On Thursday afternoon about five o’ clock, during the severe storm
which prevailed on the West Cumberland coast, the Swedish barque
Cignes, from Galveston, bound for Maryport, with a cargo of oilcake,
stranded on the south side of Workington Harbour. Signals of distress
were fired from the vessel, and in a short time the members of the
Workington Rocket Brigade assembled in charge of CAPTAIN GRICE. A
heavy sea was running at this time, and the vessel was beating about
at the mercy of the waves, CAPTAIN VAUGHAN, the Harbour Master,
telegraphed to Whitehaven for the lifeboat, which was soon got ready,
and put to sea shortly before seven o’ clock. About eight o clock the
lifeboat approached within hailing distance of the distressed vessel,
and was observed to burn red lights. The Rocket Brigade then showed a
brilliant white light for the purpose of enabling the lifeboat crew to
see the position in which the stranded vessel was lying. The red light
was, however, observed to pass the barque and was lost to sight. It
was afterwards discovered that the lifeboat had capsized when
approaching the vessel. On righting again, one of the crew, JAMES
HENNEY, was missing, and the lifeboat afterwards was obliged to run to
Maryport. Meanwhile the Rocket Brigade went to the north side of the
pier, the better to render assistance to the barque, which had changed
its position and was now lying opposite the pier on the north side to
the entrance of the harbour. Whilst the Brigade were getting ready to
fire a rocket line over the barque, signals of distress were observed
to come from the south side of the harbour, and it was soon
ascertained that the steamer Shark had touched the ground, but she
fortunately got off again without sustaining any serious damage. She
was got safely into the harbour and berthed in the Lonsdale Dock. The
members of the brigade not being able to fire a rocket over the
stranded barque from their position on the north side of the pier,
next proceeded to the pier, where they arrived about two o’ clock on
Friday morning. A rocket line was fired by MR C. LARKIN, which was
seen to pass between the two remaining masts (the mainmast of the
barque had fallen some time previously). No response was received from
the crew of the barque, and it was feared that all on board had
perished. It was afterwards ascertained, however, that the crew had
taken refuge in the rigging in consequence of the heavy seas which
were washing over the vessel, and they were unable to avail themselves
of the opportunity of escaping from their perilous positions. A second
rocket was fired for the purpose of ascertaining if there were any men
in the rigging; but as the crew were on the opposite side they could
not be seen. Between three and four o’ clock on Friday morning the
brigade made another effort to save the crew. The tide had ebbed
considerably, and the storm had also somewhat abated; but the barque
was a complete wreck. It was a joyful surprise to those on shore to
find that the crew were still on board the vessel, and the lifeboat
belonging to the Grace steam tug was launched, and proceeded to rescue
the crew. Six men were taken off in the boat, the remaining three
being carried ashore with the help of members of the Rocket Brigade
and others who waded into the water. The crew were benumbed with cold,
and one of them, an Englishman, was in an unconscious condition. It
was ascertained that one of the crew had been washed from the vessel
and drowned at the time the mainmast gave way. His name was JOHANN
AIKLUND, about 22 years of age, belonging to Jeffle. The crew were
taken to the Coffee Tavern, Marsh-side, where they were supplied with
dry clothing and refreshments by Mr and Mrs JOHN HUGHES, the Manager
and Manageress of the Tavern. Dr. HIGHET was also sent for to attend
the men. The barque lies stranded, with her bow facing westwards. Her
foresail and topsail are in tatters. The rudder is gone and the
rudderpost is started. The bulwarks are smashed, the deck and cabin
considerably damaged, and a part of one of the boats is jammed into
the after part of the cabin. On Friday morning the body of HENNEY was
found at Maryport and the body of AIKLUND was found at Siddick.
OSCAR GUSTAFSON, of Guillhalmen, the mate of the barque, Cignes, said
the vessel was bound from Galveston, Texas, to Maryport, with a cargo
of about 500 tons of oil cake, for Messrs. CARR & Co., of Maryport and
Carlisle. They had an excellent voyage across the Atlantic. Upon
reaching the Solway, Workington was mistaken for Maryport, and the
vessel got too near in shore during low water, and upon the gale
coming away she could not put off to land again. It was about half-
past four o’ clock on Thursday afternoon that the vessel struck. The
topsails were set, and the foresail, but they were more or less blown
away. The crew got down what sail they could, but as the gale
increased and heavy seas broke over the vessel the men were obliged to
take refuge in the cabin. Very soon, however, the cabin filled with
water, and the crew had to hang onto the cabin roof and the mizzen
rigging. The gale continued to increase and at half-past ten at night
the force was terrible and the mainmast snapped off a little above the
deck. The Mate noticed the mast falling, and thinking all was at an
end and they would be crushed to death, stooped down to avoid the
crash, but the rigging very fortunately caused the mast to fall clear
of the men. The Captain and one of the crew named JOHANN AIKLUND were
then missing. A shout was heard afterwards from the Captain, and he
was found hanging on further forward than the rest of the crew. The
bulwarks and decks were smashed, and the Captain was in danger of
being washed overboard every minute. Five of the crew made an effort
to rescue the Captain, and they succeeded in bringing him, almost
dead, to the after part of the vessel. The Captain said that he had
hold of AIKLUND when they were knocked down, but could not keep his
hold, as he had to hang on to save himself, and AIKLUND was evidently
washed overboard by the sea, and nothing more was seen of him until
his dead body was washed up near the slag bank at Siddick. The vessel
drove ashore at the North Bank about half-past ten o’ clock. They saw
the rocket fired, and the line lying over the fore part of the ship,
but they were so benumbed and exhausted that they could not use it,
and no one durst go forward to attempt to do so on account of the
loose blocks and cordage that were flying about. If another line had
been thrown to where they were lashed to the rigging, they could not
have used it, so intense were their sufferings. The Mate says that the
crew did not see the Lifeboat.
On Friday afternoon, Mr. W.W.LUMB, Coroner for West Cumberland, held
an inquest at the police-station, Maryport, on the body of JAMES
HENNEY, who was lost out of the lifeboat on Thursday night. The first
witness called was THOMAS CRADDOCK (sic), residing at Adam’s Place,
Whitehaven, who deposed:
“I have been a Seaman for twenty years. I know the deceased, who was
31 years old, and was my brother-in-law. He had been a Seaman for 15
years. Last night during the gale word came by telegraph from
Workington that there was a ship ashore there and we were to send the
Whitehaven lifeboat. The lifeboat crew were at once got together, and
thirteen men got into the boat, that being the full crew. JAMES MORRIS
was Captain of the boat. We left Whitehaven at a quarter to seven. We
were in our ordinary clothes, but we had a cork lifejacket on. We set
sail on getting outside, and afterwards showed signal lights. We got
an answer from the shore near Workington but none from the vessel. We
could see the vessel after a bit, and found she was a barque. We went
to within 100 yards of her, and were then about 300 or 400 yards from
the shore. We tried to get to the barque but could not, and we let go
out anchor. While at anchor, the sea broke over us several times, and
when we were in the trough we were capsized, being still at anchor.
All except two were thrown out of the boat. That was close upon nine
o’ clock. The deceased HENNEY fell out of the boat with the rest of
us, but I did not see that he struck himself against anything. While I
was hanging with my feet fast in a rowlock, I heard a voice to
windward, crying for help. I don’t think HENNEY was drowned, but the
cold killed him. Had he not been hurt, it would have been impossible
for him to get ashore at Workington, owing to the tide. After we had
tried to find HENNEY, and failed, we came on to Maryport.”
The Coroner:
“When deceased got to the water, could he see the lights at
Workington?”
“Yes, he could see the reflection from the furnaces.”
“How far was he from the land?”
“About half a mile.”
“If nothing had happened to him, do you think he could have made his
way to Workington?”
“No, it was impossible, owing to the sea and tide.”
“Supposing he was conscious, which way do you think he would have
gone?”
“This way owing to the sea”
“Could he have made his way to the shore?”
“He might have done, but the sea would naturally fetch him towards the
shore.”
Witness added that when they found that they could render the deceased
no assistance, they got the anchor up and made for Maryport, which
place they reached about a quarter past ten. WILLIAM RUSSELL had his
thigh put out, but the remainder of the crew received no hurt.
The Coroner:
“I was told today there should have been a steamer with you.”
Witness: “We could get no steamers out; it was almost low water”
In reply to the question put by the foreman, Witness said, they did
not make out the vessel in distress, until they got abreast of
Workington. The boat behaved very well until it got full of water.
Three seas hit her in succession, and filled her with water before she
capsized. Deceased (who was aft oar on the starboard side) tried to
get a smoke on the way. – JOSEPH THORNDALE deposed to have found the
body on the shore near the tan yard at Maryport at a few minutes to
six o’ clock that (Friday) morning. He gave information to P.C.
MILLER, and the body was removed to the infirmary. – The Coroner, in
summing up said it would be impossible to find thirteen more
courageous men than those who went out in the Whitehaven Lifeboat that
Thursday evening. He happened to be a little outside Whitehaven that
evening, and he thought that he had never before experienced such a
night. He believed it got very much worse later on. But, in spite of
the weather, those thirteen courageous men went out in the Lifeboat to
do their duty. They got as near as they possibly could to the Barque
in distress when no less than eleven of them were thrown overboard. He
might be wrong, but his impression was that when the deceased went
over board he was stunned by some portion of the boat striking him. On
the other hand CRADDOCK (sic) (who had told his story in a clear and
forcible manner) was of opinion that the poor man was starved to
death. He however doubted that very much. As the Jury were aware there
was a large wound on the deceased’s forehead, and the blow that was
inflicted might have stunned or even killed him. But in whatever way
it happened he met with his death whilst doing his duty in the most
faithful manner. – In reply to the foreman, the witness, who was in
the boat with deceased, said that one of the crew was a collier. With
that exception, they were all Mariners. In his opinion it should be
made known that no one but sailors would be rewarded for services
rendered in the Lifeboat. – The Coroner remarked that this was a very
important question, and he was glad it was asked. The Jury at once
returned a verdict of “Accidental death.”
The body of HENNEY was conveyed to Whitehaven by the 5 20 p.m. train
on the Friday afternoon, and the arrival was borne from the station to
his residence at Catherine Place, West Strand, by members of the Royal
Naval Reserve.
Deceased was interred on Sunday afternoon at the Whitehaven Cemetery.
The funeral procession left the house at half-past two o’ clock,
headed by the Whitehaven Artillery Band, playing the “Dead March in
Saul.” The coffin, over which was thrown the Union Jack and the cork
jacket worn by the deceased as a lifeboat man, was carried on the
Rocket Brigade car, behind which marched the members of the brigade.
Mr. H. DIXON, Captain of the Brigade, and Mr. E. BOYD And Dr. HARRIS,
first and second company officers, together with Mr. W. J. TYSON, hon.
Sec. to the Whitehaven branch of the Royal National Lifeboat
Institution, were also present. Notwithstanding the inclement weather,
a large number of the Public accompanied the funeral to the Cemetery.
The burial service was read by the Rev. J. ANDERSON.
FUNERAL OF THE DROWNED SEAMAN
With respect to the body of AIKLUND, the Coroner did not deem it
necessary to hold an inquest, and an order was given for its
interment. On Saturday afternoon, the remains were interred in
Camerton Churchyard, the funeral being attended by the members of the
crew of the Cignes.
