Victor Emmanuel

(She was named after the King of Sardinia)

Launched to a two gun salute.

Owners: Richardson Brothers, Hartlepool: 1857 Messrs Joyce & Co, London.

Masters: 1856 Nash; 1861 Charles Box.

In June 1856 Victor Emmanuel with her master, Nash, her builders & owners & others took her place at number seven in line of the procession of vessels through the North Lock & into Jackson’s Dock on its grand opening.

Voyages: 1856 trading & carrying passengers to the Cape of Good Hope; by 1858 she had been converted into a sailing barque; 14 September 1857 from Liverpool for Valencia; 11 May 1858 arrived Liverpool from Singapore; 15 May 1859 arrived Gravesend from Demerara; September 1860 bound for Alexandria.

Victor Emmanuelsailed from Alexandria on 8 December 1860 bound for London with 4,000 quarters of beans, 3,000 quarters of barley, 150 bales of wool & flax, 60 bales of dye 60 tons of gum & a crew of 18. On Wednesday, 30 January 1861, she met with dense fog & ran into the breakers at Chale Bay about half a mile west of Blackgang Chine on the Isle of Wight. As she struck she began to break up. Two boats were stove in on the side of the vessel as they were being launched which left only the jollyboat fit for use. Although the vessel was close to land & the coastguard was on watch, no-one was aware of what had taken place because the fog was so dense. It was the following morning when four of the crew, who had managed to grope their way up & along the cliffs, arrived at a cottage where the alarm was given. Although rescuers rushed to the scene no sign of life was visible. Four bodies washed ashore the following day at Chale Bay & the body of the master, Charles Box, on 6 February at Ventnor.

It was originally thought that only four of the crew had survived but a few days later it transpired that another eight men, who had left the wreck in the jollyboat, had been picked up by the French brig Etoile & landed at Southampton.

Hampshire Telegraph 16 February 1861:

‘The wreck of the Victor Emmanuel, consisting of the iron hull, the masts, spars, rigging, sails, anchors and chain cables, in a short all that remains of this fine vessel, which cost £10,000 to build about four years since, was sold by auction, by Mr. F. Pittis, on Tuesday last, and the whole of it realised £20, the purchaser being a resident at Chale. Scarcely a vestige of the wreck can now be seen above water, the weight of the materials with which she was constructed causing her to wallow in the shingle till she is nearly buried, whilst of her valuable cargo the owners never recovered a single pennyworth.’

Lives lost January 1861.