| Summary : 1721 wreck of Dutch East Indiaman which stranded near Plymouth outward-bound from the Texel, specified as from Fort Rammekens, Middelburg, for Jarkarta, with a general cargo and silver. Constructed of wood in 1720, she was a sailing vessel. The site of the discovery of cannons, cannon balls and other objects at Ramscliff Point has been suggested as the remains of the AAGTEKERKE, although no coherent wreck structure was discovered at this site (see 1601585). |
More information : Source (1) attributes the details of this wreck to the JOSIAH AND BETTY, while stating that "it is very unlikely that the Dutch East India Company would have a vessel named JOSIAH AND BETTY, and certainly no such vessel appears in the fleet list given in Dutch-Asiatic Shipping Vol. 2".
Source (2) makes it clear there are two different wrecks:
'The JOSIAH AND BERRY [sic], Capt. Brabant, lost at Ram-head near Plymouth . . . Also a Dutch East India ship, outward bound, of one thousand tons, 40 guns, lost off Plymouth, but the crew were saved and 13 chests of silver.' (2)
AAGTEKERKE Dutch East Indiaman lost 1721 near Plymouth en route for Zeeland [sic]. (3)
AAGTEKERKE ran ashore at Plymouth in December 1721. (4)
AAGTEKERKE, built 1720, displacement 800 tons and lost in December 1721 on her first outward-bound voyage from Rammekens to the East Indies. (5)
AAGTEKERKE, built 1720, 800 tons, belonging to the Zeeland Chamber of the VOC. Left Rammekens 17-DEC-1721.* Ran ashore near Plymouth, December 1721. (6)
* This is likely to be according to the Gregorian or New Style calendar already adopted by the Dutch (and still in use today). In England the Julian or Old Style calendar remained in use until 1752, the primary feature of which was that the English calendar was 11 days behind the New Style usage. Thus the vessel is likely to have left Rammekens on 06-DEC-1721 according to the Julian calendar. (7)
'Amsterdam den 5 January. Het Oost-Indies schip omtrent Plymouth verongelukt was genaemt AAGTEKERK enn een ander schip genaemt STEENHOVEN was masteloos in die haven van die plaets gekomen, beyde voor die kamer Zeeland na Oostindien gedestineert.' (8)
Translated by compiler:
'Amsterdam, 5th January. The East India ship wrecked near Plymouth was named the AAGTEKERK and another ship, called the STEENHOVEN, was driven, dismasted, into the harbour of that place, both bound from the Zeeland chamber for the East Indies.' (8)
NB: This report implies a previous report of the wrecking as an unknown vessel, which has not been traced in the online searches. (7)
Built: 1720 (1)(5)(6)
Where Built: Middelburg (1); Zeeland (5)(6)
Armament: 40 guns (1)
Master: Nikolaas Rabodus (6)
Crew: 250 (6)
Owner: VOC - Dutch East India Company (1)(2)(3)(4); Zeeland Chamber of the VOC (5)(6)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss
Additional sources cited in Shipwreck Index of the British Isles:
Gentleman's Magazine 22.12.1721 [nb: this was first published in 1731, not 1721: no reference to this wreck found in issue for December 1731.] |