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Official Number
51089 |
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Official Number
51089 |
The schooner Isabella Hall was built by Scott at Bowling in 1865 for James Fisher of Barrow. She was owned for her whole life by Fishers, until her loss in 1888.
At the time of the 1881 Census (1st April) the Isabella Hall
was berthed at Barrow and the crew were listed as follows:
| Abraham Jones | M | 53 | New Quay, Cardigan, Wales | Master |
| John Roberts | M | 25 | St.Helens, Lancashire, England | Mate |
| William Jones | M | 19 | Newport, Monmouth, England | AB |
| Owen Harris | M | 34 | Newport, Pembroke, Wales | AB |
| James Gilmore | M | 21 | Belfast, Ireland | OS |
| John McKibbin | M | 30 | Belfast, Ireland | OS |
The Isabella Hall was wrecked on the 4th November 1888 when she struck on Tongue Sands at the entrance to the Thames. Capt.E.P.Dodd and the crew of four were saved by the crew of the steamer Albatross. The schooner had been on passage from London to Cardiff with an ore cargo.
Five of the crew from the Albatross received awards for their part in the rescue. The following account (see Source 3) describes the events of the rescue:
"London.- In Case of the s.s.Albatross, of London, for rescue of the Master (E.P.Dodd) and three of the Hands - one more being also otherwise saved, and received on board the steamer subsequently - of the three-masted Schooner Isabella Hall, of Barrow, wrecked on the Tongue Sand, on the night of November 4-5, 1888. The vessel having taken ground, in bad weather, on the evening of the 4th, commenced to make water rapidly, and the Schooner's boat being lost in the effort to launch her, the Crew were forced to cling in the rigging throughout the night, till seen in the morning by the Albatross.The four seamen from Albatross, King, Fedder, Lacy and Oakley, were each awarded Sea Gallantry Medals in Silver for their part in the rescue. The SGM is a 3rd level official government award, and equivalent (in level) to a DSC for gallantry, or now, a Queen's Gallantry Medal. The SGM, established in 1854, is Britain's oldest official gallantry award, and predates the Victoria Cross. The SGM recognises gallantry by seafarers in saving life at sea of other seafarers (Source 4).Notwithstanding that the attempted rescue of the imperilled men had been given up as hopeless by other passing craft, the steamer sent out her long-boat, in charge of the Chief Officer, Mr.John Dinneen, and manned by four Seamen, who, after nearly three hours of persistent and skilful manoeuvring, and the Chief Officer and three of the Hands being thrown out of the boat, eventually succeeded in bringing the Isabella Hall's crew on board the Albatross, which conveyed them to London.
In recognition of these humane and praiseworthy services, the following Rewards from the Society were unanimously voted, viz:-
To the Master of the s.s. Albatross, Captain John Brown Randall, a Special Presentation Marine Aneroid Barometer; to the Chief Officer, Mr. John Dinneen - a Silver Life Saving Medal; to the four Seamen manning the Boat, William George King, Henry Fedder, Robert Lacey, and Arthur Oakley the Pecuniary Reward of the Sum of One Pound each."
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Sources :
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