Ann Gambles

Official Number
28813

The Ann Gambles was an iron barque built at Harrington by Williamson & Co. in July, 1862. In 1878 when she was wrecked she was owned by John Gambles of Workington, and was registered at Liverpool.

The Ann Gambles  was lost in heavy weather at the entrance to Bluff Harbour, New Zealand, on the 16th May 1878. The vessel had sailed from Gravesend on the 26th January 1878, bound for New Zealand under the command of Capt. John Morgans and with 14 crew, which included four apprentices. She carried a general cargo, valued at £10,000, and no passengers. Caught in a hurricane, the barque sighted the SW Cape of New Zealand on the 15th May, and only marginally succeeded in clawing herself away from the shore. The following night she arrived off Bluff, with the weather now calmer but squally, and with clear visibility. No doubt exhausted and eager to reach the safety of a berth, the master decided to enter the harbour without a pilot. But as the Ann Gambles  rounded Stirling Point she was caught by a squall and driven onto rocks at Tiwai (Te Wais) Point. The vessel was caught fast, but the crew were all saved and the wreck remained on the rocks until the 23rd November, when she broke up under the force of a heavy southerly sea.

The Times, Thursday, 23rd May 1878, page 11;

" News has been received of the loss of the British bark Ann Gambles. She sailed from London on the 22d of January, with a general cargo consisting of about 200 tons metal, some bale goods, salt, &c. She was bound for Bluff Harbour, New Zealand, but just before arriving at her destination she ran ashore in a dangerous position, and speedily broke up and became a total wreck. The crew have been landed in safety. The cargo of the Ann Gambles was valued at £15,000, and was insured in London. The Ann Gambles was an iron barque of 424 tons, built at Harrington in 1862, and classed double A1 at Lloyd's. Her owner was Mr.J.Gambles, of Workington. She was worth £4,000. "

The subsequent Court of  Inquiry  into the wreck concluded that the master had been reckless in attempting to enter port at night without a pilot. His Master's Certificate was suspended for six months.

Name
Year Built
Gross Tons
Length (feet)
Breadth (feet)
Depth (feet)
Masts
Figurehead
Stern
Lloyd's Classn.
Ann Gambles
1862
466
 149.0
 26.6
17.1
3
 
 
12 years A1 

Sources :

  1. New Zealand Historical Data: Name Index - Ships A - gives date of wreck as 16th May 1877
  2. National Maritime Museum has one photograph of the Ann Gambles, negative no.P7405, showing John and Ann Gambles standing by the bow of the vessel.
  3. Clayton's Register of Shipping 1865: Ann Gambles, barque, 466 tons, built 1862, registered at Workington, owned by J.Gambles, of Harrington, master Capt.L.Tate.
  4. Mercantile Navy List 1867: Ann Gambles, 465 tons, official no.28813, signal letters QCBT, registered at Workington, owned by John Gambles, of Harrington.
  5. http://www.angelfire.com/ok2/cbluff/anngambles.html - includes a report on the salvage possibilities of the wreck from The Southland Times, 30th May 1878. Gives master's name as Capt. Robert Morgan.
  6. Papers Past (New Zealand newspaper archive).