Frances

Official Number none

The Frances was a 148 ton brig built at Whitehaven by Lumley Kennedy & Co. and launched on the 1st May 1837. In 1840 her owners were John Cowman & Co., of Whitehaven, and the master was named as Capt. James Ilean.

The Frances was wrecked at Ilfracombe in April 1844 after travelling from Honduras, bound for London (see Source 1).

The following account from the Illustrated London News, 20th April, 1844, gives further details:

" LOSS OF THE BRIG FRANCIS - We have received letters from Ilfracombe announcing the loss of the brig Francis, of Whitehaven, from Belize, in the Bay of Honduras, last from the Cove of Cork, and bound to London, which took place on the night of Tuesday, April 16th, by the vessel running ashore at Marlhoe Bay, situated about six miles to the westward of the coastguard station at Ilfracombe. The brig is a laden with a cargo of mahogany and dyewood, and is so much embedded among the rocks that, in all probability, ere long she will all go to pieces. At about midnight on Wednesday at least 200 wreckers, of a most desperate character, made their appearance on the beach to plunder the wreck; however, their motives being communicated to Lieutenant John Coleman, the chief officer at the Ilfracombe coastguard station, he met them with his small party of men and drove them back, but not before they had a severe conflict, in which the wreckers got the worst of it. The vessel is reported to be fully insured. All hands were saved. "

Sources :

1. "Shipbuilding in Whitehaven - A Checklist" by Harry Fancy, Whitehaven Museum (1984).
2. "A List of the Cumberland Shipping corrected to February 1840" by William Sawyers, Comptroller of Her Majesty's Customs at the Port of Whitehaven, republished by Michael Moon (Whitehaven, 1975, ISBN 0-904131-09-2)
3. Transcript from the  Illustrated London News, 20th April, 1844 communicated by maritime writer Tony Dalton.