Loweswater

Official Number 76389

The Loweswater was an iron barque built by the Whitehaven Ship Building Company in November 1876, for Jackson & Metcalf of Liverpool. One of her early passages under Capt.Richards was reported in the Cumberland Pacquet as a "smart passage" of 113 days from Astoria, Oregon (departed 29th Nov.1877) to Queenstown, Ireland, with a wheat cargo.

The Loweswater left Liverpool under the command of Capt.G.P Fletcher, bound for Santos with coals, under tow of the tug Knight Templar, on the 21st December, 1894. The following day Lloyds List reported that the tug had sought shelter in Llandudno Bay, "having the tow-rope hanging over her stern". The newspaper reported that the hawser had parted during the night, and that in the morning an unidentified barque had been seen standing off Holyhead, in thick mist and rain. On the 28th one of the lifeboats from the Loweswater was found at Hilbre Island, another with the body of a dead seaman at Hoylake. On the 31st a third lifeboat was reported picked up at Formby (see Source 6). Source 7 adds that the vessel was lost with all 15 crew in a Force 10 gale from the NW, it being believed that she had struck on West Hoyle bank, though the wreck was never found.
 

Not mentioned in Lloyd's List is one more body that was washed ashore. This unknown sailor was found on the last day of 1894, floating off Rhos Point, Colwyn Bay.  His only identification was a cross tattooed on his arm and a life-jacket with the ship’s name “Loweswater”.  He was thought to be about 35 years. The ship owners claimed they could not identify the sailor and refused to help or attend the inquest.  In the absence of any friends or relations, a public subscription was raised for his funeral. He was buried in the churchyard at St.Trillo's church, Rhos-on-Sea, with the inquest jury in attendance. The inscription on the slab reads : " Here lies the body of a sailor Name unknown One of the crew of the Loweswater Who was washed ashore at Rhos-[on-sea] Dec 31st 1894 Supposed age 35 years. "

A previous barque (792 tons) named Loweswater had been built by the Whitehaven Ship Building Co., launched in 1873, and presumably lost before 1876.
 

Sources :

1. "Shipbuilding in Whitehaven - A Checklist" by Harry Fancy, Whitehaven Museum (1984) - gives date of launch as March 1877, and of loss as 12th December 1894.
2. Cumberland Pacquet newspaper, 2nd April, 1878, page 4.
3. Welsh Mariners : names William Vaughan as 2nd mate when the Loweswater was "supposed lost on 21st December 1894."
4. Record of American and Foreign Shipping, 1885 : names Capt.J.Graham as master.
5. Record of American and Foreign Shipping, 1895 : names Capt. Fletcher as master, owners Jackson & Metcalf.
6. Lloyds List, 22nd, 26th, 29th and 31st December, 1894.
7. Wreck info from "Shipwreck Index of the British Isles" Vol. 5 by Richard & Bridget Larn, pub. Lloyds Register, 2000, ISBN 1 900839 61 X - citing BoT Wreck Returns.
8. BoT Transcript of Liverpool Shipping Register (No.184 for 1876) states "Broke adrift from Tug boat on 21 December 1894 off the Skerries and has not been seen since".
9. Information and photograph of "the sailor's grave" at Rhos-on-Sea from Michael Headon.