A Monthly Publication

By Leonard Potter

Much has been written about the ex-trawler and target ship ‘The Sheraton’ but little or nothing about our most famous and historical wreck the barquetine 120ft Vicuna which can be seen at low tide off Holme-next-the-Sea; the story of which is as follows:

Vicuna 6th March 1883 Voyage  -  Laurvig, Norway to Humber, carrying ice.

              On 6th March 1883 whilst at anchor in the Humber it parted with cable in a gale. The ‘Victor’ steaming off Germany took her in tow and remained towing for three hours when the tow rope parted and the vessel ran ashore at Holme-next-the-Sea on the 7th March. The crew of nine men were taken off by the Hunstanton Lifeboat, the ‘Licenced Victualler’.

Previous owners of the ship were
1858-1871 Wilson & Co

1876-1879 C Dimsdale

1879-1883 TR & I Egelstaff

1882-1883 Hull Ice Co

The Master at the time of the loss was John Brown Sawyer, born in Essex 1837.