'The POLLY, Cook, from Virginia for London, is ashore near Margate.' (2)

'Extract of a letter from Margate, Dec. 3.

"Yesterday we had a very hard Gale of Wind at N. and by W. which made a very high Tide, and the greatest Sea that has been known in the Memory of Man. The Sea had a free Passage over our New Pier Head . . . as it pleased God, the Wind and Sea abated before High Water. A great deal of the Craft suffered, being dashed to Pieces. The PLYMOUTH TRADER, Sprigs; the TURNPENNY AND BLEWIT, Dennis; the POLLY, Horncastle; the TRUE FRIEND, of Sunderland, Luck; the DUKE OF YORK Cutter; and the FOUNTAIN, Dixon, are all ashore here, but the Crews are saved." ' (4)

Source (3) states the date of loss as a reporting date of 06-DEC-1763, based on the issue date of source (2). It may be that there was more than one vessel named POLLY ashore at Margate at this time, since it was a fairly common name for the period.

Master: Cook (2); Cock (3); Horncastle (4)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

<1> United Kingdom shipwreck index, Page Nos. N/a (Bibliographic reference). SKE6340.

<2> Lloyds of London, Lloyds List, 1763 (Bibliographic reference). SKE55737.

<3> Larn, Richard and Bridget, 1995, Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 2 : Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Sussex, Kent (Mainland), Kent (Downs), Goodwin Sands, Thames (Bibliographic reference). SKE31910.

<4> 1763, St James's Chronicle, or British Evening Post (Article in serial). SKE56056.