Masbrough boat launch disaster

[Miss Tryphena 10]

I was in the Minster at Rotherham at the weekend and one of the memorial plaques on the wall is dedicated to 50 people who were killed at a boat launch in Mosborough in 1811. Of all the names listed only one was an adult. Does anyone know anything about it or where I may be able to find out what happened?

[ceegee 10]

From a now defunct website - a brief summary of the event

 

ROTHERHAM4NEWS 1841 Masbrough Disasterwww.rotherham4news.f9.co.uk

Information from a press cutting at the local archives section, Rotherham library.

 

A ship launch of the most horrific kind seems to have taken place at Rotherham in Yorkshire on Monday the 5th July 1841. A small vessel, freighted with a hundred and fifty happy individuals, was launched from a boat yard, but being built perhaps on perculiar princples, it no sooner reached the water, than it rolled over, pitching its human

cargo into the river.

The loss of life is described as frightful, no fewer than fifty bodies being found within a few minutes of the accident.

Additional information found.

On the 5th of July in 1841 the John William, A Billy Boy sea going vessel

was sunk as it was being launched on the canal at Forge Lane, with the loss of 50 lives.

This was a 70 ton 7 ft keel to check vessel, built by Chambers & Son for

Cadman of Sheffield. 10 minutes after 3 pm Henry Newsome and Shaw were to strike away the supports then it keeled over and sank in the 8 ft cut.

 

Many well known Rotherham families lost relatives: Yates & Haywood, Smith

who was a waterman drowned trying to save his 2 sons, Hague, and Heathcote

was a bell ringer also lost their lives; 25 boys truanted from the only Rotherham Public School, they also drowned.

 

£200 was collected to help the poor in burying their dead.

 

A tablet was erected in the Parish Church and £340 was also

collected for a monument by E. Smith that is in the South Transept of the

Parish Church and is called FAITH.

**************************************

There can still be seen today, evidence of this awful accident, at

Masbrough chapel graveyard, better known to locals as Allens Carpets.

(1) John Harwood son of George and Mary Harwood of this parish who was

drowned with 49 others at the launching of a boat race 5.7.1841 aged 13

years 9 months.

Also Fanny Gertrude daughter of the above aged 2 years 9 months.

(2) George son of Will and Ann Earnshaw who awfully perished with 49

others at the launching of a vessel in Masbrough on 5.7.1841 aged 7 years

8 months.

Also above named Ann Earnshaw died 4.6.1842 aged 40.

**************************************

If you visit All Saints Church, you can see a memorial with the

following words and verse that includes a full listing of the people

that perished in the accident,

 

In memory of the 50 young persons who's names are inscribed on this tablet

who awfully perished at the launching of a vessel at Masbrough July 5th

1841

By the generous sympathy of their fellow townsmen and others, a fund was

raised to relieve the families berieved by this bad calamity and to erect

this monumental record in humble and reverent recognition of the divine

will as an emotional warning to the living and a memorial condolence to

those whose hearts and hopes were thereby suddenly bow'd to the dust.

They sank not in the storm toss'd wave

Crested by oceans surge where billows murmuring o'er their grave

Would sound a ceaseless dirge imprisoned by the inverted bars beneath the

waveless stream

They drank deaths bitter cup lifes spark was quench'd dispell'd it's dream

Their tombs are clos'd the muffled peal has rung their funeral knell

What eye can see beyond the veil where now their spirits dwell

Mourners in faith flee to the cross thence living waters flow

A healing balm for every loss sure refuge from your woe

**************************************

Surnames and ages of those who perished

ARGOT, James (15)

BLACKBURN, St Stephen William (11)

BOWLER, William (10)

BRADBURY, Thomas (15)

BRADSHAW, William (11)

BROWN, George (15)

BUCKLEY, Alfred (6)

BUCKLEY, Joseph (33)

CROWTHER, Henry (

CUNDELL, David (13)

CURTIS, George (16)

DALE, Thomas (7)

DOBB, Samuel (10)

DOBSON, Andrew (9)

EARNSHAW, George (7)

EARNSHAW, Joseph (10)

FOX, John (16)

FREEMAN, Samuel (16)

FREEMAN, William (

FURNISS, Joseph (12)

GILLOT, John (17)

GOODALL, Henry (

GREATORIX, John (21) (SEE BELOW)

GREENFIELD, Alfred (5)

GREENFIELD, William (10)

HALL, William (9)

HANBY, Charles (12)

HAYWOOD, John Holroyd (13)

HEATHCOTE, Samuel (11)

JAQUES, John (11)

LANCASTER, Robert (13)

MATTHEWMAN, Charles (11)

KENT, John (10)

NIXON, George (7)

PARROTT, John (19)

PATTISON, John (10)

RAMSDEN, George (14)

ROBINSON, Charles (11)

SHAW, Richard (17)

SHILLITTO, John (11)

SHILLITTO, Richard (9)

SMITH, Charles (

SMITH, Henry (5)

SMITH, John (10)

STRAW, Thomas (10)

WOOD, William (11)

WOODGER, Thomas (13)

WOODGER, William (11)

WOOLHOUSE, Samuel (18)

YATES, James Pagdin (11)

 

E-MAIL rec'd 20th April 2003 informs me that a gravestone (laid in a path)

for John Greatorix can be seen at St Mary's, Bramall Lane, SHEFFIELD

reading sacred to the memory of John GREATORIX aged 21 years who was

drowned by the overturning of a vessel which was launched at Rotherham on

the 5th day of July 1841

Further reading, some not readable is also on the gravestone as follows,

Oh how uncertain are the days of man certain to die but qu? uncertain when

? one well in the morning remained the same at noon but ere the ? my earth

?

[Miss Tryphena 10]

Thankyou for the information. It just struck me as being such a sad event I had to try and find out a bit more about it.

[Alien52 10]

No boats launched in Mosborough,lack of water !

[retep 68]

THE APPAULING CATASTROPHE AT ROTHERHAM

( FURTHER PARTICULARS )

An inquest was held on Tuesday at Rotherham, on the bodies of the 50 persons who met with so melancholy an end at the launch of a vessel at Rotherham.

The coroner and jury assembled at the Angel Inn at 2 o'clock, and were occupied for four hours in going from one house of woe and desolation to another for the purpose of viewing the bodies.

The following evidence of one of the witnesses shows the precise manner in which the accident happened.

Mr. Edwin Cadman, of Pitsmoor, Sheffield, said -The vessel was built by Mr. Chambers, for Henry and Edwin Cadman.

Robert Marsh , is to be the captain, I was present when the vessel was launched.

I saw the launch: and as the vessel was leaving the stays, about half over on the balance, the parties on board (men and boys) rushed to the leeward side of the vessel to see the effect of its dashing into the water.

By that means the weight of the men and boys to the leeward side caused her to overbalance and to overturn before she reached the water, which was about three feet from the stays. I was standing on a fly boat in the cut at the head of the vessel which was launched, and had a good view of it.

I had examined the vessel, the ways, and the packings, and I thought it altogether perfectly safe, having seen vessels launched before from the same yard.

I thought it so safe I was inclined to go on board, but from the impression among the boatmen that it was unlucky for an owner to be on board when a vessel is launched, I was persuaded not to go on board.

The men were perfectly sober and quite steady, and conducted the business in the usual manner, and to my satisfaction.

By the Jury:- She did not pause till the rush took place.

I think she was within 18 inches of the end of the ways. I considered it to have been accidental. Have seen many boat yards, and have been on vessels which had to drop six yards or more into the water.

The inquest was, after the testimony of several other witnesses had been recieved, adjourned until Saturday (this day).

On Wednesday upwards of 40 interments took place in the parish churchyard. From 9 o'clock in the morning until about 6 in the evening, the mournful funeral processions were seen approaching from all parts of the town, and at 4 o'clock about 12 coffins were in the church at one time, and these, on being removed therefrom, were met by others on their entrance to the sacred edifice.

The church and the churchyard were crowded with spectators, who evinced by their broken sentences the deep impression which so mournful an event has made upon them.

During the greater part of the day the bells, which were muffled, were tolling the approach of the departed to their last resting place, and the solemn sound gave still greater effect to the mournful proceedings.

In order somewhat to alleviate the distress which exists, a subscription has been opened for the poorer class of those who have been bereaved of their friends.

Mr. G. W. Chambers, the proprietor of the boat-yard where the accident occurred, has subscribed £20, and his father, Mr. Chambers, has sent the same sum ffrom London Mr. Bentley, of Rotherham has given £10, and we understand that about £290 is already raised for the benevolent purpose.--( Abridged from the Doncaster Gazette.)

[truman 10]

No boats launched in Mosborough,lack of water !

 

Should be Masborough not Mosborough..

[Alien52 10]

Should be Masborough not Mosborough..

 

I had worked that out !