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Gertrude | Official Number
37954 |
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Gertrude | Official Number
37954 |
The Gertrude was a brig, built at St.Stephens, New
Brunswick, Canada in 1838. In 1865 she was registered at Maryport,
owned by Thomas
Benn and commanded by Capt.G.Tweedie. Still
owned by Benn, the vessel was lost on the 26th February 1875 on a
voyage from Silloth to Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire, Ireland) with a
cargo of 340 tons of coal, being abandoned 9 miles SE of Langlands
Point, Isle of Man. The seven crew survived.
The Cumberland Pacquet and Ware's Witehaven Advertiser, Tuesday, 9th March 1875;
" TOTAL LOSS OF A MARYPORT VESSEL - GALLANT RESCUE OF THE CREW. - On Sunday night the crew of the Gertrude,
of Maryport, were landed at the Prince's Landing-stage, after being
rescued
from a watery grave in the most praiseworthy manner by Captain John
Farrell,
of the steamship Enterprise, belonging to the Dundalk
Steam-packet
Company.
The Gertrude, in the early part of the past week, left
Silloth, with a cargo of coal, for Dundalk, in charge of Thomas Brown,
the rest of the crew consisting of William Douglas (mate), James
Lattimer,
George Laurence, John Douglas, John Thompson, and Benjamin Brookes. All
went well until Thursday night, when she encountered a frightfully
heavy
sea, and after daybreak her rudder was carried away. Owing to the heavy
sea that was running, Captain Brown found that it would be useless to
launch
the only boat he had, and determined to stand by the brig as long as he
was able to do so. In the hope of getting assistance from some passing
vessel, a flag of distress was hoisted, and about half -past seven
o'clock
on Friday morning it was seen by Captain Farrell, off the Calf of Man,
who immediately ordered his steamer to be put about.
The wind was blowing from the N.E. a terrific gale, and Captain
Farrell
found that it would be utterly impossible to launch a boat with any
prospect
of her living sufficiently long to reach the brig. On getting within
hail
Captain Farrell shouted as loud as he could, but the crew of the brig
were
unable to hear what he said, when the captain of the Gertrude
pointed
to the stern of his vessel, indicating that his rudder had gone. A line
and a hawser were then drifted from the Enterprise to the Gertrude,
but owing to the rough sea that was continually breaking over the brig,
it was nearly three hours before the line could be made fast. At length
the line was got under the lee of the brig, and was made fast to the
boat
she had on board. The boat was then launched, and six of the Gertrude's
crew got into it, and were hauled to the Enterprise. After
getting
the six men on board the steamer, an attempt was made to haul the boat
on board, but the "painter" broke, and she drifted away.
As soon as the excitement occasioned by this mishap had subsided,
the
cries of another man were heard from the brig, and it was then seen
that
the mate was still on board the Gertrude. The brig by this time
was fast breaking up, and Captain Farrell had some difficulty in
rendering
the unfortunate man assistance, as it was found impossible to get near
enough to throw a line on board. At length a life-jacket and a
life-buoy
were floated to him by means of a line, after nearly two hours' hard
work.
The man then put the life-jacket on, and the life-buoy round his waist,
and after fastening the line to the latter jumped into the sea, when he
was dragged through the water to the steamer and taken on board. A
fresh
difficulty then presented itself, as the mate was apparently dead, and
the general supposition was that either from the cold or the excitement
he must have endured he had died whilst being drawn through the water.
Captain Farrell, however, ordered him to be taken down into his cabin,
where he was stripped of his wet clothes and laid before a large fire.
The several remedies prescribed by the Royal Humane Society for
restoring
life were then freely used by several of the crew of the Enterprise,
who took the work in turns, and in about an hour Captain Farrell had
the
satisfaction of seeing the man open his eyes. Looking wildly about him
for a few seconds he recognized the master of the brig, Captain Brown,
and said, " Is the vessel safe ? " After this he quickly came round,
and
on being landed last night they one and all spoke of Captain Farrell's
kindness to them in the warmest terms.
The brig foundered shortly after her crew had been taken off her,
the
sea literally dashing her to pieces as she went down. With the
exception
of the clothes they stood in, the crew were unable to save anything,
and
after visiting the Sailors' Home they left for Maryport by the one
o'clock
train."
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