Maritime record TR 34 SE 447 - Earl Of Eglington

Wreck Site and Archaeological Remains:

EARL OF EGLINGTON, ran ashore in St. Margarets Bay and lies in 10 metres. Her hull has collapsed into the sand; however, 30 metres of the keel is exposed along with her brass rivets. (9)

6 bronze pins/nails recovered from this wreck, St. Margaret's Bay. (Droit A/3373) (10)

A copper nail, approximately 1ft in length [hull fastening] recovered in 1985, approximately 200 yards offshore in St. Margaret's Bay. (Droit 051/04) (11)

Wreck Event and Documentary Evidence:

The following is cited in (1) as a synthesis of texts from 7 issues of Lloyd's List.

'...EARL OF EGLINGTON, Wardrop, for Calcutta, in putting back to the Downs this morning, got on shore at the South Foreland, St Margaret's Bay...attempts have been made to get her off this afternoon but without success; she makes a great deal of water and is discharging cargo into luggers and steam tugs...' (2)

'...550 tons of cargo have been discharged into small vessels and landed...' (3)

'...about 130 bales and cases have been brought in here today...' (4)

'...three luggers arrived yesterday and one today with cargo in a damaged state...29th Jan [sic- this appears in fact to be the date of the wreck...]...Still continues discharging and is being dismantled...' (5)

10th Feb: 24 tons of goods have been recovered; divers are to be employed to assist in recovering the remainder...' (5)

'Dover, 10th Feb:...85 cases of porter and ale and 6 barrels of tar landed here...' (5)

'Yesterday about 70 bales were saved from the wreck of the EARL OF EGLINGTON, and today, notwithstanding the severity of the weather, about 90 bales have been got out of her and sent to Dover.' (6)

'14th Feb: ...The master and officers report she is bilged and that should the wind and sea continue unabated she will in a few tides become a total wreck.' (7)

'...the cargo and stores are washing along the shore, and being secured as well as possible...the fore and mizzenmast are over the side, the topsides appear to be giving way and she is a complete wreck.' (8)

NB: Source (1) states the date of loss as 29-JAN-1860, but the vessel does not appear to have finally been wrecked until the 18-FEB-1860.

Built: 1854 (1)
Where Built: Troon (1)
Master: Wardrop (1)(2)
Owner: J Mitchell (1)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

Additional source cited in Shipwreck Index of the British Isles:
LR 1859 No.42€

<1> 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.

<2-8> Lloyd's, 1969, Lloyd's list 1741-1945 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6342.