Welsh coal wrecks

[Graham Scott]

I am researching the wrecks of vessels that were either carrying Welsh coal as cargo when they were lost or that were returning to a Welsh port after delivering a cargo of coal. I am primarily interested in wrecks off the coast of Wales but I am also interested in wrecks further afield. I have gone to the usual sources (UKHO, etc.) and am now trying to obtain information from other divers.

Have you dived any wrecks that may be of interest to me?

I anticipate that my research will eventually be made public through Cadw and anyone contributing information will be acknowledged if they wish. My time scale is fairly tight, so I very much hope to hear from you soon.

Graham Scott

[GerryB]

Hi Graham

Heres one I dived last year? The Athen, Sea bed 56 mtr carrying blocks of compressed fuel.
Each block has the name " Cardiff " and the emblem of a crown or a phoenix. her position is 20 miles south of Portland bill, the wreck stands 11 mtr of the sea bed.

The Athen, a British steamship of 2,199 tons, sank on 18 March, 1906, when on voyage from Cardiff to Rio Grande do sul after a violent collision with the British Steamer Thor of Glasgow

The Athen was built 1893 in Stockton on Tees. 227 Ft long with a beam of 37ft

Triple expansion three cylinder engine driven by 2 boilers

dived this one of Ian Taylors boat Skin Deeper 16/5/08

Gerry:)

[allen]

Have you tried speaking to the guys at www.shipwrecks.uk.com ? They have a database that allows you to search by cargo.

[Adrian Kelland]

Each block has the name " Cardiff " and the emblem of a crown or a phoenix.
Similar can be found on the Skaala lying in 47m south of Bolt Head, South Devon.

[Roz]

I have a small book called "Welsh Shipwrecks in Camera" by Phil Carradice dated 1993. Published by Quotes Limited, Whittlebury, England.

ISBN 0 860 23 600 5

The Bibliography is as follows;

Tony Bennet
Shipwrecks Around Wales Vol 1 and Vol 11, Happy Fish, 1992

Phil Carradice
The Book of Pembroke Dock, Barracuda, 1991

GM & RC Davies
The Loss of HMS Montague, privately published, 1981

GM Dixon
For Those In Peril: The Lifeboatmen, Minimax Books, 1981

George Edmunds
The Gower Coast, Regional Publications, 1979

Bernard Edwards
The Grey Widow Maker, Robert Hale, 1990

Ted Goddard
Pembrokeshire Shipwrecks, Christopher Davies, 1983

D Hampton & G Middleton
The Story of St David's Lifeboat, 1989

Ivor Wynne Jones
Shipwrecks of North Wales, David & Charles, 1973

Brian Luxton
Old Barry in Photographs, Stewart Williams, 1978

Richard McElwee
The Last Voyages of the Waterford Steamers, The Book Centre, Waterford, undated

DJ Morgan
Disasters in the Bristol Channel: The Great Gale of 1908 article in Maritime Wales No 10, 1986

Henry Parry
Wreck and Rescue on the Coast of Wales (The Story of the North Wales Lifeboats) D Bradford Barton Limited, 1973

Vernon Scott
An Experience Shared, Laleham Publications, 1992

Ian Skidmore
Anglesey & Lleyn Shipwrecks, Christopher Davies, 1979

Graham Smith
Smuggling in the Bristol Channel, Countryside Books, 1989
Shipwrecks of the Bristol Channel, Countryside Books, 1991

Newspapers
South Wales Echo, West Wales Guardian, Western Telegraph, The Cambrian and Barry Dock News

HTH

[Alan Thomas]

What about the Ellerbeck? We located and identified it, just off Barrel Rock last summer.
Alan

[John N]

Just noticed this thread and it's probably too loate to be of use but here's a shallow-draft Welsh Collier that sank twice - 1st time off Normandy and the 2nd off Strumble Head in Pembrokeshire.

It's called the Vendome and lies at the foot of a pinnacle called Tri Maen-trai in 28 to 33 metres. The top half has gone but it's still a good dive with plenty left to see.

[Cat]

Further afield you have the famous Rosalie Moller that was carrying the finest Welsh Coal through the Red Sea. It sank after being bombed by the same German flighter planes that sank the Thistlegorm. Is an awesome technical wreck dive.

[seadeuce]

Bit late:

The "Onward" of Swansea, schooner, 99 tons. Master, David Griffiths.
Ran aground 21/1/1877 Barrow Strand, Kerry, Ireland.

The coal was eventually delivered, by a storm, in 1984!


The wreck, as can be expected, has completely broken up and is undiveable.


Seadeuce