A young bull (steer) ashore on the beach at Samson Island, Isles of Scilly, having been rescued from the grounded passenger/cargo liner Minnehaha (1900).

A young bull (steer) ashore on the sandy beach on the north east side of Samson Island, Isles of Scilly. It was one of over 200 rescued from the passenger/cargo liner Minnehaha (1900), which had grounded on Scilly Rock to the north. A white-hulled, clinker-built sailing boat is anchored in the shallow waters off the beach.

The Minnehaha ran aground on 18 April 1910 in fog on passage from New York to Tilbury. The 66 passengers, all First Class, and 171 crew were rescued and landed on Byrher, and about 200 of the 243 steers (castrated young bulls) were landed on Samson Island. The mixed cargo from Holds 2 and 3 were jettisoned, including crated new motor cars, grand pianos, machinery, sewing machines, carpets and other cargo going over the side to lighten the ship. Between 20 April and 11 May the ship was prepared for refloating (using compressed air to float it), and eventually came off the ledge. Minnehaha then proceeded under its own power to Crow Sound before continuing under escort to Falmouth.

Object Details

ID: P50857
Collection: Historic Photographs
Type: Glass plate negative
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Gibson & Sons of Scilly
Date made: 1900; 18 to circa 20 April 1900
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Gibson's of Scilly Shipwreck Collection
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