Wells lifeboat disaster
Encyclopedia
The Wells lifeboat disaster occurred in 1880 when the RNLI
lifeboat
Eliza Adams, based at Wells-next-the-Sea
in the English
county of Norfolk
, attempted to go to the aid of the stricken brig
Ocean Queen in heavy seas and was lost along with 11 of its 13 crew.
The Wells lifeboat was an open boat propelled by a combination of oars and sail, based at the old lifeboat house on the quay at the head of Wells harbour. Because of the strong tides in the mile long channel that connects the quay with the harbour mouth, it was common for the lifeboat to use the services of a steam tug
to be towed to sea.
On October 29, gales were lashing the north coast of Norfolk. The Ocean Queen, of 171 tons and built in Sunderland in 1838, was on passage from Southampton
to Seaham
when she was caught in the storm and sought shelter at Wells. At 1pm, the Wells lifeboat launched to the aid of another brig, the Sharon Rose, which had run ashore on the beach at nearby Holkham
. Seven sailors were rescued from the vessel and the lifeboat returned safely to Wells. However on arrival back to the quay, the Ocean Queen was seen close to the harbour entrance, flying a distress flag.
After changing 8 of her 13 crew, the Eliza Adams was again towed to sea. By this stage the Ocean Queen had been driven ashore on the nearby sands. The lifeboat reached the brig, but was unable to help and so set sail to return to port. In so doing, a heavy wave broke over the lifeboat and it capsized.
Eleven of the 13 crew drowned, leaving 10 widows and 27 children without a father. One crew member, William Bell, managed to stay with the boat until it righted itself. Another, Thomas Kew, was washed ashore alive. A memorial to the members of the Wells lifeboat crew who lost their lives stands adjacent to the old lifeboat house, now used as the harbour offices.
The crew of the Ocean Queen remained aboard their vessel, and were able to walk ashore once the storm had abated and the tide receded.
A lifeboat station, housing both an all weather lifeboat and an inshore rescue boat, still exists at Wells. The current lifeboat station is located at the harbour entrance.
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
Eliza Adams, based at Wells-next-the-Sea
Wells-next-the-Sea
Wells-next-the-Sea, known locally simply as Wells, is a town, civil parish and seaport situated on the North Norfolk coast in England.The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 2,451 in 1,205 households...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, attempted to go to the aid of the stricken brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
Ocean Queen in heavy seas and was lost along with 11 of its 13 crew.
The Wells lifeboat was an open boat propelled by a combination of oars and sail, based at the old lifeboat house on the quay at the head of Wells harbour. Because of the strong tides in the mile long channel that connects the quay with the harbour mouth, it was common for the lifeboat to use the services of a steam tug
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
to be towed to sea.
On October 29, gales were lashing the north coast of Norfolk. The Ocean Queen, of 171 tons and built in Sunderland in 1838, was on passage from Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
to Seaham
Seaham
Seaham, formerly Seaham Harbour, is a small town in County Durham, situated south of Sunderland and east of Durham. It has a small parish church, St Mary the Virgin, with a late 7th century Anglo Saxon nave resembling the church at Escomb in many respects. St Mary the Virgin is regarded as one of...
when she was caught in the storm and sought shelter at Wells. At 1pm, the Wells lifeboat launched to the aid of another brig, the Sharon Rose, which had run ashore on the beach at nearby Holkham
Holkham
Holkham is a village and civil parish in the north-west of the county of Norfolk, England. Besides the small village, the parish includes the major stately home and estate of Holkham Hall, and an attractive beach at Holkham Gap...
. Seven sailors were rescued from the vessel and the lifeboat returned safely to Wells. However on arrival back to the quay, the Ocean Queen was seen close to the harbour entrance, flying a distress flag.
After changing 8 of her 13 crew, the Eliza Adams was again towed to sea. By this stage the Ocean Queen had been driven ashore on the nearby sands. The lifeboat reached the brig, but was unable to help and so set sail to return to port. In so doing, a heavy wave broke over the lifeboat and it capsized.
Eleven of the 13 crew drowned, leaving 10 widows and 27 children without a father. One crew member, William Bell, managed to stay with the boat until it righted itself. Another, Thomas Kew, was washed ashore alive. A memorial to the members of the Wells lifeboat crew who lost their lives stands adjacent to the old lifeboat house, now used as the harbour offices.
The crew of the Ocean Queen remained aboard their vessel, and were able to walk ashore once the storm had abated and the tide receded.
A lifeboat station, housing both an all weather lifeboat and an inshore rescue boat, still exists at Wells. The current lifeboat station is located at the harbour entrance.