Lottie Sleigh (ship)
The Lottie Sleigh was built in 1852 at Prince Edward Island (Canada) as a 700-ton barque merchant ship.
On 15 January 1864 the vessel caught fire while at anchor on the River Mersey near Birkenhead. Attempts to extinguish the fire failed, and the crew successfully abandoned ship onto a passing ferry. The cargo of 11 tons of gunpowder subsequently exploded. No deaths resulted, but much damage occurred.[1]
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1864 Newspaper Report[2]
'FRIGHTFUL OCCURRENCE ON THE MERSEY.
The ship Lottie Sleigh caught fire in the Mersey on Friday, and, as the cargo included about eleven tons of gunpowder, the crew were taken off and landed in Liverpool. After burning for about two hours the ship blew up with a terrific report — the concussion and flying fragments causing great damage on shore as well as to vessels lying in the river. We take the following account of the occurrence from the Liverpool Albion "The business of the day being over, the town was settling down into evening quiescence, when suddenly, at 7 20, an appalling shock and shiver, accompanied by a sudden roar, disturbed the equanimity of the population, whilst consternation and dreadful expectancy were depicted on most countenances. It was not like the roar of artillery, for to that we have become accustomed — neither was it thunder ; but an indefinable sensation — something like the combination of an earthquake and a startling but distant thunder clap. At least, so it appeared to residents in the upper part of the town. Lower down, and near the Exchange, the detonation and convulsion were much more sensational, and people who were crossing the 'flags' were for a moment stricken dumb with awe. A few seconds after the shock, at every door could seen frightened people endeavouring to ascertain its cause ; the gaslights in the streets were out, and every corner had its knots of dismayed people seeking information. Bold Street was thronged, and opposite Messrs. Urquhart's, whose plate-glass windows had been blown in, was an anxious crowd, all under the belief that an explosion of gas had occurred. Again, at Gillham's (the bottom of Lord Street) the same scene was being enacted. Every person was asking his or her neighbour for information ; but few, if any, seemed to have a correct idea of what had happened. Everywhere you trod on fragments of glass. The shops by this time were being again re-lighted, but the streets were in partial darkness, and it was somewhat difficult to make way through the concourse of people. But now persons coming up from the landing-stage spread tbe news that the barque Lottie Sleigh, Captain Webber, had blown up in the river. This vessel, bound for Africa, belonging to Messrs. Hatton and Cookson, was taking in powder from the magazine boats off Tranmere, and had already stowed away eleven tons, when, about six p.m., as the steward was engaged in the cabin trimming the lamps with paraffin oil, some of it exploded and ignited the captain's bed curtains. Prompt measures were taken to suppress the flames, but they had already attained the mastery, the knowledge of the immediate vicinity of gunpowder, doubtless to some extent paralyzing their exertions. At length, despairing of success, the crew gathered together whatever they could lay their hands on, and were taken off by the passing Rock Ferry boat Wasp, and landed at the small stage. The magazine boat also cleared off. A dog was left aboard, and its dismal howls were significant of its fate. By this time the flames had enveloped the vessel, and news had spread abroad on the pier-heads that it would soon blow up, and hundreds of persons awaited the event, not, however, without much trepidation. When the explosion did come off the spectators were panic-stricken, and rushed frantically off the stage and pierheads. And yet the Lottie Sleigh was at least a mile distant from them. The night being dark, the explosion was all the more brilliant, the flames rising to great height, while in their midst could be seen spars and fragments of the vessel upheaved. Suddenly darkness settled upon the scene, and nothing more could be observed from the shore. At the moment of the explosion the Rock and Woodside Ferry steamers heeled over with the shock, much to the consternation of the passengers. The force of the explosion may be imagined when we state that bolts and fragments of the ship were hurled into Tranmere ; and it is even said that one of her knees were driven through the moulding-room of Mr. Glayton, shipbuilder. It is, however, a remarkable fact that at Bromborough and Eastham, on the Cheshire aide, and rather near to the vessel, the explosion was unnoticed. At Rock Ferry the shock was comparatively slight. The residents in Fulwood-park, on the Lancashire side, nearly opposite Tranmere, remained ignorant of anything unusual. At Birkenhead the damage to glass was immense. Liverpool and its outskirts will afford work for many hundreds of glaziers for weeks to come. Talking of glass we may mention an incident which occurred in Hamilton-square, Birkenhead. A lady and her daughter were sitting at dinner, when the window panes and shutters were blown in. The elder lady was much frightened ; but the daughter, with enviable presence of mind, suggested that the glazier should be immediately engaged, otherwise he might have so many jobs next day that his services might not be obtainable. Perhaps Birkenhead suffered more severely from the explosion than any other place. The houses in Hamilton-square were denuded of great part of their windows. At Gough's Hotel the destruction of glass was extensive, and the windows of Mr. Rigby, wine and spirit merchant, nearly opposite, were blown out, along with the stock which was displayed in them. An iron bolt from the ship fell through the roof of house in Sydney-street, and three children narrowly escaped injury. In North-street a long bar of iron also fell through a roof, occasioning some damage. Other fragments fell on the landing-stage and piers. The cabin windows of the Woodside Ferry steamer Cheshire were demolished. The glass roof to the landing-stage bridges was much injured. Tbe windows of the Monks Ferry Hotel were greatly shattered. Tranmere, opposite which place the Lottie Sleigh was lying, did not suffer to the extent that might have been anticipated, although the destruction of glass was very considerable. A piece of the anchor stock of the vessel is said to have fallen on board the Tranmere ferry-boat Birkenhead, doing very slight damage. At Seacombe, Egremont, and along the Cheshire shore to the mouth of the river, many windows were broken. On the Lancashire side, and in the streets of Liverpool particularly, the wayfarers walked continually over masses of broken glass. Perhaps Messrs. Urquhart's premises, in Bold-street, suffered most. Four large plate-glass panes, valued at £60, fell into the street, wounding, it is said passing female. By 11, am., on Saturday the window frames were re-glazed. Messrs. Shellard and Hodgson's large window also suffered, as did those of Messrs. Anderson. In Lord-street, Messrs. Livingston had their windows shattered, as had Messrs. Gillham, and Mr. Wood, hatter. Mr. Dempster's shop, in Castle-street, had three large panes smashed. Mr. Geo. Eastee, in the Crescent, had his shop front entirely demolished. Some of the large plate-glass windows in the Exchange News-rooms were blown in, one piece of glass being shot into the room. In Berry-street and Great George-street the shock was severely felt, and much damage done. The Custom-house had all the glass in the south front broken. The altar window of St. George's Church was cracked. It would require several columns to particularize the premises which suffered from the explosion. From the north, south, east, and west portions of the town we have been flooded with accounts of devastation. Fortunately few, if any, cases of personal injury were sustained.
"At the Southern Hospital, which was crowded with patients, the panic was excessive : even men with broken legs rushed into the street. A man who, it will be recollected, was stabbed on Christmas Day, by a Malay, and whose comrade died from similar injury, rushed out and failed to reappear. He was recovering from two severe wounds in the back. Fortunately his room was of more use than his company, as a man with a shattered leg, who otherwise would have had to be refused admittance, was placed in the vacant bed. At the Northern Hospital, so intense was the excitement, that number of the patients, some of whom had not been out of bed for weeks previously, suddenly got up and left the wards to ascertain what was the cause of the concussion.
"It is not probable that the whole of the powder on board the Lottie Sleigh exploded. Overcharge a piece of ordnance with powder, and a quantity fails to ignite. It hasn't time. Some persons suggest that the vessel should have been scuttled ; but there was no time to do it. Besides it is no easy matter to scuttle a loaded ship ; the water not penetrating rapidly. We have seen a man-of-war's crew firing for hours at a burning vessel with the intention of sinking her, but without result. Had they run one of Mr. Laird's rams at her the result might have tested their stability satisfactorily, and prevented the glaziers reaping a glorious harvest.
"The destruction the Lottie Sleigh naturally directs our attention to the shipment of powder in the Mersey. Several years ago powder was stored in shore magazines at Liscard, Cheshire. The population in that neighbourhood didn't like their proximity, and agitated for their removal, in which they were successful. The powder for shipment is now kept on board couple of vessels specially constructed for the purpose, and anchored in the broadest part of the river, near Eastham. These vessels are arranged that in case of danger they can be immediately scuttled. Indeed, every precaution is taken to avoid accident.
"On Saturday a large portion— nearly all one side — of the Lottie Sleigh, including the bow, was stranded on the beach near the floating magazines off Bromborough ; another considerable portion of the hull was stranded between Egremont and New Brighton."