SS Thames
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|+SS Thames {{Infobox ship image |Ship image=Figurehead of the SS Thames.jpg |Ship caption=Figurehead of the SS Thames in Tresco Abbey Gardens }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country= United Kingdom |Ship flag= |Ship name= |Ship namesake= |Ship owner= |Ship operator=City of Dublin Steam Packet Company |Ship registry={{flag|United Kingdom|civil}} |Ship route= |Ship ordered= |Ship awarded= |Ship builder=Fletcher's, Limehouse |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched=1827 |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened= |Ship completed= |Ship acquired= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport= |Ship identification= |Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship fate=Wrecked 4 January 1841 |Ship notes= |Ship badge= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= |Ship type=Steamship |Ship tonnage={{GRT|514}} |Ship displacement= |Ship length= |Ship beam= |Ship height= |Ship draught= |Ship depth= |Ship hold depth= |Ship decks= |Ship deck clearance= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion= |Ship speed= |Ship range= |Ship endurance= |Ship capacity= |Ship crew= |Ship notes= }} |
The steamship, SS Thames, was built in 1827 by Fletcher's in Limehouse, London, and belonged to the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company. She was commanded by Captain James Grey and wrecked on the Western Rocks, Isles of Scilly early on the morning of 4 January 1841 on her way from Dublin to London.
Wreck
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According to The Times (1841), the weather was "exceedingly boisterous, with showers of hail and snow." She "shipped a heavy sea, which extinguished her fires." Then, mistaking St Agnes Lighthouse for Longships Lighthouse, they ran onto Jacky's Rock, between Rosevear and Crebawethan, at around 5 am.{{cite book |last=Larn |first=Richard |authorlink=Richard Larn |last2=Larn |first2=Bridget |title=Wreck & Rescue round the Cornish coast |publisher=Tor Mark Press |location=Redruth |isbn= 978-0-85025-406-8 |page=48}}
Of the sixty-five passengers and crew, there were only four survivors: a "young lady passenger" named Morris, two female attendants and a seaman. A boat crew from St Agnes set off as soon as the wreck was discovered by locals and rescued the three women. A fourth woman who survived the initial sinking refused to leave with rescuers because she could not find her child. Local pilots were unable to offer any further assistance because it was low tide and the pilot boats were aground. By 11 am, Thames was lost to the sea.
The only other survivor was the seaman who had made his way to Rosevear on a piece of driftwood. He survived on the exposed island for 24 hours before being discovered by boatmen. A porter cask had found its way to the rock from the wreck. The seaman took a drink before emptying it to use as an overnight shelter.
Ten bodies were found, including that of the woman who refused to leave her child. The casualties were buried on the island of St Mary's.
The figurehead from the ship was salvaged and is now on display at Tresco Abbey Gardens.{{cite web |url=http://www.tresco.co.uk/what-to-do/abbey-garden/valhalla_thames.aspx |title=Valhalla – Thames (1841) |website=Tresco Island |department=Abby Garden |accessdate=2013-09-08}}
See also
{{Portal|Cornwall}}
Citations
{{Reflist}}
References
- {{cite news |title=Loss of the Thames Steamer |date=12 January 1841 |newspaper=The Times|page=5}}
{{coord missing|Atlantic Ocean}}
{{1841 shipwrecks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thames}}
Category:Shipwrecks of the Isles of Scilly
Category:Shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean