Carried an unknown number of emigrants. A small portion of the cargo was saved. Vessel lost in wind conditions SW force 10, heavy gales. Master: Bartells Crew: 8 Date of Loss Qualifier: A Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index. Board of Trade Summary 1850/61 p222; Adm.Wk.Rtn.1852 p223(225)

Indexed as the LOUISE EMILE.

Carried an unknown number of emigrants, the total number of people on board thought to be 72. A small portion of the cargo was saved. Vessel lost in wind conditions SW force 10, heavy gales. (1)(2)

'The storm that broke out on Sunday or early on Monday morning, was one of the most severe experienced for some time past . . .

'Daybreak on Monday morning disclosed two large ships in the Bay of Dungeness, between two and three miles to the westward of the lighthouse. One proved to be an emigrant vessel from Hamburg - a barque, apparently of 500 tons burden, named the LOUISA EMILIA, bound with emigrants to Rio Grande, in South America. The boisterous character of the night had induced the coast-guard stationed at Lydd to anticipate some sad disaster...The helpless ship was driven on the sands, which stretch out some miles from the shore; and, out of upwards of 80 souls who were on board, not more than 40 were preserved, and they were only saved by clinging to pieces of the wreck. After an immense amount of suffering, they were got ashore in the most pitiable condition, having lost everything they were possessed of in the world.' (3)

As above, but this text continues:

'As for the ship, a few hours lashing and beating of the sea sufficed to decide her fate. At daylight she had broken up, and the coast was strewn with portions of her hull and cargo. The Coast Guard on duty at Lydd rendered all the aid they could. Some of the bodies of the unfortunate emigrants were washed up, and were promptly removed to await a coroner's inquest. This is the most calamitous wreck that has occurred on this point of the coast for some time.' (5)

'PRESERVATION OF LIFE FROM SHIPWRECK

'On Thursday a meeting of the general committee of the Society for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck was held at the Adelphi; Captain Stevenson Ellerby in the chair. The following rewards were ordered to be granted, for gallant acts:- the silver medal of the institution to Mr Arthur Brooks and John Sims, of the Dungeness Coast Guard Station; the thanks of the committee, on vellum, to Mr. Thomas Sampson, of Rye; and £5 10s to other parties, for their services on the occasion of the wreck of the German emigrant barque, LOUISE EMELIE, near the above place, during the late hurricane; when, through their exertions, thirty-nine persons were saved - forty-five others having unhappily perished.' (4)

Master: Bartells (1)(2)
On board: 80+ (3); 84 (4)
Crew: 8 (1)(2)
Passengers: 64 (1)(2)
Lives Lost: 40+ (3); 45 (1)(2)(4)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index:
BOT.Summary 1850/61 p222; BOT.Wk.Rtn.1852 p223(225

1853, Illustrated London News: January 1st 1853 (Newspaper). SKE56105.

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

<2> 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.