EBENEZER survivor of the Great Storm of 25-26 October 1859

Description

The EBENEZER is listed as a vessel that was completely wrecked during the 25-26th October gale 1859, off the Mumbles, in a report in the Pembrokeshire Herald 11 November 1859.

There were two EBENEZERs registered at Swansea around this time to which this report could refer. The first (22 tons) was built at Bideford in 1826 and the second (36 tons) in 1845. The first is reported to have been broken up by February 1869. The latter, after being transferred to the Bideford, continued in service until finally being condemned as unseaworthy in September 1917.

EBENEZER (1) was built at Bideford in 1845 by Thomas Walters. Technical and configuration specifications are given:

22 814/3500 tons burthen; 1 deck, 1 mast, that her length from the inner part of the Main Stem to the fore part of the Stern aloft is 36.8ft, her breadth in midships is 12.6ft, her depth in hold at midships is 6.4 ft. That she is smack rigged with a running bowsprit, square sterned, carvel built.

The smack’s first master was Richard Foley. In June 1850, Thomas Walters sold the EBENEZER to William Jenkin of Port Talbot, master mariner. Phillip Jones became the master at around the same time. The smack’s registry was transferred to Swansea in February 1851 (6 in 1851). However, it was transferred back to Bideford in April 1858 when it was sold to Lewis Davey of Dunkirk in the parish of Woolfardisworthy, Devon, a coal dealer. At the time of the gale, EBENEZER (1) was owned by Davey, but its shipping register entries continue until 1917 (shown above) when closed with the annotation written across the page in red ‘Certificate cancelled and registry closed 7 September 1917. Vessel condemned. Advice received from owner.’

EBENEZER (2) was a wooden sloop built at Bideford in 1826 and a slightly larger vessel. Technical and configuration specifications are given:

36 1302/3500 tons burthen; 1 deck, 1 mast that her length from the inner part of the Main Stem to the fore part of the Stern aloft is 45.3ft, her breadth in midships is 14.6ft, her depth in hold at midships is 7.2ft. That she is sloop rigged with a running bowsprit, square sterned, carvel built.

Around the time of the Great Gale, it was owned by Christopher James of Swansea, merchant, (44 shares) and Morgan Thomas of Cardiff (20 shares). The nominated master was John Stephenson. The sloop’s Port of Swansea Shipping Register entry (26 in 1840) is closed with the annotation ‘Vessel Broken Up - Certificate of Registry lost 25th February 1869’.

Are these the only possible EBENEZERs with strong connections to Swansea and the Mumbles which might have been reported lost near the Mumbles?

Over to you and your own local history research…

Sources include:
Pembrokeshire Herald 11 November 1859, Welsh Newspaper Online.
EBENEZER (1)
Port of Bideford Shipping Register 1843-1854, North Devon Record Office, 3319/4, folio 10
Port of Swansea Shipping Register 1839-1851 West Glamorgan Archive Service D/D PRO/RBS/S 1/3
Port of Bideford Shipping Register 1855-1871, North Devon Record Office, 3319/6, folio 30
EBENEZER (2)
Port of Swansea Shipping Register 1839-1851 West Glamorgan Archive Service D/D PRO/RBS/S 1/3

It appears both of these small vessels were engaged in the coal trade rather than the famous oyster fishing industry of the Mumbles. Historic trade directories are akin to modern telephone book listing local services, traders, and the wealthier members of local society.

EBENEZER (1) - Can you find any references to Lewis Davey of Dunkirk in the parish of Woolfardisworthy, Devon, coal dealer, in the Slater’s Directory 1852-3?

Or any reference to Thomas Walters as a shipbuilder at Bideford or Clovelly in Pigot & Cos directory of 1844?

EBENEZER (2) - Can you find any references to Christopher James of Swansea, merchant, in Slater’s Directory for 1852-3 or 1868?

http://www.historicaldirectories.org/hd/b1.asp

What other maritime related services or companies can you find listed for the two ports - Bideford and Swansea? How many Welsh surnames can you find in the listings related to Bideford to demonstrate close trading and family ties across the Severn Estuary?

What other important commodities were traditionally traded between North Devon and the South Wales ports?

• http://www.devon.gov.uk/print/north_record_office (link opens in new window)