Shipwrecks in Tramore Bay and its Environs, 1700-1858

Le Speculateur, Lord Ebrington, William & Swayne, November 1838

At nine o’clock on Wednesday night, a small vessel, apparently a brig, called Le Speculateur of St. Malo, was totally wrecked on Tramore Strand. There is much reason to feared that the crew were washed overboard before she came in. She went instantly to pieces and nothing was saved.

A Part of the wreck of the Lord Ebrington was also driven in. This vessel foundered on the Cornwall or Welch coast ten days previously, on her way from some English port tp Swansea, laden with copper ore. The wreck was broken by the violence of these gales.

Fragments of a wreck marked as having belonged to a vessel named the William were also washed in at Tramore.

At two o’clock on Wednesday, the brig Swaine, for Cork for Newport, in ballast, was driven ashore at Bonmahon. The crew were saved.[1]

The Speculation, of St. Maloes, was totally lost in Tramore Bay 28 ult..[2]

[1]Southern Reporter, 1 December 1838.

[2] The Times. 5 December 1838.

Swan & Brothers, October 1838

The Swan, from Cork to Ross, which was on shore at Tramore Bay, on the 10^th Inst., floated off the following day with little or no damage.[1]

Between nine and ten o’clock on Tuesday night, the schooner Brothers, David Evans, master, of and from Newport, for New Ross, laden with coal, was driven ashore on Tramore Strand, having entered the bay under the impression that it was Waterford Harbour. A considerable part of her cargo, stores and fittings was landed next day and Thursday and taken charge of by the Coast Guard, under Lieutenant Scudamore, R. N. There is little or no expectation that the vessel will be got off, as she has sunk very much in the sand.[2]

Waterford Chronicle 10 November 1838

[1] The Times, 17 October 1838.

[2] Leinster Express, 3 November 1838.

Active, March 1838

Monday evening, the brig Active, Poole, Lisbey master, bound from St. Ubes to Liverpool, laden with wine and corkwood, was driven into Tramore bay, where she now lies stranded the bar Rhineshark Harbour.[1]

Waterford, March 24 -The Active, from St. Ube's to Liverpool, which ran ashore in Tramore Bay, was got off yesterday alter discharging part of her cargo, and brought into Rhineshark Harbour.[2]

The Active, Lesley, from St. Ube's to Liverpool, is on shore in Tramore Bay— crew saved.[3]

[1] Waterford Mail, 21 March 1838.

[2] London Evening Standard, 28 March 1838.

[3] Morning Post, 24 March 1838.

Grecian, September 1836

Storm at Tramore

A first rate brig hove in sight of our dangerous bay on Tuesday, it blowing a full gale S.S.W. at the time. It was apparent that the vessel was labouring hard to weather the bay, but all efforts was in vain and she rode inside Brownstown Head in evident distress. The greatest concern was felt by people for her situation. Crowds hastened to the beach and cliffs to witness her struggles with the angry element, which was “mountains high” But her struggles were useless-each succeeding billow drove her further in.

At length, some of those daring, philanthropic men, who abound the coast, put in their boats to rescue her, if possible, from the dangers that threatened and it is gratifying to record that, after some hours of toil, they succeded in towing her into Reinshark, where she now lies, high and dry, awaiting the tides to bear her off. The brig, laden with cotton and rum, is bound from the West Indies to Liverpool. It is hoped that she would be got off next day.

[Since the above, with which we have been favoured by a Tramore corresspondant, was put in type, certain particulars have reached us respecting this brig, which is named the Grecian and the cause of it’s entrance into the bay, which we deem advisable not to publish for the present, as the matter will come before the proper tribunal in a few days, where the salvage case is to be considered}.-Waterford Chronicle.[4]

Les Deux Soeurs, November 1835

About one o’clock on Wednesday, a brig that had been tossing about the coast for some hours before, was stranded near the men’s bathing place on Tramore Strand. The crew had not been landed when our correspondent left, but they were likely to be saved.[1]

On Wednesday, about one o’clock p.m., a French schooner, named the Two Sisters, bound from Nice to Rouen, cargo tallow, oil and dyewood, was stranded at Tramore and was dashed to pieces on the next tide. Crew saved.[2]

A meeting of the subscribers of Lloyd’s was held on 30 December, when it was decided “that £20 be voted to Patrick Coffey for his heroic conduct in plunging into the sea on horseback in Tramore Bay (Ireland), and saving the crew of the Deux Soeurs, wrecked there on the 25^th ult."[3] Besides the £20 voted to him by Lloyd’s, he was rewarded £2 and a silver medal from the Ship Institution, and a grant of £5 from the Chamber of Commerce of Waterford.

Waterford Chronicle, 16 January 1836

Waterford Chronicle, 30 April 1836

Waterford Mail, 16 November 1836

[1] Dublin Morning Register, 27 November 1835.

[2] Clonmel Herald, 2 December 1835.

[3] Morning Chronicle, 31 December, 1835.

Cuba, November 1835

On Tuesday afternoon, the Cuba, from Alexandria, with cotton, proceeding to Milford for quarantine, was driven into Tramore Bay, where she struck upon Rhineshark Bar. The crew landed in safety. She was bound for Liverpool.[1]

At an early hour on Wednesday the brig Cuba, bound from Alexandria to Liverpool, laden with cotton, was stranded at Rhineshark harbour, in Tramore Bay, but she is expected to be got off again without any damage.[2]

[1] Dublin Morning Register, 27 November 1835.

[2] Clonmel Herald, 2 December 1835.

The Commerce, February 1834

The Commerce, of Bideford, Vine, master, from Cardiff to Waterford, laden with coals, which sailed from Milford on Sunday week, was wrecked with all hands between Tramore Bay and Waterford.[1]

[1] Cambrian, 15 February 1834.