Tampico

Official Number
none

The Tampico was a brig built by Thos. & Jno. Brocklebank at Bransty, Whitehaven, launched 17th September 1830. She served the Brocklebank Line for nine years under the command of Capts. Sproule, Weston, Robinson and Crichton. She sailed mainly to the West coast of South America, visiting Vera Cruz, Tampico, Havana, Buenos Aires, Bahia, Callao and Pernambuco. In between times she sailed into the Mediterranean and in 1838 she operated in the Newfoundland trade.

The Tampico was sold by Brocklebanks in 1839, and was registered at Harrington in 1840, owned by her master, Capt.John Winder, and others.

Lloyd's List, Thursday, 12th January, 1843 (column 6);

"SLIGO, 9th Jan.- The Tampico, Greggs, from Limerick to Glasson Dock, struck on a rock in this Bay, during the night of the 5th inst., and became a total wreck; four of the crew drowned, the Master and two men saved."

The Era, Sunday, 15th January 1843;

" SHIPWRECK AND LOSS OF FOUR LIVES - Extract of a letter from Sligo, dated January 9:- The brig Tampico, Capt.Greig, belonging to Workington (Cumberland), which sailed from Limerick on Monday, the 2nd inst., for Glasson Dock, with a general cargo, in running for this port (Sligo) on Thursday the 5th, during a thick fog and heavy gale of wind, was driven on the Seal Rock in this bay, and became a total wreck. At six o'clock on the following morning (Friday), four of the crew were washed off the deck by a tremendous sea and drowned. Their names were William Conn, mate; James Currie and James Walker, apprentices belonging to Harrington; and Simon Flannagan, seaman, belonging to Workington. When the Tampico was seen from the shore on Friday morning, five boats with six men in each put off to their assistance; but only one boat's crew, with the greatest difficulty and intrepidity, succeeded in reaching her, and, at the imminent hazard of their lives, picked off the rocks, at eleven o'clock forenoon, the three survivors, viz., William Greig, master, and Thomas Currie and Charles Jay, seamen, who were in a greatly exhausted and disabled state. The Tampico and cargo are totally lost; the former was partially insured. "

Name
Year Built
Gross Tons
Length (feet)
Breadth (feet)
Depth (feet)
Masts
Figurehead
Stern
Lloyd's Classn.
Tampico
1830
129 om, 124 nm.
76.9
19.1
11.9
2 
 
 
 

Sources :

  1. "Shipbuilding in Whitehaven - A Checklist" by Harry Fancy, Whitehaven Museum (1984)
  2. "From Cumberland to Cape Horn" by D.Hollett.
  3. "Brocklebanks 1770-1950, Vol.1" by J.F.Gibson, published by Henry Young & Sons, Liverpool (1953).
  4. "A List of the Cumberland Shipping corrected to February 1840" by William Sawyers, Comptroller of Her Majesty's Customs at the Port of Whitehaven, republished by Michael Moon (Whitehaven, 1975, ISBN 0-904131-09-2).
  5. Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1842-3: Tampico, schooner, 129 tons om, built at Whitehaven in 1830, owned and commanded by Capt.J.Winder, registered at Harrington, voyage Harrington - Dublin, annotated "Wrecked".
  6. Wreck info supplied by Bill Butland, who reported a local legend that the Tampico was carrying a cargo of indigo dye, and was caught in a storm off Sligo. The vessel attempted to enter the harbour when people ashore lit a decoy fire. The ship was lured onto a rocky part of the shore at a creek now known as Poll Gorm near Aughris Head. The crew were supposedly murdered when they came ashore and their fingers cut off to remove rings.