The wreck of the AMAZON is located on the foreshore close to two outfalls to the south of Aberavon Harbour. The main area of wreckage lies close to the most southerly of the two outfalls and extends for c. 90m in a roughly N-S alignment. There is a build-up of sand in the centre of the wreck, giving the impression of two halves to the extant hull structure. The remains of the ship consist of the lower section of the hull and framing to the turn of the bilge, with the collapsed bow section lying to the north.

The wreck was first noted by the UKHO in 1981, and last examined by the UKHO in 2018. The site was visited by Malvern Archaeological Diving Unit (MADU) in October 2012 (see Images)

Another small section of wreckage lies 50m to the southeast at 51 34 01N, 3 47 31W. Another section of wreckage that may be associated with the wreck lies 50m to the northeast, again close to the outfall, at 51 34 07N 3 47 32W (NPRN 418106). 

Further to the southeast, 400m away, is another section of wreckage (NPRN 409374) at 51 33 53N 3 47 19W, which may be associated with AMAZON (possibly part of the stern), or is more likely to be part of a separate wrecking event.

Event and Historical Information:
The AMAZON was a four-masted iron barque built by Barclay, Curle & Co, Greenock, in 1886 (yard number 342). Technical and configuration specifications are given as 2062gt, 1901nt; 287ft length x 42ft breadth x 12ft 5in depth. The barque had established a record for sailing from Melbourne to Antwerp in 72 days.

At the time of loss on 1 September 1908, the vessel was owned by Robert Hill of Greenock and was carrying a cargo of coal from Port Talbot to Iquique, Chili, under the command of master Andrew Garrick. The AMAZON had left Port Talbot on 31 August 1908, but the worsening weather caused the ship to anchor in Swansea Bay. By early morning, the wind had reached hurricane force and the anchor cables were unable to take the strain and parted. The ship was blown across Swansea Bay flying the red ensign upside to form the international signal of distress. The vessel ran shore a mile and a half east of the Port Talbot dock entrance. The captain was swept off his feet and dashed unconscious against the deckhouse. He was lashed to a mast by the ship's carpenter. A ship's boat was lowered by was immediately smashed to pieces. The ship's cook was the first to be washed overboard. The remainder of the crew took to the rigging. Attempts to get a line to the ship by rocket apparatus failed, and the Mumbles lifeboat CHARLIE MEDLAND, was unable to get within a mile of the barque once it was aground because the sea was to shallow. As the masts collapsed, the crew were thrown into the sea. When the tide receded the vessel, Henry Care, master of the Port Talbot tug EMILY CHARLOTTE was able to swim out with a line and bring two survivors onshore. Mr Charles Russell, an engineer, managed to rescue another from the rigging. Survivors were taken to Morfa Cottage where they were tended by Dr J H Williams of Aberavon. Those saved were E Halley, first mate, and able seamen, John Adams, Sidney Evans, W Nolan, William Wickenberg, and John Lockwood. John Lockwood died of pneumonia a few days later. The hull of the ship was sold to Messrs Thomas Ward & Co, Briton Ferry, for £315 and the breaking up commenced on the following Monday. The cargo of coal was disposed of for £25. For a time, special trains were laid on to bring sightseers to see the wreck.

Sources include:

Baner ac Amserau Cymru, 12 September 1908, p.6
Bennett, T, 1987, Shipwrecks around Wales Vol 1, pp.17-8
The Cambrian, 11 September 1908, p.3
Evening Express, 2 September 1908, p.4
Evening Express, 16 September 1908, p.2
Northcott D, 2005 The AMAZON, Port Talbot Historian, Vol IV, no 3, pp.104-9
Larn and Larn Shipwreck Database 2002
Lloyd's Register Casualty Returns, 1 July - 30 September 1908, p.10 (h)
Smith, G, 1991, Shipwrecks of the Bristol Channel, p.26
UKHO ID 12522: Contains public sector information, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, from UK Hydrographic Office.

J. Whitewright, RCAHMW, May 2023

This record was enhanced in 2020 with funding from Lloyd's Register Foundation as part of the project ‘Making the Link: Lloyd's Register and the National Monuments Record of Wales’. Visit Lloyd’s Register Foundation Heritage and Education Centre for more resources.