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Hibernia | Official Number
8750 |
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Hibernia | Official Number
8750 |
The Hibernia was a brig built at Kinsale in 1824. In 1847 she was owned in Workington and worked in the trade to Quebec. In 1848 she participated in the rescue of more than one hundred Irish emigrants from the abandoned Ann, of Limerick.
The Cumberland Pacquet, Tuesday, 31st October, 1848, page 3;
“ The Hibernia, Cottier, at Workington from Quebec
on
the 27th instant, reports as follows: At six A.M. on the 23rd
September,
wind W.S.W. and blowing strong, saw a vessel to leeward apparently in
distress,
with loss of bowsprit, which proved to be the Hampton, of
Grangemouth.
Spoke her, and the master desired the Hibernia to run down to a
vessel to leeward, which had run into the Hampton on the
previous
night. The request was complied with, and the vessel proved to be the Ann,
of and from Limerick, with passengers, and abandoned by the Captain and
crew, all of whom went on board the Hampton, before they parted
on the previous night. Luckily at this juncture the Princess Royal,
of Glasgow, bound for Quebec, came up, by the crew of which vessel,
assisted
by that of the Hibernia, the whole of the passengers were got
from
on board the disabled and deserted vessel, by great perseverance,
danger
and exertion, the sea at the time running awfully high. The women and
children
were first secured, and but for the most daring perseverance – the wind
having increased to a perfect gale – some of the men would have been
left
behind, as every trip was attended with increased danger, especially
alongside
the Ann, the bolts of which vessel were all shaking out of her
sides,
with masts and yards all towing overboard. This work occupied the whole
of the day, as they had to work to windward to tow the boat, and not
being
able to stay. The passengers saved nothing except that which they had
upon
their backs, not being able to return with the boat after they had all
been got off, owing to the violence of the storm and the heavy sea
running
at the time. The Princess Royal was fortunate in having an
ample
supply of provisions and water on board, and though the whole of the
passengers,
amounting to 101, were completely exhausted when taken on board, from
the
combined effects of wet, cold, hunger, and fear, they were speedily
made
as comfortable as possible. In the last boat were three infants, which
of course could not be handed on board by ropes, and the boat was
accordingly
ordered to be hoisted up, but owing to the quantity of water it
contained
one of the falls broke, and down went the boat, children, and men.
Luckily
none of them fell into the sea: and buckets being immediately lowered
to
the boat, the children were placed in them and instantly hauled on
board.
Having got all on board the Princess Royal started for her
destined
port, Quebec, where she arrived and landed the passengers taken from
the
ill-fated vessel in safety, in just eleven days from the time she took
them on board. The master and crew of the Hibernia, as well as
those
of the Princess Royal, deserve the utmost praise for their
humane
exertions, in having rescued from impending death upwards of one
hundred
of their fellow creatures: on the other hand, however, the conduct of
the
master and crew of the Ann, in deserting their vessel and
abandoning
the passengers to their fate, appears to have been as heartless and
unnatural,
as that of the parties already referred to was humane, heroic and
brave.
“
Capt.Cottier subsequently was given command of the newly-built Workington ship James Alexander. The Hibernia remained registered at Workington and owned by Mr.Alexander until 1863. She was wrecked at Holyhead on the 3rd December 1863, on a voyage from Workington to Dublin with a coal cargo. In a severe gale, described as a hurricane by the master, Capt.James Metcalf, she had saught shelter first at Belfast Lough, then at Holyhead, where she struck a sandbank at Penrhos Point and filled.
The Times, Saturday, 5th December 1863, page 12;
Report from Holyhead - " The Hibernia, from Workington for
Dublin, came in during the gale and cast two anchors. Both cables broke
and she was driven to the rocks on the south side of the bay. On Friday
morning she had not broken up. Her crew waded to the shore at low
water."
The vessel must have been recovered because there are Crew Lists at Cumbria Record Office for the years until 1876.
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