sailor

The Bosun's Watch

		
		
		

S.T. Rockliffe FD98


Rockliffe


		
Technical
Official Number Unknown
Built byJohn Duthie 1906
OwnerW.H.Sutcliffe, Fleetwood
History
November 11 1907 Lost at Corsewall Point on the Rhins of Galloway. She was making her way back to Fleetwood in heavy rain and fog with the wind at WSW force 3. Visibility was almost zero. She had 200 boxes of fish in her hold when she ran onto rocks 2 miles south of the Craig Laggan beacon, near to Portobello Bay.

Below decks a huge gash could be seen in her hull through which water was pouring. As it was painfully clear that nothing could be done to to save the stricken vessel, the crew of ten abandoned her and climbed up a sheer cliff to safety.

A subsequent inquiry into the loss found that the skipper, Thomas Perry, was at fault and suspended his certificate for 6 months. The mate, Thomas Millross was suspended for 3 months. The following year saw a salvage attempt when the salvage vessel Retriever managed to save engine, boiler, dynamo, anchors, chains and other equipment. Bad weather made further attempt at salvage impossible and Rockliffe was abandoned to the sea.