The Denmore was a small iron steamship built for Alexander Nicol of Aberdeen and launched on 2nd February 1878. She measured 155.8′ x 21.3′ x 11.4′ and her tonnage was 328 gross tons, 212 net tons. She was powered by two compound surfacing condensing steam engines by Smith Bros, Kingston, Glasgow delivering 50 horse power. Over subsequent months her ownership was gradually diluted as other local Aberdeen businessmen bought into the ship and the profits expected from her trade along the Scottish east coast.
Extract Lloyd’s Register 1879-80.
It was on this trade that she departed from Leith a little before midnight on the 19th March, 1879 with a cargo of flour bound for her home port of Aberdeen. Captain Crombie had a crew of eleven men aboard and all was set fair with a moderate north east breeze barely rippling the surface of the sea as she set off. At about 12:30 they passed Inchkeith Light and adjusted course slightly to head E3/4N to pass north of May Island with a speed of 12 knots. Around 2am, with her speed increased to 16 knots, the course was further adjusted to EbyN and again adjusted 25 minutes later to E N1/2N. Finally, shortly after a further half point course adjustment to the north and with her speed now increased to 18 knots, a bright white light was spotted directly ahead. The master was unsure of the nature of the light and immediately ported his helm closely passing what turned out to be an anchored ship. Two other bright lights were spotted and by now the captain was confused and concerned. He ordered a further turn to the right and engines to be reversed but it was too late and the ship ran hard aground by the starboard bow on the north end of May Island.
Builders cross-section – Lloyd’s Register archive.
With engines in full reverse Captain Crombie pulled his damaged ship back off the rocks but a quick inspection below found the forehold filling fast. He ordered the sluices between this hold and the rest of the ship closed and decided to make a run for Leith or Granton. One hour after the grounding the main hold was still free of water and they were optimistic that they could make harbour but only 15 minutes later the main hold was nine inches deep and the Denmore was down by the bow making her almost impossible to steer. Soon she began to list heavily to port. It was clear she was in serious trouble. Orders were given to stop the engines and most of the crew got into the boats which had been lowered earlier as a precaution. The captain, mate and carpenter stayed aboard still hopeful that their ship could be saved. A Dundee steamer, the Princess Alice, arrived on the scene and took the men from the boat aboard followed by the three men who had remained aboard the Denmore. Captain Crombie convinced the skipper of the Princess Alice to try to help him save his ship but when he returned to the Denmore with a line to attach to attempt a tow the Denmore lurched further onto her port side and he decided to finally abandon the attempt. He returned to the other steamer and then, about 10 minutes later, the two crews watched as she finally rolled over and sank.
A court of enquiry into the loss of the Denmore was held in Aberdeen on 7th April, 1879 and although it did not find Captain Crombie to be negligent it did conclude that he acted with a lack of appropriate caution and suspended his certificate for three months.
We would like to thank Lloyd’s Register Foundation – Heritage & Education Centre for allowing us to reproduce documents from their archive in this article.
