The wreck of the S.S. WILSTON, 23rd January 1939.

The St.Ives Lifeboat disaster and the wreck of the S.S. WILSTON, 23rd January 1939. - Research and story by Robin Langford.

The ST.IVES LIFEBOAT DISASTER and the wreck of the S.S. WILSTON 23rd Jan 1939

I have written this story in remembrance of those brave, courageous, selfless men who set off into the darkness in order to rescue others and into one of the worst storms St.Ives has ever known.

The St.Ives Lifeboat Station suffered two disasters in less than 12 months. The first disaster was the loss of the St.Ives Lifeboat CAROLINE PARSONS which was wrecked on the rocks at Porthmeor after rescuing the crew from the steamship ALBA on 31st January 1938. The second disaster occurred on the 23rd January 1939, which was much worse and resulted in the loss of seven Lifeboat crew members and another wrecked Lifeboat.

On Sunday 22nd of January 1939 there was a ferocious storm raging over West Cornwall. The North Westerly Force 10 - 11 winds were gusting to over 90 mph and were unleashing their full force on the North Cornish coastline. In St.Ives roof slates were being ripped from the rooftops and many elderly residents agreed that it was the worst storm they had ever witnessed.

In the early hours of Monday 23rd the St.Just Coastguard sighted a large steamship which appeared to be in distress. The ship was in a dangerous position about 2 miles North of Cape Cornwall and was making no headway. Mountainous seas were seen to be breaking over the ship, however no distress signals were seen. Fearing that the ship was going to be blown ashore, the alert was sent to the flanking Lifeboat stations and to the Life Saving Apparatus teams.

The conditions were treacherous and the closest lifeboat at Sennen Cove was unable to launch due to the low tide and very heavy seas which were breaking straight into the Cove. This news soon reached the Coxswain of the St.Ives Lifeboat and at about 2.30am Thomas Cocking fired the signal maroons in order to summon the rest of the St.Ives crew.

The St.Ives Lifeboat crew soon assembled: Thomas Cocking (Coxswain), Richard Stevens (Mechanic), William Barber, John Thomas (Bowman), Edgar Bassett (Signalman), John Cocking (assistant Mechanic), Matthew Barber, and William Freeman who was standing in for another crew member who was feeling unwell. Many of these men were also aboard the CAROLINE PARSONS, the lifeboat which had capsized and been wrecked during the S.S. ALBA rescue less than a year ago on 31st January 1938.

After the St.Ives lifeboat CAROLINE PARSONS was wrecked the Royal National Lifeboat Institution supplied the St.Ives station with a temporary lifeboat. She was called the JOHN AND SARAH ELIZA STYCH and was on loan from Padstow.

A huge amount of locals had gathered to help launch the Lifeboat and many were heard discussing the treacherous weather conditions which were also much worse than the previous St.Ives Lifeboat disaster. Nevertheless the Coxswain shouted “we are off” and the Lifeboat JOHN AND SARAH ELIZA STYCH was prepared for launching. There was no Lifeboat tractor in those days so the Lifeboat and carriage had to be manhandled along the Wharf and across the beach. It was low tide and it was estimated that between 80 to 90 people helped to launch the boat. In order to get the Lifeboat afloat people had to wade into the darkness and breaking waves, some were washed off their feet whilst others were up to their necks in the cold seawater. 

Eventually the Lifeboat was afloat and with the engine started she disappeared through the surf and off into the darkness at 2.50am. The conditions were very poor and after clearing the Lee or little shelter which St.Ives Head offered, they encountered mountainous seas. They headed North to clear the land in order to get some sea room before turning West and towards the vessel in distress. At St.Just the steamship was seen to have drifted within a few hundred yards of the rocks at Levant but then managed to steam seawards and get clear. There were still no distress signals seen from the ship !

The Lifeboat was now about one and a half nautical miles North North East of Clodgy Point when suddenly a huge wave broke on the Starboard bow. The Lifeboat instantly capsized and threw five of the crew members overboard. Luckily William Freeman was holding onto the safety lines and when the Lifeboat righted itself he was quickly dragged back aboard by Matthew Barber, John Cocking and Richard Stevens who had also managed to hold on. However Thomas Cocking, William Barber, John Thomas and Edgar Bassett were thrown clear and despite hearing their shouts for help, the men who were left aboard the disabled Lifeboat could not locate their fellow crew mates because of the darkness.

The Lifeboats engine was designed to cut out and stop if the boat capsized, this meant that the boat and crew were at the mercy of the storm. The ropes and gear trailing in the water were cut away and the engine was restarted, however when it was put in 'ahead' gear the engine stalled and stopped. It was restarted again several times but they could not engage propulsion. The Lifeboat was now sitting beam on to the seas and at further risk of being capsized. The only option now was to drop anchor in order to stabilise the boat and keep her head to sea. An attempt was also made to rig and set the mizzen sail, but this proved impossible due to the extreme weather conditions.

The Lifeboat was now in a disabled and helpless state so the remaining crew sent up red distress flares to summon for help. These signals were seen at 4.20am by the Coastguard team at Clodgy Point, who immediately sent a message to request the launch of the Penlee Lifeboat and the assistance of the St.Ives and Portreath Life Saving Apparatus teams. The Penlee Lifeboat would have to complete a 30 mile passage around Lands End in order to reach the St.Ives Lifeboat, many people thought this would be impossible given the treacherous conditions. Nevertheless the Penlee Lifeboat crew launched about 5.00am and to the worst kind of rescue - that of another Lifeboat. They were soon underway and heading West towards Lands End, battling the storm and desperate to help rescue their fellow Lifeboat crew.

The St.Ives Lifeboat was now at anchor and riding the storm, the boat was thrashing about amongst the breaking seas when suddenly the anchor cable parted. Once again the Lifeboat was adrift and being blown broadside towards the feared Stones Reef and the rugged coastline at Godrevy. Although several attempts were made to engage propulsion the engine stalled again. The lifeboat was now drifting rapidly across the bay when another huge breaking wave struck the boat and capsized it for a second time. When she rolled back upright Richard Stevens was missing and could not be seen or located. There were now only three crew members left aboard.

The Penlee Lifeboat was underway but making slow progress towards Lands End as they battled their way through the mountainous seas. The lifeboat 'W & S' was under the command of Coxswain Frank Blewett and he and his crew were desperate to reach the St.Ives lifeboat, in order to help their fellow lifeboatmen. they were now underway and battling the storm to head West towards Lands End, desperate to help their fellow Lifeboat crew. It is thought that the Penlee lifeboat only got as far as Tater Du Lighthouse, just past Lamorna Cove before they received a message from the Lands End radio station stating 'St.Ives lifeboat lost, return to Station'

The St.Ives Lifeboat continued to drift helplessly towards the rocks at Godrevy and the only thing the crew could do was to hold onto the boat in fear of another capsize. It wasn’t long before another huge wave struck and the boat rolled over for the third time, when she self righted John Cocking and Matthew Barber were nowhere to be seen. Now only William Freeman remained and his plan was to hang on until the Lifeboat was washed ashore. Three minutes later the boat was thrown onto the rocks and left high and dry as the waves receded. William Freeman crawled out of the wrecked Lifeboat and scrambled up the rocks, battered and bruised he made his way to the farmhouse at Godrevy in order to get help.

It was now just past six o' clock in the morning and when Mr and Mrs Delbridge heard their doorbell ring, they opened the door to find William Freeman in a collapsed state. Mrs Delbridge took good care of William and after hearing about the disaster, Mr Delbridge cycled to Hayle to summon a doctor and report news of the disaster to the Coastguard. Just after seven o clock the St.Ives residents of St.Ives heard the disastrous news and the whole community were plunged into mourning. The St.Ives Lifeboat Station was locked up and remained closed for nearly a year, only being reopened when the local fishermen petitioned and asked the RNLI for a new Lifeboat for the town. 

Over the next few weeks, wreckage and bodies were washed up along the coast indicating that a large ship had also been wrecked early that morning. Amongst the wreckage was a damaged ship’s boat marked BECHEVILLE, but it turned out that this steamship had been damaged during the storm but had managed to reach the safety of Falmouth Harbour. Broken ship’s life rings bearing the names GLASGOW, FOSCA and WILSTON were also washed ashore, however it was reported that the Italian ship FOSCA made it through the storm unharmed. It was now looking likely that the wrecked ship was that of the British registered steamship WILSTON.

S.S. WILSTON had left the port of Newport in Wales on the evening of 21 January bound for La Goulette in Tunisia, she was carrying a cargo of coal and had a crew of 30 men. Nothing more was ever heard of the ship and she never made her port of destination. Was it the WILSTON that was seen to be in trouble off Cape Cornwall ? was it the crew of the WILSTON that the St.Ives lifeboat set off to rescue ? We will never know.

PHOTO OF WRECKAGE AT WICCA POOL ( with text on photo)

Farmers reported evidence of a shipwreck at Wicca Pool and that parts of an iron steamship could be seen amongst the breaking waves. Some people suggested that this was just parts of the Spanish steamship MANU which was wrecked nearby in 1916. More bodies were still being washed ashore and it was evident that they were crew members from the wrecked steamship. Some were unidentifiable but others were identified by relatives and proven to be crew members who were aboard S.S. WILSTON. Those identified were 26 year old Arthur Comer (2nd mate) Leslie Cornock (2nd Engineer) George Cassar (crew) Andrew Reid (crew) and 19 year old crew member John Nilsson.

S.S. WILSTON was owned by the Wilston Steamship Company Ltd and was registered in Glasgow, built in 1916 by R. Duncan & Co Ltd, Glasgow. The ship was 335 ft in length and had a displacement of 3221 tons gross. A triple expansion steam engine powered the vessel and it generated 297 horsepower.

The wreck of the S.S WILSTON was discovered by divers in the late 1980’s whilst they were looking for the wreck of the S.S. MANU. The triple expansion steam engine which was located on the seabed proved that this was not the wreck of the MANU. However on subsequent dives a ship’s bell was found and after cleaning it revealed the name S.S. WILSTON engraved on it and thus proving the final resting place of the ship.

The RNLI presented Bronze Medals for gallantry to the sole survivor William Freeman and posthumously to the other seven Lifeboat crew members. After his traumatic episode William Freeman never set foot aboard another boat again and he was even fearful of walking down the Quay in St.Ives.  By strange coincidence William died on 23rd January 1979 - exactly 40 years after the disaster.