Alternative Names Stornoway Harbour Entrance; Stornoway Outer Harbour; Cala Steornabhaig; Isle Of Lewis; 'On The Rocks Southward Of Goat Island'; Eilean Na Gobhail
Site type BRIG (19TH CENTURY)
Canmore ID 217513
Site Number NB43SW 8038
NGR NB 428 320
Latitude N 58 12.1
Longitude W 6 22.7
Council WESTERN ISLES
Parish MARITIME - WESTERN ISLES
Former Region WESTERN ISLES ISLANDS AREA
Former District MARITIME
Former County MARITIME

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Archaeological Notes

NB43SW 8038 c. 428 320
N58 12 W6 22

NLO: Stornoway [name: NB 425 330]
Cala Steornabhaigh [name centred NB 431 315]
Eilean na Gobhail [name: NB 432 321].

See also NB43SW 8072, NB43SW 8073, NB43SW 8082.

Location formerly cited as NB c. 425 324 [N58 12.3 W6 23] and NB c. 43 31 [N58 12 W6 22].

1 October 1882, LADY HEAD, 28 yrs old, of Aberdeen, wooden brig, 208 tons, 6 crew, Master J. Duncan, Owner A. H. Taylor, Aberdeen, departed Archangel for Glasgow, carrying tar and pitch, wind SSW10, stranded, total loss, Stornoway Outer Harbour.
Source: PP Abstracts Returns of Wrecks and Casualties on Coasts of the UK 1882-83 (1884 [C.4154] LXXI.621).

LADY HEAD. During a southerly hurricane last night (Oct. 2) the following vessels drove ashore: - LADY HEAD brig, Duncan, from Archangel for Glasgow, with tar, mainmast gone: probably a total wreck: part cargo washing ashore.
ELLEN barque, of Chester, fore and main masts gone: beached at high water mark: must discharge into lighter. (Stornoway, Oct. 3.)
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,351, London, Wednesday October 4 1882.

LADY HEAD. There have been saved of this vessel's cargo 1,634 whole and broken barrels tar, and 145 barrels pitch. (Stornoway, Oct. 24, 3.56 p.m.).
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,369, London, Wednesday October 25 1882.

Gale at Stornoway. A storm swept over Stornoway and the Island of Lewis on the evening of Sunday, and between eight and nine o'clock at night a perfect hurricane raged from the south-west. It was soon observed that the force of the gale told upon the ships in the harbour, the whole of which speedily began to drive, and some of them threw up signals of distress, but no assistance could be rendered to them. About half-past eight o'clock the barque JOHANNES KOSTER, of Stralsund, with timber, from Demerara for the harbour, drove ashore. The barque ELLEN, of Chester, which put in during the afternoon for shelter, and laden with timber, from Norway, followed soon after, and drove ashore within a few feet of the German barque. While driving the crew of the ELLEN cut the mainmast, and it went by the board, carrying with it, the mizenmast and foretopmast. In the afternoon the brig LADY HEAD, of Aberdeen, bound from Archangel to Glasgow with tar and pitch, put in for shelter and anchored outside Goat Island. She was exposed to the full force of the gale, and she drove on the rocks southward of Goat Island. A boat put off from Newton and rescued the crew: the ship has since become a total wreck. The barque ROWENA, of Aberdeen, from Sundswall for Greenock, with timber, also drove a considerable distance, and touched the end of Goat Island, but apparently without doing any damage. The mail steamer LOCHIEL attempted to tow her off yesterday morning without success. The steamer RIVER LAGAN, of Glasgow, which put in at Stornoway with her propeller blades gone, also drove right across the harbour, and struck the schooner BESSIE, of Arbroath, and broke one of her stanchions. The yacht, SUNBEAM, belonging to Mr. Hodge, supervisor, drove opposite the Imperial Hotel, and is seriously damaged. Two large herring fishing boats, and a large number of pleasure and small fishing boats have been sunk, driven ashore, or broken to pieces. The breast wall alond the south beach has been broken down by the sea in several places, and the whole of South Beach Street was covered with boats, wrecks of boats, pieces of timber, and other debris: and a number of houses were flooded. At the fishing stations of Portnaguran, 13 miles from Stornoway, three large herring fishing boats, which arrived late on Saturday night from Loch Hourin, laden with cargoes of herring, and were left at anchor, have totally disappeared: it is supposed they were driven to sea. At Bayble five herring fishing boats are ling fishing boats there are completely destroyed.
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,352, London, Thursday October 5 1882.

NMRS, MS/829/69 (no. 3309).

LADY HEAD. During a southerly hurricane last night (Oct. 2) the following vessels drove ashore: - LADY HEAD brig, Duncan, from Archangel for Glasgow, with tar, mainmast gone: probably a total wreck: part cargo washing ashore. ELLEN barque, of Chester, fore and main masts gone: beached at high water mark: must discharge into lighter. (Stornoway, Oct. 3.)
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,351, London, Wednesday October 4 1882.

ELLEN barque, of Chester, from Norway, which drove ashore in Stornoway harbour during the gale of Oct. 1, was towed off Oct. 14, after having most of her cargo discharged. (Glasgow, Oct. 16).
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,363, London, Wednesday October 18 1882.

Gale at Stornoway. A storm swept over Stornoway and the Island of Lewis on the evening of Sunday, and between eight and nine o'clock at night a perfect hurricane raged from the south-west. It was soon observed that the force of the gale told upon the ships in the harbour, the whole of which speedily began to drive, and some of them threw up signals of distress, but no assistance could be rendered to them. About half-past eight o'clock the barque JOHANNES KOSTER, of Stralsund, with timber, from Demerara for the harbour, drove ashore. The barque ELLEN, of Chester, which put in during the afternoon for shelter, and laden with timber, from Norway, followed soon after, and drove ashore within a few feet of the German barque. While driving the crew of the ELLEN cut the mainmast, and it went by the board, carrying with it, the mizenmast and foretopmast. In the afternoon the brig LADY HEAD, of Aberdeen, bound from Archangel to Glasgow with tar and pitch, put in for shelter and anchored outside Goat Island. She was exposed to the full force of the gale, and she drove on the rocks southward of Goat Island. A boat put off from Newton and rescued the crew: the ship has since become a total wreck. The barque ROWENA, of Aberdeen, from Sundswall for Greenock, with timber, also drove a considerable distance, and touched the end of Goat Island, but apparently without doing any damage. The mail steamer LOCHIEL attempted to tow her off yesterday morning without success. The steamer RIVER LAGAN, of Glasgow, which put in at Stornoway with her propeller blades gone, also drove right across the harbour, and struck the schooner BESSIE, of Arbroath, and broke one of her stanchions. The yacht, SUNBEAM, belonging to Mr. Hodge, supervisor, drove opposite the Imperial Hotel, and is seriously damaged. Two large herring fishing boats, and a large number of pleasure and small fishing boats have been sunk, driven ashore, or broken to pieces. The breast wall alond the south beach has been broken down by the sea in several places, and the whole of South Beach Street was covered with boats, wrecks of boats, pieces of timber, and other debris: and a number of houses were flooded. At the fishing stations of Portnaguran, 13 miles from Stornoway, three large herring fishing boats, which arrived late on Saturday night from Loch Hourin, laden with cargoes of herring, and were left at anchor, have totally disappeared: it is [Record received incomplete].
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,352, London, Thursday October 5 [1882].
NMRS, MS/829/70 (no. 5379).

(Classified as wooden brig, with cargo of tar and pitch: date of loss cited as 1 October 1882). Lady Head: this vessel stranded in Stornoway Outer Harbour, on Goat Island. Capt. Duncan.
Registration: Aberdeen. Built 1854. 208 grt. Length: 33m. Beam: 7m.
(Location of loss cited as N58 12.15 W6 22.93).
I G Whittaker 1998.

The location assigned to this record is essentially tentative. Goat Island cannot be identified from the available map evidence.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 29 June 2004.

(Location amended to NB c. 428 320). Per contra the above, Goat Island is probably to be equated with Eilean na Gobhail or Eilean na Gobhaih which is noted within Stornoway Harbour. A location at NB c. 428 320 is suggested on the basis of the information cited in the primary account.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 8 September 2008.

Notes and Activities

1 October 1882

LOSS

Notes 1 October 1882, LADY HEAD, 28 yrs old, of Aberdeen, wooden brig, 208 tons, 6 crew, Master J. Duncan, Owner A. H. Taylor, Aberdeen, departed Archangel for Glasgow, carrying tar and pitch, wind SSW10, stranded, total loss, Stornoway Outer Harbour.
Source: PP Abstracts Returns of Wrecks and Casualties on Coasts of the UK 1882-83 (1884 [C.4154] LXXI.621).

LADY HEAD. During a southerly hurricane last night (Oct. 2) the following vessels drove ashore: - LADY HEAD brig, Duncan, from Archangel for Glasgow, with tar, mainmast gone: probably a total wreck: part cargo washing ashore.
ELLEN barque, of Chester, fore and main masts gone: beached at high water mark: must discharge into lighter. (Stornoway, Oct. 3.)
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,351, London, Wednesday October 4 1882.

LADY HEAD. There have been saved of this vessel's cargo 1,634 whole and broken barrels tar, and 145 barrels pitch. (Stornoway, Oct. 24, 3.56 p.m.).
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,369, London, Wednesday October 25 1882.

Gale at Stornoway. A storm swept over Stornoway and the Island of Lewis on the evening of Sunday, and between eight and nine o'clock at night a perfect hurricane raged from the south-west. It was soon observed that the force of the gale told upon the ships in the harbour, the whole of which speedily began to drive, and some of them threw up signals of distress, but no assistance could be rendered to them. About half-past eight o'clock the barque JOHANNES KOSTER, of Stralsund, with timber, from Demerara for the harbour, drove ashore. The barque ELLEN, of Chester, which put in during the afternoon for shelter, and laden with timber, from Norway, followed soon after, and drove ashore within a few feet of the German barque. While driving the crew of the ELLEN cut the mainmast, and it went by the board, carrying with it, the mizenmast and foretopmast. In the afternoon the brig LADY HEAD, of Aberdeen, bound from Archangel to Glasgow with tar and pitch, put in for shelter and anchored outside Goat Island. She was exposed to the full force of the gale, and she drove on the rocks southward of Goat Island. A boat put off from Newton and rescued the crew: the ship has since become a total wreck. The barque ROWENA, of Aberdeen, from Sundswall for Greenock, with timber, also drove a considerable distance, and touched the end of Goat Island, but apparently without doing any damage. The mail steamer LOCHIEL attempted to tow her off yesterday morning without success. The steamer RIVER LAGAN, of Glasgow, which put in at Stornoway with her propeller blades gone, also drove right across the harbour, and struck the schooner BESSIE, of Arbroath, and broke one of her stanchions. The yacht, SUNBEAM, belonging to Mr. Hodge, supervisor, drove opposite the Imperial Hotel, and is seriously damaged. Two large herring fishing boats, and a large number of pleasure and small fishing boats have been sunk, driven ashore, or broken to pieces. The breast wall alond the south beach has been broken down by the sea in several places, and the whole of South Beach Street was covered with boats, wrecks of boats, pieces of timber, and other debris: and a number of houses were flooded. At the fishing stations of Portnaguran, 13 miles from Stornoway, three large herring fishing boats, which arrived late on Saturday night from Loch Hourin, laden with cargoes of herring, and were left at anchor, have totally disappeared: it is supposed they were driven to sea. At Bayble five herring fishing boats are ling fishing boats there are completely destroyed.
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,352, London, Thursday October 5 1882.

NMRS, MS/829/69 (no. 3309).



Further details

1 October 1882

LOSS

Notes LADY HEAD. During a southerly hurricane last night (Oct. 2) the following vessels drove ashore: - LADY HEAD brig, Duncan, from Archangel for Glasgow, with tar, mainmast gone: probably a total wreck: part cargo washing ashore. ELLEN barque, of Chester, fore and main masts gone: beached at high water mark: must discharge into lighter. (Stornoway, Oct. 3.)
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,351, London, Wednesday October 4 1882.

ELLEN barque, of Chester, from Norway, which drove ashore in Stornoway harbour during the gale of Oct. 1, was towed off Oct. 14, after having most of her cargo discharged. (Glasgow, Oct. 16).
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,363, London, Wednesday October 18 1882.

Gale at Stornoway. A storm swept over Stornoway and the Island of Lewis on the evening of Sunday, and between eight and nine o'clock at night a perfect hurricane raged from the south-west. It was soon observed that the force of the gale told upon the ships in the harbour, the whole of which speedily began to drive, and some of them threw up signals of distress, but no assistance could be rendered to them. About half-past eight o'clock the barque JOHANNES KOSTER, of Stralsund, with timber, from Demerara for the harbour, drove ashore. The barque ELLEN, of Chester, which put in during the afternoon for shelter, and laden with timber, from Norway, followed soon after, and drove ashore within a few feet of the German barque. While driving the crew of the ELLEN cut the mainmast, and it went by the board, carrying with it, the mizenmast and foretopmast. In the afternoon the brig LADY HEAD, of Aberdeen, bound from Archangel to Glasgow with tar and pitch, put in for shelter and anchored outside Goat Island. She was exposed to the full force of the gale, and she drove on the rocks southward of Goat Island. A boat put off from Newton and rescued the crew: the ship has since become a total wreck. The barque ROWENA, of Aberdeen, from Sundswall for Greenock, with timber, also drove a considerable distance, and touched the end of Goat Island, but apparently without doing any damage. The mail steamer LOCHIEL attempted to tow her off yesterday morning without success. The steamer RIVER LAGAN, of Glasgow, which put in at Stornoway with her propeller blades gone, also drove right across the harbour, and struck the schooner BESSIE, of Arbroath, and broke one of her stanchions. The yacht, SUNBEAM, belonging to Mr. Hodge, supervisor, drove opposite the Imperial Hotel, and is seriously damaged. Two large herring fishing boats, and a large number of pleasure and small fishing boats have been sunk, driven ashore, or broken to pieces. The breast wall alond the south beach has been broken down by the sea in several places, and the whole of South Beach Street was covered with boats, wrecks of boats, pieces of timber, and other debris: and a number of houses were flooded. At the fishing stations of Portnaguran, 13 miles from Stornoway, three large herring fishing boats, which arrived late on Saturday night from Loch Hourin, laden with cargoes of herring, and were left at anchor, have totally disappeared: it is [Record received incomplete].
Source: Shipping Intelligence, LL, No. 21,352, London, Thursday October 5 [1882].
NMRS, MS/829/70 (no. 5379).



Further details

1 October 1882

LOSS

Notes (Classified as wooden brig, with cargo of tar and pitch: date of loss cited as 1 October 1882). Lady Head: this vessel stranded in Stornoway Outer Harbour, on Goat Island. Capt. Duncan.
Registration: Aberdeen. Built 1854. 208 grt. Length: 33m. Beam: 7m.
(Location of loss cited as N58 12.15 W6 22.93).
I G Whittaker 1998.



Further details

29 June 2004

RCAHMS NOTE

Notes The location assigned to this record is essentially tentative. Goat Island cannot be identified from the available map evidence.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 29 June 2004.



Further details

8 September 2008

RCAHMS NOTE

Notes (Location amended to NB c. 428 320). Per contra the above, Goat Island is probably to be equated with Eilean na Gobhail or Eilean na Gobhaih which is noted within Stornoway Harbour. A location at NB c. 428 320 is suggested on the basis of the information cited in the primary account.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 8 September 2008.



Further details

Books and References

Larn and Larn, R and B (1998) Shipwreck index of the British Isles: volume 4, Scotland, London
Page(s): DG 01/10/1882 Held at RCAHMS E.5.14.LAR

Whittaker, I G (1998) Off Scotland: a comprehensive record of maritime and aviation losses in Scottish waters, Edinburgh
Page(s): 264 Held at RCAHMS E.5.14.WHI

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