from: The Strabane Morning Post, Tuesday September 02, 1828 &c. Brig
Dispatch of Workington, Captain William Lancaster, from Londonderry May 29th
1828 to Quebec – The survivors arrived at Halifax (from Port aux Basque,
Newfoundland), aboard the HMS Tyne on July 26th 1828. Acadian Recorder
August 2nd 1828:— HMS Tyne - with 152 men, women and children (including 10
of the crew and the mate) saved from the brig Dispatch, bound from
Londonderry to Quebec, wrecked off Newfoundland. "The whole of these
unfortunate people, we learn, were in comfortable circumstances, one of
whom, a Scotchman, had property to the amount of £500 on board, and he is
now left with a family of 13 children, entirely destitute; indeed all that
any of them have saved are a few clothes which were washed on shore. " On
July 10th 1828, Despatch ran aground on a reef three miles offshore from
Isle aux Mort, near Port aux Basques. Attempts to launch a lifeboat ended
when the captain and others were swamped by high waves and lost. Subsequent
attempts by the crew were only partly successful. A few managed to make to
safely on shore, and others on a nearby island while a few remained clinging
to the shipwrecked vessel. Several lives were lost during the next two days.
A gentleman named George Harvey, became aware of the wreck, and on July
13th, accompanied by his 17 yr-old daughter Ann and 12 yr-old son, rowed for
two hours through heavy rain, surf and strong winds until they came upon the
shipwrecked Despatch and its survivors. For the next three days, George and
his two children risked their own lives to aid the survivors. To honour
their heroic efforts, the Governor of Newfoundland, Sir Thomas Cochrane,
gave George Harvey £100 sterling and a gold medal. Londonderry Journal
Wednesday, August 27 1828 Loss of the Brig Dispatch The following melancholy
letter, detailing the loss of the above vessel, which sailed from this Port,
bound for Quebec, with passengers, in May last, has been received by Marcus
S. Hill, Esq. our Londonderry collector:— H M S Tyne, 26th July, 1828 Sir.—
The accompanying list contains the names of 158 men, women, and children,
exclusive of the mate and all the crew, 9 in number, who were saved from the
wreck of the Dispatch or Despatch, commanded by the late William Lancaster,
(drowned) which sailed from Port of Londonderry, on the 29th May for Quebec—
The brig was wrecked on a rock, about eighteen miles to the eastward of Cape
Ray, and distant from the Main three-fourths of a mile, on the evening of
the 10th of July, and it was only by watching the occasional fall of the
surf for a few hours each day; till the following Tuesday, that the mate and
crew with two boats, and the assistance of a fisherman in a small boats 12
feet long, saved those in the accompanying list. The mate informs me that
200 passengers were said to be on board, though he thinks several infants
were not reckoned, as their passage was not paid, and the crew, master
included, were eleven in number. Four men and ten children died on the rock
from starvation, five children and one woman, died on the beach, four men
perished in the woods, and one woman and one boy in the boats of this ship,
whilst on their passage from the place of shipwreck. By a comparison of
numbers, it appears that thirty-six at least were drowned; of that number
two infants were washed from their mother's breast, whilst on the rock, and
of one family, six were swept off after they obtained a footing. I have
taken the liberty of troubling you with the list, as from your situation at
the port whence the vessel sailed, you will most propably have the readiest
means of making the same known, and thus quieting the feelings of relatives
and friends at once. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, R. Grant
________________________________________ To the Collector of Customs at
Londonderry. A list of Persons saved from the wreck of the Brig Dispatch
William Lancaster the late Master, and conveyed from Port aux Basque,
Newfoundland, to Halifax, in his Majesty's ship Tyne:— County of Tyrone
Michael Sheils James McGonagle and Margaret his sister Edward McGowan Joseph
Smiley and his wife and child John Smiley and his wife and two children
Hamilton Parkhill and his wife, child, and sister, (brother lost) John
McPartridge, Mary his wife and James, Archibald, John, Samuel, and Martha
their children Mary McManus all of Donagheady John Henderson, Skirts John
Scott, Ardstraw Robert Shaw and his wife and child John Nickson and Margaret
his wife John Bagster Baxter Martha his mother and Thomas and James his sons
(two sons and two sisters lost) Thomas and William, brothers of John Bagster
[Baxter] George his nephew Annie and Catharine his sisters all of Cappagh
County Tyrone George Boyle and James Monaghan, Kilskerry Edward Sheils and
James Armstrong, Drumra Charles Cochran, Strabane, (died on board the Tyne
on the morning of the 26th of July) John Williamson Wm. Moor Wm. McMonagle
and C. McMonagle his mother Robert Gorman Margaret Gordon (her husband lost)
Catharine Bryan all Leckpatrick. Hugh Harper, Termanamongan Alexander
Kail,[Kyle] Termanamongan, and Eliza his wife. County of Donegal James
Gallagher, Rathmullan James Dougherty, Turboil Charles Porter and James
Roulston, Langfield Hugh M'Laughlin, Dunaghmore Mathew Fulton,
Tullaghabegley Thomas McClean Alexander McCauley and Mary his wife, (one son
lost) Dennis Dougan and Anne and Grace, his two daughters of Ray Letterkenny
Jaffles Smyth, Ostragh Samuel Spence, Tullaghaghness John Armstrong, David
O'Hara John O'Hara and Mary his wife Joseph Hart and Mary his wife, and
Thomas, Margaret and Eliza, their children, (lost two sons;) Margaret
Thompson Noble Kilgrace and his wife Rachael of Urney Alexander Aljoe David
Hamilton Martha his sister and Robert his brother, (father, mother) and two
sisters lost) of Tullybeg Hugh Dougal, Cloaghaneely William Ayers Mary
Graham, (her husband lost) Rose Gallagher of Raphoe James Williams and Mary
Williams his wife, Burt Donegal Anne Duncan Mary Mahaffy and her two
nephews, James and John King (her father, mother, and sister lost) Mary
McMonagle and her son James, (one child lost.) of Taughboyne John Brown and
Isabella his wife, (one son lost) Mary McBeth of Donoughmore Charles Smullen
and his wife and child, and William Cassidy, his step-son, Tullaghobegly
Eleanor Johnston, Templecarn Robert Moore his wife Margaret and child Sarah,
Ramelton Patrick Callaghan and his wife Lydia, Conwell County of Londonderry
John McMullan and James his brother, (father, mother, two sisters, nephew,
and female servant lost) of Termanveny Thomas McCleland William McCleland
William White of Drumachose John McMaster Martha his sister, and William his
brother; of Glendermot John Craghan, Upper Cumber James M'Ginnis, Aughaloo
John Hull Robert Hull Baltreagh Benjamin M'Kay, Macquanane Patrick McManus
Rose O'Neill Cumber James Marshal, Glendermot George Steel, Drumachose (his
brother lost) Sarah Anne Hyndman James Robinson Glendermot James Cerrigan
Robert McElhenny Faughanvale Biddy Mullens, Bannagher James M'Culloch, his
wife and child, (one son lost) Kill, County Cavan Neal McTaggart Daniel
Arnott and his wife and 11 children John, Daniel, and David, his sons all
grown up, Duncan, aged 10, Andrew 1, Elizabeth grown up, Agnes 14, Catharine
12, Jane 8, Mary 5, and Martha 3 all of Campbeltown, Argyleshire William
Frazill and Anne his wife, (one son lost) Killead, County Antrim
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