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The ill-fated ship, the S.S. Ballina, was launched in Barrow-on-Furness, England, in 1878. She was the property of flour millers, Pollexfen and Midleton, who had business interests in Ballina, hence the name of the vessel. She made her first visit to Ballina quay in 1878 and for a short time thereafter, she made several visits carrying cargo between Liverpool and the town.
Her last outward voyage from Ballina, under the captaincy of Mr. C.J. Lynn, was in December 1881. She was not due to return until January 5th 1882 and the crew spent the Christmas period in Liverpool. Disaster overtook the vessel on the return journey; a violent storm blew up and the vessel foundered in mountainous seas. She was lost without trace and was not seen again for nearly a hundred years when her submerged wreck was found in 1971 by Mr. Mike Corlett, a diver, living on the Isle of Man. Mr. Corlett purchased the wreck and some years ago presented the bell to the people of Ballina. It is now mounted in the “Glasgow Shed” at Ballina quay, which is most appropriate, because at least three of the 15* lost crewmembers were from Crocketstown (the Quay) area.
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| The bell, a poignant relic. |
In March 1882, an inquiry held by the The Wrecks Commissioner found that the vessel was overloaded and deficient in stability on their last voyage. He severely condemned the managing owner, Mr. Pollexfen, for sending her to sea in that condition and ordered him to pay £ 150 towards the cost of the action. It was because of this ruling that the owners of the cargo brought an action against C.W. Pollexfen & Co. to recover the cost of the lost goods. However, a subsequent court, after listening to the evidence of eyewitnesses, former crewmembers and expert maritime engineers, found that the vessel was not overloaded, but was seaworthy and stable. The jury, without leaving the box, took only minutes to reach the decision. (Mayo Examiner, August 12th 1882).
* Lloyd’s Register gives the number of crewmembers lost as 16.
The “Ballina”:- 341 tons gross and 170 ton net register.
120 H.P. engines.
Length - 169 ft 6 ins.
Breadth - 23 ft.
Official No. 78780, (Lloyd’s Register of Shipping).
Mayo Historical & Archaeological Society |
