BETSEY AND MARTHA lost Bristol Channel 1859

Description

The BETSEY AND MARTHA was one of the shipping losses during the Royal Charter gale, 25-26 October 1859. It was a wooden sloop built at Liverpool in 1817 and its port of Caernarvon Shipping Register entry (shown in the image above) provides us with a technical description:

26 72/100 tons burthen. 1 deck, 1 mast, that her length from the inner part of the Main Stem to the fore part of the Stern Post aloft is 37.2ft, her breadth taken in midships is 12ft, her depth in hold at midships is 7.7ft, that she is a Sloop rigged with a sliding bowsprit, square sterned, carvel built.

If magnify sections of this image, you will find more information about people associated with the sloop. Can you find the master's name?

The first 20 years of the sloop's service life are associated with Liverpool. John Lovett Eyres of Liverpool, innkeeper, was a part owner with Thomas Jones of Porthmadoc, mariner. Perhaps the BETSEY AND MARTHA carried beers, spirits and other provisions for her owner?

In April 1854, the partnership between John Eyres and the sloop’s master Thomas Jones of Porthmadoc ended. Thomas Jones became sole owner. It is perhaps around this time that the sloop’s voyage pattern changed from north Wales to more voyages to the coal ports of south Wales.

The sloop was indeed carrying coal when it was lost in the Bristol Channel together with the three crewmembers onboard.

Sources include:
Board of Trade Wreck Return 1859 Table 19 pg 26(528), House of Commons Parliamentary Papers Online, Document 2623
Port of Caernarvon Shipping Register 1840-1849, Gwynedd Archive Service XSR/14, 4 in 1847


The name of this vessel includes two female names. Often these were female relatives associated with the first owner or master. Can your local history research confirm whether this is true in the case of the BETSEY AND MARTHA?