Tale of Shipwreck and Tragedy in Cornwall From 200 Years Ago Reads Like a Storyline From Poldark
From 200 years ago comes a real-life story worthy of Poldark – of shipwreck, looting, drunken fighting on the beach and tragedy.
In January 1817, the Cornish coast was battered by ferocious storms leaving devastation in its wake. Caught in the storm was the two-masted brigantine Resolution, returning home to London from Portugal with a cargo of wine and oranges.
Trapped by the winds within Mount’s Bay, she was run aground at Porthleven but was soon looted by a crowd of locals. The West Briton reported at the time that dragoons from Helston were powerless to prevent a horde of people stripping the wrecked ship and fighting among themselves for a share of the loot. Three people from the shore died in the tragedy.
If the story sounds familiar, it echoes the storyline in the Cornish drama Poldark where locals run amok during a shipwreck. In the recent TV drama, the shipwreck scene was filmed at Gunwalloe, just a short distance down the coast of Mount’s Bay from Porthleven.
The remarkable story of the Resolution was reported in the West Briton newspaper a few days after it happened and published on January 10, 1817. Here is the West Briton’s correspondent from 200 years ago in his own words: “The severe gale of wind which prevailed during the whole of Friday and Saturday last, caused serious apprehensions for the consequences along the coast; and we are sorry to say, they have not proved unfounded.”
“Early on Saturday morning, a brig was observed in Mount’s Bay, approaching the unfinished harbour at Porthleaven (sic); in the evening she rain ashore, the only chance of preserving the lives of the crew. She proved to be the Resolution, Reynolds master, from Oporto to London, with wine and fruit.”
“As soon as the ebb tide allowed, the vessel was entered by crowds of ruffians who proceeded to plunder. Out of a cargo of 375 pipes, and 25 hogsheads of wine, only between 50 and 60 pipes were saved by the agents.”
It continues: “Several contests took place between the plunderers, each being anxious to secure the greatest possible share of the booty. About fourteen dismounted dragoons from Helston came to the spot, but they were wholly unable to contain the ferocious multitude.”
The newspaper reported how the ship suffered little damage in running ashore but by was stripped by the locals within two days.
The correspondent adds: “By Monday she was a complete wreck. The country people have ripped up the hull. A young man belonging to Wendron was drowned by the violence of the sea, whilst endeavouring to save some articles from the wreck, and two other persons got so much intoxicated with wine, that they were unable to reach home, and were next day found dead by the road side, having perished through the inclemency of the weather.”
January 1817 proved a punishing month for Cornwall with a severe storm sweeping in over January 19 and 20. Hurricane-force winds were reported to have winds damaged houses across the south coast from Plymouth to Land’s End. Two ships sank within Penzance harbour while a third was damaged and another driven ashore by the power of the sea.
On January 20, 65 sailors drowned after the Royal Navy sloop HMS Jasper was wrecked at Rame Head while running for the safety of Plymouth. Meanwhile, on January 24 another ship, the L’Hamecon, was wrecked near Porthleven with the loss of ten lives.
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Source: Cornwall Live
