DescriptionThe remains of the wreck shows, but does not dry out, at low water springs within a scour 1-1.2m deep.
Event and Historical Information:
The CITY OF BRISTOL was built at Bristol for the War Office Steam Packet Company in 1828 (completed 6 March 1828 according to Builder's Certificate). The ship's registry at Port of Bristol on 7 March 1828 listed 17 individual share holders and seven local companies who had purchased between 1-5 shares in the vessel. The principal shareholders included David Stanton (6 shares) and George Lunel (4 shares). The CITY OF BRISTOL was used as a troopship for the conveyance of troops and recruits, Ownership passed to the Bristol General Steam Navigation Company in 1836 who used it for Waterford to Bristol service. Technical and configurations specifications are given as 143ft 9in length x 23ft 1in breadth x 15ft 3in depth in hold. The vessel had a main deck, quarter deck and forecastle, 2 masts and a standing bowsprit and was rigged as a schooner with a propelling steam engine. It was carvel built (sources differ as to whether it was iron-hulled or wood) and had a quarter gallery and a scroll figurehead. The paddle steamer left Waterford on the 16 November 1840 carrying 575 barrels of oats; 113 barrels of barley; 2 tierces of lard; 120 flitches of bacon; 15 bullocks and 280 pigs on deck and five or six passengers, one of whom was female. The paddle steamer ran into a gale and at 4 pm anchored in Duncannon Bay, three miles below a place called Passage. At 6 am the following day whilst proceeding on passage they saw St. Govan's Head, then Caldey light at about 5 pm, Captain John Stacey then elected to anchor to the north of Worms Head for shelter that night. The CITY OF BRISTOL quickly dragged her anchors and struck the Llangennith Sands in Rhossili Bay and turned broadside to the waves which swept over the wreck, taking many of the crew and passengers overboard to their death. Only seaman William Poole and Thomas Anstice, the ship's carpenter surviving from the crew. Other sources suggest that the survivors were Thomas Hamiler, the ship's carpenter and the cattleman taking passage with his livestock. The wreck subsequently broke in two, then went to pieces. 72 pigs and four bullocks were saved and cared for at the Cwyn Ivy by George Holland, the Lloyd's agent, In Bristol there was much concern when the paddle steamer failed to arrive on schedule, the news of the wreck finally reaching the city from Tenby, via captain Gerard of the COUNTY OF PEMBROKE. A report in the Bristol Mercury states that many in Bristol did not believe the news (due to Rhossili being so far off the vessel's normal course) and hoped that the delay in arrival was due to the CITY OF BRISTOL not having put to sea on account of the weather. However, when the BRISTOL steampacket arrived from Swansea it conveyed a letter from its Swansea agent to the Bristol General Steam Navigation Company confirming the news. An inquest was held at the King's Head Hotel, Llangennith on 20 November 1840, and following a public meeting £900 was raised by subscription for the 13 widows and 34 children.
Sources include:
Bennett, T, 1987, Shipwrecks Around Wales, Vol 1, pg25-6
Bristol Mercury, 21 November 1840, issue 2645
Bristol Mercury, 12 December 1840, issue 2648
Gater, D, 1992, Historic Shipwrecks of Wales, pg36-7
Larn and Larn shipwreck database 2002
Port of Bristol Shipping Register 1827 - 1830, folio 49, Bristol Record Office 37908/1/3
Rees, P H, 1978, Gower Shipwrecks, pg 37-9
Maritime Officer, RCAHMW, August 2009.
