Loss of the OWEN MORRIS

Llongddrylliad yr OWEN MORRIS

She soon established herself as a fast reliable sailor and was well known in the regular trade that these three masted schooners had developed. She was on the last leg of a normal trip when disaster struck. The voyage had started when the vessel left Porthmadog, in May 1907 with a cargo of slates for Hamburg. She then probably took salt to Newfoundland or Labrador. After discharge she had loaded a cargo of salt cod. Probably a good passage was made to Genoa making best use of her topsails and possibly even studding sails which these little vessels carried.

After unloading no onward cargo was available so Captain David Roberts was instructed to return to Porthmadog in ballast. This was late November 1907 and the homeward voyage must have been prety rough, particularly the last few days across the Bay of Biscay. However, the following winds sped the vessel on and a fast passage of 21 days to Tremadoc Bay was achieved.

At first, tide and weather conditions were acceptable so it was decided to head in for the Porthmadog Bar instead of the alternative procedure of anchoring in St Tudwal's Road. Unfortunately, a squall from the south west swept in as the little ship was halfway across the bay. The Owen Morris was in the terrible position of being in ballast and on a lee shore. The people of Criccieth, on their way from chapel that Sunday morning spied her struggling and seeing the deteriorating weather conditions knew that she would soon be in trouble.

That afternoon the order was sent around the town that the lifeboat was to be launched. To get the boat off the beach, through the breakers, a special procedure was used. A hundred yards off the beach a buoy was moored.; a stout rope led from this buoy to a tall post by the lifeboat station. The crew of the lifeboat hauled on this rope until clear of the surf and with enough sea room hoisted the big lug sail. They had to beat well to windward at first before they could turn and run downwind towards the casualty which by now was inside the heavy surf off Black Rock, the promentary two miles to the east of Criccieth. Her sails had been all blown away and only one anchor cable could be seen dragging uselessly, the other having parted. The lifeboat ran up on her quarter with both crews tense with excitement and dread. They were only together momentarily and at that first pass three crew members leapt from the stricken vessel onto the lifeboat CAROLINE. She tacked around and again came in and Captain Roberts and the remaining two crew members jumped on board. The OWEN MORRIS was by then closeto Black Rock and had only minutes to live.

The CAROLINE beat her way back to Criccieth and ran ashore where hundreds of helping hands hauled her out of the water. Fifty years ago Henry Hughes interviewed John Williams (Tan y Graig) who was a member of the Criccieth lifeboat crew at the time. The above is his account from "Immortal Sails".

Hughes also narrates that his family made their way to Black Rock from the other side (Morfa Bychan) and witnessed the end of the stout ship. The sandy bottom gave no hold for the single anchor and she was litterly blown into the big cave on the east side of the rock. Another hundred yards to the east she would have gone ashore on the sands and could possibly have been salvaged. This was not to be and the OWEN MORRIS was driven onto the rocks and smashed to bits "causing the ship's bell to toll in meloncholy notes".

POSTSCRIPTS:In March 1990 storms and high tides scoured out the cave at Black Rock and some remains came to view for the first time in eighty two years.

A wooden beam in the "Prince of Wales" pub in Criccieth purports to be from the OWEN MORRIS. This was found in the building during renovation in 1984. This could be correct as it definitely is the main beam from the foc'sle of a small wooden sailing ship, being carved with the legend "certified for seven seamen". Even today all spaces on a ship still carry a notice as to their use.