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.S.S. TREVESSA – 1923
Whilst on voyage from port Pirie with a cargo of zinc concentrates, the S.S Trevessa of the Hain Steamship Company sprang a leak and floundered half way between the west coast of Australia and Mauritius. An S.O.S was sent out before the crew abandoned ship. The crew of forty four was cast adrift in two lifeboats with the nearest land over 1300 miles away. In lifeboat No. 1 there was twenty crew, and in lifeboat No. 3 twenty four crew. They had little provisions, mainly biscuits, condensed milk and a small supply of water. After twenty four days lifeboat No. 1 landed at Rodriguez Island, and later lifeboat No. 3 landed at Mauritius over 340 miles away. Source: The St. Ives Times and Echo, July 5th 1996
S.S. TRELAWNY – 1926
The S.S. Trelawny of the Hain Steamship Company with a net tonnage of 2,479 collided with a much larger steamer the Gaelic Prince during heavy fog. The crew on board the S.S. Trelawny took to the lifeboats and made way for the Gaelic Prince in the early hours of the morning. The ship’s cat was lost. Source: The St. Ives Times and Echo, August 3rd 1962
LYMINGE – 1931
The steamer Lyminge had run on to the Ebal Rocks off Gurnard’s Head while bound from Cardiff to Oporto carrying a cargo of Coal. The crew and passengers rowed ashore to safety only returning later to save the ships cat. Source: The Western Echo, September 26th 1931
GLAMORGAN COAST – 1932
The Glamorgan Coast was on a voyage from Bristol to Penzance carrying unspecified cargo. In severe fog the ship was grounded near Cape Cornwall and a six foot hole was torn into the bottom plates. The fourteen crew and one passenger rowed ashore to safety. After being battered by the waves the ship eventually broke into pieces. Source: The St. Ives Times, September 16th 1932
CICELIA – 1935
The Cicelia built in 1867 was a ketch sail ship, one of the last to unload its cargo at St. Ives. She broke her moorings in the harbour, causing chaos when she collided with numerous vessels. Fortunately all the crew were onshore when her ropes broke. The Cicelia drifted and broke up on the Pednolva Rocks. Source: The St. Ives Times, February 1st 1935
ST. AUSTELL – 1936
The St. Austell, a small ketch of 47 tons sprang a leak off Hartland Point during its voyage from Cardiff to Guernsey with a cargo of coal. The steamer Dromara took the crew off the St. Austell after attempts to tow the vessel failed, and brought them to St. Ives for medical treatment. Source: The St. Ives Times, May 15th 1936
BESSEMER CITY – 1936
The 5686 ton American vessel Bessemer City wrecked in fog under cliffs to the west of Clodgy Point St. Ives. The wreck broke in two, spreading crude oil on the beaches around Cornwall. The St. Ives lifeboat Caroline Parsons rescued all 33 crew members. The rocket apparatus was prepared for use but fortunately it was not required.
Bound from Liverpool to London with a cargo of tinned fruit, raisins, sultanas and other Californian produce, the ships cargo was cast into the sea and washed up on beaches over Cornwall. Many people armed themselves with torches in hopes of looting the tinned fruit to stock up for Christmas. The labels on the tins had been washed away so no one knew what they were eating until they opened the tin. Source: The St. Ives Times and Echo, October 20th 1983
AIDA LAURO – 1937
The Italian steamer sail ship bound from Liverpool to Hull went aground on the Castle Rocks near St. Just in a dense fog. The St. Ives lifeboat took off the two injured men and later returning to rescue the other 15 crew members where they were taken care of by the Shipwrecked Fishermen’s and Mariners Society in the Salvation Army Hall in St. Ives. The vessel’s cargo of cottonseed and linseed was declared worthless, destroyed by the seawater. Source: The St. Ives Times, July 3rd 1937
S.S. WILSTON – 1939
Not much is known about the demise of the S.S Wilston, suspected to have been driven ashore in Wicca Bay to the north east of Pendeen and totally wrecked under the cliffs. A number of bodies were discovered washed ashore along with some of the ships equipment. The St. Ives lifeboat was launched but no survivors were found. One of the bodies that was washed ashore was identified by a silver ring on his finger as being a member of the crew of the S.S. Wilston. Source: The Western Echo, February 4th 1939
ALBA – 1939
The steamer Alba, a 3,700 ton vessel bound from Barry to Civita in Italy carrying a cargo of coal ran aground on the rocks near the Island at Porthmeor Beach. The St. Ives lifeboat was launched in record time and took off 24 crew members from the Alba. Disaster struck the lifeboat on the return journey to the shore when it capsized, throwing all but three into the sea. The lifeboat, being a self righting type was righted in seconds, the engine was damaged during the capsize and the lifeboat was unmanageable and was dashed on the rocks. Most of the people thrown overboard managed to return to the lifeboat, but five members of the Alba’s crew tragically died. People from the town came to the rescue. Source: Supplement to the St. Ives Times, February 4th 1939
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