'The MINERVA, Swartotrend, from Falkham to St. Martin's, was totally wrecked near Dungeness on Saturday last, and is gone to pieces.' (1)

This may be the same vessel as recorded in Lloyd's Register for 1820 [1821 not available in the NMR Library to check whether the vessel disappears out of the register]; the name of the vessel is identical and the name of the master is similar - the discrepancy in spelling could be accounted for by mistranscription of cursive foreign handwriting, as is frequently the case:

MINERVA, brig, 172 tons, belonging to Sweden, master Swartstrom, owner Thompson, built of fir and oak. (3)

Swedish nationality would be consistent with the destination of Saint-Martin-de-Re for the cargo of salt; at least three other Scandinavian wrecks are known within the NMR wreck database [see also TR 45 NE 468; TV 59 NE 101; and TM 58 NW 85]. "Falkham" remains unidentified at present.

Master: Swartotrend (1)(2); Swartstrom (3) [if the same vessel]
Owner: Thompson (3) [if the same vessel]

Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

<1> Lloyd's, 1969, Lloyd's list 1741-1945, 5550 12-DEC-1820, Page Nos. N/a (Bibliographic reference). SKE6342.

<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.

<3> Lloyd's, 1969, Lloyd's list 1741-1945, 1820, No.1077(M) (Bibliographic reference). SKE6342.