List of shipwrecks in 1879
The list of shipwrecks in 1879 includes some ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 1879.
January
3 January
List of shipwrecks: 3 January 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Nederland |
Belgium |
Stranded off Cherry Island, Maryland. Later refloated and returned to service.[1] |
6 January
7 January
8 January
9 January
11 January
List of shipwrecks: 11 January 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Hellespont |
United Kingdom |
The steamer, out of Swansea with coal, floundered in the Bay of Biscay during a gale. The first and second officers were swept off the ship and the rest of the crew were rescued by the Madonna and landed at Gibraltar.[9] |
12 January
16 January
21 January
23 January
List of shipwrecks: 23 January 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Assistant |
|
Capsized while attempting to enter the harbour at Antwerp, Belgium. All eight on board drowned.[16] |
24 January
27 January
List of shipwrecks: 27 January 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| (First report) Diadem |
United Kingdom |
The barque was abandoned in the Atlantic after a collision with the United States man-of-war Supply. All the crew were landed at Madeira.[20] |
Unknown date
List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Bertha |
United Kingdom |
The Liverpool barque was abandoned off the Isles of Scilly after a collision with J Brown which headed for Queenstown with the crew of the abandoned ship. Bertha foundered shortly after.[21] |
| Frederick |
German Empire |
The barque was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean while carrying pitch pine from Doboy to Falmouth, Cornwall. The crew and ship's dog (except the Captain) were rescued by an Italian barque, Gaetano.[22] |
| Marie Louise |
Norway |
The Tønsberg barque, out of Calais with deals]wrecked at Dymchurch. All the crew saved, bar one who died of exposure.[8] |
| Mayard |
United Kingdom |
Two survivors from the steamer were landed at Ferrol by a Spanish vessel.[23] |
| Sofia |
Italy |
The brigantine was driven ashore in the Longhole Gut, Glamorgan, United Kingdom after 21 January. All ten people on board survived. She was on a voyage from Naples to Swansea, Glamorgan.[5] |
| Unnamed smack |
|
Wrecked on Puffin Island, Anglesey while bound for Bangor, North Wales. All the crew were saved.[8] |
| Unnamed smack |
|
Wrecked on Puffin Island, Anglesey while bound for Bangor, North Wales. The crew are reported to have drowned.[8] |
February
1 February
11 February
List of shipwrecks: 11 February 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Mary Stenhouse |
United Kingdom |
The ship was driven ashore at Rhosilli, Glamorgan. Ten of the twenty-two people on board were lost trying to reach land. She was refloated the next day,.[5] |
12 February
List of shipwrecks: 12 February 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Faulconnier |
France |
The steamship sank after running into the schooner Beta off Nash Point, South Wales. Beta docked at Cardiff with the crew of the French steamship.[25] |
20 February
List of shipwrecks: 20 February 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Ralph Creyke |
United Kingdom |
The ship was lost in a storm 16 miles south-west of Lundy Island while on a voyage from Cardiff to Dieppe. |
21 February
List of shipwrecks: 21 February 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Jura |
|
(First report) A steamers boat and medicine chest was brought into Yarmouth by the steamtug Pilot. Jura was out of Hull for Smyrna, one body was seen, and it is assumed that the crew of sixteen are drowned.[26] |
23 February
List of shipwrecks: 23 February 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Mary |
United Kingdom |
The steamship was driven ashore on rocks at North Shields while trying to enter harbour with iron-ore from Huelva. The nineteen crew were rescued by the lifeboat.[26] |
24 February
List of shipwrecks: 24 February 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Dolphin |
United Kingdom |
The fishing lugger went ashore on the coast of Wexford. The crew were saved by the local lifeboat.[27] |
| Mary Cook |
|
The barque was wrecked on the coast of Aberdeenshire. Eleven of the fourteen on board drowned.[26] |
26 February
Unknown date
List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Adriatic |
United Kingdom |
The three-masted sailing ship, carrying guano from Callao stranded in the English Channel, approximately 5 miles west of Dunkirk. Only seven of the forty-nine on board saved.[30] |
| Augusta |
|
The steamer went ashore on Tory Island, County Donegal while being towed by Flying Hurricane from Sligo to Glasgow; they are likely to become total wrecks. Both crews survived.[26] |
| Flying Hurricane |
|
The steamtug went ashore on Tory Island while towing Augusta from Sligo to Glasgow; they are likely to become total wrecks. Both crews survived.[26] |
| Unnamed vessel |
|
Two men were saved from a steamer which foundered in the Bristol Channel.[31] |
March
13 March
List of shipwrecks: 13 March 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Edinburgh |
United Kingdom |
The 62 ton pilot cutter was struck by the iron-screw steamer Severn ( United Kingdom) (1,736 ton) two miles south of Dungeness lighthouse with the loss of ten pilots and five of the cutter's crew.[32] |
15 March
List of shipwrecks: 15 March 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Unnamed vessel |
|
Derelict barque reported by Eboe at latitude 48N, longitude 8.50W.[33] |
19 March
24 March
26 March
List of shipwrecks: 26 March 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| EJ M'Kinnon |
|
The schooner became waterlogged, six days out from San Francisco and the crew drowned during the next few days. One survivor was rescued by the Otago from the waterlogged ship at lat 42.14N, long 29.3710.[35] |
27 March
List of shipwrecks: 27 March 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Unidentified vessel |
|
A brig was seen to keel over and sink on Hasborough Sands by a Yarmouth fishing-boat.[36] |
April
3 April
14 April
List of shipwrecks: 14 April 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Robert and Agnes |
United Kingdom |
The fishing boat went ashore on the western side of the Hayle Estuary, Cornwall while attempting to enter the harbour.[38] |
| Saint Michel |
Haiti |
The warship collided with the steamer Bolivar ( United Kingdom) and foundered with the loss of 108 lives. Seventy-two people were saved.[39][40] |
15 April
List of shipwrecks: 15 April 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| North Star |
United Kingdom |
The tug was driven ashore on the western side of the Hayle estuary when her screw was fouled by a rope while attempting to refloat the stranded fishing boat Robert and Agnes.[38] |
18 April
22 April
29 April
Unknown date
List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Gladiolus |
|
The timber-laden ship enroute from Doboy for Shields became waterlogged and all the crew bar one washed overboard.[45] |
May
17 May
List of shipwrecks: 17 May 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Ponthieu |
France |
The brig drifted in Mount's Bay, Cornwall, after losing a mast and her sails. She eventually grounded at Perranuthnoe and all the crew were saved by the coastguard. She was carrying iron-ore from Pomaron to Liverpool.[46] |
18 May
List of shipwrecks: 18 May 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Christina |
Sweden |
The barque changed course and ran in front of the Sydney bound passenger vessel Dunbar Castle ( United Kingdom). The barque was cut in two and sank with the loss of three of the nine crew.[47] |
19 May
21 May
24 May
June
15 June
List of shipwrecks: 15 June 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Scot's Craig |
United Kingdom |
Ran aground, in thick fog, under the Lizard Lighthouse, despite the foghorn sounding. Scot's Craig refloated on a rising tide and proceeded to Greenock.[53] |
July
1 July
10 July
12 July
List of shipwrecks: 26 July 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| State of Virginia |
|
The steamship went ashore on the eastern end of Sable Island while en route from New York to Glasgow. Three women and two children lost their lives.[56][57] |
20 July
21 July
List of shipwrecks: 21 July 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| S A Hawthorne |
United Kingdom |
The barge, with a cargo of shingle, foundered near Margate sands. Two crew were saved.[59] |
27 July
30 July
31 July
List of shipwrecks: 31 July 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Pericles |
United Kingdom |
The passenger ship grounded on Penere Point, on the shore-side of The Manacles, The Lizard and refloated on a rising tide two hours later. The ship continued on her journey to Sydney with 496 emigrants, and on the following day headed for Plymouth for repairs to a leak in the fore peak.[62] |
Unknown date
List of shipwrecks: Unknown date
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Fanny |
United Kingdom |
The Rochester ship was wrecked on the French coast while en route for Dieppe.[63] |
| Lady Belhaven |
United Kingdom |
Stranded on the Argo flat at the mouth of the Mutlah. Some of the crew were taken to Calcutta.[59] |
| Samacood |
Egypt |
The government steamer sank near Réunion with the loss of twenty-four lives.[64] |
August
1 August
List of shipwrecks: 01 August 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Angela |
United Kingdom |
The Dundee London Shipping Company steamer ran aground on Ladybank, six miles south of Dundee during fog.[57] |
| Hannah Louisa |
United Kingdom |
The ketch beached at Perranporth after the captain mistook Perran for Padstow. The crew were taken off by the rocket apparatus and the ship was refloated on 4 August.[65] |
4 August
7 August
List of shipwrecks: 07 August 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Marie Louise |
Belgium |
Wrecked on the Penarvan rocks, off Quessant while bound for Alicante. Seven of the thirty-four on board were saved.[67] |
11 August
List of shipwrecks: 11 August 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| SS Nankin |
United Kingdom |
The ship in ballast ran ashore at Mear's Point, Coverack, Cornwall in thick fog while out of London for Cardiff.[68][69] Refloated and towed to Falmouth in September.[70] |
13 August
List of shipwrecks: 13 August 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| City of London |
United Kingdom |
The passenger steam-boat sank on Barking beach following a collision with the Hamburg steamer Vesta ( German Empire). City of London was refloated on 16 August.[71] |
20 August
List of shipwrecks: 20 August 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Manilla |
Italy |
The Rubattino Line steamer grounded in the Suez Canal, stopping traffic.[72] |
21 August
List of shipwrecks: 21 August 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Peace |
United Kingdom |
The steamship capsized in Whitby harbour.[73] |
27 August
Unknown date
List of shipwrecks: August 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Barry |
United Kingdom |
Sank off North Foreland.[74] |
| Louis David |
|
The steamer en route for Naples was lost off Ushant sometime between 1 – 5 August. Seven of the twenty-seven on board survived.[75] |
September
3 September
List of shipwrecks: 03 September 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Salamander |
United Kingdom |
The Padstow schooner was hit by the 2,000 ton screw-collier Lycham, 10 miles (16 km) off Hartland Point, and sank almost immediately.[76] |
4 September
List of shipwrecks: 04 September 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Columbia |
Norway |
The barque, from London for Quebec, was holed following a collision with either a fish or "some other sea monster". Columbia sank within thirty minutes of the crew taking to two boats and were picked up by the Dutch steamer Plealand, on 9 September.[77] |
6 September
9 September
List of shipwrecks: 09 September 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Favourite |
United Kingdom |
The Bute fishing boat was lost near Loch Fyne. All three crew drowned.[82] |
11 September
List of shipwrecks: 11 September 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Corrina |
United Kingdom |
The barque, carrying coffee, plumbago and cocoa-nut oil for London, was hit by the steamer Zeeland ( Belgium) and sank off Dungeness, with the loss of four lives.[83] |
18 September
20 September
List of shipwrecks: 20 September 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Sylvanus Blanchard |
United States |
Abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean while en route from Liverpool to Rio de Janeiro. The captain and nine men were picked up by the Vale of Nith.[85] |
22 September
List of shipwrecks: 22 September 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Erith |
United Kingdom |
The London collier collided with Orwell and sank in the Lower Hope Reach off Gravesend, Kent. All the crew were landed at Gravesend.[86] Erith was in collision with a fishing boat off Scarborough four days previous. |
| Orwell |
United Kingdom |
The London collier collided with Erith and sank in the Lower Hope Reach off Gravesend, Kent. All the crew were landed at Gravesend.[86] |
23 September
List of shipwrecks: 23 September 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Unnamed herring craft |
United Kingdom |
The Flamborough herring craft sank after being struck by the fishing boat Mary of Fowey.[87] |
24 September
List of shipwrecks: 24 September 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Primitive |
United Kingdom |
The Mousehole smack sank off Scarborough, Yorkshire, after a collision with the Newcastle steamer Talisman which was bound for Rotterdam. All the crew were landed at Scarborough.[88] |
25 September
List of shipwrecks: 25 September 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| De Ruyter |
Belgium |
Aground in the Scheldt near Hoedekenskerke.[89] Refloated on 27 September and returned to service.[90] |
26 September
28 September
List of shipwrecks: 28 September 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Anna Clara |
|
The boiler of the steamer exploded while entering the bar at Santa Cruz, with the loss of two crew and a passenger. Most of the cargo and the mail was saved.[92] |
| Emmanuel |
France |
The brigantine stranded on the Sokendal coast, to the north of the Haadyr look-out station, Norway, and sank almost immediately.[93] |
Unknown date
October
18 October
List of shipwrecks: 18 October 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Nuevo Pajano del Oceano |
|
The ship caught fire while en route to Nuevitas from Havana and sank in the Old Bahama Channel. Seventeen of the crew were landed at New Orleans and forty-two passengers died.[96] |
26 October
List of shipwrecks: 26 October 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Sea Spray |
United Kingdom |
The Sunderland barque sank after catching fire approximately 240 miles from St Vincent. The crew took to the boats and arrived at St Vincent two days later.[97] |
27 October
List of shipwrecks: 27 October 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Sally |
United States |
The brigantine capsized during a gale in the Gulf of Mexico. Two survivors were picked by up by the Spanish steamer Enrique and landed at New Orleans.[98] |
November
5 November
9 November
List of shipwrecks: 09 November 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Florence and Johanna |
United Kingdom |
The Yarmouth smack was hit by another vessel and sank at the fishing grounds in the North Sea. The five crew drowned and only the master survived.[100] |
13 November
List of shipwrecks: 13 November 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Scarborough King |
United Kingdom |
The smack was swamped in a heavy sea and sank in the North Sea, with the loss of the skipper and all four crew.[101] |
| Name un-reported |
United Kingdom |
The mast of a smack was seen above water on the Scroby Sands, off Great Yarmouth. It is thought that the crew perished.[102] |
15 November
List of shipwrecks: 15 November 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Venerata |
United Kingdom |
The barque was abandoned off the coast of Portugal after springing a leak on 5 November following a south-east gale three days earlier. Fifty tons of pig iron was thrown overboard in an attempt to stay afloat and the crew abandoned ship when the Vega ( Norway) was nearby.[103] |
18 November
List of shipwrecks: 18 November 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Warren Hastings |
United Kingdom |
The barque left Lisbon for the Delaware River in ballast on 6 November, and during a heavy gale on 15 November was hit by large waves which took away the wheel-house. On 18 November the Tollington of Nova Scotia picked up the crew, transferred them to Mabel and the crew were finally landed at Falmouth, Cornwall.[104] |
22 November
Unknown date
December
4 December
List of shipwrecks: 04 December 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Relic |
United Kingdom |
The Brixham smack was driven onto the breakwater in Brixham harbour during a gale and became a total loss. Two fishing boats were grounded and others received damage.[106] |
5 December
11 December
19 December
List of shipwrecks: 19 December 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Derby |
United Kingdom |
The brig, carrying mahogany, foundered nine days out of Ninatitlan. The crew, bar two, were picked up by Resolute and the captain only survived a few days.[110] |
21 December
28 December
Unknown date
List of shipwrecks: December 1879
| Ship | Country | Description |
| Fenella |
United Kingdom |
Left Penzance, Cornwall in late November/early December with a cargo of fish for the Mediterranean, and had not been heard off for three weeks. It is feared she was lost (along with a many other ships) during recent storms in the Bay of Biscay.[111] |
Unknown date
References