Black Middens, Charles

Black Middens, Charles

HER Number
14038
District
N Tyneside
Site Name
Black Middens, Charles
Place
Tynemouth
Map Sheet
NZ36NE
Class
Maritime Craft
Site Type: Broad
Sailing Vessel <By Rig>
Site Type: Specific
Brig
General Period
POST MEDIEVAL
Specific Period
Hanoverian 1714 to 1837
Form of Evidence
Wreckage
Description
`The CHARLES, Moss, of & from Yarmouth, in ballast, and the THOMAS...in attempting to enter Shields 7th inst. got upon the rocks at the entrance of the harbour; and have gone to pieces. The crews and passengers saved.' (1)

Source (2) quotes the following, but replaces "Moss, of and from Yarmouth" with "owned by Moss of Yarmouth" - this source consistently assumes that the name given is that of the owner, not the master:

`The CHARLES, Moss, of and from Yarmouth, in ballast, and the THOMAS, Thompson, from Hull, in attempting to enter Shields on the 7th inst. got upon the rocks at the entrance of the harbour; since which both vessels have gone to pieces. The crews and passengers were all saved.' (3)

`Last Friday afternoon, the brig CHARLES, of Yarmouth, Wm. Moss, master, was driven upon the Black Middens, at the entrance of Shields harbour. Great apprehension was entertained for the safety of the crew, five in number, as it was impossible for the lifeboat to render them assistance, and after various fruitless attempts to get a rope on shore, one was at length made fast to the boat, which fortunately succeeded, when the men singly made themselves fast to a rope, and were dragged through a tremendous sea amongst rocks to the shore, which they all reached much exhausted, but without any particular injury, except one man who was wounded on the head. The vessel, in less than half an hour after they had left her, went to pieces.' (4)

Master: Moss (1)(3); William Moss (4)
Crew: 5 (4)
Owner: Moss, Great Yarmouth (2)
Easting
437090
Northing
568800
Grid Reference
NZ437090568800
Sources
(1) Lloyd's 1969 Lloyd's list 11-DEC-1821, No.5652

(2) Boswell Whitaker 1979 Preservation of life from shipwreck, volume 1 : Skuetender lifeboat Page(s)49

(3) Newcastle Courant 15-DEC-1821, No.7575 Page(s)4

(4) Durham County Advertiser 15-NOV-1821, No.380 Page(s)3

(5) National Monuments Record (1348865)