Wreck of the Diana
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Wreck of the Diana

9th February 1855.
154 years ago, sixty sailing vessels were grouped across Mount's Bay. A very strong gale developed; at first it had been a strong south-easterly breeze, and it then became a south-wester. The ships either left the bay, or entered the newly formed harbour. As the Welsh coalship Diana was passing the pier, passing the lighthouse, her steering broke. The brig was under command of Samuel Hollow and a crew of eight, and her cargo was from Swansea to Southampton. She was taken against the rocks, stern first. She was driven into the tiny bay where she became entangled on the rocks below the Lime Kilns. This is a period of history that is confusing and ill-reported, so any illustration at all is vital. On the 9th February 1855, ropes were being thrown across to the brig, from the top of the harbour wall. With a great deal of effort and with some considerable fight against the violent seas, and I am sure that the sailors all went through many thoughts of impending death, the captain breaking three ribs in the process, eight men were saved. The last man was William Trevorrow, of St Ives. As he attempted to make his way to safety, he became caught up with wreckage, fell, was dragged down and crushed between the ship and the wall.
This was reported in The Illustrated London News 17th February 1855.


Penzance and West Cornwall Gazette
Wednesday 14th February 1855 [Vol1 Nr 6]
Penzance - 3 shillings and 3 pence per quarter
(issued weekly - between 4 and 8 pages)

Total Loss of a Brig outside Penzance Harbour
Melancholy Death of one of the Crew.

The heavy gales which have been experienced in various parts of the kingdom,
have been felt with unusual severity on the Cornish Coast during the past few weeks,
and numerous have been the disasters to the shipping as a consequence.
Last week we announced the wreck of a French vessel, named the Bon Pere, near Lamorna;
and now it becomes our painful duty to record the loss of a fine brig called Diana of Swansea,
Hollow (master) whilst running for Penzance harbour, during the very heavy gale of Friday last.
For several days past, a large fleet of wind-bound vessels have anchored in Mount's bay;
but the weather on Friday morning, becoming exeedingly boisterous, with a strong breeze from the SE,
most of the vessels shipped their anchors and made for the pier.
With two exceptions, the whole of the fleet (about sixty sail) entered the harbour in safety,
where recent improvements which have been effected in the addition of a southern area etcetera were very evident.
The unfortunate vessel in question and another,
the barque Cambridge from Swansea bound to Littlehampton were the exceptions.
The former having parted her tiller chains etcetera became unmanageable and was driven
stern on against the back of the pier where she was kniocked to pieces in a few minutes.
The crew, consisting of mater, mate, four men and two boys were saved by the people on the Quay -
ropes being thrown over the pier, which the men made fast and were pulled on shore.
One poor fellow however, a fine young man, belonging to St Ives, named Trevorrow,
became entangled in some of the wreck, and was crushed most fearfully between the stern and the pier -
his head being frighfully mutilated.
The unfortunate man's remains have not yet been recovered.
He has left a wife and one child.
The vessel was laden with coal.

The Cambridge (Captain Ridden) the other vessel alluded to, was run into by a schooner
and was driven on to shore at Chyandour, just beyond the viaduct of the West Cornwall Railway.
She has sustained very little damage, and will be speedily got off.

On the succeeding day Saturday, the spars etcetera of the Diana floated on shore near the Battery Rocks,
where they were taken possession of by the proper authorities,
while most of the smaller pieces of wood were carried off by permission
by crowds of poor people, who had been attracted to the spot.

Of the ships that entered the harbour on Friday 21 had lost and slipped anchors and cables,
and three lost their bowsprits by coming into contact with other vessels.

One of the vessels had slipped anchor and headed for St Ives;
The schooner Marquis of Sligo, Captain Howe, from Torquay to Newport in ballast
had run from Mount's Bay to the westward hoping to get into St Ives.
When off the Longships and stowing the jib, at half past eight Saturday night last,
the vessel gave a sudden plunge when two of the crew fell overboard.
It was dark at the time and every effort was made to save them, but unfortuately without avail.
The vessel eventually got into St Ives.

Raymond Forward
I am more than deeply interested in the history of the harbour and piers of Penzance; so when presented with the prospect of an illustration of the pier and lighthouse, the budget went out of the window. The price was disgraceful and the packing and postage even more so. So, here is it. I have a 70Mb scan of it. The drawing even includes the end of the Albert Pier. I had no idea that a man had died in this tiny cove. Here, in memory of William Trevorrow, it the scene of one of Mount s Bay s victims.
 
That was one particular point in which I was interested, the fact of extending a pier should of necessity leave another at the end of the old pier; in this case, looking at the picture, what I see is the extension actually underway (note the rising access pathway); the pier wall is not yet full height; I have collected a whole list of dates and notes (twenty pages altogether) and only yesterday found another four references. They need to be sifted and collated. That will take me two months. But what I see is an old stone tower, which may or may not have been a lighthouse; I am photographing the quays as they are now, trying to see if there are any clues. But with so much damage and alteration over the years, it is not going to be easy.
 
The story added above in the miniCMS, transcribed from the local newspaper.
Very enlightening.
We now know that William Trevorrow was married and they had a child.
Sincere thanks to chillywilly for so kindly providing me with the means to be able to transcibe this story.

Does anyone wish that they lived in those fearful days and took to the sea?
 
[31st January 1855]
Wreck near Penzance:- In a thick snow squall at 2 o clock on Wednesday morning the French Schooner Bon Pere of Nantes, Captain Chasac, coming from Havre in ballast, for Newport, went on shore to the westward of Penzance, between Mousehole and Lamorna, and quickly became a total wreck; the crew, 5 men in all, escaping with great difficulty.
 

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