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The King George was a full-rigged ship built by Thos. & Jno. Brocklebank at Bransty, Whitehaven in 1803. She worked for the Brocklebank firm until 1805, under the command of Capt. Caffey. She was then bought by Rodie &.Co., and in later years was owned by Shand & Co. and Horsfall, Livingston, Tobin & Co. She was registered at Liverpool.
The King George had reputedly served as a privateer in her early years, but then was sold to serve as a packet vessel from Harwich. She transferred to the Liverpool-Dublin service in 1806, and on her second voyage was wrecked with the loss of 106 lives.
The King George sailed from Parkgate on the high tide, at noon
on Sunday, 14th September 1806. She was bound for Dublin carrying passengers,
mostly Irish labourers who were returning home after working in England.
One hour after departure she grounded on the Salisbury Bank at the mouth
of the Dee estuary. As the tide fell the ship appeared to be undamaged,
but on the rising tide, as the wind veered from S to W, the hull began
to fill with water. The pumps became blocked and the passengers had to
evacuate the hold. The anchor chain parted and the ship came round into
the weather, then capsized onto her side. A boat was lowered with the vessel's
master, nine other crewmen and one passenger, but they returned to the
ship as the remaining passengers, including a woman with a child on her
back, took to the rigging. The two masts of the vessel broke off, sending
many people into the sea. Ultimately the only survivors from the wreck
were four crewmen who had stayed in the lifeboat, one woman passenger and
a boy.
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