The wreck of the S.S BESSEMER CITY, 1st November 1936.

The wreck of the S.S BESSEMER CITY, 1st November 1936.  - Research and story by Robin Langford.

Just before midnight on 1st November 1936, the St.Ives Lifeboat crew were summoned by the rockets which boomed just prior to the church clock striking midnight.

The alarm was raised by Mr J.Eddy who lived at Trevalgan Farm, 2 miles west of St.Ives. He had heard a loud grating sound and after making his way to the coastline he saw the lights of a vessel aground beneath the cliffs. He then returned home to call the Coastguard and raise the alarm.

The wreck was soon located close to Pen Enys point and proved to be the American steamship Bessemer City bound for London from America via Liverpool with a general cargo and a crew of 33. The Bessemer City left Liverpool on the evening of 31st October and passed Godrevy Lighthouse 24 hours later. There was a strong NNE wind, rough seas and a thick wintry haze which almost obscured the Lighthouse. Shortly after, she grounded heavily near Pen Enys point just before midnight.

When the Lifeboat arrived on scene and managed to get alongside the Bessemer City, her captain refused to leave the ship but ordered ten of his crew to board the Lifeboat which then returned to St.Ives, arriving at 1.45am. At 2.40am she returned to the wreck to remove another seventeen crew members returning them to safety at 4.50am. After refuelling the Lifeboat she then returned for a third time only to find the Bessemer City breaking up and in half but despite the danger the Captain and his five officers were taken off the stricken ship. It is recorded that the Lifeboat was afloat for over 16 hours during this rescue.

Most of the tinned food was washed ashore and quickly collected by locals, who had to guess what was in the cans because the labels had washed off. Rumour has it that one family’s supply lasted until well after the Second World War.

Roland Morris from Penzance was hired by the ship’s owners to salvage an important part of equipment, a high-tech Gyro Compass. Part of the contract entitled him to salvage the rest of the ship’s cargo for himself but when he found the Mink fur coats they were thrown overboard because they were covered in oil. Many years later he learned that fur coats are transported in oil.