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Garron Tower - a general history

Completed December 1876; Official No. 68947: Code Letters WVDC

Owners: 1876 Marquis of Londonderry, Sunderland: 1887 Marquis of Londonderry (SJ Ditchfield) Sunderland: 1909 R Riizzuto, Palermo-renamed Providenza: 1912 Transports Cotiers, Marseille-renamed Planier

Masters: 1876 Thompson: 1880-85 J Lonsdale: 1887-96 D Horlock: 1899 J Hornsey: 1903-09 D Horlock: 1914 Corbel.

The Times 22 December 1890.

‘Thirteen of the crew of the Garron Tower, belonging to the Marquis of Londonderry, arrived at Seaham Harbour yesterday afternoon, their vessel having been run down in the Channel, near Beachy Head, last Friday night, by an unknown barque, supposed to be a foreigner. The barque left the steamer & her crew to their fate, never offering the slightest assistance, despite the cries of the latter. The steamer Bessemer of Middlesbrough fortunately came to their assistance, & shortly after the crew had got on board the Bessemer, the Garron Tower sank. One man, named Maynard is missing & it is stated that he scrambled aboard the barque. Four men belonging to the Garron Tower were severely injured by one of the masts falling. Both masts, the bridge & the funnel of the steame rwere carried away & 2 boats were smashed to splinters. The barque’s jibboom broke & fell onto the steamer’s deck as did also her figurehead. Garron Tower was laden with coal bound for Santander.’ The Times 22 December 1890.

Providenza was stranded in in 1908 & refloated in December 1908.

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