Dogger, Fisher, German Bight…..the Shipping Forecast is 150 years old
today.
Its weather warnings began life as a response to the wreck of the Royal Charter off Anglesey on 26 October
1859, in which 450 people lost their lives. The disaster happened during what
is considered the worst storm of the 19th century in the Irish Sea. Altogether,
69 ships were wrecked at a cost of nearly 800 lives.
The iron-hulled steam clipper was bringing emigrants and gold back from
the goldfields of Australia to Liverpool. As the ship reached Holyhead, it ran
into 100 mile-an-hour winds.
The captain tried to anchor the vessel, but at half past one in the
morning, only hours from the end of its long voyage, the Royal Charter was dashed onto rocks and broke in two just 50 yards
from land.
As people watched from the shore horrified, an able seaman, Joseph
Rogers, leapt into the waves. Three times he was beaten back, but on his
fourth try, he was able to tie the vessel to a rock. Twenty-eight local men
formed a human chain and managed to rescue 41 of those on board.
For more, see A Disastrous History
of Britain.
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