Shipwrecks and the Rocket Apparatus at Natal

 Natal 1870s and 80s

At the port of Durban numerous lives were saved by means of the rocket apparatus, fired from the 'rocket house' on shore to vessels in distress. A case in point was that of the Luna, a British brig commanded by Captain Grube which was wrecked on the Back Beach on 2 September 1880. She had sailed from London. Her cables parted during a south east gale - the story of many a ship at this port.

The entire crew survived the wreck, being brought ashore after use of the rocket apparatus.

Another ship whose crew were rescued in this way was the Theresina, a British brigantine wrecked on the Back Beach on 9 April 1878 after a voyage from London. A similar incident occurred on 2 August 1878 when the American barque H.D. Storer parted her cables and ended up on the beach after a voyage from New York.

These unfortunate events were the direct result of ships lying in the roadstead as they were not able to enter the port because conditions over the bar were adverse at the time. Various harbour engineers attempted to solve the problem of the bar.

British harbour experts had to rewrite the text book on tidal scour. Massive breakwaters, exposed to the furies of the sea, had to be constructed. Tidal power is an untiring force of nature. But when there is a never-ending stream of sand passing a harbour entrance, tidal action becomes an engineering nightmare. There was only one solution: persistent dredging.

Shipwrecks at Natal 1850-1897

08 Feb 1866 - Adelaide 

30 Aug 1868 - Ambleside

21 Jan 1856 - Annabella

31 July 1854 - Ariosto

31 July 1872 - Breidablik

28 June 1882 - Bridgetown

29 Sept 1850 - British Tar

26 Aug 1884 - Charles Jackson

21 July 1883 - City of Lima

16 Oct 1872 - Congune

06 Oct 1871 - Defiance

01 Nov 1880 - Draga

26 Sept 1863 - Earl of Hardwicke

25 Aug 1880 - Eastern Star

14 Sept 1876 - Enfants Nantais

07 Sept 1852 - Fairfield

07 Feb 1895 - Fascadale

18 Jul 1889 - Fidia D

02 Aug 1883 - Fratelli Arecco

25 May 1865 - Fusilier

13 Mar 1879 - Gazelle

30 July 1872 - Grace Peile

24 Oct 1880 - Graf Wedell

02 Aug 1878 - H. D. Storer

19 Aug 1889 - Hawthorn

27 July 1852 - Hector

13 Dec 1867 - Hydra

27 Mar 1878 - Ivy

27 Jan 1882 - James Gaddarn

30 Mar 1879 - Lola

03 Jan 1861 - Lord George Bentinck

02 Sept 1880 - Luna

26 Oct 1877 - Mabel

29 Aug 1889 - Mary Emily

04 July 1850 - Minerva

03 Feb 1891 - Onaway

19 Oct 1879 - Peusamento

23 Oct 1862 - Pioneer

03 Mar 1878 - Ponda Chief

31 July 1872 - Princess Alice

16 Aug 1863 - Queen

03 Mar 1882 - Queen of Ceylon

20 Oct 1871 - Saint Clare

26 Sept 1863 - Sebastian

12 Dec 1885 - Seenymphe

23 Aug 1878 - Southport

17 Oct 1897 - SS Clan Gordon

20 May 1884 - SS Nebo

07 Dec 1874 - Star of Wales

25 Aug 1880 - Surprise

02 May 1879 - Tancred

09 Apr 1878 - Theresina

16 May 1875 - Tonga

08 Dec 1874 - Transvaal

31 July 1872 - Trinculo

10 June 1897 - Trygve

03 Feb 1868 - Tugela

09 June 1884 - Vigor

09 Dec 1873 - William Shaw

10 Dec 1882 - Zambesi

21 July 1880 - Zennia

13 Mar 1879 - Ziba

Not at Natal, but a similar scene was played out many times at the port with bystanders watching the wreck of a ship near shore.

Maritime Adventures at Natal 3: 4 ships wrecked in 28 hours, 1872

This watercolour by Thomas Baines depicts a unique event in the history of Port Natal: the wreck of four wooden sailing vessels on Durban beach within 28 hours, in June 1872. It was another indication of the dangers of anchoring out in the roadstead where a gale could easily cause high seas resulting in a ship's anchor dragging or her cables parting, leaving her helpless. This problem would not be solved until the harbour entrance was dredged and guarded by breakwaters.

The ships were the Grace Piele, Trinculo, Breidablik and Princess Alice, caught in a north-east gale. The only casualties were two mules, part of a cargo from the Grace Piele, which can be seen being dragged ashore in the foreground. No lives were lost. A large crowd of sightseers gathered on the beach. The lighthouse can be seen at the seaward end of the Bluff.

The location of the wrecks was near the foot of what would later be named West Street.

Captain Bell was not at hand to assist: he had died in 1869. 

Maritime adventures at Natal 2: Earl of Hardwicke and Lord George Bentinck

Captain William Bell had his fair share of shipwrecks to cope with during his time as Port Captain at Durban. 

The 1860s were particularly busy, as the volume of sail visiting the port increased and the difficulties of the harbour entrance, with varying depths of water over the Bar, had yet to be overcome. This was also the decade which saw the beginning of immigration of Indian labour, with ships sailing from Madras and other Indian ports to Natal carrying large numbers of migrants. 

Each shipwreck which occurred in the environs of the port would be the subject of an enquiry by the Harbour Board and the findings published in the local press. Bell and George Cato as well as the Lieutenant Governor and the Surveyor General sat on this Board and were closely involved in the harbour works proposed by John Milne, Harbour Engineer. 

The Earl of Hardwicke was a British wooden ship of 903 tons commanded by Captain Maddison. She was wrecked on the Back Beach at Durban on 26 Sept 1863 during a north east gale after a voyage from Madras with a cargo of Indian Immigrants. Fortunately no lives were lost. [Natal Mercury 4 December 1863]

There had been a similar incident on 3 January 1861 when the Lord George Bentinck another British barque of 592 tons, commanded by Captain George Case, was wrecked on the Back Beach in a north-easterly wind. She was carrying Indian immigrants and had sailed from Madras. [Natal Mercury 10 January 1861] 

The Adelaide was wrecked during a strong easterly gale on 8 Feb 1866. This ship was also carrying Indian immigrants. Several men were drowned in the incident.

[Natal Mercury 8 February 1866]

Scrimshaw: Sailing vessel on whale ivory.