Maritime record LWT 485 - Wreck of the Betty

`On Friday night a very heavy gale of wind prevailed at Yarmouth...Between 6 and 7 o'clock...a gale sprung up which became terrific, accompanied by heavy rain as the night wore on...The brig BETTY, 148 tons, Edward Burwood master, owned by Mr Arthur C Sadd, Lowestoft, left Lowestoft harbour at 9 o'clock on Friday morning in ballast for Seaham. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon it had reached Hasbro', where the wind changed to N and NW, where the master bore up to get into Yarmouth Roads before dark. At 6.30pm the vessel was brought up with an anchor. At 8pm the mate reported, blowing a gale of wind and thick with rain. At this time the second anchor and 18 fathoms of cable was let go, but as the gale kept increasing, both cables were veered to an end. At 9.30pm both cables parted and the windlass capsized, while the master and his crew were in the act of putting the tow rope as a spring on the port cable. At this time the vessel was pitching very heavily and filling the decks. The foretopmast stay-sail was hauled up, also the main stay-sail, and the vessel kept away for Lowestoft. While doing so, the sails blew away and the vessel became unmanageable. The master endeavoured to run ashore a little to the south of the Ness, and after remaining 10 minutes or so came off. The vessel kept driving, and again took the ground opposite the Royal Hotel, when she again came off, and was wore round, finally becoming stranded below Kirkley. The master and crew left in the small boat, but they had a narrow escape, as a breaker knocked the boat over and threw the crew into the water. One of the men was rescued in an exhausted condition. She was valued at 400l, and we are informed she was not insured.' (1)

Source (2) transposes the positions of loss of the BETTY and the SARAH AND ANN, assigning Kirkley to the latter.

Master: Edward Burwood
Crew: 5
Owner: Arthur C Sadd, Lowestoft

Date of Loss Qualifier: A

Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index:
BOT.Wk.Rtn.1878 Appendix Parts I-IV p96(162); LR.1878-9 No.419(B)