Nellie Wise Gallery

Images and documents relating to shipwrecks and strandings that have occurred at, or off, the ports of Hartlepool and West Hartlepool.

Official No. 67538: Code Letters LNMD.
Masters: 1874-81 S Green: 1882-85 McDowall: 1887-89 W Welsh: 1890-92 CF Butter: 1894 W Wilkins: 1896 Flanders: 1898 JR Wilkinson: 1899-1902 W Street: 1907-08 D McAlister.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, March 16^th, 1892:
THE NELLIE WISE’S CARGO. A later message from the docks says the Steamer Nellie Wise is from Newport, Mon., not from Antwerp. When the men sent to unload her found their action might have a bearing upon the strike they ceased operations.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, March 17^th, 1892:
THE NELLIE WISE. The Press Association says the difficulty regarding the unloading of the coal steamer Nellie Wise at the Albert Dock, London, was removed to-day by the Shipping Federation sending men do the work.

Shields Daily Gazette, October 2^nd, 1895:
The steamer Nellie Wise stranded the north end of Oland Island in dense fog. The Neptune salvage steamer is at the vessel.

Hull Daily Mail, August 13^th, 1900:
UNFORTUNATE NELLIE WISE. STEAMER IN COLLISION TO-DAY. A Lloyd's telegram from Portland says that the Nellie Wise, attached to the B fleet, whilst leaving H.M.B. Meda, after coaling here on Saturday afternoon, went across the bows of H.M.S. Magnificent, striking her ram. The Nellie Wise, which was holed, was towed ashore by the tug Petrel, to prevent her sinking. She lies on the ground, being temporarily repaired.

Shields Daily News, January 7^th, 1908:
Grimsby, Jan. 6.—The British steamer Nellie Wise, of and from London, has been towed into the river by the trawler Unularia with damage to engines.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer, January 9^th, 1908:
VESSELS ASHORE NEAR THE TEES. ONE MAN DROWNED: Later in the evening a large steamer was driven ashore about two miles to the north of Hartlepool, and the other rocket company’s services were required to take the crew off. The steamer was Nellie Wise, belonging to Messrs. Cory and Co., London. On Sunday the steamer's engines broke down whilst she was on her way from London to the Tyne in ballast. This occurred off Flamborough, and the ship was towed into Grimsby Roads by a trawler. Subsequently she continued her voyage in tow of the steamship Henry Murton, belonging to the same firm.
When the gale struck the vessel's towage became an almost impossible task, and both were in danger of being driven ashore. They got as far north as the Wear, and the Nellie Wise had a narrow escape of striking on Hendon Rocks, being gradually driven back towards Hartlepool. It was eventually found necessary for the disabled steamer to drop anchor and cast off from the other vessel. She dragged her anchor, however, and ultimately a heavy sea struck and her anchor chain parted. She was now amongst the breakers, and the same sea that snapped the chain washed the second mate off the forecastle. A line was thrown to him, and he grasped it, but a further sea carried him away, and he was seen more.
The vessel rapidly drove on to the beach, and the remainder the crew, fifteen all told, including Captain McAllister, of South Shields, were ultimately landed by the rocket apparatus, and reached Hartlepool between ten and eleven o'clock. The second mate was Warnes New land, of 65 Richmond Road, South Shields, who leaves a widow and three children.

Belfast News-Letter, January 9^th, 1908:
Some exciting storm incidents were witnessed at Hartlepool yesterday. The trawler Dunrobin, of Scarborough, went ashore off West Hartlepool Promenade, and the crew of seven were landed in the breeches buoy. The third hand, named Dawson, was washed overboard, but was thrown back on deck by the next wave. A Danish schooner by magnificent seamanship was just saved from being dashed to pieces on Longscar Rocks, being brought into port after an hour's battle with the elements. The captain was lashed to the rigging while directing the handling of the vessel. The steamer Nellie Wise, of London. drifted on to the sands at Hartlepool last night. Fifteen of the crew were rescued by the rocket apparatus, but the second mate, named Newland, of South Shields, was drowned.

Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser, January 15^th, 1908:
While 15 of the crew of the Cory steamer, Nellie Wise, were rescued by the rocket apparatus at Hartlepool, Newland, the second mate, was drowned.

Shields Daily News, January 24^th, 1908:
TO REFLOAT THE NELLIE WISE. Messrs Furness, Witbv, and Co.’s salvage steamer Recovery is engaged in the preliminary work required for the refloating of the s.s. Nellie Wise, which, whilst being towed to the Tyne in a disabled condition was driven ashore north of Hartlepool during the gale on January 8th.  The Recovery is laying down heavy sea anchors to assist in refloating the vessel on the early February spring tides, when it is hoped the salvage of the stranded steamer may be safely accomplished.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer, February 3^rd, 1908:
The salvage contractor who is conducting operations on the steamer Nellie Wise, ashore off West Hartlepool, wired this morning that owing to heavy sea and wind he could not get a salvage boat near the vessel to tow her off. The holds have been flooded to keep the steamer steady, and if the weather abates it is hoped to re-float her. The Nellie Wise is of 1,017 tons burden, owned by Messrs. W. Cory and Son (Ltd.), of Newcastle and London.

Belfast News-Letter, February 4^th, 1908:
The British steamer Nellie Wise, previously reported ashore on Hartlepool beach, was towed off yesterday and taken into Hartlepool Harbour.

The steamship Nellie Wise stranded on the North Sands on 8th January, 1908.

The steamship Nellie Wise ashore on the North sands in 1908.

W.H. Wise & Co. was formed with the purchase of their first steamer Woodlark in 1871. The Nellie Wise followed in 1872. The company continued trading until 1902 when their last ship, Bewick, foundered in September of that year.

Family History:

William Henry Wise (senior) was born in London in 1822 and became a banker in Backhouse Bank.  He married Dorothy Shevill in 1847. By 1861 the family had moved to Hartlepool and were living at Stranton, West Hartlepool. William (senior) died at Fern Villas, Stranton on 3 February 1881 aged 59. He left effects of £6,307.

William Henry Wise (junior) was born in 1850 at Darlington to parents William Henry Wise and Dorothy (nee Shevill). He married Alice Clarkson in 1884 at Dewsbury.  On the 1891 census the couple were listed as staying at Yewtree Cottage, St Briavel, Gloucestershire with their son and daughter. By 1901 William and Alice were living in Grange Road, West Hartlepool with their three sons and three daughters and by 1911 the family had moved to Seabank, Falmouth.

William died aged 84 at Mount Hawke near Truro on 27 April 1935 leaving effects of £4,775.