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Historic England Research Records

Adgillus

Hob Uid: 909404
Location :
Lancashire
Grid Ref : SC8174562842
Summary : Remains of an 1874 wreck of an English barque which sprung a leak and foundered 18 miles NW of Morecambe light vessel in a gale. A wooden sailing vessel built in Quebec in 1873 which was en route from Liverpool for Brass River with a general cargo.
More information : Year Built: 1873 (2)(4)
Where built: Quebec (4)
Builder: Oliver Jnr. (4)
Master: Martin Thompson (4)
Owner: Messrs T. Harrison & Co., Liverpool (2)
Crew: 17 (2)(4)
Crew Lost: 1 (2)(4)
Passengers: 0 (2) 1 (4)
Construction: Felt & yellow metal over copper fastenings (4)
Lloyd's Classification: A1 (4)

Vertical Datum: LAT
Buoyage: CINC
Orientation: WE

ADGILLUS - Sank during a severe gale the day after leaving Liverpool, 1874.

Sank about 18 miles NW of Morecambe Bay Light vessel.

29-AUG-1991 Wreck dived on in 54 02 52N 003 48 23W. echosounder indicates it stands 3m high. Bell recovered - inscribed "ADGILLUS, 1874". Appears to be intact. Cargo apparently includes a large amount of pottery.

Commercial guard requested.

25-SEP-1991 Dived again. Hull appears completely intact but well buried. Lies E/W with stern, or collapsed round-house, the highest point at E end. (1)

`She had sailed under the charge of a 1st class pilot named Parry, the tug casting off between the Bell Buoy and the NW light-ship, the pilot remaining on board engaged to get her to Point Lynas. After midnight the wind increased to a full gale, and at 3 a.m. a heavy squall split several sails, started the water casks on deck and washed away the ports. Leaking badly, some cargo was thrown overboard, but at 2 p.m. she sank.' (2)

Sank in 37m depth during a severe gale the day after leaving Liverpool. The wreck was first located in August 1991 by the Anglo-American Marine's salvage vessel RECOVERY II, some 17 miles SE of the Isle of Man. Divers found an old sailing vessel sitting upright and [intact apart from fallen masts] some 3m clear of the seabed, and recovered the ship's bell marked with the name and date of building. Cargo recovery commenced in May 1992 and thousands of china plates, dishes, glassware, Henry Martini rifle ammunition, boxes of churchwarden pipes, bottles and evidence of gunpowder and salt. The hull of the wreck is orientated E/W, the wreck intact apart from part of her stern which has collapsed. (3)

Carrying a general cargo which included salt, gunpowder and general merchandise. The Court of Inquiry was of the opinion that this barque, one year old, was a thoroughly good ship, well found in every respect, and that her loss was attributed only to the heavy gale and wind conditions W force 10. Probably one of the vessels butts started, she leaked and eventually foundered. The wreck was discovered, identified and taken possesion of during the summer of 1991 in a search expedition by the principals of the Anglo American Recovery Company Ltd. After extensive negotiation, the company obtained succession rights of ownership from Unilever UK Ltd. Their research showed that the captain, crew and pilot of the ADGILLUS, were taken into Fleetwood by the smack PRINCE CHARLES, after a severe gale had caused her to leak, and a great deal of cargo had been thrown overboard. Only when the vessel was so low in the water that her longboat floated off the deck did the men abandon ship. One seaman, Antoine Natal, a native of Malacca, entangled in the rigging, went down with the vessel. The survivors reached the lightship at 11 p.m. before being taken off by a smack.' (4)

Source (2) provides the same information as source (3), although the position of loss is given as 18 miles NW of the Morecambe Bay light vessel.

Date of Loss Qualifier: A

Additional sources cited in Larn Index.
BOT Wk Rtn 1874 Pt III p74(273); Lever Brothers House Magazine 'Mirror' 10.1992

Additional sources cited in the United Kingdom Shipwreck Index:
BOT Wk Rtn 1874 Pt III p74-5(274-5); LR 1873-4 No. 43(A)(Supp); Anglo-American Marine Recover Co. Ltd. report 1992; Liverpool Evening Express, 21-26.10.1874(R); DSIOM p4

Sources :
Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : Extracted 24-MAR-1993
Page(s) : N/a
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Source Number : 2
Source :
Source details : Section 1, Cumberland (EA)
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Source Number : 3
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : Section 2, Lancashire (EB)
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Monument Types:
Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date :
Monument End Date : 1874
Monument Start Date : 1874
Monument Type : Cargo Vessel, Barque
Evidence : Documentary Evidence, Intact Vessel Structure

Components and Objects:
Related Records from other datasets:
External Cross Reference Source : Hydrographic Office Number
External Cross Reference Number : 7900843
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : Admiralty Chart
External Cross Reference Number : 1121 05-12-80
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : Admiralty Chart
External Cross Reference Number : 1320 17-07-92
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : Admiralty Chart
External Cross Reference Number : 1826 18-05-79
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : Hydrographic Office Number
External Cross Reference Number : 5527
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SC 86 SW 1
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :
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