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Great Storm of 1901 - Editorial
Maritime Archaeology Project is runner-up in History Channel Competition
The Maritime Archaeological Project
Heroism during The Great Storm of 1901
The Great Storm of 1901
The Inga
On the Trail of Buried Treasure
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The Inga
Location: North Tyneside
The Inga was an 1100 ton iron barque. She was built in 1877 by Osbourne and Graham and Co. of Sunderland as the Gwynedd. At the time of the Storm she was owned by Acties Inga and registered under the Norwegian flag at Kristiansund.
She sailed from Port Wakefield in Australia loaded with grain and called at Falmouth for orders. This voyage of about 15,000 sea miles would have taken her between 90 and 140 days ( 3 – 41/2 months ) and the men would have been away from home for anything between nine months and a year. She was sent to the Tyne to unload, and having made this epic voyage was within a mile of safe harbour when the sixty mile an hour winds drove her ashore in the dark of that November early morning at 4.30am.
As she struck the rocks at the north end of the Long Sands she heeled over and all aboard her were thrown into the sea which was running “exceedingly high “. Of the 16 hands and two boys aboard the ship only one man, Andres Barklund, survived. Wearing a lifebelt he was washed ashore near the Tynemouth Palace ( later known as the Plaza ).
The Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade attempted to help the sailors but the wind was blowing so strongly onshore that a rocket could not be got aboard her.
In a curious touch next day on the beach was found a brown paper parcel containing two photographs, one of the Inga herself ( shown here ) and one of the crew on the deck. These are now held by Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade, by whose kind permission this picture is reproduced.
Iron Bark, Built in 2 months in 1877 by Osbourne and Graham + co. of Sunderland as the Gwynedd. 204.6’x 34.6’x 21.2’ moulded depth 22’7” – Poop deck 45’, Forecastle 17’ bar keel 8” depth. 1101 gross registered tons, 1007 t under deck, 1012 t net. 1 deck two tiers of beams. 1 bulkhead cemented.
Vessel was 100 A1 at time of survey, she was built under special survey well and efficiently equipped.
Signal letters JDNB
Captain T.A. Olsen employed by current owner in 1896, became captain of this ship in 1899.
Owners Acties Inga (T.B. Heistein) registered at Xiansand (Kristiansand) under Norwegian Flag.
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