Completed April 1859; Official No. 27448; Code Letters PRHT; iron screw steamer; 552g; 193.9 x 26.9 x 14.5; four bulkheads; engine J Jack, Liverpool.

Owners: Aberdeen SS Co (J Jack) Liverpool; 1861 Aberdeen SS Co (J Stomont) Aberdeen; 1862 Aberdeen SS Co (B Moir & Co) Aberdeen; 1863 Aberdeen SS Co (A Eddie & Co) Aberdeen.

Masters: 1861-63 Willaim Cargill; 1863-64 Thomas Howling (C.N. 25315 London 1862).

The following is an account of the wreck of the Stanley compiled in January 1996 by Chris Lambert who was the Honorary Assistant Secretary of the Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade.

1864 - 24th November - In the late afternoon, Friendship ran ashore on the West end of the Battery Rocks. The Coastguards deployed the rocket apparatus but, seeing no one on board, assumed that the crew had been taken off by South Shields Lifeboat. At 5.15 p.m., the Stanley ran in and hit the Black Middens at 5.30. She was 552 tons, built in Hartlepool in 1858, carried 30 passengers, 26 crew, 48 head of cattle and 30 sheep. 3 men were brought ashore in the breeches buoy before the gear failed and 6 people died in an attempt to launch the ship’s boat. At 10.30 p.m., Friendship broke up. At 1.00 a.m., the Stanley broke in two. Early in the following morning, the Cullercoats rocket gear was used to rescue the 9 passengers and the 20 crew left on board. 24 people were lost from Stanley, 6 from Friendship and 2 from Constance.

The Coastguard and lifeboat were preparing to rescue the crew of the Friendship when the Stanley struck. Tynemouth lifeboat Constance had put off, but had mistakenly been advised from the pier that the crews had been rescued and she put back into the Haven. Learning that the crew of Stanley were still aboard, they launched again. A rocket was put over the Stanley’s bow, but the crew, who were in a state of panic, ignored the master s order to secure the hawser up the mast and secured it on the bow. There was no tripod at the shore end to give height to the lines and lift them clear of the waves and rocks and the huge crowd got in the way of the Coastguards working the apparatus. Four male crewmen and five females were in the starboard ship s lifeboat when one davit snapped, upending the boat, which was then swamped by a wave. The five women and one man were washed away and drowned, one man, at least, being recovered on board. When the four Coastguards had got the breeches buoy rigged, Andrew Campbell, an able seaman, was the first man brought ashore, but no woman could be persuaded to follow. A male passenger was next to try, but he had to be hauled back on board, half drowned. The second mate, James Kemp, tried next and was successfully brought ashore. A man and woman together followed, but fell off the cradle, exhausted, and were drowned. Fireman James Buchan then tried, but the gear got fouled and he was trapped in the water. Several men, including George Bruce, a draper, of Tynemouth, James Fry, a joiner, William Ferguson and Thomas Cockburn, a plumber, also of Tynemouth, at imminent risk of their own lives, waded into the rough sea and rescued him. Lawrence Byrne, Chief Officer of Coastguard at Tynemouth, was knocked off his feet by a large wave, but was saved by an old man who managed to grab his cloak as he was being washed out into the sea.

The rocket apparatus, which had been recovered, was taken to the Spanish Battery and repaired and  was then brought back down to the rocks but, the tide having risen, the distance to the ship was too great for the gear to be used. It was then taken to North Shields, where twenty pounds in gold was offered to any steamboat which would go out with it in order to attempt a rescue from the sea, but none would.

Stanley had reached the bar at 5.15 p.m. and struck the Black Middens. Her bottom was holed and the flooding put out the boiler fires. Boiler gauge glasses blew, but no crew were injured. The lifeboats William Wake, Tyne, Providence and Northumberland all put out, but could not get near because of the tremendous seas and they all returned to their stations. Providence” had put out from South Shields, but was struck by a tremendous sea which stunned the crew and carried away most of her oars, compelling her to put back to the beach. Tynemouth R.N.L.I. lifeboat Constance, of a much lighter and more modern design than the other boats, put out from the Haven, being completely swamped by the huge seas four times on her way round Spanish Battery to the scene of the wreck. All of her oars were broken off at the rowlocks when a massive sea swept over Stanley’s bow and dropped onto the lifeboat just as the bowman was about to throw a line aboard the Stanley. Only 2 spare oars were left. Her crew were : James Gilbert, coxswain, William Moffitt, second coxswain, Alexander Rowler, David Rowler, Thomas Blackburn, Joseph Bell, John Saffy, Alexander McCall, Richard Keeler, John Henzell, Thomas Davidson, Edward Robson and James Grant. Edward Robson was employed on a boat used to tend the divers working on the pier and was not normally a member of the lifeboat crew, as was James Gilbert. He, Edward Robson, had volunteered to go out in the lifeboat when it was realised that the boat was short handed. The helpless lifeboat crashed into the Friendship and James Blackburn, Joseph Bell, James Grant and Edward Robson were thrown from the lifeboat, which broke away after a few minutes as the Friendship settled lower in the water. The lifeboat was later taken in tow by William Wake. Their fellow crewmen hung onto one of the four until they were compelled to let him go for their own safety.  The lifeboat crew pleaded with their fellow crewmen and the Friendship’s crew, whom they were astonished to see still on the Friendship, having believed that they were already rescued, to jump into the Constance, but none did. James Blackburn later stated that, when they were thrown onto the Friendship, the crew advised them that the schooner was breaking up and they all started to pray. They were still on their knees when the vessel broke up and they were thrown into the water.

The six crew of Friendship, James Grant and Edward Robson, the last minute volunteer, were all drowned. Robson left a wife and 5 children. Grant’s body was found on the beach under Collingwood’s Monument by Luke Fiddler. After being in the water for one and a half hours, James Blackburn was spotted by Luke Fiddler, James Ritchie, Ralph Hewison and Christopher Waddell, who, at great personal risk, waded out up to their armpits to rescue him. James Blackburn lived at Back Street, Tynemouth. Joseph Bell struggled ashore, exhausted, and crawled to Cuthbert’s Cottage, where he punched out a window to attract attention.

Friendship was lying with her head to the Eastward and Constance was driven into her starboard fore rigging. Constance struck with a great crash and four of her crew were thrown onto the Friendship. She was stuck there for 2 minutes and Gilbert implored his men to jump back aboard. The next wave carried Constance off, within six or eight feet of the foundation stone of the Low Lights Dock, laid on 23rd June 1864. William Wake took her in tow to the Low Lights. 31 of the crew of Stanley were landed by rocket apparatus between 3 and 4 o’clock in the morning of 25th November

At around 10 o’clock, Friendship lifted off the rocks on the rising tide, drifted into deeper water, broke up and sank. At 10.30 p.m., just before Stanley parted, the brig Ardwell crashed into her side. Several of Stanley’s crew jumped onto Ardwell, from where they and the brig s crew were rescued by South Shields lifeboat. During the night, Ardwell was refloated from the Black Middens and beached at South Shields. After Stanley broke into two, the remaining crew lashed in the rigging of the forepart survived because the bow, pointing into the waves, broke their force, but those left on the stern part were all washed off to their deaths. By around five o’clock in the morning, the tide had fallen back far enough to permit the Cullercoats rocket apparatus to reach the ship and the remaining crew were brought ashore within an hour.

The bodies of the female passengers were almost naked when they came ashore. They were taken to the mortuaries, where the women of Cullercoats cleaned them up and decently clothed them. They then manufactured the linen shrouds.

The names of the casualties of the Stanley disaster were: Passengers lost: Miss Jessie Roberts, 20, Miss Ann Frith, 22 (emigrant), Mrs.Clark, Mr.James McPherson, 20, Miss Jane Davidson, 21, Eliza Graham, 21, Mr.John Addison, 33, Ann Pratt, 54, Miss Jane Fergusson, 22, Miss Jamieson (emigrant), Miss Middleton (going to Jersey), Mr.Birnie, Mr.Skene, Mr.Ward, Mr.Manson, Miss Gordon, Mrs,Harper (of London), Miss Duncan, Mr.Firth (emigrant), Mr.Grant and J.Hutchinson.

Crew lost: Donald Falconer, Chief Engineer (married), James Gordon, fireman (married), James Wallace, seaman (married), John Sandlands, 16, of London, Margaret Duncan, stewardess.

Passengers saved: Mrs.MacDonald, Mr.Grant, Mr.Adam, Mr.Durno, Mr.Waters, Sergeant McConachie, J Cummings, Mrs.Mitchell and Mr.Donald Manson.

Crew saved: Captain T.Howling, John Main, James Kemp, James Smith, Henry Catt, Alexander Anderson, George Spring, Andrew Jamieson, Richard Cox, Robert Christie, Alexander Read, James Kinnaird, James Murray,Peter Gibboney, John McCondock, John Murray, Alex McPherson, David Ettersbank, James Buchan, James Booth, William Booth, William Beattie, John King, Hugh Dunn, George Smart and A.Smith.

The crew of Friendship, who were all lost, were Captain Samuel Shead, Alfred Mitchell, the mate, William Clark and William Button, seamen, and Daniel Page, cabin boy. All were buried in Preston Cemetery, where a memorial obelisk, carrying the names of many of the casualties of the disaster who are buried there, was erected. The communal grave is looked after to this day.

On board was Captain Howling, 1st Mate John Main, second mate, bosun, 8 seamen, 2 boys, cattleman, carpenter, cook, donkey-engineman, 3 stewards, 1 stewardess, 2 engineers, 4 firemen and 2 trimmers. These are not named in the first
account.

Later account gives loss of lives of: James Wallis, AB; Donald Falconer, chief engineer; James Gordon, fireman; John Langlands, boy; Margaret Duncan, stewardess; 21 passengers. Rescued: A. Adams, 2nd class; Sgt George Cummings, 93rd regiment, William Dunn or Duguid; Mr Grant, Alex McCormick, Mrs MacDonald, Mrs Matthewson or Pierce; John Walters, Donald Wanson.

26th Nov report says that most of Stanley crew returned to Aberdeen on steamer Pharos. 15 men sent to recover something from wreck. Witnesses at inquest included: Capt Thomas Howling. Bodies laid out from wreck for identification: Daniel Page - 17 – from Friendship, Samuel Shead, 31, captain of Friendship, Mitchell, mate of Friendship, man about 16 and another about 19 - possibly Friendship crew; woman about 40 - Stanley passenger; Margaret Gordon about 18 Stanley passenger; Jane Robertson, 23, Stanley passenger; Margaret Duncan, 18 Stanley passenger; Ann Middleton, 24, Stanley passenger; unidentified woman Stanley passenger, Elizabeth Jamieson about 19 - Stanley passenger; Margaret Duncan Stanley stewardess - funerals held at Preston  Cemetery. 30th November - further funerals and some bodies sent to Aberdeen.

A beautiful Silver Medal, designed by Mr.Wyon, was awarded by the National Lifeboat Institution to Mr.Lawrence Byrne, Chief Officer of Coastguard at Tynemouth “in testimony of his gallant and persevering services in aiding to rescue, at the imminent peril of his own life, by means of the rocket apparatus, several persons from the steamship Stanley of Aberdeen, which was wrecked during a very heavy gale of wind off Tynemouth Point on the night of 24th November, 1864”.

Stanley was owned by the Aberdeen Steam Navigation Company. She was built in Hartlepool in 1859 by Pile, Spence & Company and had a sister ship called Gambia. On leaving Aberdeen, Stanley was drawing 9 feet for’ard and 13 feet aft. She was 193 feet long, 27 feet breadth and 14 feet depth. She was carrying 48 cattle and 30 sheep on deck and Captain Howling later stated that it was his concern for the cattle which had decided him to make for shelter in the Tyne. Had he not had the cattle on deck, he would have continued the passage. 24 people from the Stanley, 6 from the Friendship and 2 lifeboatmen from Constance died.

Thursday 1st December - Mrs.MacDonald and Mrs.Mitchell, both rescued from the Stanley, stayed at the cottage of Coastguard Conaty, on Spanish Battery, for a few days after their rescue. Mrs.Mitchell then travelled to London to meet her husband, a seaman. When she got to his ship, she was told that he had been washed overboard and drowned on passage. (Coastguard John Conaty was believed to have broken his back while carrying a rocket box at the wreck of  Stanley and is reported to have died as a result of his injuries two years later. The source of the latter information is unknown)

Friday 2nd December - A public notice was published by the Tynemouth Relief Committee, offering two pounds for the recovery of any bodies from the Stanley wreck on November 24th, if the bodies were brought to the Dead House within one week from December 1st. It was signed by Joseph Spence, P.J.Messent, Secretaries.

Saturday 3rd December - Notice - Borough of Tynemouth.

A Public Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Borough of Tynemouth will be held in the TOWN HALL, Saville Street, on MONDAY, 5th Instant, at half past Seven o clock in the evening, to take into consideration the best means of assisting in the RELIEF of the SUFFERERS by the recent wrecks at Tynemouth, and also to consider the propriety of establishing a VOLUNTEER CORPS, for assisting the Coast Guard in working the Rocket Apparatus in case of wreck. GEORGE JOBLING, Mayor, Borough of Tynemouth, 3rd December, 1864.

Friday 9th December - On Spanish Battery - Mr. Pye to auction the wreck of the Stanley. Prospective bidders to be taken out by boat beforehand to inspect the wreck.

Giving evidence to the official inquiry into the wreck of Stanley, James Gilbert said that Constance had first put off at 6 o clock, but returned to station when they were wrongly advised that the crews of Stanley and Friendship had been taken off. They put off again at 6.45 p.m. The lifeboat passed under Stanley’s bowsprit, then a huge sea came right over the steamer s bow, swamped the lifeboat, smashed all of the working oars and washed away 3 of the 5 spare oars.

It may be thought surprising that the oars of the lifeboat were smashed so simply by a wave, but there are two reasons for this. The first is that, like every other detail of a lifeboat, great thought had gone into the design of the oars. A great danger to the crews was imposed when a lifeboat was broadside on in heavy seas, especially in shallow water, which is where most of their hazardous work was done. Apart from the obvious danger of simply being capsized by the waves, there was also a danger of the oars on the shore side of the lifeboat catching on the seabed when the boat was being tipped over by a wave and, at the same time, being pushed towards the shore by the wave. If the oars had been too strong, they would have acted as levers and made it certain that the lifeboat would capsize. Thus, the oars were designed to snap when the load was considered too great. The second reason is, of course, the frightening power of the sea. This has been demonstrated all too often at Tynemouth, with huge cranes being washed off both piers, the pier itself being destroyed and the terrible destruction of ships on the beaches and rocks. The bravery of men who were, and are, prepared to go out to sea at any time in lifeboats to rescue seafarers in danger, knowing just what the sea is capable of, is beyond belief to me. This was especially true of those men like James Gilbert and his crew, who used to go out without a second s hesitation, in comparatively small rowing boats, into ferocious seas which had usually just brought large ships to grief. The next time that you are on the Sea Front in a North Easterly or South Easterly gale, just look to the East, imagine what it must have been like for them out in such a sea, often in the dark, and give thanks that we are blessed with such courage in our community.

Friendship was built in Denmark in 1829 and was carrying coals when she grounded before Stanley. John Foster Spence, Alexander S. Stevenson and two others paid for the funeral of James Grant and Edward Robson, the two lifeboatmen, who were buried on November 27th, 1864.

24th November - On the same day as the Stanley disaster, the passenger steamer Dalhousie, Captain Glenny, which plied between Dundee and London and which had just sailed from Newcastle, was wrecked entering the Tay, with the loss of all 24 aboard. On the same night as the Stanley disaster, the steamer William Hutt foundered with only one survivor. Also on the same day, the schooner Light of the Harem drove ashore at Yarmouth. Her crew were rescued and she was later towed off. Her master was Captain Argent and she had been carrying coals from Seaham for London. She was later wrecked behind the North Pier on 8th February 1870.

November - The salvage boats William Wake, “Boutlands” and “James Mather” salvaged goods from the Stanley for auction.