An elevated starboard bow view of the Norwegian steel three-masted barque Gunvor (1895) aground on the rocks at Pedn Boar, Black Head, southwest of Coverack.

An elevated starboard bow view of the Norwegian steel three-masted barque Gunvor (1895) aground on the rocks at Pedn Boar, Black Head, southwest of Coverack. The ship is listing to port and, being semi-submerged, has waves washing over the main and forecastle decks. The bowsprit is out of the photograph at the bottom. Most of the sails are still set, except for the fore- and mainmast top gallant and royals and the mizzen sails. The foremast sails have been taken aback (wind filled the wrong side) as the wind has deflected off the cliff face back into the sails.

The Gunvor (1895) was on passage from Caleta Buena, Chile for Falmouth with a cargo of nitrates, when she went ashore just before midnight on 5 April 1912. The ship was so close to the cliffs that the crew were able to lower a rope from the bowsprit and get onto the rocks. The cabin boy missed his hold and fell in but was rescued by the chief officer. The Times reported that all the nitrate dissolved and the empty bags were floating out of the ship [The Times, 11 April 1912, p.19]. The ship was reported to have broken its back late on Saturday 6 April 1921 [Western Daily Mercury, Monday 8 April 1912] and, by mid-day the same day, the main royal mast had snapped [Cornishman, Thursday 11 April 1912].

Negative broken on bottom left corner.

Object Details

ID: P50760
Collection: Historic Photographs
Type: Glass plate negative
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Gibson & Sons of Scilly
Date made: 1881; 1895 6-7 April 1912 1902 1912 1914 1915 1928 1932 1934
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Gibson's of Scilly Shipwreck Collection
Close

Your Request

If an item is shown as “offsite”, please allow eight days for your order to be processed. For further information, please contact Archive staff:

Email:
Tel: (during Library opening hours)

Click “Continue” below to continue processing your order with the Library team.

Continue