A broadside view of the general cargo ship Huddersfield (1900) wrecked off Gawlish Cliffs, North Devon.

An elevated port broadside view of the general cargo ship Huddersfield (1900) mostly submerged in rough seas off Gawlish Cliffs, about four miles east of Clovelly and to the west of Shipload Bay, North Devon. The ship is lying obliquely to the wave angle, so the waves are breaking over the superstructure obscuring the bridge and funnel. The upper deck is awash with only the forecastle and poop deck above water. The photographer was standing on the top of Gawlish Cliffs looking north.

This is a glass copy negative of an original print.

The Huddersfield (1900) was on passage from Barry to Santa Elena, South America, with a cargo of coal, having left on Sunday 26 January 1908. The ship encountered fog and Force 5 west-north-westerly winds as it steamed across Barnstaple Bay. At 12.20 on 27 January 1908 the ship went ashore below Gawlish Cliffs and being so close inshore meant that the flares were not seen. Nine crew went to seek help in one of the ship's boats and arrived at Clovelly at about 4am. The RNLI boat Elinor Roget was launched and eventually rescued the remaining 12 crew and the captain. The first mate described the sea as washing over her like a river while they stayed on the bridge to be as high up as possible. The ship was fast beaking up on 29 January, the sea having washed away the upper deck. The North Devon Journal has a long article, 30 January 1908.

Object Details

ID: G14168
Collection: Historic Photographs
Type: Glass plate negative
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Gibson & Sons of Scilly
Vessels: Huddersfield (1900)
Date made: 27 to 29 January 1908; 29 January 1908
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Gibson's of Scilly Shipwreck Collection
Measurements: Overall: 10 in x 12 in
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