More information : Stranded near Whitby. (1)
Vessel stranded and lost on Whitby beach in wind conditions ENE force 6. (2)
Source (1) describes the vessel as a brigantine, (2) as a brig.
A photograph of this wreck by Frank Meadow Sutcliffe Hon FRPS is sold as a postcard at the Sutcliffe Gallery, Whitby. The photograph is captioned "The Flag of Distress" and the details on the back of the postcard are as follows:
'The brig 'Mary and Agnes' being pounded ashore by a storm off Whitby beach on 24th October 1885 whilst sailing from London to Newcastle with a cargo of scrap iron, under her master, Thomas Pearson.
'Sutcliffe recounts in his article, 'Concerning Wind', for the Amateur Photographer, 14th May 1903, how he enlisted the assistance of a big heavy soldier, an artilleryman, who was on the beach at the time, to curl up under the tripod and steady the two legs which were catching most of the gale.' (3)
'SEVERE GALE. WRECK AT WHITBY.
' . . . WHITBY. A storm of great violence visited the north-east coast on Saturday, accompanied by torrents of rain. In the afternoon the brigantine MARY AND AGNES, of Scarborough, was forced by the fury of the wind and sea to run on shore, the vessel striking on the sand immediately under the Saloon, Whitby. The National Lifeboat Institution's lifeboat, ROBERT AND MARY ELLIS, was launched, but failing to get sufficiently far out before steering direct for the stranded vessel, the seas caught her on the broadside and dashed her on to the beach, and she remained there helpless in spite of all efforts to get her off. The members of the life-saving brigade, under the command of the officer in charge of the Coastguard, had, before the mishap to the lifeboat, established communication with the brigantine by means of a well-directed rocket. One by one the crew of six were hauled on shore, their safe landing being the signal for loud huzzas by the thousands of people assembled on shore. Several of the poor sailors were much buffeted about and heavily struck by the tremendous sea while being hauled from the vessel. Two or three of them were much exhausted, but they ultimately revived under the carer and attention given them by Mr. and Mrs. Walker, of the Saloon, to which place they were taken. The vessel is a wreck.' (4)
'The MARY AND AGNES, which went ashore on Whitby Sands, has been condemned as a wreck. This vessel was bound from London to Middlesbrough. She was insured. The National lifeboat HARRIOTT FORTEATH, which was dashed on shore while proceeding to rescue the crew of the brigantine MARY AND AGNES, has been got off, hauled up the slipway, and placed in the lifeboat house.' (5)
Built: 1842 (2)
Master: T Pearson (2); Thomas Pearson (3)
Crew: 6 (2)(4)
Owner: W Baxter, Scarborough (2)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss
Additional sources cited in Shipwreck Index of the British Isles:
BOT.Wk.Rtn.1883-6 Appendix C Table 1 p121(599) |