Emma (ship)
Encyclopedia
The Emma was a River Flat
launched on 28 February 1828 along the Mersey and Irwell Navigation, in Manchester
. Built by the New Quay Company, it was one of the largest cargo vessels to be built alongside the Irwell. The vessel capsized shortly after its launch, causing the deaths of as many as 47 of its estimated 200 passengers. Many others were rescued by bystanders, and treated by surgeons along the river banks. The Emma was eventually righted, and spent the rest of its life working along the River Weaver
.
. The Emma was a new vessel and was to be launched with an opening ceremony at the company's premises on the east bank of the Irwell. On the day of the launch, 28 February 1828, a large crowd gathered to watch the ceremony, entertained by a band of the ninth regiment accompanied by the sound of cannon
s. Flags and streamers were placed both on nearby vessels, and along the Quay
A bottle of wine was broken over the ship's bow by two daughters of the company's manager, William Brereton Grime. Including his daughters, 200 passengers boarded the vessel before it was released from its stocks. Following its launch the fully rigged vessel listed slightly to one side before continuing across the river and hitting the opposite bank. The Emma then capsized, throwing many of its passengers into the river.
As the boat hit the bank, a boy, James Haslam, was forced by the weight of the crowd behind him into the river. Huitson Dearman, a dyer from Salford, rescued three people from the river, but died while attempting to rescue a fourth. A fishmonger who had also entered the river to rescue survivors after several hours returned to find his clothes had been stolen. He subsequently suffered from the exposure to the cold, and died several months later. A number of smaller boats were launched to rescue the passengers, some of whom remained in the water to rescue the others. One of the boats was so overwhelmed by survivors that it almost sank. Some of the passengers were dragged under the surface by other passengers. Those passengers removed from the Manchester bank of the river were taken to a warehouse belonging to the New Quay Company, and those taken onto the Salford bank were taken to the Britannia Inn and the Kings Arms. Two more, who later survived, were also taken to the Lying-in Hospital at Salford's New Bailey Prison. William Grime's two daughters were among the survivors.
Several surgeons were called to the scene of the accident, including Kinder Wood, Joseph Jordan, and the politician
and educationalist James Phillips Kay. His attempts to resuscitate some of the passengers included the use of a hot-bath, and then the use of a pair of bellows
into an incision he had made into the wind-pipe; in two instances this proved successful. He also gave transfusions to some passengers, using blood from men and, as a last resort, a dog.
Initially, 34 bodies were pulled from the river. The body of a young girl, trapped underneath the vessel, was recovered when at about 5 pm it was righted. As news of the accident spread throughout the town, relatives and friends of the passengers arrived and frantically began asking of their whereabouts. One man, on discovering his dead wife at the New Quay warehouse, was reported to have tried repeatedly to revive her.
s were held at the New Quay and two public house
s on Oldfield Lane in Salford, each returning verdicts of "Accidentally Drowned". The victims were buried in a variety of locations, including Christ Church in Hulme
, and the former St John's Church on Byrom Street. Accounts vary but as many as 47 bodies may have been retrieved from the water. Some sources state that a cause of the many deaths may well have been the river pollution from a nearby gasworks.
The New Quay Company publicly acknowledged the efforts of many of those involved in the rescue of its passengers, and the work of the surgeons on the day. As well as Huitson Dearman, Richard Fogg (a clerk at the company) was congratulated for aiding about 30 passengers. A fund was established for the bereaved families and the reward of the rescuers. The Emma was recovered and reportedly spent its working life transporting salt on the River Weaver
.
Through marriage, one of William Grime's daughters later became Elizabeth Salisbury Heywood, and presented Manchester with a statue of Oliver Cromwell
.
Mersey Flat
A Mersey flat is a type of doubled-ended barge with rounded bilges, carvel build and fully decked. Traditionally, the hull was built of oak and the deck was pitch pine. Some had a single mast, with a fore and aft rig, while some had an additional mizzen mast. Despite having a flat bottom and curved...
launched on 28 February 1828 along the Mersey and Irwell Navigation, in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. Built by the New Quay Company, it was one of the largest cargo vessels to be built alongside the Irwell. The vessel capsized shortly after its launch, causing the deaths of as many as 47 of its estimated 200 passengers. Many others were rescued by bystanders, and treated by surgeons along the river banks. The Emma was eventually righted, and spent the rest of its life working along the River Weaver
River Weaver
The River Weaver is a river, navigable in its lower reaches, running in a curving route anti-clockwise across west Cheshire, northern England. Improvements to the river to make it navigable were authorised in 1720 and the work, which included eleven locks, was completed in 1732...
.
History
The New Quay Company, established in 1822, used boats to transport goods and passengers between Manchester and LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. The Emma was a new vessel and was to be launched with an opening ceremony at the company's premises on the east bank of the Irwell. On the day of the launch, 28 February 1828, a large crowd gathered to watch the ceremony, entertained by a band of the ninth regiment accompanied by the sound of cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
s. Flags and streamers were placed both on nearby vessels, and along the Quay
A bottle of wine was broken over the ship's bow by two daughters of the company's manager, William Brereton Grime. Including his daughters, 200 passengers boarded the vessel before it was released from its stocks. Following its launch the fully rigged vessel listed slightly to one side before continuing across the river and hitting the opposite bank. The Emma then capsized, throwing many of its passengers into the river.
As the boat hit the bank, a boy, James Haslam, was forced by the weight of the crowd behind him into the river. Huitson Dearman, a dyer from Salford, rescued three people from the river, but died while attempting to rescue a fourth. A fishmonger who had also entered the river to rescue survivors after several hours returned to find his clothes had been stolen. He subsequently suffered from the exposure to the cold, and died several months later. A number of smaller boats were launched to rescue the passengers, some of whom remained in the water to rescue the others. One of the boats was so overwhelmed by survivors that it almost sank. Some of the passengers were dragged under the surface by other passengers. Those passengers removed from the Manchester bank of the river were taken to a warehouse belonging to the New Quay Company, and those taken onto the Salford bank were taken to the Britannia Inn and the Kings Arms. Two more, who later survived, were also taken to the Lying-in Hospital at Salford's New Bailey Prison. William Grime's two daughters were among the survivors.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and educationalist James Phillips Kay. His attempts to resuscitate some of the passengers included the use of a hot-bath, and then the use of a pair of bellows
Bellows
A bellows is a device for delivering pressurized air in a controlled quantity to a controlled location.Basically, a bellows is a deformable container which has an outlet nozzle. When the volume of the bellows is decreased, the air escapes through the outlet...
into an incision he had made into the wind-pipe; in two instances this proved successful. He also gave transfusions to some passengers, using blood from men and, as a last resort, a dog.
Initially, 34 bodies were pulled from the river. The body of a young girl, trapped underneath the vessel, was recovered when at about 5 pm it was righted. As news of the accident spread throughout the town, relatives and friends of the passengers arrived and frantically began asking of their whereabouts. One man, on discovering his dead wife at the New Quay warehouse, was reported to have tried repeatedly to revive her.
Aftermath
InquestInquest
Inquests in England and Wales are held into sudden and unexplained deaths and also into the circumstances of discovery of a certain class of valuable artefacts known as "treasure trove"...
s were held at the New Quay and two public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
s on Oldfield Lane in Salford, each returning verdicts of "Accidentally Drowned". The victims were buried in a variety of locations, including Christ Church in Hulme
Hulme
Hulme is an inner city area and electoral ward of Manchester, England. Located immediately south of Manchester city centre, it is an area with significant industrial heritage....
, and the former St John's Church on Byrom Street. Accounts vary but as many as 47 bodies may have been retrieved from the water. Some sources state that a cause of the many deaths may well have been the river pollution from a nearby gasworks.
The New Quay Company publicly acknowledged the efforts of many of those involved in the rescue of its passengers, and the work of the surgeons on the day. As well as Huitson Dearman, Richard Fogg (a clerk at the company) was congratulated for aiding about 30 passengers. A fund was established for the bereaved families and the reward of the rescuers. The Emma was recovered and reportedly spent its working life transporting salt on the River Weaver
River Weaver
The River Weaver is a river, navigable in its lower reaches, running in a curving route anti-clockwise across west Cheshire, northern England. Improvements to the river to make it navigable were authorised in 1720 and the work, which included eleven locks, was completed in 1732...
.
Through marriage, one of William Grime's daughters later became Elizabeth Salisbury Heywood, and presented Manchester with a statue of Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
.