Maritime record LWT 750 - Wreck of the Catharine

1809 wreck of English cargo vessel which stranded on the Holm Sand en route from Sunderland to Chatham with coal; a wooden sailing vessel.
Status: Casualty

As soon as it was known there was a survivor on the wreck, the lifeboat was launched and with great difficulty managed to rescue him. He was the ship's carpenter, and in the rescue unfortunately had several ribs broken. The Norwich Mercury a month later reported that the crew who had carried out this rescue had received the thanks of the committee of the Suffolk Humane Society, and rejoiced to add that the carpenter had recovered from his injury and now enabled to return to his friends. (1)

NB: Source (1) indexes the vessel as CATHERINE and states that she was carrying coal. This is consistent with the voyage details but is not explicitly stated in sources (2) to (4).

`On Friday morning a most violent gale of wind at about S was experienced. The following accounts are received of its effects on the coast...

`The CATHARINE, Mackenzie, from Sunderland to Chatham, upset on the Holm Sand near Lowestoffe; only the carpenter saved.' (2)(4)

`In the gale of Thursday and yesterday se'nnight, great losses were sustained among the shipping on the eastern coast...Among them are the following: The CATHARINE, Mackenzie, of Sunderland, was lost on the Home Sand, and only one man (the carpenter) saved by the Lowestoff life-boat...' (3)

Master: Mackenzie (2)(3)(4)

Date of Loss Qualifier: A

Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index:
SLL p10; Norwich Mercury c.01.1810