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George Pyman - a general history

Official No. 49810: Code Letters HFVL.

Owners: 1865 George Pyman & Co, West Hartlepool.

Masters: 1865-1867 TA Pyman: 1868 I Luty: 1868-72 J Danby: 1872 Pinner.

Bound from Middlesbrough for Hamburg with a cargo of pig-iron George Pyman foundered near Dogger Bank in heavy weather on 9 April 1872 when the cargo shifted. No lives were lost.

Durham Herald 13 April 1872:

‘On Thursday intelligence was received at West Hartlepool by Messrs George Pyman & Co from Captain Pinner, then at Grimsby, that their screw-steamer, named the George Pyman, after the head of the firm, had foundered on the Dogger Bank on Tuesday morning & that all hands were saved. The vessel, which was one of the oldest belonging to the firm, left Middlesbrough for Hamburg with a cargo of pig-iron on the 8th inst. On Tuesday when she was about 130 miles out the weather became very bad & about 8.30am, Richard Appleton, the mate, who was then in charge of the watch, noticed that the cargo was shifting. He immediately called up Captain Pinner who lost no time in coming on deck & giving the necessary orders, but the vessel quickly canted over on to her broadside, &, in a very short time the fires were put out. Part of the crew got off in the jolly boat, & the remainder of them in a boat which leaked very much indeed, but fortunately a couple of smacks were close by & all hands were saved. The crew had a narrow escape for their lives, their vessel going down soon after they abandoned her, as it was they lost everything but what they wore. They were landed at Grimsby.’ South

Crew 1872:

Appleton, Richard, mate

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