Dove

Official Number 54540

The ketch Dove was built at Kingston in 1866 and was owned by Barrow's James Fisher from her launch until her loss four years later.

" The schooner Dove, of Barrow, was sunk on Arklow bank on Thursday night, and the crew of four men and the master's wife had to take refuge in the rigging, where they remained all night, the poor woman having nothing on but her nightdress. As soon as the wreck was discovered on Friday morning the Arklow lifeboat was launched, and after a hard struggle it was fortunately enabled to rescue the five poor creatures, who were in a very exhausted state. They had to be dragged through the surf to the boat. The Arklow lifeboat has been the means during the past few years of saving 88 lives from different wrecks."

The Dove was bound from Morecambe to Newport with a cargo of pig iron, and was driven onto the bank in a heavy SW gale. The lifeboat filled with seawater several times during the rescue, and the high risk run by the crew was recognised by the RNLI, who awarded the coxswain, John Cummins, their silver medal (see Sources 2 and 3).

Name	Year Built	Gross Tons	Length (feet)	Breadth (feet)	Depth (feet)	Masts	Figurehead	Stern	Lloyd's Classn.
Dove	1866	143				2

Sources :

1. Research by Derek Blackhurst
2. Wreck also reported in the Glasgow Herald, Monday, 5th Sept.1870.
3. Rescue reported in "The Times" newspaper, Friday, 7th October, 1870, page 4 - describes the Dove as a schooner.