Puritan
4th
May 1903
While returning from Iceland with a "splendid"
catch of fish the 219ton trawler "Puritan"
of Hull ran hard aground between Peak Steel
and Blea Wyke. The collision with the rocks
knocked the blades off her propeller and pierced
her hull.
 
She soon sank.
The Captain and eleven crew hastily took off
in their small boat and rowed for six hours
before being picked up by the trawler "Hero"
operating out of Scarborough. The steamers
whistle had been herd blowing in Bay but it
was decided that the vessel was not in danger.
Later, a brief clearing in the fog revealed
the masts and funnel of the Puritan behind
Peak Steel. The Lifeboat was launched at 2:00pm
as the fog closed in again. On returning the
Lifeboat crew reported that the steamer had
settled on the shallow bottom. Later her funnel
and masts were swept away and then she broke
in two, spilling the holds precious contents
along the rocky shore. Sixty two years later
the Fred Everard came aground in almost the
same place.
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