DescriptionThis record consists of a documentary reference to a shipping casualty which has been assigned to the maritime named location NASH SANDS pending more information which may allow a more precise location for the loss to be assigned.
Event and Historical Information:
The MABEL was a wooden barque built by Charles Hill & Sons at Bristol in 1873. Technical and configuration specifications are shown as 458gt; 114.6ft elngth x 278.ft breadth x 17.6ft depth; 1 deck, 3 masts barque rigged, carvel built, woman figuire head, signal letters MFJT; official number 69386. The vessel was placed on the port of Bristol Shipping Register by Charles Hill, Edward Stock Hill and Robert John Hancock of Bristol, joint owners, with Thomas Jones specificed as the master. Subsequent transactions note the sale of shares to Thomas Jones of London, Charles Campbell Dawson of London, Francis Stopher of London and George Henry Bridge of Bristol, merchant. At time of loss, the vessel was owned by Thomas Daniel and Sons, Bristol. The MABEL had taken onboard a pilot to navigate the Bristol Channel, but was caught in a gale and dense fog, and struck on the Nash Sands around the 3-5 January 1886. The wreck of the MABEL was spotted by pilots passing Nash sands, and was reported to be partially buried in sand. The Bristol Docks Committee Minute Books suggests that date of loss as 3 January 1886, and that the Bristol pilot on board at the time, William Ray, was also presumed dead. Also on board was a boy who had run away to the West Indies as a stowaway, and was being returned to his parents. There is a name plaque on display in St Nicholas Church Museum, Bristol.
Sources include:
Bristol Docks Committee Minute Books, Volumes 1-16, Vol 11, pg 551
Bristol Mercury, 9 January 1886, issue 11749
Larn and Larn shipwreck datse 2002
Maritime records transferred from EH AMIE database, RCAHMW collections
Port of Bristol Shipping Register 1868 - 1891, Bristol Record Office 37908/1/12, Folio 107
Maritime Officer, RCAHMW, May 2009.
