Black Middens, Burdon

1805 wreck of English cargo vessel which stranded on the Black Middens; a wooden sailing vessel. 'The ROYAL SOVEREIGN, Graydon; PERSEVERANCE, Adamson; BURTON, Hedley, of Sunderland; & LEANDER, Gurney, of Yarmouth, were driven on shore near Shields 13th instant. The ROYAL SOVEREIGN and another have since gone to pieces; crews saved.' (1)

The LEANDER was got off, as described in a local paper, while the PERSEVERANCE is not mentioned:

'The LEANDER, Gurney, which went on shore on the Black Middens on Sunday last, got off yesterday, and came into Shields. The BURDON, Hedley, and ROYAL SOVEREIGN, Graydon, which went on shore at the same time and place, are totally wrecked.' (2)

'On Sunday last...The same day four sail came on shore on the Spanish Rocks, near the Blackmiddings, at the entrance of Shields harbour, viz: the ROYAL SOVEREIGN, Graydon of Sunderland; the BURDON...all coal laden. The NORTHUMBERLAND life-boat, and after the South Shields boat, were launched, and well manned. Though the breakers were awful to the spectators, yet the boats saved three of the crews...About midnight the vessel [the ROYAL SOVEREIGN] went into a thousand pieces. The PERSEVERANCE and the LEANDER are got off, but the remains of the BURDON yet lie on the Blackmiddings.' (4)

'To be sold by auction (by W Smith) for the benefit of the underwriters, at Mr Craster's Upper Dock, South Shields, on Wednesday, January 23, 1805: All the materials and stores saved from the wrecked ship BURDON (about 9 keels), consisting of anchors, cables, sails, masts, yards, boats, standing and running rigging, etc. Sale to begin at 10 o'clock, forenoon.' (2)

'To be sold by auction (by W Smith) for the benefit of the underwriters, at Mr Craster's Upper Dock, South Shields, on Monday the 28th day of January, 1805: All the materials and stores saved from the wrecked ship BURDON, about 9 keels, consisting of anchors, cables, sails, masts, yards, boats, standing and running rigging, etc. Sale to begin at 10 o'clock in the forenoon.' (3)

'To be sold by auction, on Thursday, the 21st of February, 1805, on the Low Lights Quay, North Shields: All the wreck of the ship BURTON, consisting of timber, plank, beams, etc. with a quantity of new plank, fit for colliery and other uses. The sale to begin at 10 o'clock in the morning. Any part of the above wreck will be sold by private contract, previous to the sale, on application to Joseph Common, Lowlights.' (5)

Master: Hedley (1)(2)