Sportsman

Official Number 19632

The Sportsman was a schooner built at Southampton in 1818. She appears to have been bought by James Fisher, Barrow shipowner, in 1857, after being wrecked on the Jalla Bank (source 1). The following newspaper report seems to indicate that she was got off and repaired.

DISASTROUS GALE AT MORECAMBE - Ulverston Mirror, 2nd June , 1860.

About five o'clock on Monday morning, the wind from N. and N.E. rose to a perfect hurricane.  Six vessels were driven from their anchors, and stranded, all more or less damaged. They are the John Stonard of Ulverston, Tower of Barrow; Sportsman, of Barrow, Esther Ann of Ulverston, Three Brothers of Liverpool and Mona's Isle of Barrow.

The crew of the John Stonard had a very narrow escape. The vessel heeling over when she grounded, they were for a short time, completely submerged, but she soon righted, and the crew were rescued from their perilous situation by the coastguard assisted by two Poulton fishermen, who gallantly volunteered their services, when they found the coastguard could not get their boat through the surf.

Twenty-two fishing boats were also blown ashore. Some are complete wrecks, and the others are all more or less damaged.

Sources :

1. Research by Derek Blackhurst