys at Hartlepool. The Empire Knoll was anchored off the north Tyne pier, waiting to load and set sail on her maiden voyage, when she broke loose and struck the foundations of the old pier and sank. She was heavily salvaged and then left to the mercy of the sea. She is now well broken up and dispersed over a wide area (Collings). Steel, 2, 824-ton, 94.64m long, 13.51m beam and 589m draught. The Empire Knoll was a British steamship, registered in West Hartlepool. She was built in 1941 by W. Gray & Co. Ltd at West Hartlepool and owned at the time of loss by the Ministry of Shipping. Her single steel propeller was powered by a three-cylinder, triple-expansion steam engine. Her aft-positioned machinery was built by Central Marine Engineering Works Ltd at West Hartlepool. She had a cruiser-stern, one deck, a 53.4m quarter-deck and an 11.3m forecastle.
On 17 February 1941, the newly-built Empire Knoll was lying at anchor off the north pier off Tynemouth, waiting to load up with coal for her maiden voyage to Lisbon and Huelva when she broke loose, struck the old pier foundations and foundered. She was heavily salvaged soon after and her remains were left to the mercy of the elements.

The wreck is now totally collapsed and well-dispersed, close to the pier foundations on the north side, in a general depth of about 10m (Spokes and NMR record depth as 5m). All that remains now are bent steel sheets, ribs, sections of hollow masts, engine parts, a few battered copper pipes and pieces of broken machinery lying scattered under kelp bed.

Grid reference conversion made 08.12.2010 with http://gps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/etrs89geo_natgrid.asp with Lat/Long referenced as N 55 00 57 W 01 24 7

A barque, wrecked on Battery Rocks in 1890 (Collings) or March 26th 1898 ((Keys and Smith and NMR). She was wrecked on Black Middens Rocks whilst entering the Tyne with pit props from Sandefiord (Collings) or Larvik (NMR). 8 of the crew were rescued with rocket apparatus. A wooden sailing vessel built in 1869.

A 1754 steamship wrecked on Battery Rocks.

A steel steamship built in 1880. She came aground near Skelton Beacon in 1908 and was eventually broken up. South Shields Library has a good photo. The NMR describes her as a Norwegian cargo vessel which stranded on the Black Middens in a storm. She had called at Blyth to bunker coal on her passage from Ibiza to Kristiansund with salt, but was forced to seek shelter in the Tyne.

A 314 feet long coal ship of 2834 tons. On her outward journey on 7th December 1899 to Table Bay she came aground on the Black Middens and was wrecked. Vessel stranded and lost in wind conditions W force 6. Crew rescued by lifeboat.

The lifeboat JAMES YOUNG, coxswain Thomas Wilson in command, was launched, battled her way to the steamship MALTBY, and picked up the entire crew of 24 hands.


Built: 1889
Builder: Ropner and Sons
Where Built: Stockton-on-Tees
Propulsion: Screw driven, 3 cylinder triple expansion engine
HP: 256
Machinery: Blair & Co., Stockton-on-Tees
Construction: p'deck 33ft; q'deck 100ft; b'deck 118ft; f'castle 31ft; 5 bulkheads; 1 deck; well-deck
Master: J A Chiswick
Crew: 24 Two entries are given on the NMR 1035976 and 908747)