A port bow view of the partially dismantled hull of the barque Sophie (1857) on the beach at New Grimsby, Tresco Island.

A port bow view of the partially dismantled hull of the barque Sophie (1857) on the southern end of the beach at New Grimsby, Tresco Island. The lower hull planks and the bulwark planks have been removed, along with some of the lower frames. The port side has collapsed inwards where the deck beams have been removed. The hulk is beached just below the high water mark, indicated by the lines of seaweed. The tide is washing around the collapsed hull from the midships aft. The island of Bryher is in the background.

The barque Sophie was on passage from Swansea to Christiania (Oslo) when the crew abandoned it in a leaking and dismasted state, except for a dog left on board. The drifting ship was occupied with a temporary crew and towed to New Grimsby by the Lady of the Isles. The owners claimed the wreck and sold it for £250 to T. Dorrien Smith, the owner of Tresco Abbey. He broke the ship up for fencing and buildings, and used the cargo of coal/anthacite for heating his greenhouses. The original crew were picked up on 14 December 1896 by the British steamer Glenmore and landed at Gibraltar on 20 December.

Object Details

ID: G14208
Type: Glass plate negative
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Gibson & Sons of Scilly
Date made: After December 1896
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Gibson's of Scilly Shipwreck Collection
Measurements: Overall: 165 mm x 217 mm
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