The Coronation

11th January 1913

The 3920 ton steamer "Coronation" owned by the Taylor and Sanderson Steamship co. of Sunderland was blown aground in a snowstorm. All of the crew made the shore without assistance. The vessel can be seen to be well up the beach between Peak Steel and Bleawyke in this old postcard.

The large rocks penetrating her hull were blasted away and eighty tons of cement was used to patch the damage.

Several attempts were made to tow the "Coronation" free, providing a spectacle for visitors, but by September the vessel was declared a total loss by her insurers. The next day she was floated off, but was burnt out in Hartlepool Docks the following month!

The footpath down the cliff is still called the Coronation Way by some.

Looking South from The Coombs. Four tugs are seen here in an attempt to pull the steamer free.

Looking North along the beach, this must be the area cleared during the salvage.

Taylor and Sanderson Steamship co.

After owning sailing ships for some time, John Taylor and John Sanderson,
Sunderland got together and bought the 1,326 ton steamer UNIVERSAL. By 1884
they owned 9 steamers which ranged from the 973 ton BRITANNIA to the 2,378
ton REGINA. The early steamers traded to the Mediterranean, but their
subsequent ships traded to Australia, USA, South America, East Indies, etc.
In 1899 Taylor & Sanderson Steam Shipping Co.Ltd was registered with 10
steamers. Ships were gradually sold off during the Great War and in 1917 the
company went into voluntary liquidation, the final distribution of assets
was in 1922. Some of the ships owned were

UNIVERSAL 1,326 tons,

REGINA 2,378 tons,

BRITANNIA 973t,

PEERESS 2,323t,

THORNHILL 3,231t (1907 destroyed
by fire),

EMPRESS 2,025t (1915 sank after striking wreck
off Sheringham)

[British Ocean Tramps by P. N. Thomas]