A slightly distant bow view of the three-masted barque Gunvor (1895) aground on rocks below Pedn Boar, Black Head, southwest of Coverack.

A slightly distant bow view of the three-masted barque Gunvor (1895) aground on rocks below Pedn Boar, Black Head, southwest of Coverack. The photograph was taken from an elevated position on cliffs of Black Head, which dominate the left side of the image. Most of the sails are set on fore and main masts, as well as three jibs. Only the royals and top-gallant sails are not set. A rowing boats are off the starboard quarter, a short distance from the ship. The Gunvor is listing to port.

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].

Object Details

ID: P50762
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
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