Archaeological remains associated with the loss of this vessel are not confirmed as present at this location, but may be in the vicinity.

Event and Historical Information:
The GOVERNER FENNER was a wooden sailing vessel built in 1831 (?) and registered at New York, United States of America. The vessel is likely to have been named after either Arthur or James Fenner, father and son, both of whom served as the Governor of Rhodes Island. A GOVERNOR FENNER is recorded as one of the vessels engaged in the emigrant trade through the Port of New York in July 1829. At time of loss, the vessel was owned by the Andrews Brothers. The ship left Liverpool on Friday 19 February 1841, with 107 passengers (mostly emigrants) on board and carrying a cargo of iron. At 2 am the following day, when 15 miles west of Holyhead in calm conditions and thick fog, the GOVERNER FENNER ran into the paddle steamer NOTTINGHAM. The collision was so violent that the bow of the GOVERNOR FENNER was stove completely in, causing her to fill and sink very rapidly. The 1st officer of the GOVERNOR FENNER, Mr Carter was on watch at the time and had called the Captain as soon as the paddle steamer appeared ahead of them, but collision could not be avoided and both men barely escaped with their lives, clambering onto the deck of the steamer as their own vessel went down beneath them. The two men were the only survivors. The paddle steamer NOTTINGHAM had been struck on the starboard side, leaving her paddle box, wheel and shaft completely shattered, her starboard steam engine wrecked and her funnel knocked clean overboard. Beside passengers she carried over 100 cattle and sheep, many of which were killed in the collision, the remainder being thrown overboard to clear the decks. The paddle steamer, although barely afloat, managed to enter Holyhead harbour.

Sources include:
Gater, D, 1992, Historic Shipwrecks of Wales, pg39
Larn and Larn Shipwreck Database 2002
Petty Bentley, E, 1999, Passenger Arrivals at the Port of New York 1820-1829.
Wynne-Jones, I, 2001, Shipwrecks of North Wales, 4 ed, pg61

Maritime Officer, RCAHMW, June 2008.