Maritime record LWT 827 - Wreck of the Lily of Devon

1927 wreck of English smack which stranded on the South Beach, Lowestoft, in a storm which prevented her gaining Lowestoft harbour on her return from fishing in the North Sea. Constructed of wood in 1900, she was a sailing vessel. Her possible remains may be those recorded at 1543673.
Status: Casualty

LILY OF DEVON (LT 96) was at sea for four days in poor conditions in November 1927, and in returning to Lowestoft missed the harbour, and was carried by the heavy seas towards the South Beach.

The lifeboat AGNES CROSS went out with Coxswain Albert Spurgeon to rescue the crew of the smack who were clinging to the rigging. The lifeboat was damaged in the otherwise successful rescue. (1)

Photograph of the LILY OF DEVON ashore 21-NOV-1927 (Port of Lowestoft Research Society, PLRS/1923). (1) [Photograph shows vessel bows towards the shore, apparently taken looking south.]

Contemporary newspaper image captioned "Smack ashore at Lowestoft", showing the same vessel looking north-east, with the light at the end of the pier visible and lying south of a groyne. A line is attached to the vessel and she is shown in heavy seas, clearly in the inter-tidal zone. (2)

LILY OF DEVON (LT 96) was returning to Lowestoft with the smack PET (LT 560) after being at sea in four days of appalling weather in November 1927. The vessel missed the harbour entrance in the darkness with a gale blowing and were unable to drop anchore. The heavy seas carried her towards the South Beach. It was not the first time that the LILY OF DEVON had come ashore on the South Beach, having already done so in 1902 and 1907.

The three crew were rescued by the AGNES CROSS lifeboat, her coxswain being awarded the RNLI Silver Medal in 1928 for this rescue.

Vessel remains visible on South Beach for many years until being blown up as a hazard to longshore boats and swimmers. (3)

'GALLANT LIFEBOAT RESCUE.

'The Royal National Life-boat Institution has awarded its silver medal to Coxswain Albert Spurgeon, of Lowestoft, for a very gallant service on November 21. On the afternoon of that day a sailing smack, LILY OF DEVON, attempted to make Lowestoft Harbour in a gale with a heavy sea running. She was caught by the tide, and was carried into broken, shallow water where she began to bump heavily on the sand. The waves were breaking over her and her crew of three climbed into the rigging. In two minutes the lifeboat was launched, but she also struck the bottom and was swept by heavy seas so that her crew were in danger of being washed out of her. As the seas lifted her she gradually got alongside the smack. Then a heavy sea threw her under the wreck's stern, and she was badly damaged. Fortunately she was not out of control. As the lifeboat lay by the wreck the three men in the rigging jumped aboard her. Then, with all hands hauling on the cable, and the engines going full speed, the lifeboat was gradually worked clear of the surf.' (4)

Built: 1900 (3)
Builder: W Gibbs (3)
Where Built: Galmpton (3)
Master: Miller (3)
Crew: 3 (3)(4)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Reporting date of loss [date of photograph]