This record comprises a documentary reference to a shipping casualty which has been assigned to the maritime named location SKER POINT pending more information which may allow a more precise location for the loss to be assigned.

Event and Historical Information:
The collections of West Glamorgan Archives contain two documents relating to the loss of the CATERINA on Sker Rock (Sker Point?) on 27 December 1782. The first is transcript of the testimony of the master Vincenzo Tomassi, which reveals that the vessel was so lost that the crew believed that they were off the Isle of Wight aground on the Portsmouth Bank: '? After the other cable broke, I dropped a third anchor and the ship was still running towards the bank and one hour later the other cable broke and the crew began to go down in the longboat? We anchored a cable's length from the ship and at the same time, the mainmast fell, then a heavy sea washed over us and we cut the cable, resolving to head for land? the owner of the house told us that we were on Sker Rock in the Bristol Channel. In the morning at 7, we went down to the shore and found the ship in the middle of rocks entirely out of the water and in a position that we could recover everything, but not the ship? after the sailors had taken all the gold and cleared all of the main hatchway to do the same with the cargo. At the same time, a groups of people round the ship started kicking the sailors and hitting them with sticks and so we had to force our way to the cabin to rescue the boxes of coral and, with our weapons in our hands, we managed to get out there and at midday we abandoned the ship and took refuge in the house?' The second document is an account of the subsequent sale by public auction in the January, whereby the 'Hulk to Rob Jenkins for £63; a cable was sold to William Jones for £42; masts and yards sold to Mr Calvert for £14; 4 large guns 35cwt at 7(?) for £12 5s, a small anchor 4 cwt 3stones (?) for £1 13s 3d, part of a cable 18. 218-6 for £5 4s 6d, old hawsers 18 4 14 - 6s for £5 12 6d, old ropes 3. at 6d for 18s, bought by Hampden Howell and Johns; 4 swivels bought by Sir Herbert Mackworth for £4 4s; Compasses and blocks 16s 6d'.

Sources include:
Testmony of the master Vincenzo Tomassi, West Glamorgan Archive Service D/D Z 502/1
Account of the CATERINA sold by public auction in January 1783, West Glamorgan Archive Service D/D Gne 204/36

Maritime Officer, RCAHMW, February 2014.