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Isle of Erin - Shipwreck Research Information
By on 10 October 2008
Shipwreck Research Information
Stamped beside her entry in Lloyd’s register of 1908/9 are the words “Missing since 10, 08.”
The following reports appeared in the Shipping gazette and Lloyd’s list weekly summary and Lloyd’s list:-
ISLE OF ERIN. – Kirkwall, Oct. 27, 3.15 p.m.
Reported here from North Ronaldshay that a barque passed near the lighthouse on Monday night with heavy list, yardarms near the water; also a broken boat drove ashore with name Isle of Erin.
Shipping gazette . . . October 30 1908 page 693
ISLE OF ERIN. – Kirkwall, Oct. 30, 7.35 p.m. – Isle of Erin: Letter received from North Ronaldshay to-night reports: – Barque first seen about 3.30 p.m. Monday 19th (? 26th), with list and flying two flags. After dark vessel showed torchlight’s, was not sailing only drifting before wind and tide; was last seen from the island about 11 p.m. to the north.
Liverpool, Oct. 31
A letter from Ronaldshay, referring to the vessel reported there during the late gale, states that the barque was first seen before dark on Monday night 19th (? 26th) inst. coming up by Start Light, listed a little. She is said to have been flying two flags, the national flag and a flag of distress. After darkness torches were seen burning brightly for a few hours, and did not seem to vary much and with the flood tide the vessel moved to the southward. About 8 o’clock she went with the ebb tide at full strength to the northward past the point of Winness Ness. Some are of the opinion that she did strike the point, and when last seen the barque would be about north of Sealskerry. Part of the boat ashore has the name Isle of Erin, Liverpool. It came ashore in Linklet Bay; while other wreckage, supposed to be from other boats, parts of a deckhouse, one door, some little bedding, and also burnt torches, have been found between Dinnet’s Point and Niven Farmhouse. Nothing was seen in the morning.
Shipping gazette. . . November 6 1908 page 709
ISLE OF ERIN. – Glasgow, Nov. 12. – Captain Malcolm, owner of the Isle of Erin, has received a letter from the lighthouse-keeper at North Ronaldshay giving the first authentic account of the last that has been seen of this vessel and her crew. The lighthouse-keeper says the Isle of Erin was sighted at 3 p.m. on Oct. 19, four miles from North Ronaldshay Lighthouse. She was pitching and rolling at the mercy of the waves. Her masts were alright, and if she had more canvas spread than necessary, the sails appeared good. Through a telescope a flag was seen at the mizen (sic) and one at the maintop. The hull did not appear deeper in the water than was to be expected of a laden vessel, but there was a decided list to starboard. The barque seemed moving very slowly, and was lost to view till 7 o’clock, when the firing of a rocket and the exhibition of torchlight’s showed that with the turn of the tide she had approached dangerously near the island, and was in a most perilous position. The night was pitch dark, but for the next two hours rockets from the same spot showed that the vessel had anchored. By 9 o’clock the snapping of the cable was indicated by the torchlight’s moving and slowly drifting passed (sic) Dennis Point. At 9.15 she was dangerously near Seal Skerry, but she is believed to have passed this reef undamaged, as she was seen at 10 o’clock north-west of the Skerry. From there the vessel would be carried clear of the Orkneys in a north-westerly direction. Captain Malcolm says that a vessel seen last week bottom up off Rattray Head could not be the Isle of Erin, which is an iron vessel, built at Glasgow.
Shipping gazette . . . November 20 1908 page 741
DERELICTS AND WRECKAGE. – Dundee, Feb. 6. – Information has been received at Kirkwall from the island of North Ronaldshay, Orkney, that some seamen’s belongings, consisting of clothing and bedding, have come ashore there. The opinion locally is that these belong to the ship Isle of Erin.
(Lloyd’s list February 8 1909 column 22)
MISSING VESSELS
ISLE OF ERIN, of Liverpool, Official No. 70,977, McMinn, master, sailed from Sunderland for Montevideo on Oct. 17, 1908, was sighted on Oct. 19 four miles from North Ronaldshay Lighthouse, and has not since been heard of.”
(Lloyd’s list February 17 1909 column 26)
The only additional information given by the Board of Trade casualty returns is that the Isle of Erin’s cargo was coal and she had a crew of 18.
Ships Name: Isle of Erin
Date Lost: October 1908
Ex:
Official number: 70977
Ship Type: Barque
Cargo: Coal
Cause: Stranded then sank in Gale
Wind: Gale
Sea State: Rough
Crew: 19
Crew Lost:
Pass:
Pass Lost:
T/Lost: All
P of Registry: Liverpool
Flag: British
Owner: Charles Malcolmson & Mrs M.A. Malcolm. (Rettmeyer & Hessenmûller, managers )
Shipbuilder: D & W Henderson & Co.
Construction: Iron
Where Built: Glasgow
Year Built: 1875
Propulsion: Barque rigged
Machinery:
Boilers:00
Hp:
Gross Tons: 941
Net: 889 (tons)
Length: 202.5
Breadth: 32.5
Ships Draft: 19.5 (Ft)
Armament:
Voyage From: Sunderland
Voyage To: Monte Video
Location A: Off N Ronaldsay
Location B: NW of
Latitude:
Longitude:
Depth:
Captain: McMinn
Circumstances of loss:
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