Can you find anything about this shipwreck?
April 11, 2010 1:35 PM Subscribe
Can anyone find any information online about the wreck of the schooner Clarendon off Cape Cod (possibly Provincetown) in the 1850s? I know that several men were given rewards in 1856 for its rescue as documented here, but that's all I've got and I would like to know more.
Best answer: I found a little more from Google books here and here.
The "mortar" referred to in the first link would be a life-saving mortar, "a small mortar fitted for throwing a hooked projectile with a line attached from the shore to a ship" (Century Dict.).
posted by gubo at 2:16 PM on April 11, 2010
The "mortar" referred to in the first link would be a life-saving mortar, "a small mortar fitted for throwing a hooked projectile with a line attached from the shore to a ship" (Century Dict.).
posted by gubo at 2:16 PM on April 11, 2010
Best answer: Maybe the folks at the Cape Cod Maritime Museum can help.
posted by rtha at 2:25 PM on April 11, 2010
posted by rtha at 2:25 PM on April 11, 2010
Perhaps contact these folks? Their links page has lots of potential, esp. the Nautical Archaeology sites.
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:06 PM on April 11, 2010
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:06 PM on April 11, 2010
Best answer: Here's one of the U.S. Coast Guard's suggestions for books on Cape Cod lifesaving history:
"The Life Savers of Cape Cod, J.W. Dalton (c) 1902 - quintessential history of Cape Cod Life Saving up to 1902. Again, hard to find, seen occasionally on EBay or other online book sources."
Here it is. Published in 1902, it mentions that the Peaked Hill Bars Life-Saving Station was under the leadership of the late Capt. (David H.) Atkins (p. 81). Pp. 87-88 should also be of interest. Details on the Orleans station begin on p. 102. A Mayo is mentioned on p. 112; on p. 137, it states that Elmer F. Mayo's father was the first keeper of the Chatham station. P. 144--Atkins and Mayo, Peaked Hill Bars, are remembered.
I never knew about the life-saving horses (you'll see the one whose name caught my attention, ARGH) or the beach patrol cat, Tom.
May I ask how you ran across this topic? Best of luck with your research.
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:11 PM on April 11, 2010
"The Life Savers of Cape Cod, J.W. Dalton (c) 1902 - quintessential history of Cape Cod Life Saving up to 1902. Again, hard to find, seen occasionally on EBay or other online book sources."
Here it is. Published in 1902, it mentions that the Peaked Hill Bars Life-Saving Station was under the leadership of the late Capt. (David H.) Atkins (p. 81). Pp. 87-88 should also be of interest. Details on the Orleans station begin on p. 102. A Mayo is mentioned on p. 112; on p. 137, it states that Elmer F. Mayo's father was the first keeper of the Chatham station. P. 144--Atkins and Mayo, Peaked Hill Bars, are remembered.
I never knew about the life-saving horses (you'll see the one whose name caught my attention, ARGH) or the beach patrol cat, Tom.
May I ask how you ran across this topic? Best of luck with your research.
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:11 PM on April 11, 2010
Response by poster: May I ask how you ran across this topic? Best of luck with your research.
My grandmother died a decade ago and left me some family historical bric-a-brac. I finally got to going through a box I had set aside and found a medal issued to one of the rescuers. It moved me to try to find out more about the incident.
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:01 PM on April 11, 2010
My grandmother died a decade ago and left me some family historical bric-a-brac. I finally got to going through a box I had set aside and found a medal issued to one of the rescuers. It moved me to try to find out more about the incident.
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:01 PM on April 11, 2010
Response by poster: The direct answers are very helpful and the suggestions for whom to contact seem very fruitful as well. Thanks!
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:03 PM on April 11, 2010
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:03 PM on April 11, 2010
Best answer: The only other direct piece of information I could find was this mention in the NYT; the ship apparently was traveling from Norfolk to Boston, and the loss (vessel + cargo) was estimated at $12,000.
For people you might contact, I might suggest the James Theriault mentioned here; I noticed his book was sourced on another other article on early Cape Cod rescue. (It doesn't seem to be available online.)
posted by Upton O'Good at 8:36 PM on April 11, 2010
For people you might contact, I might suggest the James Theriault mentioned here; I noticed his book was sourced on another other article on early Cape Cod rescue. (It doesn't seem to be available online.)
posted by Upton O'Good at 8:36 PM on April 11, 2010
Had another thought. I know that both divers and (small boat, rod and line) fishermen are very keen on locating wreck sites, for obvious reasons, and they do look to historical sources as well as sonar. You might try asking someone from those communities.
posted by Leon at 11:50 AM on April 12, 2010
posted by Leon at 11:50 AM on April 12, 2010
Response by poster: I know that both divers and (small boat, rod and line) fishermen are very keen on locating wreck sites, for obvious reasons, and they do look to historical sources as well as sonar. You might try asking someone from those communities.
That is a good thought, but it seems from the accounts that the ship actually ran aground on the Provincetown breakers during a storm, so it likely just broke apart in very shallow water instead of being a hulk submerged on the sea floor. If anything was left it was most likely visible and removed as soon as the weather permitted.
posted by Mayor Curley at 10:44 AM on April 13, 2010
That is a good thought, but it seems from the accounts that the ship actually ran aground on the Provincetown breakers during a storm, so it likely just broke apart in very shallow water instead of being a hulk submerged on the sea floor. If anything was left it was most likely visible and removed as soon as the weather permitted.
posted by Mayor Curley at 10:44 AM on April 13, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Leon at 1:52 PM on April 11, 2010