"Doncaster"
17th July 1836
A British barque of 235 tons, built in London (1825), Commanded by Captain G Pritchard. Wrecked about 21km west of Cape Agulhas near the Ratel River on Sunday, 17th July, 1836.
(The above taken with thanks from "Shipwrecks and Salvage" by Malcolm Turner)
As far as anyone can ascertain, no-one survived the wreck of the Doncaster, but clues to the identity of some of those who perished were gleaned from personal items-books, trunks and journals, which washed up on the shore. Read personal accounts of those that were on the scene after the disaster (after the list of passengers)
This is a list of possible passengers:
COLLIS, Richard
DOBBIE, Sergeant
EDMONDS, Corporal 87th Regiment
FAIREN, Corporal 29th Regiment
FEENEY, Corporal 29th Regiment
HOOKS, Corporal 87th Regiment
HUGH, Corporal 87th Regiment
L.D.R
M.N.J.
MOUSLEY, Sergeant
MULHALLAND, Corporal 87th Regiment
O’BRIEN, Corporal 87th Regiment
PAGE, Assistant Surgeon
PICKFORD, Sergeant
PRITCHARD, G [Captain]
REED, Sergeant
RIDGWAY, Corporal 29th Regiment
SAUNDERS, M. K. Miss
SAUNDERS, Mary Jane
SAUNDERS, Robert
SAUNDERS, Henry P
SAUNDERS S.A.
SAUNDERS, J.A
SAUNDERS, L.J.
SERSOW, Corporal 87th Regiment
TURNER, Sergeant
T.V.
WALKER, S.
WIEHE, M.A.
WIEHE, P.A.
WIER, J.R.
WIER, J.W.
Personal accounts of the scene of the disaster -
This is a copy of a letter written to the Governor of the Cape, by the Civil Commissioner of Swellendam, Harry Rivers on 1st August 1836.
"Sir
I lament to acquaint you that since my last letter of the 26th ultimo, I have ascertained that bodies have been continually washed on shore from the wreck of a Vessel which appears to have been the Barque Doncaster, Captain Pritchard, that sailed from the Mauritius about the 20th June [1836].
Thirty five male and eighteen female bodies, with five children have been properly interred, but no traces of individuals could be made. They were nearly all naked, from which it is inferred that the vessel struck on the reef of Agulhas in the night and sunk immediately. Limbs and parts of bodies, which appear to have been fourteen or twenty days under water; wearing apparel of all descriptions and clothing of the 29th, 87th and 99th Regiments and Royal Artillery and Engineers, all much torn, and bags which contained sugar, are continually coming on shore. A quantity of loose letters and one Post-office box have been collected, which shall be forwarded when dried to the Postmaster General; and there are a number of books which I shall retain until applied for by the agents of the owners or other persons who may be acquainted with the unfortunate passengers.
The only clue to the names of the passengers is a small memorandum book or journal, a little defaced, which I have reason to believe belonged to Dr. Page of the Royal Artillery or Engineers and it is there stated that the passengers were Captain and Mrs. Weir of the 29th Regiment, Lieutenant and Mrs. Walker of the 99th Regiment, Madam Wiehe and her daughter, Mrs. Saunders and family, Sergeant Reid of the Royal Sappers and Miners and 17 invalids. There are not any letters for the Cape so that it does not appear that the Doncaster was intended to touch here.
The agent of Lloyds or of the owners of the vessel, if they are known, will no doubt proceed to the spot. There is not at present any thing of value on the beach except two masts and the bowsprit. The woodwork (part of the stern on which the name is, and part of the head and bows) is in very small pieces.
I have the honour to be &c. &c. Harry Rivers
Copy of a letter from Samuel Parlby, Esq. to the Honourable Colonel Bell
Kleine River Valley, 30th July 1836
Dear Sir
As much anxiety may be awakened in Cape Town by the value and contradictory accounts which may reach the capital of the late fatal shipwreck which has occurred on this coast about 40 miles from my residence, I beg to forward you the following particulars, which I have obtained from my son who went to ascertain if there were any survivors, or if any assistance could be afforded in this distressing calamity as soon as the circumstance was known here.
The vessel wrecked is the Doncaster, Bark, as ascertained from fragments of the wreck which have been washed ashore and she appears to have been on her voyage from Mauritius to London. The loss of human life has, I lament to say been dreadful, every living being on board appears to have perished! Already bodies of 19 women and children and of 32 men and boys have drifted ashore and been buried. The scene of the calamity is about half a mile to the east of the point on the coast on which the Jessie, Captain Winter, was lost in 1829, and nearly opposite the residence of the Widow Swarts, whose husband was mentioned in the account of that disaster. Of the hull of the Doncaster not a vestige remains entire, all must have been dashed to pieces as those parts which came on shore are shattered beyond description.
A Hottentot of the name of Hans Aventure, who was fishing in the coast was the first person it appears who discovered some of the dead bodies washed ashore from the wreck and from him it was ascertained that the ship had been ten or twelve days standing in and off the shore before the disaster happened , which is supposed to have taken place on the night of Sunday the 17th or the morning of the 18th instant.
The vessel was sometimes so near the shore that the voices of the crew were heard and the sailors were observed climbing the rigging occasionally - but it appears from the statement of those who reside on this part of the coast, that this is a common occurrence, as vessels coming from the eastward and passing Cape L'Agulhas bear up, and meeting westerly winds, are frequently wind bound on this part of the coast. I beg to mention that the Field-Cornet Laurens, of Soetendals Valley, in whose district the wreck is happened, is on the spot and appears to be taking every possible care of the property washed ashore, of which the value I fear will be very trifling.
The following names were observed on the covers of books, pieces of boxes and which have been picked up"
The Hon'ble Lady Colville, Russel Farm, Herefordshire favoured by Mrs. U...(name obliterated) on the lid of a box. Mary Jane Saunders on a music book. Miss M J K Saunders ditto. George Woolly jun. ditto. Captain Walker, 99th Regiment in a book. William Macready, Esq., Elstone Hertfordshire, favoured by (name obliterated) lid of a box. Robert Saunders Esq. South End in a book. Robert Saunders Esq. Eltham, Kent, present from Mauritius, lid of box. Author Edwards 1832 ditto. William Williams, Surgeon on a bottle. P Dollar, in a book. William Hughes, 29th Regiment ditto. A. Hooks, Royal Irish Fusiliers, No. 155. L Michiel Fearney, Sergeant, 29th Regiment.
Soldiers coats and buttons of the 97th, 29th, 99th and Royal Sappers and Miners. A tin case containing Claims for Compensation on the part of two Mauritius Planters.
Perhaps you may deem it proper to make known this intelligence through the medium of the Government Gazette, should none more satisfactory have reached Cape Town. I remain, dear Sir, yours faithfully - Samuel Parlby.
Further particulars of the wreck of the Doncaster
Newlands, 23rd August, 1936
Messrs. Borradailes, Thompson & Pillans, Cape Town
Gentlemen
Having arrived from the scene of the wrecked bark Doncaster, Captain G Pritchard, whither I had gone at your request for the purpose of acting for the interest of the owners and others, I herewith hand you a statement of my proceedings:-
The place where the whole of the wreck is washed up is in a small Bay about half mile in extent situated twelve or fifteen miles to the Westward of Cape l"Agulhas and the spot where this unfortunate accident occurred is supposed to be the termination of a reef of rocks running out from a point of the Bay about two miles. The sea breaks very heavy and at some distance, say one or two miles. The Bay is studded with rocks and filled with seaweed, from its length and thickness called bamboos. I arrived there on the 9th instant. A more melancholy sight is scarcely to be witnessed. Field-cornet Laurens and the neighbouring farmers had buried thirty-eight men and boys, eighteen women and children and one coloured woman. The bodies were wrapped up in clothes and blankets which had been washed ashore. They were too much disfigured to be identified. Some two or three had rings on, but their fingers were too swollen to take them off. A rising hill sloping into the sea is covered with white painted boards, marking the position of the graves, of which there are about forty - some of the children and women having been put into one grave. Before leaving, I wrote on one of the head-boards all the names I could collect from the apparel and books, which are hereunto annexed, with the supposed date (17th July, 1836) of the vessel being wrecked and the supposition (from all the bodies being destitute of clothing in any shape) that it had occurred during the night when all perished.
The whole of the rocks (you cannot call it beach) were covered with fragments of the wreck - planks in two or three pieces, beams and side timbers, masts, spars and broken pieces of what appeared to have been the jolly-boat and gig, broken empty trunks and casks, torn sails and sugar bags and a quantity of wearing apparel - soldiers coats of the 99th, 29th and 87th, shirts, frocks, trousers &c. all torn and scattered in every direction as far as the eye could see. At one part of the Bay, on some projecting rocks were found the larboard side with part of the quarter gallery, broken near the stem and having about two feet of copper - the main mast and topmast with their yards (main mast broken off in a jagged splinter about 6 or 7 feet below the paint) two studding sail booms, a gaff and driver boom with several sails and a quantity of running rigging, shrouds and stays, all entangled and intwined together but having the appearance as though the vessel had been in full sail. At two or three places, some distance apart were found bow-sprit and shrouds, several parts of the side. (8 or 10 timbers together). In another small Bay, with a sandy beach but heavy surf about 10 minutes walk, the long boat was found, high and dry, side stove, upper piece of the stern out, and the upper part of the larboard side jaggy; fitted up to contain sheep, pigs &c with no appearance of having been used. No part of the stern post, rudder, keel or stem has yet been found. From inquiry it appears that for several days a vessel had been standing in and off that part of the Coast and from some of the bodies being discovered by a Hottentots about the 20th ult. it would lead to the obvious supposition that the time must have been the week previous when the westerly winds prevailed and which about the 17th ult. rose into a most severe gale on that part of the Coast at which period it is concluded the accident took place.
The eight days previous to the sale I was busily engaged in drying books and papers - separating the masts, sails and rope, collecting timber and wearing apparel and arranging all for the sale. I found no papers of importance and nothing to elucidate this untoward event or give any information of who and what was on board with the exception of a paper being a list of Invalids from the Hospital at Mauritius and ordered to embark for England under the charge of Assistant Surgeon Dr. Page. The private property, consisting of a few broken shells, music books and wearing apparel was in such a state as to be of little value and did not realise sufficient to reimburse the proportion of expenses. What could be identified and was worth preserving has been forwarded to you comprising some music books for Mr. Saunders, a prayer book for Mr. Reed's family, a hymn book of Mr. Dobbie and a small box containing part of the stomach of a soldier which from some medical reports found appears to be for the Chief Medical Officer in England. Nothing of any value has been washed up and the whole of the sale consisted of timber, parts of the ship as specified in the Vendue Roll. About 1000 persons were present, consequently every thing went exorbitantly high. The amount of the sale is Rds. 3,309, out of which has to be paid about Rds. 700 for the Field-Cornet and farmers watching day and night for 25 days and about Rds. 700 for labour and other expenses attending the sale.
I am, Gentlemen, Yours very faithfully Edward J. Jerram