List of shipwrecks of Cornwall (20th century)

The list of shipwrecks of Cornwall (20th century) lists the ships which sank on or near the coasts of mainland Cornwall in that period. The list includes ships that sustained a damaged hull, which were later refloated and repaired:

Southwestern England and the English Channel

1901–1914

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1901

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1902

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1903

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1904

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  • 1 September – steamship Lady of the Isles ( United Kingdom) on an excursion hit a sunken ledge off Carn Du and later beached at Lamorna Cove. The passengers had to walk the four miles back to Penzance. She was later salvaged by the Little Western Salvage Company who fitted her out as a salvage steamer and attended most Cornish wrecks over the next thirty years[7]

1905

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Noisiel shipwreck

1906

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  • February – the Workington collier Stainburn ( United Kingdom) almost wrecked on the Runnelstone and caught fire. Managed to make her way to Penzance where she was repaired.[7]
  • February – the St Ives pilot boat Buller ( United Kingdom) with seven pilots on board, capsized, in St Ives Bay when she was hit by a schooner, throwing all her occupants into the water. No fatalities.[19]
Socoa on fire near coast at Cadgwith
  • 21 July – the crew of the ketch Tilly ( United Kingdom) abandoned ship when she took on water 20 miles north of Trevose Head.[20]
  • 31 July – the French ship Socoa was stranded off Kildonan Point, Lizard in dense fog, she was re-floated after jettisoning 50000 barrels of cement and beached in Cadgwith Cove. She was later towed round to Falmouth and repaired.[21]
  • 23 August – the steamer Primrose ( United Kingdom) on a journey from her home port of Garston with coal, hit the Low Lee rocks in a thick fog one mile from her destination, Newlyn.[18]

1907

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  • February – brigantine Julien Marie ( France) ran aground at Porthminster Beach, St Ives.[22]
  • 17 March – the 12,000 ton liner Suevic ( United Kingdom) a White Star Line vessel ran aground in thick fog on the Maenhere ledges off Polpeor, Lizard Point. She was blown in half by salvagers using dynamite and the stern section taken to Southampton to be assembled to a new bow while the old bow was abandoned to the sea. Four lifeboats ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution) saved 456 people from the wreck (the largest number ever saved by the RNLI from a single vessel). She also carried a cargo of wool and mutton, with the wool being collected from beaches and coves, stored on Lizard Green and each man selling his salvage.[11][23] Also see SS Skytteren in the List of shipwrecks in April 1942.
  • 17 October – schooner Susan Elizabeth ( United Kingdom) wrecked on Porthminster Beach and the crew rescued by lifeboat.[14] Remains dynamited two years later.[10]
  • 1 November – Thames sailing barge the Baltic ( United Kingdom) ran onto St Clement's Isle, Mousehole en route to Newlyn with cement for the harbour works. Her crew were saved by Mousehole fishermen on the crabber Lady White who were unimpressed with the non–appearance of the lifeboat stuck in the mud at Penzance. The Baltic ended her days as a hulk in an Essex creek.[7][15]

1908

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  • 7 January – Falmouth schooner Lizzie R Wilce ( United Kingdom) wrecked on Porthminster Beach. The crew was saved.[14]
  • 8 January – Barrow schooner Mary Barrow ( United Kingdom) beached on Porthminster beach. The crew were saved[14] and she was refloated a week later.[10]
  • 6 March – the lifeboat at Newquay James Stevens No 5 ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution) capsized during a practice launch with the loss of one life.[24]
  • 6 March – Isles of Scilly ship Charles Francis ( United Kingdom) bound from Newport to St Mary's with coal parted her cables and was swept through Godrevy Sound and wrecked near Portreath. Her crew had been taken off by the St Ives Lifeboat ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution).[25]
  • 6 March – after losing her captain near the Longships, the remaining crew of the schooner Hodbarrow Minor beached her at Mawgan Porth, while running before a force 10 gale.[26]
  • 20 May – SS Latona ( United Kingdom) while on voyage from Montreal to London was in collision with SS Japanic and sank near the Wolf Rock.[27]
  • 4 October – steel barque Alice Marie ( France) hit the Runnelstone, drifted and sank in Mount's Bay where it is now a dive site.[28]
  • 28 December – Fairport ( United Kingdom) of Liverpool in ballast was found lying broadside close to the shore at Porthcurno beach after dragging her anchor. She was towed off by the tug Blazer assisted by the Sennen Cove lifeboat Ann Newbon ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution).[8]

1909

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1910

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SS William Cory aground at Pendeen

1911

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Hansy shipwreck
  • 29 April – SS Cragoswald ( United Kingdom) hit the Low Lee Reef off Mousehole[36] on a journey from Barry Docks to Venice with 4000 tons of coal. The steamer was on a detour to drop the Chief Engineer at Penzance (for hospital), and mistook the Low Lee buoy for a similar looking one near Porthleven. Refloated.[18]
  • 3 May – 1497 ton sailing ship Hansy ( Norway) of Fredrikstad was wrecked at Housel Bay on the eastern side of the Lizard. Three men were saved by the Lizard lifeboat ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution) and the rest along with the Captain's family were taken off by rocket apparatus.[37] She was bound for Sydney with building material and her cargo of steel and timber was washed up for weeks afterwards and used in many of the local cottages. One in Church Cove now bears her name.[23]
  • 12 November – Irish Schooner, 'Island Maid' ( United Kingdom), hit the Doom Bar. All five crew saved by the Padstow lifeboat Arab (.[38]
  • 12 November – brigantine, Angele ( France), ran aground on the Doom Bar, Padstow with only one survivor, the ship's captain[39] (Or 13 November).[40]
  • 13 December – barque Saluto ( Norway), of Christiansand, wrecked at Cudden Point in Mount's Bay.[10] The ship was a total loss but the Newlyn lifeboat Elizabeth & Blanche ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution) took the crew of 13 men off when she was half a mile off the Greeb Rocks. The ship was bound for the West Indies and was the last big sailing boat rescued in Mount's Bay.[15][17]
  • 29 December – 2,774-ton steamer Hellopes sank in Mount's Bay while on her way to the breakers yard with a cargo of coal.[41]
  • unknown date – Mousehole lugger Weatherall ( United Kingdom) sank about four miles off the Longships when she collided with Lowestoft sailing trawler Trevone ( United Kingdom). All the crew, bar Paul Humphreys, managed to scramble aboard the trawler.[42]

1912

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Barque Pindos wrecked at Coverack
  • February – barque Pindos ( Germany) was wrecked on the Guthen Rocks near Coverack. All twenty-eight of the crew were rescued by the Coastguard and the Coverack lifeboat ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution), and a few days later the ship broke up in a storm.[43]
  • 11 February – Fleetwood trawler Maud ( United Kingdom) drifted ashore at Pentreath Beach, near Kynance Cove when her tow from the tug Challenger parted. Her boiler and keel can still be seen at low tide.[7][23]
  • 5 March – Bessie ( United Kingdom) was forced to shelter in Newquay Bay during a strong north wind and drifted ashore when her anchor fouled. Two of the crew were saved by breeches buoy, the others clambered up the 100 ft (30 m) cliff on the cliff ladder. The Truro registered three-masted schooner was on a voyage from Ballincurragh, County Cork to Penryn.[44]
  • 21 March – SS City of Cardiff ( United Kingdom) wrecked at Nanjizal, two miles south of Land's End.[45] The Sennen Life–Saving Apparatus Team took the crew off by breeches buoy.[15]
  • 6 April – Gunvor ( Norway) wrecked on Pedn-Men-an-Mor rocks, Black Head, The Lizard; the crew scrambled to safety.[10][46]
  • 6 April – barquentine Mildred ( United Kingdom) struck rocks at Gurnard's Head in dense fog and sank with her sails set. No lives lost.[10]
  • July – the steamship Transporter ( United Kingdom) of North Shields with ballast from St Nazaire to the Tyne for coal went ashore south of Mousehole in thick fog. The salvage steamer Lady of the Isles hauled her clear and she resumed her journey undamaged.[18]
  • 26 December – SS Tripolitania ( Italy), was beached on Loe Bar, near Porthleven in 100 mph winds while in ballast from Genoa to Barry for coal. All of her twenty-eight crew, bar one, were saved and the ship was finally broken up for scrap after attempts to refloat her failed.[18][47] Two of the crew of the Penzance Lifeboat Janet Hoyle ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution) died of pneumonia the following Thursday.[15]
  • unknown date – fishing ketch Triumph sank on the Doom Bar.[48]
  • ketch Elizabeth wrecked in Bude Bay. Her mast was removed and erected on Summerleaze Point as a flagpole.[49]

1913

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  • 4 April – ketch Woolwich Infant ( United Kingdom) of Falmouth was abandoned by her crew and went ashore near Land's End.[8]
  • 14 April – while leaving Porthleven harbour against a south–westerly, the fishing vessel Ebeneezer (PZ 541) ( United Kingdom) was wrecked on the Trigg rocks.[4]
  • April – Othos Stathos grounded on rocks off Godrevy and towed into St Ives on 24 April.[50]
  • 15 May – 2,144-ton barque Queen Margaret ( United Kingdom) of Glasgow went ashore at Polpeor while awaiting orders from Lloyds Signal Station. Her cargo of wheat swelled causing her to break up. The crew escaped in the ship's boats while the captain and his family were saved by the Lizard lifeboat ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution).[23]
Cromdale shipwreck
  • 23 May – 1,903-ton barque Cromdale ( United Kingdom) of Aberdeen ran aground at Bass Point, The Lizard in thick fog while carrying nitrates from Taltal, Chile to Fowey. Her crew was saved by the Lizard and Coverack lifeboats ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution).[23][51] A contemporary report in The Cornishman writes that the first lifeboat on the scene was from Cadgwith shortly followed by the Lizard lifeboat; there was no mention of the Coverack lifeboat.[52] Broke up in SSW gale a week later.[7]
  • 14 August – J Duncan ( United Kingdom) of Cardiff and bound from her home port to Devonport with coal was stranded at Tol Pedn and abandoned by her crew.[8]
  • 29 November – the 1276 tons steamer Ville du Temple ( France) in ballast from Nantes to Cardiff struck the Runnelstone in thick fog. She drifted north, with a damaged hull, and her crew abandoned in the ship's boat about a mile NNW of the Brisons when they sighted the Mercutio of Penzance. She finally drifted ashore at Porthmoina Cove, Zennor.[25]

1914

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HMS A7

First World War

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1914

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  • December – the 3,100-ton Cape Horner Asnieres ( France) ran aground under Castle Point, St Mawes while entering Falmouth harbour without a pilot. She was refloated the following month and returned to service.[58]

1915

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1916

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July
  • 18 July – 3,000-ton Glasgow steamer Neto grounded at Gurnard's Head while carrying hay and fodder to Cherbourg.[63]
  • 20 July – 3,818-ton collier Enrico Parodi sank off The Carracks while being towed to St Ives by the Lady of the Isles. She ran aground off Gurnard's Head in dense fog and was re-floated by a salvage team working on Neto, which was wrecked two days previous. She was heading to Messina from Cardiff with coal.[63]
October
December
Unknown date
  • ketch Arethusa ( United Kingdom) was abandoned by her crew who were picked up by the Padstow lifeboat Edmund Harvey ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution) and assisted by the tug Helen Peele. She drifted and went ashore at Northcott Mouth one mile north of Bude.[67]
  • ketch Acacia ( United Kingdom) wrecked at Northcott Mouth[68]
  • schooner Lelia ( France) sunk, off Land's End, at approximately 50 01 00N 05 40 00W by a German submarine.[69]

1917

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January
February
March
April
May
June

August

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September
October
The wreck of the SV Carl
November
December
  • December – while helping the SS Osten ( Denmark) of Copenhagen which had lost her funnel and part of her superstructure the Newquay lifeboat James Stevens No 5 ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution) capsized and was lost. Her thirteen crew were saved.[24]
  • 30 December – Zone torpedoed and sunk by U-110 off the north coast of Cornwall.
Unknown date

1918

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1919–1939

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1919

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  • 17 March – Falmouth Castle ( United Kingdom) of Falmouth hit the Lee Ore Reef between the Runnelstone and Tol Pedn and was beached in Porthcurno Bay.[8]
  • 29 April – Frisia ( Netherlands) of Rotterdam foundered half a mile north–west of Aire Point while heading to Rouen from Carfiff with coal. Her crew took to the ship's boat and were picked up by the Sennen lifeboat Ann Newbon ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution).[8]
  • 30 November – one of three Royal Navy Armed Motor Launches under the escort of a destroyer on passage from Queenstown to Southampton suffered from a disabled engine in heavy seas off Land's End. HM ML No 378 ( Royal Navy) towing hawsers parted on two occasions and she drifted towards the Longships. Her crew of nine took to a dinghy which capsized and four of five were picked up by the Sennen lifeboat Ann Newbon ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution). Four other crew made it to the Longships and also rescued by the lifeboat.[24]

1920

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  • January (or early February) – tug Arwenack ( United Kingdom) was found ashore three miles north of Bude. Scheduled Ancient Monument no. 907688.[157]
  • 18 January – SS Skjoldborg ( Norway) of Haugesund sank off the Lizard.[23]
  • March – several vessels ran aground in thick fog including the Lowestoft steam trawler Golden Gift ( United Kingdom) which ran aground on the Larrigan Rocks, Penzance. Refloated on the next tide.[7]
  • 26 April – schooner Belmont ( United Kingdom) ran aground on the approaches to Padstow.[158]
  • 15 August – 2000 ton steamship Lake Grafton of Chicago hit the Lee Ore, part of the Runnel Stone reef and sank. She was carrying coal from Swansea to Copenhagen and her crew of 38 was picked up by SS Dunmore.[25][35]
  • 30 August (or 23 August) – the cargo vessel Hickleton hit a rock near Gurnard's Head, Zennor, and was then driven ashore. The following day she floated off the shore and sank 50 yards from the shore and sank in 13 m. All thirteen crew abandoned ship and survived.[159]
  • 22 September – motor fishing boat Our Boys of Porthleven drifted into the Longships and her crew managed to scramble on to the rocks and were taken off by the Sennen lifeboat Ann Newbon ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution). Our Boy was late salvaged.[8]
  • 12 November – the steam trawler Anémone ( France) ran ashore 50 yards east of Porthleven harbour. She was towed into the harbour and repaired.[4] According to Carter (1998) she was wrecked in January.[7]
  • 19 November – the steamer Groningen ( Netherlands) with a cargo of coal grounded while entering the outer harbour at Porthleven despite the harbour being closed because of the heavy seas. Refloated on the incoming tide and headed for Newlyn.[4]
  • 2 December – Ansgir went ashore at Penzer Point near Mousehole.[160]
  • RFA Moorview () hit the Runnelstone.[41]

1921

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1922

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  • 3 March – French trawler, the Marguerite was wrecked at Talland Bay. Two private boats performed a dramatic rescue and all 21 people were saved. The remains of the ship's boiler can still be clearly seen on the beach at low tide.[163]
  • 17 March – the cargo ship Yannakis ( Greece) ran aground at Praa Sands. She was later refloated.[164] (see also 1921)
  • 21 May – 1968 ton tanker St Patrice ( United Kingdom) of Swansea stranded on the Mulvin Ledges, Lizard Point in thick fog. Her crew of 23 were saved by the Pinney. She sank in the North Sea while being towed to Germany for repairs.[23]

1923

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Adolf Vinnen
  • 23 February – the 1529 ton barquentine Adolf Vinnen ( Germany) was wrecked at Green Lane Cove, Bass Point, in a severe gale while carrying insufficient ballast and on her maiden voyage. All her crew were saved by breeches–buoy. Many forks and spoons were washed up and used for many years.[23][24]
  • June – 993 ton steamer Nivelle ( United Kingdom) of London steamed into Pentreath, near Kynance Cove in thick fog. Her crew was taken off by the Pilley and her cargo of coal was salvaged and carried up the cliff by the locals.[23]
  • 29 September – steamer Gutfield ( Germany) of Hamburg bound for Cardiff from London ran aground near Cape Cornwall. She was refloated and steamed to Falmouth for repairs.[8]
  • 8 October – the 6,000 ton City of Westminster ( United Kingdom) bound from Belfast to Rotterdam with a cargo of South African maize knocked the top of the Runnelstone reef clean off. A total of 48 people were taken off by the Sennen and Penlee lifeboats and a further 25 in the ship's boat were towed to Newlyn by the steam drifter Pioneer. Today the remains lie in 30 metres of water, jammed into a gully on the eastern side of the stone.[15][165]

1924

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  • August – Cardiff collier River Ely ( United Kingdom) grounded on Mousehole Island. Later towed to Penzance by the Greencastle ( United Kingdom), a salvage ship belonging to the Western Marine Salvage Company.[7]
  • 31 August – White Star liner Bardic ( United Kingdom) of Liverpool was wrecked on Maenheere, Lizard, near where her sister ship the Suevic went ashore in 1907. Her crew of 93 were brought ashore in the Lizard lifeboat (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) and 44 returned to keep the refrigerators running and her cargo of rabbits, frozen. On 8 September with increasing winds the lifeboat took the crew ashore and her refrigerators stopped working. Bardic was towed to Falmouth and her cargo of rotting rabbits was dumped down a mineshaft near St Day![23]

1925

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1926

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  • 17 March – steamer Fagerness sank off Trevose Head after she was run down by steamer Cornish Coast.[169]
  • 20 March – schooner Ada of Barrow carrying coal from Barry to Truro struck rocks near Cape Cornwall and refloated on the rising tide. With a member of the Sennen Cove lifeboat crew ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution) acting as a pilot she safely got away from the shore.[8]

1928

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  • October – schooner S F Pearce ( United Kingdom) spent a few hours under Trewavas Head, Mount's Bay in a southerly gale. The crew managed to get the engine going and clear of the rocks[7]

1929

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  • 17 April – freighter Archangelos (Greece) wrecked on Dolor Point.[170]
  • 30 June – steamship Ixia ( United Kingdom) of North Shields bound for Constantinople from Swansea with coal went ashore near Cape Cornwall. All the crew survived.[8]
  • 5 December – the 1200 ton collier Ornais II ( France) driven ashore at Perranuthnoe in hurricane-force winds. She was on her way from Le Havre to Port Talbot to pick up coal.[18]
  • 5 December – the King Harry Ferry was rammed by a coal elevator and sank at her moorings. Later refloated and repaired[171]

1930

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1931

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1932

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1934

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  • 15 July – Brixham fishing ketch Replete ( United Kingdom) caught fire while trawling off the Wolf Rock lighthouse. Crew picked up by the Brixham smack Radiance which was fishing nearby.[8]

1935

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  • 25 January – SS Merena went ashore on the east side of the sandbank inside Anjove Point at Hayle with a cargo of coal and refloated on the evening tide.[175]
  • January – 53 ton Bideford ketch Cicelia ( United Kingdom) broke her moorings in St Ives harbour and collided with numerous vessels. Broke up on Pednolva Rocks. She had delivered coal from Lydney and was waiting for the weather to improve.[176]
  • 24 February – Archmor ( United Kingdom) bound from Cardiff went aground on a sandbank at her destination port, Par. She was carrying 2000 tons of coal.[177]
  • 27 March – trawler Le Vieux Tigre ( France) stranded on the rocks at Beast Point, The Lizard. The crew of eighteen were taken off by the Lizard Lifeboat, the Duke of York ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution).[23]
  • 20 June – D. L. Harper ( United States): The tanker ran aground on the Crane Ledges at Lizard Head in fog. Her crew of 43 and a baby were landed at Polpeor by the Duke of York ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution)[178] All 38 crew were rescued the next day by the Penzance Lifeboat.[23][179]
  • 26 September – Clan Malcolm ( United Kingdom) of Glasgow: the cargo ship ran aground at Hot Point, near Lizard Point with a cargo of maize. Her fittings were sold by auction on Cadgwith beach and she was considered a danger to shipping and blown up and sunk.[23][180][181]
  • 21 October – P.L.A. No.6 ( United Kingdom) the dredger foundered in the Bristol Channel off Pendeen.[182]
  • 30 November – coaster Orchis ( United Kingdom) foundered in the Bristol Channel 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) off Pencarrow Head. The crew were rescued by a fishing vessel.[183]
  • 25 December – schooner Loustic ( France) of Libourne ran ashore on rocks east of Gyllyngvase Beach, Falmouth. Bound from Quimper for Cardiff to collect coal, her crew lowered a ladder and walked up the beach. She broke up a few days later.[184]

1936

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  • 27 January – Taycraig ( United Kingdom) of London hit the Gear Rock, off Penzance promenade while heading to Newlyn to pick up roadstone. All nine crew saved. Broke up and sank three days later.[7]
  • February – ketch Kate ran aground at Padstow and became a total loss.[185]
  • 10 February – the crew of four (and dog) of the ketch Albatos ( France) of Brest were picked up in Whitesand Bay by the Sennen Cove lifeboat Newbons ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution).[8]
  • 1 November – SS Bessemer City ( United States) wrecked at Clodgy Point, St. Ives. All crew rescued, cargo salvaged by local people after washing up on beaches and said to have fed them for months.[173][186][187]

1937

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1938

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  • 31 January – Alba ( Panama): Ran aground at Porthmeor Beach near St Ives. All 23 crew rescued after a wait of seven minutes while they packed their suitcases, but five later drowned when the lifeboat Caroline Parsons ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution) capsized. The remaining men were saved by the Life Saving Apparatus (LSA) crew and bystanders.[24][192][193]
  • 18 December – Bretonne sheltered in Whitesand Bay from a south–easterly gale while bound from Cardiff to Brest with a cargo of coal. The crew were taken off by the Sennen Cove lifeboat Newbons ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution) and the schooner was not seen again.[8]

1939

[edit]

Unknown date

[edit]

Second World War

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1939

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  • 10 December – collier Stanwood (United Kingdom Stanhope Steamship Co) was scuttled in the shallows of Carrick Roads when her cargo of coal caught fire. She slid down the slope and attempts to refloat her were unsuccessful although her cargo was recovered.[200]

1940

[edit]
  • 20 January – Coroni River (United Kingdom Houlder Brothers & Co Ltd), London struck by a mine laid by U-34 and sank off Falmouth.[7]
  • 30 January – Keramiai (Greece Lykiardopoulo shipping line), part of Convoy OA 80G, torpedoed and sunk by U-55 ( Kriegsmarine) off Lands End (48°37′N 7°46′W / 48.617°N 7.767°W / 48.617; -7.767)[61][201]
  • 31 May – Polycarp ( United Kingdom) torpedoed off west Cornwall.[7]
  • 1 July – ocean liner Avelona Star (United Kingdom Blue Star Line) torpedoed by the German submarine U-43 on 30 June, sank the next day.
  • 10 July – tanker British Chancellor: was bombed by Luftwaffe aircraft and sank in Falmouth harbour.[29]
  • 10 July – steamer Marie Chandris, carrying a cargo of raw cotton was set on fire during a bombing raid. She was towed to a small bay near St Mawes and sunk by gunfire. She was later re-floated and beached at Place where some of her cargo was salvaged, and she was cut up for scrap.[29]
  • 10 July – cargo ship Tascalusa ( United Kingdom) was bombed by Luftwaffe aircraft and sank in Falmouth harbour. She was refloated on 29 August and beached at St Just but declared a constructive total loss and her superstructure was cut and towed to Freeman's yard, Penryn in November.[29][202]
  • 3 October – former Isles of Scilly ferry the Lady of the Isles ( Royal Navy), requisitioned by the Admiralty as an Auxiliary vessel and sunk by a mine off Killigerran Head near Falmouth, together with the tug Aid. Six ships in as many weeks were sunk off Falmouth by mines.[7]
  • 24 November – Belgian trawler Simone Marguerite ( Belgium) sunk by gunfire while fishing in Mount's Bay. Her crew were picked up by another trawler Roger Denise ( Belgium).
  • 25 November – a small convoy of two steamers and a tanker from Plymouth attacked by German destroyers in Mount's Bay. Tanker Apollonia ( Netherlands) sunk by the Karl Galster ( Kriegsmarine).[203] Fourteen crew killed and 20 survivors. Steamer Stadion 11 ( United Kingdom) left afloat, when the German destroyers left, but not seen again.[7]
  • 25 November – lifeboats from Sennen, Penlee and the Lizard searched for survivors of a naval and air battle ten miles off the Wolf Rock lighthouse, but nothing found apart from a large patch of oil.[8]
  • 26 November – patrol boat Medoc ( Marine Nationale) torpedoed and sank off Rame Head with the loss of forty-one crew.[204]
  • 28 November – HMS Javelin ( Royal Navy) was badly damaged during a sea battle about 15 miles (24 km) south–east of Lizard Point. Under artillery fire and hit by torpedo she lost her bow and stern and was towed back to harbour where she was repaired.[23]
  • Unknown date – requisitioned trawler Royalo ( Royal Navy) sank at the entrance to Penzance harbour while clearing a string of magnetic mines. Nine survivors.[7]

1941

[edit]
  • 1 February – Kai ( United Kingdom) hit a submerged object north of Trevose Head.[205]
  • 8 March – steamer Nurgis ( Norway) sunk and collier Margo ( United Kingdom) heavily damaged by aircraft in Mount's Bay.[7]
  • 16 March – steamer Elna E ( Norway) struck a mine and sunk 10–12 miles north of Crackington Haven.[206]
  • 25 March – Rossmore ( United Kingdom) Sunk by bombing 12 nm NE Godrevy.
  • 14 April – Arbel ( Belgium) of Antwerp bombed and sunk off Cape Cornwall. Of her twenty crew seventeen survived.[8]
  • 5 May – Tregor foundered NW of Trevose Head.[207]
  • 27 May – Ocean boarding vessel HMS Registan bombed six miles north–west of Sennen Cove by four enemy planes. The crew were picked up by a Sennen Cove fishing boat Ruby.[8]
  • 27 May – cargo ship Royksund ( Norway) sunk between Trevose Head and Hartland Point after being attacked by a German aircraft. Six men lost.[208]
  • 10 July – Svint ( Norway) sunk in an air raid seven miles north of Kellan Head.[209]
  • cargo vessel Botne ( Norway) foundered eight miles WNW of Bude. Scheduled Ancient Monument no 1232497.[210]

1942

[edit]
  • 20 March – steamer Risoy ( Norway) carrying 450 ton of scrap iron from Southampton to Swansea sunk in an air raid off Trevose Head with the loss of one crew.[211]

1944

[edit]

1945

[edit]

1945–1965

[edit]

1946

[edit]

1947

[edit]

1948

[edit]

1949

[edit]

1950

[edit]
  • the salvage boat Barnet ( United Kingdom) standing guard overnight under the Warspite's bows, at Prussia Cove was holed in the engine room, towed off and eventually drifted ashore at Long Rock, a few miles to the west.[7]
  • Steamer Sand Runner  United Kingdom ran aground at St. Ives Head while bringing coal from Barry to Hayle. All crew saved and she was refloated the following day.[218]

1952

[edit]
  • 10 January – Flying Enterprise ( United States) was a 6,711 ton Type C1-B ship which sank 31 nautical miles (57 km) south of The Lizard. On voyage from Hamburg to New York she suffered structural damage on 25 December 1951 during a storm while in the Western Approaches. She was escorted by American naval ships but finally sank in the English Channel. There was much speculation in the media about her cargo.[222] According to the Coastguard logbook her tow from the Turmoil parted and she foundered and capsized.[23]
  • 17 January – steamship Liberty ( Liberia) hit the rocks under Pendeen Watch while on voyage from Newport to La Goulette. All the crew was saved and the wreck was salvaged.[218][223]
  • 2 October – minesweeper HMS Wave ( Royal Navy) snapped her anchor chain and went aground between St Ives Harbour and Porthminster beach in a 60-mph gale. All the crew were saved by breeches buoy. She was refloated and towed to Devonport.[172][218]

1954

[edit]

1956

[edit]

1957

[edit]
  • unknown date – St. Ives fishing lugger Nazarene ( United Kingdom) grounded at Pedn-vounder Beach near Porthcurno in fog while heading for Newlyn with pilchards. The ship was a total loss but the crew climbed the cliffs and walked to the village of Treen with their catch, nets and fishing gear worth over £1000.

1958

[edit]
  • 15 August – fishing vessel Hesperian hit an underwater ledge between Carn Du and Penzer Point, west of Mousehole. Penlee lifeboat W & S ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution) towed her to Newlyn harbour.[15]

1959

[edit]
  • 1 April – crabber Pluie de Rose ( France) was wrecked at Trevedran Point, St Loy. The skipper swam ashore to raise the alarm at a farm. Two men were saved by breeches buoy and four men were picked up by the Penlee Lifeboat ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution) in a small boat.[25]

1961

[edit]
  • 13 December – tanker Allegrity (Everard F T & Sons Ltd,  United Kingdom) while en route from Le Havre to Stanlow struck Greeb Point to the east of Caerhays Castle and hit the shore at Porthluney Cove below the castle.[227]

1962

[edit]
  • 3 November – Dieppe trawler Jeanne Gougy ( France) wrecked on Dr Syntax's Head, Land's End. The crew were trapped in an air pocket in the wheelhouse for six hours until low tide when they were rescued by the Life Saving Apparatus and Whirlwind Helicopter.[24][228] Of the crew of eighteen, twelve lost their lives.[8]
  • 29 December – 6,000-ton coaster Ardgarry capsized off the Lizard with the loss of all the crew.[23]
  • unknown date – 259 ton Dieppe trawler Gai Floreal ( France) beached near Zennor Cove. The crew were taken off by breeches buoy and she was towed off the rocks by the St Ives lifeboat.[218]
  • unknown date – a motor cruiser Paulina wrecked on rocks near Gartul, Porthleven.[4]

1963

[edit]
  • 13 September – Alacrity bound from Swansea to Belgium with coal ran aground in fog at Portheras Cove, near Pendeen Watch lighthouse.[8][24] The wreck was later blown apart by explosives in an attempt to break the ship up for scrapping. However, some speculate that the charges were inexpertly placed or too powerful. This led to the ship being spread over most of the beach. Pieces of Alacrity can still be seen, specifically a large piece of hull plating in the stream at the access point to the cove. There is a warning board in place warning visitors of the potential of sharp fragments in the sand.
  • 23 October – Juan Ferrer ( Spain) wrecked under Boscawen Point, near Lamorna with the loss of eleven of her fifteen crew. A few days later the Newlyn and Mousehole Fishermen's Association wrote to Trinity House suggesting a light and foghorn at Tater Dhu which was first lit in 1965.[25]

1964

[edit]

1966–2000

[edit]

1966

[edit]
  • April – the small coaster Saba ( Netherlands) was aided by the Scillonian (ferry from Penzance to Scilly) after her steel cargo shifted and she sank off Porthgwarra.[7]
  • 31 July – the pleasure cruiser Darlwyne, chartered from Greatwood, a then hotel near Restronguet, to take guests on a day trip to Fowey.[229] She set out on the return voyage but was never seen again; all on board, 23 adults & 8 children, perished. An investigation found the captain, Brian Michael Bown, to have acted negligently in ignoring local advice to remain in port; consequently the owner John Campbell Maitland Barrett was required to pay £500 towards the cost of the investigation. Traces of the wreck of the Darlwyne were reportedly found near Dodman Point on 31 July 2016 (exactly 50 years after its disappearance) by divers collaborating with the makers of the BBC's Inside Out South West.[230]

1967

[edit]

1969

[edit]
  • 12 May – Tanker Hemsley 1 ( United Kingdom) ran aground in thick fog at Fox Cove, near Treyarnon Bay and was close enough to the coast for most of her crew to scramble on to the rocks and up the cliff.[1] She was on her way from Liverpool to a breakers yard in Antwerp. Originally launched as the Scotol, she was renamed to Hemsley 1 on 21 June 1948, and was at the time of her wreck, the oldest registered British steamship.[232][233] She had originally reported she had foundered at the Lizard after mistaking Trevose Head lighthouse for the Lizard light.[234]

1970

[edit]

1971

[edit]
  • 14 October – barge Ewt 263 ( United Kingdom) was being towed from Santander to Rotterdam by the tug Britannia when she broke in half off Lizard Point. The stern section was towed into Falmouth and the bow section was believed to be washed up between Hemmick Beach and Dodman Point.[235]
  • 22 December – Romeo ran aground on Hayle Bar.[172]

1972

[edit]
  • 27 January – the cruise ship Queen Frederica ( Greece) was driven aground in the Fowey Estuary after breaking free from her moorings in a storm.[236]
  • 7 September – the crew of trawler La Varenne ( France) of Cherbourg were attempting to abandon ship after she went into a small cove at Land's End. Eight men were picked up by the Sennen Cove lifeboat Susan Ashley ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution).[8]
  • 5 November – Nefili steamed into Dollar Cove, Land's End in fog when her radar failed. Crew saved by breeches-buoy. She sits directly on trawler La Varenne.[24]

1973

[edit]
  • 13 December – the fishing vessel Kergall (