 Rescuers working to save those on theRoyal Adelaide near Portland.The Illustrated London News, 1872 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Royal Adelaide |
| Owner | Gibbs, Bright & Company |
| Builder | William Patterson,Bristol |
| Launched | 28 January 1865 |
| Out of service | 25 November 1872 |
| Fate | Wrecked at50°34.65′N2°28.50′W / 50.57750°N 2.47500°W /50.57750; -2.47500 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 1,298 tons |
| Length | 233 ft (71 m) |
| Beam | 38 ft (12 m) |
| Draught | 23 ft (7.0 m) |
Royal Adelaide was an ironsailing ship of 1400 tons built byWilliam Patterson atBristol in 1865.[1]
She was wrecked onChesil Beach on 25 November 1872, while on a passage from London to Sydney with 32 crew members and 35 passengers.[2] In bad weather, the ship tried to reach the shelter ofPortland Harbour, but was forced intoLyme Bay from which there was no exit in a storm. The anchors were lowered to try to prevent the ship being blown onto Chesil Beach. However, the anchors dragged and the ship began to break up on the beach. All but seven on board were saved.
A large crowd gathered on the shore to help with the rescue and thesalvage of the cargo, part of which wasgin andbrandy.[3] By the end of the night four of thewreckers had died fromexposure, having spent the night on the beach after becoming drunk on the cargo.
She now lies at50°34.65′N2°28.50′W / 50.57750°N 2.47500°W /50.57750; -2.47500OSGB36 and is accessible to scuba divers from the shore.
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