WRECKS
& SURVIVORS
South Africa
Many tragic stories of shipwrecks have been recorded throughout the history of the Cape of Good Hope. The passengers and crews of these ships often did not survive to tell the tale. Here are the details of some of these shipwrecks, with known passenger lists and, where possible, survivors .
"DONCASTER
"
- sank west of Cape Agulhas on the 17th July 1836 - there were no
survivors but details of the victims were gleaned from wreckage found at the
scene.
"WATERLOO "
- sank in Table Bay on 28th August, 1842 with dreadful loss of life. Apart from
the crew, she was
carrying 219 male convicts and 30 soldiers of the 99th Regiment of Foot as well
as some wives and children. Only 113 survived of all those on board.
"RMS TEUTON " - sank on the 30th August 1881 at Quoin Point near Cape Agulhas, South Africa. She was a Colonial Mail Steamer of the Union Company and carried over 200, mainly emigrant passengers and crew. Only 34 survived.
PRINCE RUPERT - ran aground in Table Bay on 5th September 1841. Four crew members from another ship the Bucephalus together with a passenger from the doomed Prince Rupert were drowned trying to save emigrants