'The ACTIVE, Hornby, from London to Greenock, is lost on Nailand Rock near Margate; nine of the crew drowned.' (1)

Variously described as a 'Royal Navy frigate' a 'treasure ship carrying gold specie worth 200,000 l', and a 'West Indiaman', probably none of which are true. Certainly there was never a frigate by this name lost off Margate, nor was she likely to have been lost with that amount of precious metal on board without it being well reported. (2)(3)

[NB: The term 'frigate' at this period was used to refer to a cargo vessel as well as a type of warship.]

'On Monday evening, about 6 o'clock, the ACTIVE, of Greenock, Captain Hornby, a fine new West India ship, of 350 tons burthen and laden with 300 hogsheads of sugar, etc., bound to Greenock, parted from her anchor in the Margate Roads, and came ashore within about half a mile of the pier-head, where she soon sunk; but owing to a tremendous surf, which, with the disadvantage of tide, soon completely rolled over her, the most skilful seamen wer unable to put off to her assistance, nor was there any possibility of discovering where [sic] the crew had left her. After the sea had made a complete breach on her weather-side, she drove inshore, with her fore- and mizzen-masts standing, upon the Nayland Rock, at 3 o'clock in the morning; to which fortunate circumstance may be attributed the safety of part of the passengers and crew, who, had she remained where she first struck, would, in all probability, have perished. They consisted of 19 persons and from lashing themselves in the shrouds, 10 out of the 19 were saved. Five perished in the main-top by the falling of the mast; one lad was washed overboard, and three were taken from the rigging, who perished by the spray of the sea and from the inclemency of the weather.' (5) [paraphrased in source (4), which adds: 'Every means of resuscitation on them was used by Mr Slater, a surgeon of Margate, without success. Among the survivors were the captain, mate and pilot.'.] (7) is similar, omitting the clause beginning, 'but owing to a tremendous surf . . .', reprising from 'After the sea had . . .', but finishes with 'Every means of resuscitation . . .'

'Margate, Jan.10. This evening about 6 o'clock, the ACTIVE, of Greenock, Captain Hornby, a fine new West India ship, of 350 tons burthen, with 200 hogsheads of sugar, etc., bound to Greenock, parted from her anchor in the roads, and came ashore, within about half a mile of the pier head, where she soon sunk; but owing to a tremendous surf, which, with the advantage of the tide, soon completely rolled over her, our skilful seamen were unable to put off to her assistance; nor was there any possibility of discovering, from the faint glimmerings of the moon, whether the crew had left her. After the sea had made a complete breach on her weather side, she drove in shore, with her fore- and mizzen-masts standing...[otherwise as (5)]

Built: 1802 (4)(5)
Master: Hornby (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)
On board: 19 (4)(5)(6)(7)
Lives Lost: 9 (4)(5)(6)(7)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

Additional sources cited in Shipwreck Index of the British Isles:
Great Shipwrecks, Nelson.1880 p626; SAM. 03.1967 p27; Fell's Guide to Sunken Treasure

Additional sources cited in Shipwrecks of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Eras:
Naval Chronicle Vol. 9, p70-71

<1> Lloyd's, 1969, Lloyd's list 1741-1945, 4316 14-JAN-1803, Page Nos. N/a (Bibliographic reference). SKE6342.

<2> United Kingdom shipwreck index (Bibliographic reference). SKE6340.

<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, Section 4, Kent Mainland (BD) (Bibliographic reference). SKE31910.

<4> Terence Grocott, 1998, Shipwrecks of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras (Monograph). SKE56129.

<5> 1804, Newcastle Courant 15-JAN-1803, No.6587 (Newspaper). SKE56141.

<6> 1803, Tyne Mercury 18-JAN-1803, No.34 (Newspaper). SKE56142.

<7> Annual Register p354 (Miscellaneous Material). SKE56143.