Maritime record LWT 659 - Wreck of the Sarah and Caroline

1820 wreck of English sloop which stranded on the Newcome Sand during a gale. En route from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Woodbridge with coal, she was a wooden sailing vessel.
Status: Casualty

`Struck on the Newcome and filled, her masts remaining standing, her crew of five taking to the rigging. As it was only half ebb, with a tremendously strong wind, the lifeboat, when it was launched, was towed a considerable way to the south to bring her on a bearing with the vessel in distress. When the tow was let go, however, she fell to leeward, and it was not until the tide began to turn that they made headway against the wind. After the most persevering and strenuous exertions they succeeded in gaining the wreck, and took the five men from the rigging.' (1)

`...The lifeboatmen's work was not over. On the return journey they boarded the London brig GEORGE, which was in a sinking state, and her seven-man crew were taken off and landed at Lowestoft. Twelve men were rescued that day, and on reaching the shore the crew of the SARAH & CAROLINE were in such a bad state they could scarcely walk.' (2)

`Lowestoffe, Oct. 23. Yesterday morning between 5 and 6 o'clock, the wind blew very strong at SSW, and increased to a tremendous gale during the day...The SARAH & CAROLINE, Spalding, of Woodbridge, laden with coals, ran on shore on the Newcomb Sand: crew saved by the life boat.' (3)

`The SARAH & CAROLINE, of Woodbridge, is on shore near Lowestoff.' (4)

`The SARAH & CAROLINE, of Woodbridge, from Newcastle to Woodbridge, with coals, was lost off Lowestoffe; crew saved.' (5)

`[Lowestoft] On Sunday morning last, a heavy gale of wind from SSW was experienced at this port, which, towards noon, had increased to a hurricane. The whole sea was one continued foam, and a most tremendous surf broke upon the shore....

`A third vessel, a sloop, called the SARAH & CAROLINE, of Woodbridge, with coals, struck upon a sand called the Newcome, and remained thereon with her mast standing, but soon filling with water, the crew, consisting of five persons, took refuge in the shrouds; here their situation was most perilous, for it being only half ebb tide, no assistance from shore could be afforded them until the following flood, should the vessel hold together so long...The Lowestoft life-boat, belonging to the Suffolk Humane Society, was got out and manned...After the most persevering and strenuous exertions, she succeeded in gaining the wreck, and providentially took the poor fellows from the shrouds, just as one of them was about to drop from his hold, through fatigue and cold...The sloop's mast fell about an hour after the men left it.' (6)

[NB: The phrase "Sunday morning last" was usually used in Norfolk/Suffolk dialect to indicate "a week last Sunday", not "last Sunday", i.e. the Sunday just past. It appears that this item has been copied verbatim from a Norfolk/Suffolk source, since the date of loss has not been altered accordingly - a not uncommon practice in such wreck reports.]

Where Built: Ipswich (2)
Master: Spalding (3)
Crew: 5 (2)
Owner: Spalding & Co. (2)
Lloyd's Classification: E1, London - coasting (2)

Date of Loss Qualifier: A

Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index:
SLL.p12; LR 1818 No.287(S)