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Official Number
39267 ? |
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Official Number
39267 ? |
When she was wrecked on Robin Rigg Sands on the morning of Saturday, 25th January 1868, the Delhi was owned and manned by Maryport seamen. The evidence of her origins is somewhat contradictory, but it appears she was a brig built in 1857, either at Prince Edward island, Canada, or Bideford, Maine USA, and had been owned for most of her life at Exeter. She was lost with all hands, nine men and two boys, on a voyage from Maryport to Dublin with a coal cargo.
From the Liverpool Mercury newspaper, Saturday 1st February 1868:
" THE DISASTROUS WRECK OFF THE CUMBERLAND COAST - The wreck of the Maryport brig Delhi seems to have been one of the most fatal of the shipping disasters in last Friday's hurricane. There is now little doubt that the whole of the crew, numbering seven men and two boys, together with two seamen who were passengers on board the vessel, have perished.The Delhi, which was a good coasting brig of 302 tons register, left Maryport for Dublin on Thursday, laden with 450 tons of coal. She was commanded by Captain George Scott, of Maryport, who had a large share in her proprietorship; and this was his first, as it unhappily proved to be his last, voyage in her since he became owner. His brother was mate of the vessel, and his nephew accompanied them. The crew mustered seven men (including the captain), all of whom belong to Maryport; there were also on board two Maryport seamen who were on their way to join their ships at Dublin; the mate's son, who had gone for pleasure; and a boy, the son of a coal porter at Dublin, who had run away to sea when the vessel was last in that port, and was now returning after his first voyage. The Delhi left Maryport harbour by the afternoon tide on Thursday. On the same tide the Fidelity (Irving), another coaster, left Silloth, bound for the same destination; and the captain reports that late in the afternoon he saw the Delhi ahead of him , not far from the Bohemia Lightship (which is about ten miles east of Ramsey, Isle of Man), making for the Irish coast. About that time a gale got up, and the captain of the Fidelity deemed it prudent to put back at once for Silloth, which he happily succeeded in reacjing on Friday morning before the hurricane became so furious. The Delhi did not turn at this time; but it seems probable that Captain Scott, after trying a little longer to make his way, met with some casualty to his vessel, and then attempted also to put back to Maryport. He had not however been able to make that harbour, for in the course of Friday a brig was seen riding at anchor off Maryport by one of the seafaring men of the port., who went for his spyglass to try and make her out, but when he returned the haze and driving rain quite shrouded her from view. The next thing that was heard of the ill-fated vessel was on Saturday morning about seven o'clock, when large quantities of wreck came ashore near Silloth. Among this was the stern of a boat with "Delhi, of Maryport - George Scott" painted upon it; and during the day large portions of wreck came ashore near the same neighbourhood, and a boat, with its side stove in, also having the name of the vessel painted upon it, in full. The opinion of the experienced sea captains of the district is that while the Delhi was riding at anchor at low water on Friday evening, when the gale was very furious, her chains had parted, and that she had been driven upon the scaurs between Maryport and Dubmill, Allonby, bumping as she went, and breaking up almost immediately. The wreck was complete. She was literally smashed into a thousand pieces, many cart-loads of small fragments of her masts and hull having been washed up all along the coast between Silloth and Flimby.At midnight on Saturday a trunk, which has since been identified as being that of Captain Scott's, was found upon the beach at Allonby. It contained the ship's papers and an old log-book of the St.George, of Maryport; but we regret to learn that its lock had been forced open after it had been cast ashore, and a quantity of wearing apparel stolen therefrom.
The following is a list of the persons who perished with the unfortunate vessel:- George Scott, master, maryport; William Scott, mate, and brother of the captain; William Scott, a boy, son of the mate; James M'Cormack, seaman, Maryport; George Fawcett, seaman, Maryport; William Alderson, seaman, Maryport; William Henderson, seaman, Maryport; William Avery, seaman, Maryport; Robert Humphrey, seaman, Maryport; another seaman, name unknown; a Dublin boy, name unknown. Eight of the men were married; one of them, George Fawcett, was married only last week.
The vessel was insured for £700 in the Maryport Association. "
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