SS ''Ina Mactavish'' was a small coaster that was wrecked in 1907 with the loss of two lives.

History

''Ina Mactavish'' was built by Burrell & Son of

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in 1866. She spent the next twenty years as a coasting

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before sinking in 1906. She was bought by Clyde Salvage Company for £175, and another £800 was spent lengthening and repairing her. This work was carried out by the

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Dry Dock and Shipping Company. In February 1907, she was sold to John Wilson of

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for £1,450.

Wreck

''Ina Mactavish'' left

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on the

River Tyne The River Tyne is a river in North East England. Its length (excluding tributaries) is . It is formed by the North Tyne and the South Tyne, which converge at Warden, Northumberland, Warden near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The ...

on the morning of 16 October 1907 bound for

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, laden with 130 tons of

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. At about 22:00, the ship's condenser broke down as a nut had come off the suction valve. Around 06:00 on 17 October, the engines were stopped because a rope had become entangled around the propeller. It was decided to beach the ship, and shortly before 09:00 the ship grounded to the south of Birling Car Rock in Alnmouth Bay. It took until 15:00 for the

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lifeboat to rescue the survivors. By this time the ship's engineer and cook had both drowned. For their part in trying to rescue the crew, P. Holbert, chief boatman of coastguard, Amble; A. Barton, Police Sergeant, of Amble and J. Helm, police constable of Warkworth were each awarded a

Sea Gallantry Medal The Sea Gallantry Medal (SGM) (officially the "Medal for Saving Life at Sea", and originally the " Board of Trade Medal for Saving Life at Sea"), is a United Kingdom award for civil gallantry at sea. History The Merchant Shipping Act 1854 pr ...

Aftermath

The wreck was towed into Amble, and later sold off for £515.

Inquiry

An inquiry was held by the

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at the

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in December 1907 and February 1908. The master of the vessel was found not to have caused the accident, but was reprimanded for not sending out a distress signal when the ship's engines were stopped. It was also noted that there was a long delay between the wreck being observed and the lifeboat being launched.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ina Mactavish Victorian-era merchant ships of the United Kingdom Shipwrecks of England Shipwrecks of Northumberland Maritime incidents in 1906 Maritime incidents in 1907 Ships built on the River Clyde 1886 ships