Wreck of the Emporium

10th October 1854

"The barque Emporium of South Shields left Cardiff for Constantinople on 23rd March 1854. It then proceeded to Alexandria and Malta but unable to get any freight it sailed to Quebec in ballast, arriving 3rd August. It left for Sunderland on 21st laden with timber and deals. On Tuesday 9 th October 1854 she arrived of Sunderland but there was insufficient water to enter.

As the wind freshened she stood off to the east with double reefed topsail and forsail. At midnight the forsail was heaved up and reefed as the wind continued to freshen. Close reefing the topsails, they split and had to be clued up, which took until daybreak, meanwhile the wind varied from N.E. to E.S.E before becoming more northerly, then increasing to hurricane force from the N.E.

At 8am Wednesday she passed Whitby under mizzen, main trysail, foretopmast-staysail and reefed foresail, but did not try to come in as it was thought to be to shallow. She had barely cleared the Whitby Rock and people flocked to the cliffs to watch.

Opposite Robin Hood's Bay she was heading S.E. by E. and was worn into the wind to bring it on the beach South of Robin Hood's Bay. As they wore ship they brailed up the mizzen and main trysails, but unfortunately she struck about 2 3/4 miles to the south of Robin Hood's Bay and 1/4 mile north of Peak Wayfoot. Previous to grounding both anchors were dropped but the larboad cable parted and she dragged the starboard (?) anchor. As she came into shallow water she healed over with the masts in the water to the seawater and broadside on to the scar with her head to the north. The water being shallow it was about 7-800 yards from the shore.

Lt. Woolley of Robin Hood's Bay Coast Guard Station was already on the heights with his men and fired several rockets to the crew but the line snapped. Nothing could be done until the tide went down, so that they could work from the beach. After about an hour she began to break up and the crew were all holding on to the rigging on the forpart of the hull, where they had some protection. At 1.45 pm she was hit broadside by a heavy wave which swept three away including the Captain's fourteen year old son who was on the voyage for his health. The Captain went to the assistance of his son, but he was drowned as well. The mainmast did not break, but acted as a lever with its lower end through the ships bottom preventing it breaking up altogether.

It was about 5pm and getting dark when O'Donnell and Whitton, two of the Coasguards got within 400yards and got a line on at the third attempt. In the meantime Booth, Harrison, Witton, O'Donnell, John Ivery and some other daring fellows of Robin Hood's Bay rushed round on a ledge of rock over which the sea broke furiously and got to within 10 yards of the ship and caught hold of the line and used part of the bulwark planking to make a ladder down which the crew came. The Coastguards were helped by the seafaring population and G.J.W.Foulsyke Esq.

The crew had every assistance from the kind hearted inhabitants of Robin Hood's Bay and were taken to the town in a covered carriage, to the Robin Hood Inn and Kings Head. Most of the crew had lost there clothes.

The crew of the Emporium were:

Mr Thomas Bruce - North Shields Master - Drowned

Thomas Bruce - 14 years Son - Drowned

George Manderson - Newcastle- Chief Mate - Saved

Edward Relf - Rye - 2nd Mate - Saved

John Bridge - Milford - Carpenter - Saved

Robert Brown - Brazil - Cook/Steward - Drowned

John Sullivan - Cork - Seaman - Saved

William Fulder - Annan - Seaman - Saved

James Magennis - Co of Inverness - Seaman - Saved

William Nolan - Cork - Seaman - Saved

William Boggy - North Shields - Apprentice - Saved

Colin Kelly - Limerick - Apprentice - Drowned

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28thOctober 1854 " Following complaints that the Robin Hood's Bay Life Boat was not launched it was said that the Bay was a sheet of foam and launching would have meant the end of boat and crew.

Informed by B. Woolley Esq R.N. of the Coastguard that when Captain Ward R.N. inspector of lifeboats to the National Life Boat Institute was at Bay he thought the boat was a good one but deficient in gear and not kept in good order. He thought that this would apply until a coxswain was appointed at an annual salary to keep the boat and gear ready and to take command."

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4th November 1854 "The bodies of Capt. Bruce and his son were found on Friday morning last to the southward of Hayburn Wyke, six miles from the wreck and Brown the cook was found on Saturday morning two miles further Northwards."

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20th March 1855 "The bottom of the Emporium was floated and towed to Whitby on Tuesday last." By the steam tug "Hilda" of Whitby.