| More information : Wreck Site and Archaeological Remains:
Locating the Wreck:
The search for the HOLLANDIA began in June 1970, based on areas of water depth in Broad Sound of around 20 fathoms (in turn based on contemporary accounts by a garrison officer on St. Mary's in 1750 that she sank 'off St. Agnes in about 20 or 22 fathoms of water', and the chaplain to the Islands who stated that an unknown wreck 'struck upon the Gunner Rock in Broad Sound off St. Agnes Island and sank down in about 22 fathoms depth of water.' Further slender evidence came from a Dutch account in which a Dutch captain reported meeting two ships 2 miles south of the Isles of Scilly 'at half past six in the morning in thick weather and heavy sea while the wind came from the west', then heard that one ship was wrecked there. The hypothesis was that the HOLLANDIA was therefore likely to lie east of Gunner Rock, after having struck that rock and turned to seek shelter in the main islands.
A magnetometer reading in a position approximately 1.5 miles east of Gunner Rock was not obtained until September 1971, but then cannon, anchors, and lead ingots were sighted, one of which, a bronze cannon with the monogram of the Amsterdam Chamber of the VOC suggested the HOLLANDIA. Subsequently silver plate bearing the personal arms of the Bentinck and Imhoff families have confirmed this identification. Much of this material was lifted at the time. No structural remains of the hull survive although scattered timbers can be found under concretion. Controlled explosions were used to lift areas of concretion.
More than 35,000 silver coins were recovered, none later in date than 1742. Besides the cannon with the A-VOC monogram, pewter tableware, two military mortars and a silver ducatoon bore a similar mark, and other cannon also showed the VOC insignia.
The wreck itself is no longer intact, being represented by well-scattered timber debris in sand and gullies filled with concretion, concentrated in three principal locations, the so-called North, Main and South Sites. From the North Site four iron cannon, an anchor and part of another anchor, and 30-40 lead ingots were reported.
The Main Site contained iron and bronze cannon, principally 6- and 12-pounders and four small breech-loading guns. The silver coins were found as a low mound in this site as well as fittings from chests in which, perhaps, they had formerly been carried. Many personal artefacts and those relating to shipboard life were also found in this area as were lead ingots, possibly representing ballast, well scattered in this area.
The South Site was reported as containing barrels with iron nails and groups of iron bars, together with more lead ingots. (10)
Interpretation of the Site:
Contemporary records detailed that the ship struck Gunner Rock at night and subsequently sailed on for sufficient length of time to fire a distress signal before sinking with all hands in Broad Sound. It is suggested that this was a conjectural reconstruction on the part of local inhabitants.
The dispersal of the remains suggests some conformity with the vessel's original 'footprint' of 150ft, approximately the distance between the extremities of the North and Main Sites, with the stern to the south of the Main Site, as indicated by, for example, the silver, which is likely to have been carried in the captain's quarters astern. The anchors at the North Site may suggest the bow of the ship.
It is therefore suggested that the vessel struck a submerged rock, possibly the Gunner Rock itself, breaching the forepart. She then continued eastwards in a leaking state while a gun was fired, but probably continuing to sink as she progressed. Part of the vessel then broke off and sank approximately 1.33 miles east of Gunner Rock, with the remainder, carried along by the wind and tide, foundering at the present North and Main Sites. (10)
Specific finds: included ship's fittings, military equipment used by the soldiers aboard, navigational and drawing instruments, including a fragmentary octant, a medicine chest, , barrels of cargo, pewter tableware, personal possessions, not just the cutlery reported above, but also a cuff-link and an English pewter spoon. In 1973 mercury and mercury compounds were located on the wreck. (10)
Droits declared from this wreck:
Wooden knife handles have been reported from this site. (Droit A/222) (9)
Four onion bottle fragments recovered from this wreck, position 49 53.41N 006 24.07W. (Droit A/730) (9)
7 pieces of pottery, 3 pieces of glass, and 3 pieces of clay pipe recovered from this wreck, position 49 52.20N 006 25.10W. (Droit A/2920) (9)
3 silver ducatoons recovered from this wreck, Broad Sound. (Droit A/3316) (9)
A silver coin collection from this wreck purchased from an antique shop for 450 sterling. (Droit A/3366) (9)
A brass reamer, a brass sword guard, 2 musket side panels, a set of money weights, 3 German money tokens, a lead flowerpot, and a silver spoon among the items recovered from this wreck (Isles of Scilly Museum). (Droit A/3993) (9)
A concretion in the form of a musket flint gun and 11 lead ingots recovered from this wreck, off the Isles of Scilly. (Droit A/4412)
(9)
3 buckles, 18 musket shot, lead shot, 2 handle spigots, a handle, 6 pikestaff ends, 13 musket fittings, a button, 2 sword handles, nails, bricks, 2 ingots, cutlery and a sounding lead recovered from this wreck, Isles of Scilly. (Droit A/4479) (9)
Description of navigational instruments found on the HOLLANDIA, with a published map showing that the site lies west of George Peter's Ledge. (11)
14-NOV-1973: Located 1971 in 49 53.41N 006 23.37W by Rex cowan, site position quoted containing some cannon and lead ballast in about 30m. The main part of the wreck lies 200ft north of this position, reported as for filing only.
18-FEB-2003: Wreck in 35m, owned by Royal Netherlands Government.
27-JUL-2004: Located in 59 53.695N 006 23.639W (WGS 84). (12)
A selection of brass hinges etc. recovered from the wrecks of the HOLLANDIA, SS BESSEMER CITY and SS HELLOPES were sold at auction in 2002. (16)
Seventeen coins, dating from between 1736 and 1742, were reported as sold at auction by Gildings Auctioneers, Market Harborough, in January 2023. (17)
Wreck Event and Documentary Evidence:
At the time of loss the Julian Calendar was still in use in England, referred to as Old Style, while the Dutch had already adopted the New Style Gregorian Calendar, ahead of the Julian Calendar by 11 days. The date of loss of 13-JUL-1743 in Dutch sources therefore equates to 02-JUL-1743 in English sources of the period. (13)
A VOC vessel of Amsterdam Chamber lost on her maiden voyage to the Far East. She carried between 40 and 52 guns, of which four were bronze mounted around the compass, and 8-10 bronze swivel or breechloaders.
The cargo included 129,700 guilders worth of silver coin, both Spanish and Dutch. Passengers included the brother of Gustaff Willem, Baron van Imhoff, Governor General of the Dutch East Indies, his wife and sister-in-law. There were no survivors.
Dutch merchants hired John Lethbridge, the diver, to locate the wreck but he failed. A search for the site commenced in 1979 organised by Mr R Cowan. It was found in 1981. Several auctions of artefacts from the site have been held. (1)(8)
On 03-JUL-1743 the HOLLANDIA left the Texel under Jan Kelder. (10).
The following contemporary reports were sourced in (10):
'Captain Willem Bakker met two ships two miles south of the Scilly Isles at half past six in the morning in thick weather and heavy seas, the wind to westerly. He heard that one ship was wrecked on the Scilly Isles.' [Sourced in (10) to Amsterdamse Dindaegse Courant, 27-JUL-1743]
A letter dated 24-JUL-1743 from the VOC correspondent in London, Gerard Bolwerk, reported. the chest of the HOLLANDIA's first mate, Jan Holst, had been washed ashore.
'By a letter from Penzance we hear that a ship was lost lately off Scilly, and all the crew perished; and that by some papers drove ashore, she appears to be a Dutch East-Indiaman outward-bound.' [Sourced in (10) to London Evening Post, Saturday 9 July-Tuesday 12 July, Old Style]
A letter of the Heeren XVII dated 02-SEP-1743 that the 'ship HOLLANDIA was lost off the Sorlings on 13 July "met man en muys" [Sourced in (10) to Nederlands National Archives, Djakarta, 697]
Transcribed from the original Dutch:
'LONDEN, den 23 July . . . Gister heest men hier van Penzance narigt gekreegen, dat een uitgaand Hollands Oost-Indis Schip omtrent Scilly met Man en Muis verongelukt is.' (14)
Translated from the Dutch by compiler:
'London, 23 July. Yesterday we heard from Penzance, that an outward-bound Dutch East Indiaman was wrecked near Scilly with man and mouse [i.e. with all hands].' (14)
The HOLLANDIA, 1150 tons, left the Texel under Jan Kelder, 03-JUL-1743 (New Style) and was lost on 13-JUL-1743 (New Style) at the Sorlings (an old Dutch name for the Isles of Scilly). (15)
Weather conditions: the unusual route and place of wrecking for an outbound VOC-ship was probably due to fog in the Channel. (19, comment by Jan Lettens, 2012)
Class and type: Fluyt (13)
Built: 1742 (1)(8)
Where Built: Amsterdam (1)(8)
Displacement: 700 tons (18)
Measurements: 42 m (137 ft 10 in) (18)
Armament: 32 guns (18)
Master: Jan Kelder (1)(8)(15)
Crew: 246 (1)(8)
Crew Lost: 246 (1)(8)
Passengers Lost: 30 (1)(8)
On Board: 276 (15)
Lives Lost: 276 (15)
Owner: Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC); Dutch East India Company [all sources]
The Dutch spiegelretour ship HOLLANDIA was owned by the Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie and in service for the Kamer van Amsterdam (19)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss
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