The Blizzard in the West: Being as Record and Story of the Disastrous Storm which Raged Throughout Devon and Cornwall, and West Somerset, On the Night of March 9th, 1891Unknown
History
The Blizzard in the West: Being as Record and Story of the Disastrous Storm which Raged Throughout Devon and Cornwall, and West Somerset, On the Night of March 9th, 1891
Unknown
Blizzards -- England -- Cornwall (County) -- History; Cornwall (England : County) -- History; Devon (England) -- History
At Exmouth, Dawlish, and Teignmouth, although the force of the wind was
great, and all three towns sustained damage, there were no calamities
at sea. Great injury was done to the pleasure and fishing boats at both
of the latter places, but Teignmouth was not so unfortunate as Dawlish
in this respect. Its harbour is almost land-locked, and from the beach
where the boats are moored, as well as from the quays, the eye glances
north-west and south-west upon a beautiful picture of river scenery,
of which the distant Dartmoor Hills and the Haldon Heights form the
background. The accompanying illustration, from a photograph by Messrs.
Valentine & Son, of Teignmouth, taken during the week of the blizzard,
depicts one part of this scene in as wintry a garb as any it has worn
during the last half century. The village of Shaldon, on the opposite
side of the Teign, lies exposed to a S.E. gale blowing across the
low-lying sands of the Teignmouth "Point," and here the owners of
fishing and other craft had much to lament in the way of destruction to
their floating property.
[Illustration: TEIGNMOUTH JETTY, WITH HALDON HEIGHTS.]
In Torbay a French brig, the _Emilie_, of Cherbourg, was driven ashore
at Hogg's Cove, under Berry Head, at about four o'clock on Tuesday
afternoon. The coastguards and Royal Naval Reserve, under the direction
of Mr. Drayton, chief officer of coastguard, and assisted by a large
number of fishermen, got out the rocket apparatus, and the crew, eight
in number, were quickly landed. They were at once invited to the house
of the Misses Hogg, at Berry Head, and provided with refreshments. The
vessel was badly injured, and became a total wreck.
The ketch _Sunshine_, of Faversham, from London to Exmouth, with
manure, was fallen in with on Thursday at noon, by the Brixham
fishing ketch _Inter-Nos_, Berry Head bearing north-west, and distant
twenty-five miles. She had her mainsail blown away, and her boats
and water-casks washed overboard. When fallen in with, the crew were
without water to drink, and their vessel was labouring heavily in the
trough of the sea. The _Sunshine_ was taken in tow by the _Inter-Nos_,
£250 being agreed upon for the service, and both vessels arrived at
Brixham on the same night. The fishing ketch _Gertrude_ arrived in
Brixham on Thursday, having on her deck the boat of the _Crusader_, of
Aberystwith, which she had picked up in the channel with eight hands on
her, and landed at Falmouth on Friday. The ketch _Annie_ also arrived,
with sails blown away, and her ballast shifted. The _Olive & Mary_ and
the _Pickwick_, ketches, had their sails blown away and their bulwarks
damaged. All the crews described the gale as the heaviest they had
ever been out in, and one skipper stated that he had seen four vessels
founder without being able to render assistance. Later news has not,
however, verified this story.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account