Maritime record ADB 290 - Wreck of the HMS Albans

1812 wreck of British schooner-rigged cutter which stranded near Aldeburgh, after first grounding upon a sandbank called the Inward Shoal, in a gale. This same gale had driven her from her station off the coast of the Netherlands. Constructed of wood in 1806, she was a sailing vessel.
Status: Casualty

'The ALBAN cutter, Lieut. Key, was totally wrecked on Friday morning, near Aldborough; only a woman and a seaman (James Newton) were saved.' (1)

ADONIS Class, cutter/schooners; though originally built as cutters, it seems unlikely that they were ever rigged as anything other than their later designation as schooners. Built of cedar, contacted for by Goodrich and Co. but possibly sub-contracted to various Bermudan builders. (3)

Wrecked off Aldeburgh during a gale. Only a woman and a seaman named Newton were saved, along with some of the sails and stores washed ashore. (5)

This schooner was captured by the Danes and remained in their hands from 25-OCT-1810 until 11-MAY-1811 when recaptured by the Royal Navy. Wrecked off Aldeburgh 18-DEC-1812. (6)

18 December, ALBAN, cutter. The ALBAN, a 10-gun cutter, Lt. William Sturges Key, was driven from her station off the coast of Holland, and being forced on shore at Aldborough in Suffolk, became a complete wreck. Out of a crew of 56 men only one seaman, a man named Newton, was saved. The surgeon, Mr Thompson, came on shore with some life in him, but died immediately afterwards. There were also three women and two children on board, of whom one woman, the servant of Mrs Key, was saved. The following particulars of the loss of this vessel are stated by a man, a spectator of this deplorable catastrophe. He said that the cutter had been cruising, or was going to cruise, on the coast of Holland; that owing, it is supposed, to the ignorance of the pilot, she had struck on a sandbank, when they were obliged to throw the guns overboard, and cut away their mast, after which they were driven, on this Friday morning, at 8am, on the beach in front of the town of Aldborough. The surf was so high that no boat could be put off; but the beach being steep, the vessel was thrown up very high, and the tide retreating, the people of the town were soon able to reach the vessel. Though all the crew seemed to be safe at 8, by 9 there were only three remaining alive: a young man, a woman (servant of Mrs Key) and the surgeon, who unaccountably jumped overboard at the time relief was given to them, and was lost. As the cutter did not go to pieces, the great loss of lives seemed to have been occasioned by the state of intoxication of the men, some of whom were found drowned in the vessel; it was difficult otherwise to account for such a melancholy catastrophe. (7)

'Ipswich, 26 Dec...Of all the melancholy events recorded in history, but few can be more distressing than the following - which took place at Aldeburgh on Friday morning last. At daybreak the inhabitants were alarmed by descrying the above named vessel [HMS Cutter ALBAN] at anchor, with her mast gone, and riding within half a mile of the shore; a violent gale of wind, at the same time, blowing from the eastward dead upon the land, the sea running mountains high, and frequently making a free passage over the ship. In this perilous situation the miserable creatures on board remained till near high water, when they cut their cables, in hopes of the vessel being able to reach the shore; but unfortunately, having drawn so much water, she struck upon a sand called the Inward Shoal, three-quarters of a cable's length from the shore, when the sea, making a complete break over her, it became impossible to remain upon deck. At this moment, those who could swim committed themselves to the waves, but on reaching the breakers, were instantly dashed down and lost their lives, being prevented from gaining the land by the indraught of the sea...All remaining were washed overboard, except two persons, who kept their hold till the ship was driven to the mainland, when one of them, too hastily jumping on shore, perished; the other (James Newton), was rescued by those standing on the beach. Two others were washed on shore with some life in them, one of whom, Mr S Thompson, the surgeon, died immediately; the captain's maidservant, Maria Culham, survives; this latter person, with the above-named J Newton, are the only persons living out of the number of 50 who were on board. We learn, by the persons saved, that the vessel struck upon the Dutch coast a week previous to this accident, and had been in the greatest distress, during the whole of the gale.' (8)

NB: Source (4) bases the record on the above in a slightly misquoted format.

'On the 18th inst. the ALBAN cutter, Lieut. Key, was driven from the coast of Holland, and wrecked near Aldbro' in Suffolk. There were 56 men, 3 women and 2 children on board, all of whom unfortunately perished, except a young woman, and James Newton, a seaman. Mr James Thompson, the surgeon, came on shore alive, but died immediately.' (9)

Source (4) states the vessel type as a schooner; sources (1)(2) (7) and the text cited in source (4) give the vessel type as a cutter; source (3) states vessel nominally a cutter of the ADONIS class, but schooner-rigged.

Sources (1) (2) and (7) and the text cited in source (4) indicate a date of loss of 18-DEC-1812; source (4) gives the date of loss as 19-DEC-1812.

Built: 1806 (2)(3)(6)
Where Built: Bermuda (2)(3)(6)
Commanding Officer: Lieut. William Sturges Key RN (2)(4)(5)(7)(8)(9)
Armament: 10 cannon (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)
Construction: cedar; schooner rig (3)
Crew: 50 (4); 56 (7) [Total on board given in (8) as 50]
Crew Lost: 48 (4); 55 (7)
Passengers: 5 (7)(9)
Passengers Lost: 4 (7)(9)
Owner: Royal Navy [all sources]

Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

Additional sources cited in Shipwrecks of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Eras:
Annual Register 1812, Chr., p152; TT. 21 & 25.12.1812