Whitesands Bay Wreck revealed as the BOLINA of Bideford!

The remains of the Whitesands Bay Wreck in 2014

Peter Davies, St David’s Historical Society, provides identity for the Whitesands Bay Wreck – the BOLINA of Bideford

 Following our blog about the Whitesands Bay Wreck on 25 February 2014, Mr Davies  has kindly sent information collated for an exhibition in 2003 by the St Davids and Dewisland Historical Society, which confirms the identity as the Bideford Brig BOLINA.

The BOLINA was carrying a cargo of iron bar, tin plates and pig iron from Newport to Liverpool and was driven into the bay by a northwesterly gale on 22 February 1833. Cargo to the value of £439 was salvaged from her by Messrs Starbuck of Milford. The shipping intelligence column of the Cambrian News, 16 February 1833, confirms that the BOLINA (under the command of her master Heay) had set sail from Newport with a cargo of iron and tin plate.

The loss is recorded in the diaries and notebooks of David Evans (1833-1920), which were printed in a private publication Who’s Who from Tobias Codd, available from Haverfordwest Library. David Evans was an eyewitness to the wreck of the ‘ALADDIN’ or ‘MLADEN’ some 17 years later. The crew of this Austrian brig were initially taken to his farm at Tŷ Gwyn before being given shelter at the Commercial Inn. The MLADEN’s cargo of wheat was recovered by local people and taken to be washed and kiln dried. Much was later used for animal feed.

 A very special thank you to Mr Davies for getting in touch.

http://www.stdavidshistoricalsociety.org.uk/

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