Wreck of Schooner "Lamorna"

Here is a summary of the first contribution to our archive which we have received through our website. Our thanks to Roger Quilter.

At 11.25 in the morning of the 4th November, 1951 the Niton Radio Station reported a wireless message from a steamer that a schooner was in distress sixteen and a half miles south-south-east Durleston Head, and at 11.40 the Swanage lifeboat was launched.

A southerly gale was blowing, with a heavy sea. At 2.45 in the afternoon the lifeboat found H.M.S. Redpole towing the schooner Lamorna of Southampton. The schooner had a crew of fourteen and was bound for the South China Sea to search for Captain Kidd’s treasure. The warship asked the life-boat to stand by, which she did, but at 4.20 the Redpole said the life-boat was no longer needed and she made for Poole.

At 6.10 a message was sent to the Yarmouth life-boat station and the lifeboat left her moorings with the second coxswain in command. She found that the Lamorna had broken away from the Redpole , had lost her masts and had damaged her rudder. She rescued the fourteen men and returned to her station, arriving at 8.50.

The Lamorna eventually drifted ashore at Hordle beach. The owners and captain of the Lamorna gave 75 guineas to the Lifeboat Institution and 25 guineas to the Yarmouth crew in gratitude for the rescue.

A complete account from the Complete Historical Archives of the Lifeboat Journal has been added to our archive ref: MHR.001683.

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