Clavering - Coxswain Wreck Reports

SS Clavering—Hartlepool Number 1 Ilminster

1907 31 January—Shortly after 8 o’clock on Thursday morning the Honorary Secretary received a message from the Coastguard Station to say that a vessel was ashore on the North Gare at the mouth of the Tees. He sent the telephone man to the Coastguard Station to make full enquiries & told him to keep him informed of any news he could ascertain about the wreck. At about 11.30am the Honorary Secretary received a telegram addressed to the Coxswain of the Hartlepool lifeboat as follows; ‘OHMS Coxswain Seaton Carew lifeboat launched & taken crew off the ship that is ashore at South Gare’. At about 1pm the Honorary Secretary was informed by a dock man that Captain Watson, Dock Master at West Hartlepool had telephoned to say that there were still men on the wrecked vessel & that the Seaton Carew lifeboat men were exhausted & that it had been suggested to him that Hartlepool should send a crew to man the Seaton Carew lifeboat. On receipt of this message the Honorary Secretary went to the cliff & consulted with the Coxswains & at once sent the telephone man to the Coastguard Station to again make full enquiries & received the following reply; 14 men only landed out of crew of 67, 13 coolies & 1 engineer. The lifeboat could not return to ship again owing to heavy sea so have gone home to change clothes & are going out later on. At about 1.45pm the Honorary Secretary was still with some of the Coxswains on the cliff who advised him that it would be quite impossible owing to the heavy sea on the Tees Bar to approach the wreck if the Horatio Brand was sent by tug across the Bay to attempt to render assistance. At about 2pm he again sent the telephone man to the Coastguard Station to telephone to Seaton & ask if Hartlepool could assist in any way by sending men or Coxswains to man their boat or help in any way.  This offer could not be sent as there was no-one at the Seaton end to attend to the telephone. Though no request had as yet come from Seaton & as communication with them could not be got the 2 Honorary Secretaries, the Coxswains & the emergency Committee thought that as telephone communication was impossible & as so many men were reported to be on the wreck, Hartlepool should do everything in its power to help the Seaton Station in such a serious emergency & it was decided to employ a large number of helpers & hire horses & try if possible to haul the North Sands lifeboat over the steep sea banks & send her round by road. About 90 helpers were set to work & at 3.30pm the boat was got out of the house & after splendid work by the crew & helpers & many volunteers was successfully hauled over the sea banks & taken down to the iron bridge at Throston where a team of horses was yoked at about 4 o’clock & she was then taken round by road to Seaton Carew a distance of about 5 miles arriving there about 5.30pm After there engaging a fresh team of horses (the first team being exhausted) & waiting till about 8pm the boat was taken to a place called the Inner Deep, a distance of about 2 miles further & after a short wait there so as to catch the last of the ebb tide the boat was launched at about 9.15pm by the helpers without the assistance of the horses, the Hartlepool carriage having no appliances for launching by horse power. It was now freezing hard which made it terribly cold work for helpers who willingly went waist deep into the water. The Honorary Secretary at the request of the Coxswain consented to 4 extra hands being taken on the boat as there was a probability of unusually heavy work. The Hartlepool boat was then joined by the Seaton lifeboat & both boats proceeded to the wreck. The Assistant Coxswain of the Seaton lifeboat was taken on board the Hartlepool boat to act as pilot as he was a man familiar with the Slag Banks, shallows & passages of this difficult place & one of the Hartlepool men went in the Seaton boat. After trying for over an hour to approach the wreck by various courses & grounding on the Slag several times they at last returned to try the main channel but there the flood tide & cross seas caught them in full force. There was a very heavy sea & a moderate NE gale at the time. Both boats made several attempts from the main channel to reach the wreck & got to within about 100 yards of her. She was deck to sea & heavy seas were washing completely over her. The Hartlepool lifeboat showed a light to ascertain whether anyone was on the wreck. They then heard shouts from the vessel & again made one last desperate effort to reach her but found it utterly beyond their power to do so &, in fact, discovered that in spite of all they could do they were only losing ground. They were then most reluctantly obliged to give the attempt up for that tide. The Hartlepool boat, owing to having 4 extra hands on board, was enabled to approach nearer & continue the struggle somewhat longer than the Seaton boat. They both returned to the Snook at about 1.30am on 1 February & moored there. The Honorary Secretary then sent all the helpers who had, according to his instructions, waited at the Inner Deep for the return of the boat-home to Hartlepool & told them to be back at 8am. The crew walked to the village (about 2 miles) & waited at the Hotel until 6am when they set out for their boat again. Both boats left the Snook at about 7am & went out with the ebb tide to the 3^rd buoy & let go their anchors till the tide eased at about 10am. They then approached the wreck by way of the Inner Deep. The weather had then moderated, the wind being NNW but the sea was still heavy. They succeeded in reaching the vessel, the Hartlepool boat bringing off 13 men, consisting of the Master, Chief Engineer 3^rd Engineer, all English A Japanese & 9 Lascars all in a most exhausted condition, & the Seaton boat bringing off 11 men, 24 being all that were alive on the vessel. When the lifeboats got back into the River, tugs towed them to the 5^th buoy & took the rescued men to Middlesbrough. The Hartlepool lifeboat was put on her carriage & brought round to Hartlepool & got safely into the boat-house between 4 & 5 o’clock.

1. Rig, name & port of vessel?—Pole masted screw steamer Clavering of London

2. Name of Master & of Owners?—J Scott—Hazlehurst & Co.

3. Number of persons on board?—63

4. Tonnage & whether vessel loaded or ballast, where from & to?—2154 Reg. Middlesbrough to Japan

5. Exact spot where casualty occurred?—North Gare, Teesmouth

6. Nature of casualty?—Total wreck

7. Direction & force of wind?—NE moderate gale to NNW moderate breeze

8. Condition of sea?—Very heavy to heavy, very cold

9. Condition of weather?—Part fine, part thick

10. Time when signal was seen & state of tide?—8.15am 31 January 4 hours ebb

11. Time of launching lifeboat?—9.30pm 31 January

12. Time of reaching wreck?—12 midnight 31 January & 10am 1 February

13. Time of returning ashore?—At 1.30am & 1.30pm on 1 February

14. Time of returning lifeboat to house?—5pm on 1 February

15. Number of lives saved by the lifeboat?—13

16. Number of lives lost?—Not known

17. Was service done under sail or oars?—Oars

18. If under oars, did boat pull against wind & sea?—Yes

19. How did the boat behave?—Very well

20. By whose authority was she ordered out?—2 Honorary Secretaries & Emergency Committee

21. Was any damage done to the boat, extent of repairs, are they in hand?—Rudder broken, 2 oars broken, pintail bent-Yes

22. Amount, if any, of reward received locally or elsewhere?—£38 received 16 February from Messrs Edmund Hazlehurst & Co. owners of the Clavering

23. Amount, if any, of salvage?--

24. State the names of the crew & number of times these men have been off in the lifeboat;--

S Sotheran; J Webster; EF Davison; James Hastings; James Horsley; Robert Horsley; Ben Hood; Robert Hood; George Davison; John Pounder; James Pounder; Thomas W Rowntree; Frank Sotheran senior; S Sotheran junior; Robert Corner; Robert Cambridge & Frank Sotheran junior

17 men at 45/- each. 73 persons for assisting to launch & haul up the lifeboat. Hire of 7 horses supplied by Hartlepool Corporation free of charge. £93.5.5

Alfred Belk, Honorary Secretary

1907 7 February—Attached cutting from local newspaper; LIFEBOAT—THE HELPERS at the LAUNCH of the HARTLEPOOL LIFEBOAT on the occasion of the Wreck of the Clavering are requested to assemble in the Market, Middlegate at 3 o’clock on Saturday afternoon, February 9^th when they will receive payment on giving up their tickets. Helpers must appear themselves & not send their tickets by anyone else.

Alfred Belk, Honorary Secretary.

SS Clavering--Lifeboat (temporary) Charles Ingleby

January 31^st 1907. SS Clavering. Word was brought to the Cox. At 8 am that a steamer was ashore on the North Gare. The signal for the crew & horses to assemble was given at 8.25. The boat was taken along the Breakwater & launched at 9.50 am. The first attempt to reach the ship failed, the boat being carried too far to the south & missing the Channel  ++ ++ ++. The second attempt proved more fortunate & the boat was able to bring 15 of the crew ashore.  The boat immediately tried a third time to reach the ship, but unsuccessfully, as by this time the tide had begun to flow & the crew begun to tire. The boat was then taken up the River & moored.

Remarks

At deep water as it was decided to make a further attempt to reach the ship on the ebb tide. I will give return of night service as a separate return, but I have here to report that at 2pm the crew of the West Hartlepool had arrived at Seaton having been summoned by some private person unknown, went to our Coxswain himself. They expressed a desire to go out in the boat & see what could be done for the crew, the Coxswain gave his permission to them & so, at 4.30, a tug took them out as far as the far buoy in the Channel of the River & then cast them off but it was absolutely impossible for them to do anything sea & wind & in about ½ an hour they returned. I have learnt that the name of the person who sent the message in case the Institution  wish to take further steps in the matter as any service rendered by the West Hartlepool crew was entirely voluntary I then not advise the Institution to make any payment for the same.

1. Rig, name & port of vessel--SS Clavering

2. Name of master & owner--J Scott Captain. G Hazelhurst Owner

3. Number of persons aboard--63-62 crew & Pilot

4. Tonnage & whether vessel loaded in Ballast or how occupied, where from & whither bound--     3328 tons—loaded from Middlesbro to Japan

5. Exact position where casualty occurred—North Gare Breakwater

6. Nature of casualty collision or stranded. Did vessel become total wreck? If not what became of her?-       

Total wreck

7. Direction & force of wind--North whole gale

8. Condition of sea--Very heavy

9. Condition of weather--Very cold

10. Time when signal was first seen or warning received, State of tide--8 am.

11. Time of launching lifeboat--9.50 am.

12. Time of reaching wreck--10.30 am.

13. Time of returning ashore--11.30 am.

14. Time of returning ashore--Boat left in Tees

15. Number of lives saved--15

16. Number of lives lost--48 men left on steamer

17. Was service done under sails or oars--Oars

18. If under oars, did boat pull against wind or sea--Oars against wind

19. How did boat behave--Very well

20. By whose authority was she ordered out—Secretary & Coxswain

21. Was any damage done to the boat? Extent of repairs required? Are they in hand?--None

22. Amount, if any, of reward received locally or from elsewhere--None

23. Amount, if any of salvage--None

SS Clavering—Lifeboat (temporary) Charles Ingleby

January 31^st 1907. At 6 pm the Hartlepool (North Shore) boat arrived at Seaton Carew. Horsed by the Seaton Carew horses they proceeded to the Tees to join the Seaton boat in a further attempt to rescue the crew remaining on the ship. I shall confine my remarks to the doing of the Seaton boat & leave it to Mr Belk to report the service of his boat. At 9.30 pm the Seaton boat was manned & proceeded down the River. For three hours the crew persisted in their effort to reach the ship, but unsuccessfully. ++ they got within speaking distance of her but could get no nearer; in the first reason because there was not enough water to get over the Slag & on the second reason, when they tried to get round the outside of the Slag heap, because the sea was too rough to make an attempt to get near in the darkness. The crew, most reluctantly, returned ashore at 12.30 am. It is impossible to speak more highly of the endurance & courage displayed by the crew this as long & most trying piece of service. James Lithgo, our 2^nd Coxswain, went in the Hartlepool boat to give them the benefit of his local knowledge.

1. Rig, name & port of vessel--SS Clavering

2. Name of master & owner--

3. Number of persons aboard--Unknown

4. Tonnage & whether vessel loaded in Ballast or how occupied, where from & whither bound--    

5. Exact position where casualty occurred--         

6. Nature of casualty collision or stranded. Did vessel become total wreck? If not what became of her?-

7. Direction & force of wind--Wind moderating

8. Condition of sea--Sea moderating

9. Condition of weather--Very cold

10. Time when signal was first seen or warning received, State of tide--

11. Time of launching lifeboat--9.20 pm.

12. Time of reaching wreck--

13. Time of returning ashore--12.30 am.

14. Time of returning ashore--Boat left in Tees

15. Number of lives saved--None

16. Number of lives lost--None

17. Was service done under sails or oars--

18. If under oars, did boat pull against wind or sea--Oars against wind

19. How did boat behave--Very well

20. By whose authority was she ordered out--Secretary & Coxswain

21. Was any damage done to the boat? Extent of repairs required? Are they in hand?--None

22. Amount, if any of salvage--

23.

February 1^st 1907.  The crew went down to the end of the Snook where the boat had been moored at 7 am. The crew manned the boat at 9.30 & in company with the Hartlepool reached the ship at 10.45. The two boats took off the officers & all the crew to the number of 24—11 in the Seaton boat & 13 in the Hartlepool boat. It is difficult at the moment to ascertain exactly how many lives were lost but it appears as if 19 out of a crew of 62 lost their lives, either from drowning or exposure. While we amply deplore this loss of life we feel that all that men could do was done by the crews of the lifeboats to rescue these poor fellows. Later in the day the Seaton team of horses conveyed the Hartlepool boat back to Hartlepool. They will then have to convey the Seaton boat back to its house. I have arranged with Mr Belk that this is included in my return all the work done by our team of horses, whether for his boat or ours. I am sure that the Committee of the Institution will be glad to know that the members of our crew are none the worse for their efforts.

1. Rig, name & port of vessel--SS Clavering

2. Name of master & owner--

3. Number of persons aboard--24

4. Tonnage & whether vessel loaded in Ballast or how occupied, where from & whither bound--    

5. Exact position where casualty occurred--         

6. Nature of casualty collision or stranded. Did vessel become total wreck? If not what became of her?-      

7. Direction & force of wind--Moderate breeze

8. Condition of sea--Moderating considerably

9. Condition of weather--Cold

10. Time when signal was first seen or warning received, State of tide--

11. Time of launching lifeboat--9.30 am.

12. Time of reaching wreck--10.45 am.

13. Time of returning ashore--1 am.

14. Time of returning ashore--Boat left in Tees

15. Number of lives saved--11 total by both boats 24

16. Number of lives lost--None

17. Was service done under sails or oars--

18. If under oars, did boat pull against wind or sea--

19. How did boat behave--

20. By whose authority was she ordered out--

21. Was any damage done to the boat? Extent of repairs required? Are they in hand?--Not yet ascertained but none apparent

22. Amount, if any, of reward received locally or from elsewhere--

23. Amount, if any of salvage--

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