Daily Event for September 29, 2010

Victory was a wooden hull sidewheel steamer built in Liverpool in 1832 by J. Wilson & Sons. She had a number of owners, but her last one was the Waterford Steam Navigation Company of Waterford, Ireland. Victory was 256 tons, 159' long with a beam of 24', her engine could make 140 horsepower. Her final voyage was made in September of 1853 from Waterford to Liverpool carrying a group of emigrants, normally Victory provided service between Waterford and Bristol, but the Liverpool boat was laid up at the time.

On the return trip at about 4 a.m. on September 29, 1853 she ran on to the Barrels off the coast of County Wexford, Ireland in St. George's Channel. Her master, captain John Stacey, backed the ship off the rocks, but the damage had been done. He set the crew to operating the pumps and made an attempt to make Wexford with his damaged craft, but after three hours the water overcame the capacity of the pumps and Stacey ordered the boats to be lowered. Everyone on the ship made it into the boats and all but one made it to shore, one seaman drowned trying to reach land.

Captain Stacey had been a mate on the Waterwitch when it was lost in the same area in 1833, and was a relative of capt. John Stacey late of the City of Bristol.
© 2010 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com



Roll of Honour
In memory of Seaman William Weaer, who lost his life in SS Victory
"As long as we embrace him in our memory, his spirit will always be with us"


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