Casualties and Wrecks

Introduction

The Falkland Islands, situated 300 miles to the leeward of Cape Horn in arguably the most consistently savage seas of the world, have a shipping history rich in shipwrecks, daring rescues and pirates. Often the first safe haven for battered vessels trying to round Cape Horn the Islands presented their own dangers with rocky coasts, hidden reefs, thick kelp and rough seas. With more than 300 wrecks estimated to be around Falkland Islands shores, over 100 of which have been recorded, probably the most famous casualties of the Horn who ended up in the Islands are the Great Britain, now relocated to the UK, and one of the world’s most photographed wrecks, the Lady Elizabeth.

Great Britain deck of 1890 compressed

Deck of the Great Britain – 1890 – photo FIC Collection

Whaling and in particular sealing, mainly by American vessels, added to early shipping traffic around the Islands and in 1907 increased significantly with the arrival of large numbers of Norwegian whalers.

The opening of the Panama Canal in 1914 reduced the need for many ships to brave Cape Horn however the Falkland Islands remained an important strategic outpost and a convenient port for ships visiting and trading with southern South American countries.

Shipping information available in Volume E2, which is available under Government - Laws and Ordinances, includes the Charters of the Despatch (pg 45-54), Manney (pg 58-61), Page (pg 217-218) and Vigilante (pg 219 and 274); Protests of the Galen, Mary Gray, Christiana, Alonzo, and Strathisla.

These files are not a complete representation of the shipwrecks around the Falkland Islands and the Dependencies but are some of those partly or fully researched by the Archives over the last 10+ years and will be added to from time to time.

 

pdfAdeline.pdf(3.75 MB)

pdfAmoy (1 - previously City of Amoy) and the Amoy (2).pdf(355.6 KB)

pdfArmantine 1851.pdf(8.1 MB)

pdfAvona 1882.pdf(1.51 MB)

pdfBidston Hill 1886 to 1905.pdf479.34 KB

pdfBlack Hawk 1872 to 1881.pdf491.41 KB

pdfBlack Hawk - inquiry into the wreck of in 1881 - H36.pdf7.42 MB

pdfBlue Jacket 1869.pdf(14.85 MB)

pdfCity of Amoy later Amoy (1) and the Amoy (2).pdf(355.6 KB)

pdfColonsay 1860.pdf3.94 MB

pdfConcordia.pdf(11.52 MB)

pdfCrew of the Concordia.pdf110.92 KB

pdfCraigie Lea 1879.pdf(1.02 MB)

pdfCubana 1862.pdf(2.73 MB)

pdfDenby 1868 - D14 H29.pdf(3.53 MB)

pdfDennis Brundit 1892.pdf6.74 MB

pdfFifeshire 1885 to 1908.pdf243.83 KB

pdfFlora - 1906 - FIC Correspondence.pdf724.08 KB

pdfFrank Pierce - 1864.pdf517.65 KB

pdfGalgorm Castle 1892 to 1917.pdf282.37 KB

pdfGenesta unknown to 1888.pdf229.64 KB

pdfG F Haendel.pdf(12.69 MB)

pdfGleam.pdf(4.72 MB)

pdfGlengowan.pdf(14.25 MB)

pdfGraham 1924.pdf(199.66 KB)

pdfHyndford Sep 1906 - FIC.pdf(852.9 KB)

pdfJuliet - 1 Aug 1875.pdf(1.7 MB)

pdfLuigia S 4 Sep 1885.pdf(13.87 MB)

pdfMerlin 1861.pdf214.99 KB

pdfResult.pdf(4.01 MB)

pdfRobert Fulton 1849.pdf(3.75 MB)

pdfSaint Enoch.pdf(26.26 KB)

pdfSamoa.pdf(22.78 MB )

pdfShipwrecks and Shipping Casualties April 1870.pdf(105.93 KB)

pdfSouthern Cross.pdf(236.27 KB)

pdfStar of Scotia 1887.pdf(2.15 MB)

pdfVampyr.pdf(4.92 MB)

pdfVesta.pdf(3.75 MB)

pdfYarra Yarra.pdf(1.36 MB)

Disclaimer

While every effort has been taken to ensure accuracy the Jane Cameron National Archives does not accept responsibility for any omissions or errors in these records.

Copyright guide

Copies of government records may be used freely for private research and educational purposes. If material is to be used for commercial publication, exhibition or broadcast the written permission of the Jane Cameron National Archives must first be obtained. Whenever material from the Jane Cameron National Archives is reproduced in any form or in any medium, the user must acknowledge the Jane Cameron National Archives as the source and give all document references. For non-government records it is your responsibility as the user to ensure that copyright is not infringed and any infringement that does occur is your responsibility.