Irish Wrecks - Lady Charlotte SV (No. 548b)

*Vessel Type:*	Brig	*Location:*	Co. Cork
*Date of Loss:*	23rd October 1838	*Place:*	Barrel Rocks
*Cause of Loss:*	Struck rocks	*Boat Dive from:*	Schull
*Charted Depth:*	10m	*Irish O.S. Map:*	Discovery Series No. 88
*Height of Wreck:*	Scattered	*Admiralty Chart No:*	2184 and/or 2424
*Hull Material:*	Wood	*Latitude (approx.):*	51° 29' 15" North
*Type of Seabed:*	Rocks & kelp	*Longitude (approx.):*	09° 37' 24" West
*Average Visibility:*	10 - 15m	*Convert Lat. & Long.* to -	Decimal - CLICK HERE
*Image available?*	Yes (a letter) - see below	*Diving Experience:*	Novice

Diving Information:

Barrel Rocks (some sources say Dromadda Rocks) are 1 mile West of Goat Island at the entrance to Long Island Channel.
Reputed to still contain some of her silver bullion.
Badly broken up.
Permission is needed to dive this wreck as it is over 100 years old.
Ideal dive for Novices.

Historical Information:

A Liverpool Brig, she was bound for Liverpool from Callao, near Lima, with a cargo of hides, wool, bark, silver plate and silver dollars.
Her commander, Captain Bartingdale (or Bettingall), and eight crew were drowned.
One of the crew, Henry Baldwin, was rescued by the Coastguard after he was washed onto the rocks.
The Coastguard were able to salvaged $36,000 in silver plate.
The underwriter's divers were able to salvage £70,000 (1838 value), and two divers stayed on working for themselves for eight years!
Possibly still some silver to be found.

Source Publications:

"Irish Wrecks Database"

by
Roy Stokes & Liam Dowling

"Shipwrecks of the Irish Coast 1105 - 1993"

by
Dr. Edward J. Bourke

Edward J. Bourke 1994 - ISBN: 0952302705

"Shipwrecks of the Irish Coast 1582 - 2000"

by
Dr. Edward J. Bourke

Edward J. Bourke 2000 - ISBN: 0952302721

"Underwater Ireland Guide to Irish Dive Sites"

by
Irish Underwater Council

CFT 1999 - ISBN: 0948283025

Other Sources:

Roger Antell

-
via email (2006)

Last update - 16-May-2006