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Favourite | Official Number
1134 |
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Favourite | Official Number
1134 |
The Favourite was a brig launched on Tuesday, 8th April 1845, at the shipyard of Messrs.P.Chaloner and Sons, Baffin-street, Liverpool. She was registered at Liverpool but owned by Mr.J.Richardson Thompson, of Whitehaven, at the time of her loss in 1865.
The Times, Monday, 27th November 1865;
" The dead bodies of nine of the crew of the brig Favourite,
of Liverpool, which was wrecked off Blackpool on Wednesday night last,
had upto Saturday afternoon been cast ashore, six at Bispham, about three
miles distant ; one at Cleveleys,about the same distance ; and two at Fleetwood,
five miles off. The coast above Blackpool for two or three miles is strewn
with pieces of spars, sails, and broken timber belonging to the wrecked
vessel. About 100 barrels of palm oil and several bags of seeds, forming
part of the cargo of the Favourite, have been washed ashore, and
are now in charge of the authorities.
The inquest on the bodies of the sailors thus far found was held on
Saturday afternoon. Police-constable Robert Smith said on Saturday he went
to the sands above Blackpool, and saw four dead bodies. On the arms of
one man there were three letters, "W.C.C." He had not been able to ascertain
the names of any of the deceased men. Robert Bickerstaffe, coxswain of
the Blackpool lifeboat, said he saw the brig Favourite for the first
time on Wednesday night, about 8 o'clock. She was then onshore north-west
of Blackpool, and from the headboards that came up it is concluded that
she is the Favourite, of Liverpool. The lifeboat crew made three
attempts to reach the Favourite; but the sea was running so high
and the wind was blowing so strongly that they could not get within 150
yards of her, and ultimately had to return to shore. While making one attempt
four of the oars of the lifeboat were broken, through the roughness of
the water. When making the third attempt to reach the Favourite
a white light was shown from her deck. No distress signal and no
light of any description was seen before then, neither were any cries from
the crew heard. Soon after reaching the shore, and while putting the boat
upon the carriage, a cry was raised that the vessel had gone down, and
she was never afterwards seen. None of her crew were ever observed on deck
or in the rigging. The vessel went down shortly after 10 o'clock at night.
Afterwards the crew of the lifeboat, on being told that someone was shouting
out in the direction where the vessel had sunk, again got their craft in
readiness and rowed out, but they could neither see nor hear anyone. The
lifeboat men, when they could not reach the vessel, went up the shore for
the purpose of rendering assistance to any of the crew who it was supposed
might be drifting landwards, but they could see no one. In answer to a
juryman the witness said that the crew of the lifeboat did their utmost
to reach the vessel, and only desisted from further attempts when exhausted,
and confronted by a sea which could not be managed.
Mr.J.Richardson Thompson, of Whitehaven, said that the Favourite
was his property. Her crew consisted of ten men. She had left England on
the 12th of May last, and on her return voyage was bound for Liverpool,
from Sherbro, via Sierra Leone, with a cargo of palm oil and seeds. She
was 19 years old. Three years ago she was fully repaired and re-classed
A red for eight years. William Hinde, of Whitehaven, was her captain. The
first mate's name was William Nixon, who came from the same town. The steward
was named Stephenson. He was a native of Whitehaven, but had for some time
resided when on shore at Liverpool. One of the sailors was, he believed,
named William Casson, or Camson. He did not know the names of any of the
other men. The captain, whose body had been washed ashore, was a married
man and the father of four children. The Coroner in summing up the evidence
said that the lifeboat crew had appeared to have done their duty, and were
not to blame in the matter. A verdict of "Accidentally drowned" was returned.
The weather has been stormy at Blackpool ever since Wednesday, and on Saturday
night a heavy sea was running. "
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