Maritime record LWT 484 - Wreck of the Lily

`On Friday night a very heavy gale of wind prevailed at Yarmouth...Between 6 and 7 o'clock...a gale sprung up which became terrific, accompanied by heavy rain as the night wore on...The brig LILY, of and for Sunderland (290 tons), 35 tons of chrome ore and 65 tons ballast, from London on the 1st inst., Robert Henry Dixon master, brought up in Yarmouth Roads at 3.30pm on November 8th with an anchor, 18cwt, and 35 fathoms of chain. At 8.15pm a gale from the NNE suddenly sprung up, when 45 fathoms of chain were veered out. At 8.45pm a second chain similar in weight was let go, veering 75 fathoms of cable on the first and 30 fathoms on the other, but it failed to hold the vessel. At 9pm, the tide flood, the weather thick with rain, sleet and hail, wind in NNE, blowing a whole gale, parted from the port cable, all the starboard was by this time on deck, which was at once given, at the same time slackening the remainder of the broken port cable, notwithstanding the ship kept drifting. About 10.30pm the vessel had drifted about half-way between St. Nicholas's lightship and Lowestoft Ness Point. When the cable parted, the master bore up to attempt Lowestoft harbour, but was unable to fetch it, owing to the ebb tide setting out, together with a strong wind. The master having now no anchors and cables on board, had no alternative but to beach the vessel to save the lives of his crew and himself. The vessel was beached at Kirkley. A short time after midnight the master and crew were landed by the rocket apparatus. The vessel will become a total wreck.' (1)

Built: 1864
Builder: Sykes
Where Built: Sunderland
Master: Robert Henry Dixon
Crew: 8
Owner: G Robertson, Sunderland
Construction: 1 deck; YM; IB

Date of Loss Qualifier: A

Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index:
BOT.Wk.Rtn.1878 Appendix Parts I-IV p96(162); LR.1875-6 No.397(L)